Neuadd Goffa Llangynog Memorial Hall

David William Lloyd

Survived the war

 

            Richard Lewis    Back to War Memorial    Aneurin Maldwyn Evans

 

A soldier with local connections who fought in the Great War, but survived, was David William Lloyd.

     He was born in Hirnant in 1886 to Robert Humphrey Lloyd and his wife Margaret. In 1891 David, aged 5, was living at Maes-y-bedw, Hirnant with his parents and five siblings. His father was a farmer. Ten years later, David was working for and living with farmer Thomas Humphreys at Tynllan, Hirnant. In this and the next census he was recorded as a 'waggoner'. By 1911, the 25 year old David had moved to Bryndreiniog, Penybontfawr, employed by farmer Henry Roberts. He now had ten siblings, but only three remained at home with their parents.

     David married Elizabeth Evans on 12th October 1914, at St. Melangell. He enlisted into the Cheshire Regiment on 19th July 1916. Soon thereafter he was transferred to the 58th Training Reserve Battalion of the Welsh Regiment and sent to Kinmel Park Camp to undergo training. There is a photograph of David in uniform, but without badges, marked “Kinmel Park Camp near Abergele", and a later one showing him in the uniform of the Welsh Regiment.

     Upon completion of his training he was transferred again, this time to the Northumberland Fusiliers. From his dog tag it appears as though he joined the 2nd Battalion. He would then have been in France from June 1918 and seen action at the Battles of the Hindenburg Line and the Final Advance in Picardy. He was transferred to the Army Reserve on 19th March 1920 having mercifully survived his war experience.