Cellan is a parish on the banks of the River Teifi, about three miles east-north-east of Lampeter on the Tregaron Road. The men of the Parish who fell during both World Wars are commemorated on the grey marble obelisk, which sits alongside the main road through the village of Cellan. The memorial also commemorates those who served, but survived, both wars (The exact details are shown at the bottom of this page). There are also several other memorials which are contained in local chapels, which commemorate some of these men individually. The Welsh Gazette of 17 November 1921 carried the story of the unveiling of the main Cellan War Memorial.

The Great War, 1914-1918

John Davies, Rifleman, 5954, London Regiment. John was the son of Evan Andrew Davies and Marie Davies, of Cnwcyfallen (formerly of Bayliau), Cellan. He resided at Crouch End, London prior to the war, and enlisted at Bunhill Row into the 21st Battalion, London Regiment (1st Surrey Rifles), which was attached to 142 Brigade, 47th (2nd London) Division. John joined the battalion in France early in 1916, north of Arras. He saw his first action here when the Germans attacked Vimy Ridge on 21 May 1916. The division remained in the sector over the coming months, and was due to move to the Somme sector in the summer. John was killed in action near Duisans on 20 July 1916, prior to the division’s move south. He was 23 years old and is buried in Louez Military Cemetery, Duisans, France.

John Evans, Private, 53333, Cheshire Regiment. John was born on 4 March 1881, the son of David and Hannah Evans, of Tyngwndwr, Cellan. He resided at 30, Wood Street, Mardy prior to the war, where he worked as a mason, and married Annie Gertrude Hughes on 11 September 1913. John enlisted at Porth on 22 March 1915 into the 3rd Battalion, Welsh Regiment, and was placed on the army reserve, until being mobilised on 16 July 1917. John was then posted to France to join the 2nd Welsh on 30 March 1918, but was instead posted to the 11th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, which was attached to 75 Brigade, 25th Division, and had been hit hard during the German offensive near St Quentin over the previous days. The battered division had moved north to Flanders on the night of 30 March, where they took up positions at Ploegsteert, where they received reinforcements, and rebuilt. However, on 9 April 1918 the Germans launched an offensive on the Lys, and the Division was caught up in the terrible fighting here. On 17 April 1918 John was reported as wounded and missing, during the terrible fighting in the Lys Valley. It wasn’t until 31 October 1918 that he was officially reported as being killed. John was 36 years old when he died, and is today buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium. He does not appear to be commemorated locally.

John Garfield Evans, Lance Corporal, 13009, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. John was born in 1894, the Son of John and Mary Evans, of Tymawr, Cellan, Lampeter. He was working at Tumble prior to the war, and enlisted there into the Royal Welsh Fusiliers. John must have been attached to the 9th Royal Welsh Fusiliers at first, as he landed in France on 19 July 1915. He was then posted to the 10th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. The battalion had formed at Wrexham on 16 September 1914, joining 76 Brigade, 25th Division at Codford St. Mary, Salisbury Plain. On 27 September 1915 the Division landed at Boulogne, and the following month 76 Brigade moved to 3rd Division, which was at St. Eloi. The Division moved to the Somme in the summer of 1916, and took part in the great offensive there. John was killed during the Battle of Delville Wood on 20 July 1916, during the same action in which two fellow members of the battalion won the Victoria Cross. He was 22 years old, and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.

Evan Richards, Able Seaman, W/120, Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. Evan was born at Cellan on 8 October 1890, the son of William and Hannah Richards. The family later moved to 31, Rickard Street, Glynfach, Porth, Rhondda, and Evan became a collier. He enlisted on 3 September 1914 into the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve, and was posted to Hood Battalion, which was attached to the Royal Naval Division. The division sailed for the Mediterranean prior to the Gallipoli landings, and landed on the peninsula on 25 April 1915. The chaotic nature of the fighting at Gallipoli can be characterised by Evan’s death. He was reported as wounded on 6 May 1915, and was buried on the battlefield by his comrades four days later. His death was not reported until his family received letters sent to him which were returned to them marked killed. Upon enquiries to the Royal Naval Division in September 1915, his death was looked into and agreed to have been on 6 May 1915, but his grave was never located. As a result Evan, who was 24 years old when he died, is commemorated on the Helles Memorial, Gallipoli. Evan does not appear to be commemorated locally.

World War Two, 1939-1945

Thomas John Evans, Sergeant, 1655924, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. Thomas resided at the Cottage, Cellan. He served as a Flight Engineer with 57 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, which was a heavy bomber squadron, equipped with the Avro Lancaster. From August 1943 onwards the squadron was based at RAF East Kirby. On the night of 24 March 1944, Thomas took off from East Kirby in a Lancaster which formed part of a force of 811 aircraft, bound for Berlin. This mission was the last mass raid on Berlin, and caused tremendous damage to the already battered city. On the return trip the following morning of 25 March 1944, Thomas’s Lancaster was brought down over Germany, and Thomas was killed. He is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Germany.

John Cyril Jones, Lance Corporal, 6023711, Leicestershire Regiment. John was the son of Margaret Evans, of Tyncoed, Cellan. He served with the 2nd Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment, which was attached to the 16th Infantry Brigade. From September 1940 onwards the battalion took part in the Western Desert campaign, being engaged at Sidi Barrani and again at Bardia, advancing through Buq Buq and Solhuh. John was during this period attached to the 2nd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders from the Leicester Regiment, and he died in the Sudan on 15 March 1941. He was 26 years old, and is one of four Leicester Regiment men commemorated on the Khartoum Memorial, Sudan.

Benjamin Lloyd-Jones, Sergeant, 625097, Royal Air Force. Benjamin was the son of Evan Lloyd Jones and Ellen Lloyd Jones, of Caelleinau, Cellan. He served with 220 Squadron, Royal Air Force, which was a Coastal Command Squadron, equipped with the Lockheed Hudson, it flew patrols from RAF Thornaby. On 5 August 1941, Benjamin was one of the crew aboard Hudson AM625, which left Wick to undertake a patrol. The aircraft failed to return. Benjamin was 22 years old, and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial, Surrey. His brother Evan died on active service on 20 April 1942.

Evan Lloyd-Jones, Driver, 193705, Royal Army Service Corps. Evan was the son of Evan and Ellen Lloyd-Jones, of Caelleinau, Cellan. He was serving with the Royal Army Service Corps when he died on active service on 20 April 1942. Evan is buried in Llanfair Clydogau (St. Mary) Churchyard.

Melville Donald Rodge, Private, 14676639, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. Melville was the son of Luther and Margaret Rodge, of Llwynhendy, Llanelly. During the early stages of the war he worked at Gwarffrwd Woollen Factory, Cellan. Melville then enlisted into the army, and was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment. The 2nd Battalion landed on Queen beach, a sub-division of Sword on 6 June 1944. and took part in the fighting around Caen, and the break-out from Normandy. The battalion then took part in the advance through northern France into Belgium and Holland, and the subsequent drive through Holland towards the German frontier. Melville was killed in Holland on 1 November 1944. He was 19 years old, and is buried in Overloon War Cemetery, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands.

Cellan War Memorial Details

Gwroniaid

plwyf Cellan

yn y

Rhyfel Mawr

1914-1918

Syrthiodd

J. G. EVANS, Tymawr

J. DAVIES, Bayliau

Gorff. 20, 1916

Clwyfwyd

J. G. DAVIES,                          Penpompren        1914-17

E. A. DAVIES,                          Penpompren        1914-19

D. L. EVANS,                           Tyngwndwn           1914-19

W. EDWARDS,                       Pantffin                  1914-18

J. JONES,                               Pensingrig             1914-16

D. JONES,                               Abermarlais          1914-19

D. P. THOMAS,                      Tafarndy                1914-18

T. H. THOMAS,                      Tafarndy                1914-19

E. J. LLOYD,                            Gorphwysfa           1914-19

D. WILLIAMS,                        Tynycoed               1914-19

T. DAVIES,                              Fishers Arms         1915-19

D. J. JONES,                            Gelligaer                1915-19

E. JONES,                                Brynmaen              1916-19

R. DAVIES,                              Maesglas                1916-19

Gwasanaeth Tramor

R. W. REES,                            Glanteifi                 1916-19

J. WILLIAMS,                         Tynycoed               1916-19

D. DAVIES,                              Bronwylfa              1917-19

E. A. DAVIES,                          Bayliau                   1917-19

J. D. DAVIES,                          Blaenwaun            1917-19

T. JONES,                                Troedyrhiw           1917-19

B. T. JONES,                            Pantglas                 1918-19

J. H. THOMAS,                       Llwyndewi             1918-19

D. J. THOMAS,                       Llwyndewi             1918-19

Gwasanaeth Cartrefol

T. DAVIES,                              Pentrefelin shop

D. DAVIES,                              Fishers Arms

D. DAVIES,                              Tanfforest

C. J. EDWARDS,                     Pantffin

J. B. EVANS,                            Rectory

M. JONES,                              Mwdwl

D. R. LEWIS,                           Pencnwc

 D. LLOYD,                               Gorphwysfa

D. REES,                                  Glanteifi

Gwasanaeth Tramor

T. DAVIES,                              Penpompren        1914-19

D. M. DAVIES,                        Llwynon                 1914-19

E. J. JONES,                             Chapel House       1914-19

R. LEWORTHY,                       Riverside Cottage 1915-19

E. D. WILLIAMS,                    Tanrallt                   1915-19

J. DAVIES,                               Penpompren        1916-19

T. GEORGE,                            Cerrigdrudion       1916-19

J. JONES,                 Factory                   1916-19

W. H. JONES,         Esgerlas  1916-19

Gwroniaid

Plwyf Cellan

yn y

Rhyfel Mawr

1939-1945

Syrthiodd

Thomas John EVANS

Cottage

Cyril JONES

Tyncoed

Evan LLOYD-JONES

Caelleinau

Benjamin LLOYD-JONES

Caelleinau

Melville RODGE

Gwarffrwd Factory