Cilycwm is a small village located about four miles north of Llandovery, on the west bank of the River Gwenlais, in the Towy Valley. There are several known small war memorials within several places of worship in the area, notably at Cilycwm Church, Cwmsarnddu Chapel, Soar Chapel, Rhandirmwyn Church and Cynghordy Church. This page commemorates the one man commemorated in St. Michael’s Church at Cilycwm, plus one other local man who does not appear to be commemorated anywhere in the area. I have also just added the details of a local man, previously uncommemorated by the CWGC, who I have just managed to gain commemoration for:
Cilycwm War Memorial, The Great War, 1914-1918
Rhys Havelock Roderick, Airman, 108908, Royal Air Force. Rhys was born in 1896, the son of Lewis Roderick and Mary Roderick (nee Rees), of Neuadd Arms, Cilycwm, Llandovery. He was a student in Llandovery when war erupted and left his studies to enlist into the Royal Flying Corps on 8 July 1917. After completing his training at No. 49 T.D.S. he was posted as a Clerk to the newly raised 120 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. The Squadron had formed at Cramlington on 1 January 1918, as a day bomber unit and was planned to be equipped with Airco DH.9. The Royal Flying Corps merged with the Royal Naval Air Service to form the Royal Air Force in March 1918, so 120 Squadron became part of this new branch of the armed forces. Unfortunately for the squadron, the war came to an end before it became operational. During the summer of 1918, whilst still at Cramlington, Rhys fell ill. He was discharged from the RAF as unfit on 17 September 1918 after having been diagnosed as suffering from tuberculosis and returned home to his parents at Cilycwm. Sadly he died at home of tuberculosis on 15 July 1921, aged 24. Rhys was buried in St. Michael’s Churchyard Extension at Cilycwm soon afterwards. He has never been commemorated as a casualty of war until I came across his details several years ago, and built a case to send to the CWGC via the IFCP. Rhys was eventually accepted for commemoration by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission on Friday 30 May 2025, after almost 104 years. He will be commemorated in the United Kingdom Book of Remembrance at Maidenhead until the location of his grave can be verified by the CWGC.
John Ebenezer Thomas, Private, 1071, Welsh Guards. John was from Cilycwm. He married Dorothy May Davies, of Glynborthyn Shop, Caio in 1915. John served with the 1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, attached to 3 Guards Brigade, Guards Division. The division saw its first major action during the Battle of Loos on 25 September 1915, remaining in the area during the coming months, where they also fought in the subsequent Action of Hohenzollern Redoubt. In July 1916 the Division moved to the Somme, where they fought at the Battle of Flers-Courcelette, which is where John was killed on 10 September 1916. He was 25 years old, and is buried at Delville Wood Cemetery, Longueval, France.
George Williams, Private, 14684, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. George was born on 19 March 1894, the son of Thomas and Elizabeth Williams, of 47, Lion Street, Hay. He had worked as a Groom with Mr. Lewis, of Llys Newydd, Cilycwm prior to the war and enlisted in September 1914 into the 7th Battalion, King’s Shropshire Light Infantry. The battalion was attached to 76 Brigade, 25th Division, and moved to France on 28 September 1915. The division made its way across northern France, and took up positions near Ploegsteert Wood, in Belgium. It then spent a period in trenches around Sanctuary Wood, east of Ypres, before enjoying a spell of training out of the line at Steenvoorde. The division took up new positions at The Bluff, east of Ypres, in November, before moving again to Northern France. George was killed in action here on 3 December 1915, aged 21. He is buried in Y Farm Military Cemetery, Bois-Grenier, France. George is not commemorated locally.
