Capel Bangor is situated about five miles east of Aberystwyth on the A44, and Goginan about a mile further east. The men of the parish who fell during both World Wars are commemorated on the war memorials at St. David’s Church, Capel Bangor. The fallen of the Great War are commemorated on a brass altar cross, whilst the fallen of World War Two are commemorated on a plaque on the south wall. When Goginan (Saint Mathew) Church closed in 1999, the framed hand written list of the men of the parish of Goginan who were killed in the Great War was brought to Capel Bangor Church. As these memorials name the same men, they are both covered on this page.
The Great War, 1914-1918
George Benjamin, Private, 29118, South Wales Borderers. George was born at Llanbadarn in 1887, the son of Thomas and Margaret Benjamin. The family later resided at Caehaedd, Cwmrhiedol, Goginan. George enlisted at Brecon into the South Wales Borderers, and was posted to France early in 1916, where he was posted to the 1st Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which was attached to 3 Brigade, 1st Division. The Division had suffered heavy casualties at Loos in 1915, and in 1916 moved to the Somme. Here it took part in the Battle of Albert, and fought at Bazentin, Pozieres, Flers-Courcelette and Morval. The Division followed the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line in early 1917, before moving to the Flanders Coast during the summer of 1917. George was killed in action here on 13 July 1917. He was 30 years old, and is buried at Coxyde Military Cemetery, Belgium.
John William Bishop, Private, 28527, East Surrey Regiment. John was born in London in 1897. He came to Goginan as a child and had worked as a Cowman on a farm before returning to London to enlist at Whitehall into the Middlesex Regiment. John was posted to the 12th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment. The battalion was attached to 122 Brigade, 41st Division, and landed in France on 2 May 1916, moving to the areas of Ploegsteert and the Douve valley, south of Ypres. They remained here until August 1916, when they moved to the Somme, and took part in the Battle of Flers-Courcelette. The Division remained in the line, pushing on to Courcelette over the next few days before coming out for a rest and re-fit. They then fought at the Battle of Le Transloy, before moving to positions south of Ypres in 1917. Here they took part in the Battle of Messines, before moving further north, where they fought at the Battle of Pilckem, and the Battle of the Menin Road, as part of the Third Battle of Ypres. The Division moved to Italy in November 1917, but by March 1918 was back in France, where it was hit by the German Spring Offensive of 21 March 1918. During the summer of 1918 the Division moved back to Ypres, and it was there that John was killed, on 12 August 1918. He was 21 years old, and is buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
William John Davies, Private, 17280, South Wales Borderers. William was the son of James and Margaret Davies, of Cwmerfin Cottage, Cwmerfin, Bow Street. He married Margaret Richards in 1910 and the couple lived at Hyfrydle, Goginan. He enlisted at Newport, Monmouth into the 6th Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which was attached to the 25th Division, as the Divisional Pioneers. The Division landed in France on 26 September 1915, and was posted to the Vimy area, where it defended Vimy Ridge against a German attack in May 1916. It then moved to the Warloy area and attacked on 3 July near Thiepval, remaining on the Somme for the rest of the year. William was killed while working on roads near Blighty Valley, Authillle on 3 October 1916. He was thirty four years old, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Thomas Edward Evans, Private, 160172, Canadian Infantry. Thomas was the son of James and Susannah Evans, of Goginan. He resided in Canada prior to the war and enlisted there into the 54th Battalion (Kootenay), Canadian Infantry, which was attached to the 11th Brigade, 4th Canadian Division. The Division embarked for France in August 1916, and moved to the Somme. The Division fought at the Battle of Le Transloy from 1 to 17 October, before taking part in the Battle of the Ancre Heights, when they captured Regina Trench. Thomas was killed in action here on 18 October 1916. He was 29 years old, and is buried at Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont, France.
Thomas Herbert Evans. Thomas cannot presently be identified, but he possibly died at sea on 17 January 1919.
Lewis Griffiths, Private, 34212, South Lancashire Regiment. Lewis was born at Goginan, the son of John and Magdalen Griffiths. By 1891 the family had moved to 106, Gelly Road, Ystradfodwg. The family had moved to 18, Crawshay Street, Ynysybwl prior to the war and Lewis enlisted at Maesteg into the 9th Battalion, Welsh Regiment. Lewis landed in France with the battalion on 18 July 1915, and would have taken part in the calamitous charge during the Battle of Loos, which saw many of his comrades fall dead or wounded. At some time after he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment, which was attached to 64 Brigade, 21st Division. The division had taken up a support role during the German offensive on the Somme in March 1918, before being moved to Flanders on the night of 30 March, taking up positions at Ploegsteert, however, on 9 April 1918 the Germans launched an offensive on the Lys, and the Division was caught up in the terrible fighting there, suffering terrible casualties. On 9 May the Division moved to Fismes, 20 miles south-east of Soissons in the Champagne, to give it a chance to rest and rebuild again, and on 26 May took up positions south of the Aisne, to guard against a predicted German Offensive. On 27 May 1918 the attack hit them, and during the coming days the Division was virtually annihilated. Lewis was reported to have been killed in action here on 29 May 1918, aged 35. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Soissons Memorial, France. His brother Daniel was awarded the Military Medal whilst serving with the Royal Field Artillery, while another brother James served with the 5th Welsh. Lewis does not appear to be commemorated locally.
James James, Lance Corporal, 22127, Welsh Regiment. James was born in 1893, the son of Thomas and Sarah James of Llanbadarn. He enlisted at Tonypandy into the 15th Battalion, Welsh Regiment, which was known as the Carmarthen Pals battalion, attached to 114 Brigade, 38th (Welsh) Division. On 2 December 1915 the battalion moved to France, and the entire Division moved to the Fleurbaix sector, where it was initiated into trench warfare. During June 1916 the Division marched south to the Somme, and on 7 July 1916 attacked Mametz Wood. The initial attack failed, and it was three days later, on 10 July, that a fresh attack was mounted. James was killed in Mametz Wood on 11 July 1916. He was 23 years old, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France. James is not named on the Goginan nor on the Capel Bangor Memorials, but a plaque in his memory is located at Dyffryn, Goginan.
Iorwerth Mason Jones, Ordinary Seaman, J/85359, Royal Navy. Iorwerth was born on 5 July 1888, the son of Edward and Laura Louisa Jones, and was the husband of Mary Jones, of Pengraig, Capel Bangor. He served with the Royal Navy at HMS Vivid, the Royal Naval establishment at Portsmouth. Iorwerth died from meningitis at East Stonehouse, Devon on 20 March 1918, aged 29, and is buried at Penllwyn Calvinistic Methodist Chapelyard.
Edward David Mason, Private, 15010, King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). Edward was born in Melindwr in 1877, the son of Daniel and Margaret Mason. The family later resided at Gelli, Rhondda. Edward married Gertrude Amelia Walters in 1903 and the couple lived at 57, Ton Row, Pentre, Rhondda. He enlisted at Cardiff into the army, and was posted to the 8th Battalion, Royal Lancashire Regiment. The battalion landed in France with 76 Brigade on 27 September 1915, joining the 3rd Division at Ypres. Edward was killed in action at Bellewaarde on 2 March 1916, aged 38. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. He does not appear to be commemorated locally.
David Owen, Private, 70072, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. David was born in 1892, the Son of Richard and Ann Owen, of Gellifadog, Capel Bangor. He enlisted at Aberystwyth into the army, and at some time at the end of 1917 was posted to France, joining the 9th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, which was attached to 58 Brigade, 19th (Western) Division. On 21 March 1918 the Division was caught up in the German Spring Offensive north of St. Quentin, suffering terrible casualties during the retreat towards Bapaume. The battered Division moved to Messines to rebuild, but were caught up in the German attack at Messines the following month, fighting a terrible rearguard action over the following days, before being moved to a quieter sector on the Aisne to rebuild. Unfortunately this is where the Germans had decided to launch their last ditch effort to break the Allied lines, and the Division was again caught up in terrible fighting. David was wounded in the head around this time, and after treatment in France returned to hospital in Weymouth. David died after the armistice, on 30 November 1918, aged 26. He is buried at Goginan (Jezreel) Welsh Baptist Chapelyard.
Vincent Jones Parry, Private, 45316, Essex Regiment. Vincent was the son of Griffith James Parry, and Annie Parry, of 16, Leigh Street, Cartwright Gardens, London, and the Grandson of Martha Jones, of Goginan. He enlisted in London into the army, and was posted to France, joining the 2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment. The battalion had landed in France on 24 August 1914 attached to the 4th Division, and on 5 November 1915 was transferred to the 36th (Ulster) Division. The Division took part in fierce fighting on the Somme in 1916, suffering severe casualties on 1 July 1916, before moving to Ypres to rebuild, which is probably where Vincent joined the battalion. The Division fought at the Battle of Messines the following year, and at The Battle of Langemarck, before moving again, and taking part in the Battle of Cambrai. When the Germans launched their offensive on the Somme on 21 March 1918, the Division was caught up in the thick of the fighting, before being transferred back to Flanders to rest. When the Germans switched their attack to the Lys in April 1918, the Division was caught up in heavy fighting again, and it was during this period that Vincent was wounded. He died of his wounds on 21 April 1918, aged 18, and is buried at Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, France.
Peter Roberts, Driver, 3270, Royal Field Artillery. Peter was the son of William and Ann Roberts, of Melindwr Cottages, Capel Bangor. He enlisted at Aberystwyth into the Royal Artillery, and was posted to France on 24 December 1915 with C Battery, 59th Army Brigade, Royal Field Artillery, which was attached to the 20th (Light) Division. Peter joined the Division at Ypres, where it fought at the Battle of Mount Sorrel alongside the Canadian Corps. The Division then fought through the Somme Offensive, and took part in the advance to the Hindenburg Line in March 1917. Later that year they fought at Third Ypres, before moving south in November, to take part in the Battle of Cambrai. They remained in the area between Cambrai and St. Quentin over the winter of 1917/18 and were attacked there by the German Spring Offensive of 21 March 1918. The Division was withdrawn after the heavy fighting of the Somme battles, moving on 20 April 1918 to an area south west of Amiens. It was here that Peter died on 12 September 1918. He was 23 years old, and is buried at Wancourt British Cemetery, France.
John Lewis Thomas, Private, 29524, South Wales Borderers. John was born at Goginan, and enlisted at Aberystwyth into the South Wales Borderers. He was posted to France, joining the 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, which was attached to 87 Brigade, 29th Division. The Division moved to the Western Front after service at Gallipoli and Egypt on 15 March 1916. The Division took part in its first major action in France during the 1916 Somme Offensive, and fought at the Battles of Albert and Le Transloy, suffering heavy casualties. In the Spring of 1917 they fought at the Battle of the Scarpe, which was part of the Arras Offensive, and then moved further north to Ypres. Here they fought at the Battle of Langemarck, and then at the Battles of the Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde and Poelcappelle, before moving to Cambrai. John was killed here during the Battle of Cambrai, on 3 December 1917. He is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, France.
World War Two, 1939-1945
John Lloyd Bebb, Captain, Air Transport Auxiliary. John was born on 4 July 1901, the son of William Bruce Bebb and Elizabeth Bebb of Capel Bangor, and the husband of Laura Jane Bebb, of Aberystwyth. He obtained his pilot’s license in 1932, and owned his own aircraft, an Avro 640 Cadet. John served with the Air Transport Auxiliary, a civilian organisation that ferried new, repaired and damaged military aircraft between factories, assembly plants, and transatlantic delivery points. John was flying a Curtiss Mohawk AR671 when it stalled whilst attempting a forced landing at Pershore Aerodrome following engine failure and crashed into the ground, killing him. He was 40 years old and is buried in Capel Madog Methodist Chapelyard.
Edward John Davies, Corporal, 642100, Royal Air Force. Edward was the son of David and Mary Elizabeth Davies, of Capel Bangor. He served with the Royal Air Force in North Africa. Edward died in hospital at Alexandria on 28 October 1943. He was 25 years old, and is buried at Alexandria (Hadra) War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt.
William Davies Davies, Private, 13078898, Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment. William was the son of Richard and Elizabeth Davies, of Capel Bangor. He served with the 4th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment. The battalion was in Burma as part of 161 Indian Infantry Brigade, 2nd Division, and moved to Kohima, where it came under siege by two Japanese divisions. The siege, called the Battle of Kohima, lasted for two weeks of fierce hand to hand fighting. William was killed during the Battle of Kohima on 11 April 1944, aged 25. He is commemorated on the Rangoon Memorial, Myanmar. William does not seem to be commemorated locally.
Thomas Randall Evans, Sergeant, 1299215, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Thomas was the son of Thomas Edward and Margaret Julia Evans, of Goginan. He served with 625 Squadron, Royal Air Force, which was a heavy bomber squadron, equipped with the Avro Lancaster. On the night of 19/20 February 1944, Thomas took off from Kelstern in Lincolnshire aboard Lancaster CF-X, Serial LM384, bound for Leipzig, which had been targeted as a crucial fuel producing target. The aircraft crashed outside the village of Bledeln in Germany early on 20 February 1944, killing all bar one of her crew. Thomas was killed in the crash on 20 February 1944. He was 22 years old, and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey.
Herbert John Jenkins, Gunner, 6204569, Royal Artillery. Herbert was the son of Elwyn and Annie Jenkins, of Goginan. He had served during the war with the Royal Artillery, and died on 13 March 1947, aged 44. Herbert is buried at Goginan (Jezreel) Welsh Baptist Chapelyard. Herbert does not seem to be commemorated locally.
Evan Ivor Lewis, Private, 5511150, Hampshire Regiment. Evan was the son of Evan and Elizabeth Lewis, of Gwarcwm, Lluest, and the husband of Nellie Lewis, of Maida Vale, London. He served with the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment during the North African campaign, and was with the battalion during the invasion of Italy. Evan was killed in Italy on 27 August 1944. He was 31 years old, and is buried at Montecchio War Cemetery, Italy.
David Elwyn Owen, Sergeant (Air Bomber), 534934, Royal Air Force. David was the son of Lewis and Margaret Jane Owen, of Llanon. He served with 90 Squadron, Royal Air Force, as an Air Bomber. The squadron was a heavy bomber squadron, equipped with the Short Stirling. David was killed when his aircraft was shot down over Germany on 28 August 1943. He was 25 years old, and is buried at Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany. David is commemorated on a family memorial at Goginan, and is not on the main memorial.
Richard Jarvis Vaughan, Flight Sergeant (Air Bomber), 1410538, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Richard was born in 1916. He served with 70 Squadron, Royal Air Force, which was equipped with the Vickers Wellington Bomber. Richard was killed when his aircraft was lost over Germany on 7 July 1944. He was 28 years old, and is buried at Klagenfurt War Cemetery, Germany.