PONTARDAWE GRAMMAR SCHOOL WAR MEMORIALS

World War 2 - Detailed information
Compiled and Copyright © Sue James 2014

The Pontardawe Grammar School World War 2 wooden plaque is now housed in the Library, as the school has closed. Also in the library is a leather bound booklet which gives the Order of Ceremony for the Unveiling of the Plaque. This has been copied to preserve the original, any mistakes are on the original, some of which are quite obvious. There are 22 names listed on the memorial which have been sorted here into alphabetical order for ease of reasearch and reading. Following the memorial transcription are the details from the book.

Photographs Copyright © Sue James 2014

Bid Ben Bid Bont
(Translation: “Who would be a Leader, must be a Bridge”)

Yn angof ni chant fod
We will remember them

1939-1945

Also available to view in the library, is a booklet in which is a copy of the Order of Ceremony and photographs and descriptions of the 2 female and 20 male Past Pupils who lost their lives, transcription below:

PONTARDAWE SECONDARY GRAMMAR SCHOOL -- UNVEILING OF MEMORIAL TABLET To the Past Pupils who lost their lives in the War, 1939-1945 Thursday, December 8th, 1949, at 3 p.m. The Memorial Tablet will be Unveiled by DAVID THOMAS, Esq., M.A., late Headmaster.

Order of Ceremony Chairman: S.G. Rees. M.A., Headmaster – Hymn 246 ‘Efengyl Tangnefedd ehed dros y byd.’ – Reading of the Scriptures by the Rev. Jeffrey Rees, M.A., St. Michael’s College, Llandaff. – Unveiling of the Memorial Tablet by David Thomas, Esq., M.A. - Dedication by Rev. Jeffrey Rees, M.A. – Prayer – Hymn 151. ‘Rock of Ages’ Benediction.     W. Pugh, General Printer, Pontardawe

Past Pupils who lost their lives in the 1939 – 1945 War ---------------- Rhys Maelgwyn Alexander, Clydach Ernest Bartholomew, Brynamman Elvie Beynon, - Velindre James Carr, - Clydach Trevor Cooke, - Craigcefnparc Thomas L. Dalton, - Clydach Thomas Victor Davies, - Cilmaengwyn Ben Jones - Gwauncaegurwen William Thomas Rees Jones, Clydach Vernon Llewelyn Jones - Trebanos Gwyn Lewis - Brynamman Owen Morval Lewis, - Pontardawe Robert George Meyler, - Clydach J. Leonard Powell, - Rhos D. J. Atherley Price, - Gwauncaegurwen Alwyn Edward Rees,   Trebanos John Adrian Prytherch Rees,   Clydach John Brynmor Stephens,   Clydach John Brynmor Stephens,   Clydach Samuel Howard Williams,   Ynysmeudwy       Minnie Pitkin, - Clydach Ethel Price,   Clydach

Pitkin Minnie Minnie Victoria Pitkin. 9 Carlton Road, Clydach. Years in School: 1921 – 1925. Civil Servant. Place and Date of Death: London 10th May 1941 Aged 31 years. Price Ethel Ethel Price. 109, Lone Road, Clydach. Years in School: 1926 – 1930. Place and Date of Death: Willesden 18th September 1940 Aged 27 years. Alexander Maelgwyn Rhys Maeldwyn Alexander. 88 Lone Road, Clydach Years in School: 1930 – 1937 Flight Sergeant, Canadian Ferry Command Years of Service: 1939 – 1942. Reported missing August 1942 when ferrying plane from Montreal to Glasgow. Age 28 years. Bartholomew Ernest Ernest Bartholomew. 25, Barry Road, Brynamman. Years in School: 1925 – 1929. RAF Flying Officer. Good Service Ribbon. Years of Service: 1942 – 1943. Killed during air operations on the Filey Coast, Yorkshire, Dec. 12th 1943. Aged 29 years. Beynon Elvie Clive Beynon. 8, Bryn Tirion Road, Pontlliw. Years in School: 1931 – 1935. RAF leading Aircraftsman, wireless Operator. Mentioned in Dispatches, Good Conduct Badge 1939. Years of Service: 1935 – 1940. Killed on Active Service, 5th April 1940. Age 22 years. Carr James James Cyril Carr 36, Grove Road, Clydach Years in School: 1927 – 1931. Staff Sergeant, Glider Pilot Regiment Years of Service : 1940 – 1943. killed in Syracuse, Sicily, July 1945, Age 28 years. Cooke Trefor Trevor Nicholas Cooke. Lynwood, Glais Years in School: 1928 – 1933. RAF leading Aircraftsman, (Aircrew). Pilot War Medal. Years of Service: 1942 – 1943. Killed on 18th August 1943 at Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Age 27 years. Dalton Thomas Thomas Lancey Dalton. 48 Kelvin Road, Clydach. Years in School: 1927 – 1932. RAF Sergeant Pilot 8 years. Mentioned in dispatches. Place and Date of Death: Khatib El Sanara, 2nd May 1942. Aged 26 years. Davies Victor Thomas Victor Davies. Penybank, Cilmaengwyn, Pontardawe. Years in School: 1932 -1936. Craftsman, R.E.M.E. 2 years 9 months. 2 Stars, 1 Medal. Place and Date of Death: 176 miles S.E. Rangoon, 15th August, 1943. Aged 24 years Jones Benjamin Benjamin Cynddylan Jones. 6 Derwydd Avenue, Gwayn Cae Gurwen. Years in School: 1934 – 1937. RAF Flying Officer, 166 Squadron, No. 1 Group Bomber Command, 3 years. Place and Date of Death: Luckenwalde, Nr Berlin, 24/ 25 March 1944. Aged 23 years, 11 months. Jones Vernon Vernon Llewelyn Bowen Jones, Graig Stores, Trebanos. Years in School: 1936- 1941. RAF Flying Officer, Fighter and Bomber Command, 1941 – 1944. Place and Date of Death: Marly-furfeil near Metz, Plane shot down on the night of 23rd February 1944. Aged 22 years. Jones William William Thomas Rees Jones. 38, High Street Clydach. Years in School: 1935 – 1939. Lance-Corporal, K.O.S.B. regiment, 2 years Burma Star, Service Medal, 1939 – 1945 Star, Place and Date of Death: Burma, 8th June 1944. Aged 21 years. Lewis Gwyn Gwyn Lewis. Glynbeudy House, Glyn Road, Brynamman. Years in School: 1932 – 1938. RAF Sergaent Navigator. Place and Date of Death: Reported missing 1940. Buried in grave A/1 in the Cemetery of St. Aubin-Sur-Scie, Nr. Dieppe, Aged 21 years. Lewis Owen Owen Morval Lewis. Post Office, Alltycham, Pontardawe. Years in School: 1933 – 1938. Civil Servant, Admiralty, London. Place and Date of Death: Whitehall, London 8th October, 1940. Aged 19 years Meyler Robert Robert George Myler. 4, Grove Road, Clydach. Years in School: 1932 – 1936. Sergeant Welsh Guards, 6 years. Place and Date of Death: Niemagen, Western Europe. 5th April 1945 Aged 24 years. Powell Leonard John Leonard Powell. 112 Neath Road, Rhos, Pontardawe, Years in School: 1927 – 1932. RAF Squadron Leader, 4 years DFC. Twice mentioned in dispatches. Place and Date of Death: RAF raid on Swinemunde German Baltic port 16th April 1945 Aged 29 years Price Atherley David John Atherley Watkyn Price. Brynhaul, 23, High Street, Cwmgorse. Years in School: 1932 – 1939. RAF Flight Sergeant, 4 years Place and Date of Death: St. de-Desir, Lisieux France 17 August 1944 Aged 23 years Rees Adrian John Adrian Prytherch Rees. Coedgwilym Farm, Clydach. Years in School: 1934 – 1939. RAF Warrant Officer Pilot, 3 years British and American Wings. Place and Date of Death: Drymma Mountain, 11th August 1944 Aged 22 years. Rees Alwyn Alwyne Edward Rees. Cartref, New Road, Trebanos. Years in School: 1922 – 1926. RAF Sergeant Observer, 142 Squadron, 1940 – 1942 1939 – 45 Star, Defence Medal, War Medal, Air Op. Europe Star. Place and Date of Death: Air operations over Germany, night of 27/28th August, 1942 Aged 32 years. Stephens Brynmor John Brynmor Stephens. Gilfach-Glyd, Clydach. Years in School: 1934 – 1939. RAF vr Sergeant Observer, C flight, 57 Squadron Lancaster W4130, 2 years 1939 – 1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, War Medal. Place and Date of Death: Cologne, 15/16 August 1942 Aged 20 years Tanner Raymond Samuel Arthur Raymond Tanner. 46, Down Street, Clydach. Years in School: 1925 – 1929. RAF flying Officer, 2 years 1939 – 1945 Star, Air Crew Europe Star, War medal oak Leaf Emblem Place and Date of Death: Pas-de-Calais, 21st September, 1943 Aged 30 years. Williams Howard Morgan Samuel Howard Taylor. 33, Old Road, Ynysmeudwy. Years in School: 1936 – 1940. Guardsman, 1st Battalion Welsh Guards, 4 years Place and Date of Death: Caen, Normandy, 8th June 1944 Aged 20 years.

Last updated 6 December, 2020