RESEARCHERS at the Crickhowell Archive Centre and colleagues from the History Society have been engaged for several years in a project to uncover the lives of the men (there are no women) whose names are listed on local war memorials of the First World War, and also on the impact of that war on the town and surrounding parishes.

A well-attended exhibition was held at the Clarence Hall last year and the project will conclude with the publication of a book, now nearing completion.

The Archive Centre’s Geoff Williams explained, “Unfortunately a few puzzles remain and before the book goes to press we are asking for the help of Chronicle readers.

“A key part of the book is a brief account of the life of each of the men named on our war memorials (and indeed, some not currently listed on Crickhowell’s District War Memorial, which we hope might later be added). Of the more than one hundred names volunteers have researched two cannot be identified. It would be most unfortunate if either appeared in the book as ‘Unidentified’.

“They are, Private G Davies of the South Wales Borderers, whose wife, thought to have been living in Crickhowell, attended the service at Llangattock Church to dedicate the memorial to the fallen of the parish in January 1919. All our efforts to track this man down through regimental, local and internet sources have so far proved unsuccessful. It is, of course, over a hundred years since the outbreak of that war so it is unlikely that anyone alive today can have direct contact, but is there anyone who might know of him or his family who might be able to unlock his identity and life story?”

Geoff added, “The other man is J S Rumsey whose name is not on a memorial within the district, but was added to the Cwmdu parish list at the War Memorial Hospital in Brecon when that was opened in 1928. This was almost a decade after the end of the war, and at this late stage someone must have arranged for his name to be included. Yet there seems to be no trace of him, in casualty lists or census records, etc. can anyone provide a clue as to who this soldier the identity of this man with a Cwmdu association?”

In addition to pen-portraits, it was hoped to provide a photograph of each of the more than a hundred men listed, but so far photographs have been located of only forty two. Can anyone help in finding others? Note that the men are not only from Crickhowell but also in the seven other parishes which made up the Rural District at the time of the war – Llanelly, Llangenny, Partrishow, Llanbedr, Cwmdu, Llangynidr and Llangattock. A list of the men for whom photographs are required can be provided (see contact details below).

War memorials can be in forms other than inscribed lists of the fallen and Crickhowell has two: the War Memorial Health Centre, successor to the town’s former War Memorial Hospital and the Castle Recreation Ground, given to the town in remembrance of Lt Christie James, who fell in action at the Battle of Cambrai in 1917, by his father Mr Gwilym James of Llanwysk, Llangattock. But there was a third, a German Field Gun and Carriage, provided for the town by the War Office Trophies Committee. In 1921 this was set up on a plinth alongside the Post Office with surrounding railings to prevent children climbing upon it. Older residents have childhood memories of it in the inter-war years and it seems likely it was removed during one of the scrap metal drives of World War 2.

Surprisingly no photograph of it has yet been found. Does anyone have one?

Finally, the puzzle of The WW1 Prisoner of War camp at Glangrwyney. This was one of three in the Crickhowell RDC area, the others being at Pen-y-gaer, near Bwlch and at the Hermitage in the Grwyne Fechan above Llanbedr. A good deal is known about those but almost nothing about the third. There was, however, report of the purchase by the parish council of a hut from it in December 1919 to be used to be re-erected on ground adjoining the Mission Church for use as a recreation and concert room. Also in the same month the ‘Llangrwyney Camp’ was included in a sale of ‘surplus government property’ from the camps by Straker Chadwick, the Abergavenny auctioneers. Can anyone provide more information on this camp?

It is hoped that the book, entitled ‘Young Men, to Arms! The First World War in the Crickhowell District’ will not only be a worthy record of a momentous period in our country’s history but also an enduring memorial to the men of the area who lost their lives in the defence of this country, often in distant and hostile locations.

If you can help pop into Crickhowell District Archive Centre, Ty-y-Fro, Beaufort Street, telephone 01873 810922 or Geoff Williams on 01873-811 300. Alternately you can email [email protected].