TOPIC:

FELINFOEL WAR MEMORIAL CELTIC CROSS,
HOLY TRINITY CHURCH,
FARMER'S ROW,
FELINFOEL,
LLANELLI,
DYFED,
SA14 8BE.

ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID REFERENCE:SN519022.




View of cross and church from the entrance porch.
The front of the cross has a very ornate Celtic design, which my photos cannot do justice.


A single name for the Boer War, that of 2019 Corporal Joseph Davies of Five Roads.


I couldn't resist the dramatic shot of the sun behind the Felinfoel Cross.

The Felinfoel Cross was erected chiefly to commemorate the dead of the First and Second World Wars. Our single casualty of the South African Campaign is to be found at the rear of the monument.
I have already posted biographical information for Joseph Davies on the previous post of the war memorial at Five Roads.

Parking is readily available opposite the church entrance by the Phil Bennett with dragon carved sculpture (you can't miss it!).

LLANELLI BOER WAR MEMORIAL,
TOWN HALL SQUARE,
LLANELLI,
SA15 3AH.
WALES.

ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID REFERENCE:SN505003.


The memorial is situated within a public area outside of the Town Hall.

The memorial was sculpted by F. Doyle-Jones, and unveiled by Lord Roberts in 1905.

The bronze figure atop the monument is of a rifleman, bare headed with his pith helmet at his feet.
He stands above a tapering pedestal of grey granite which stands above a base block of the same material.


Front elevation




Rear elevation



Inscription as follows:

"GWELL ANGAU NA CHYWILYDD"

"THIS MEMORIAL WAS ERECTED
BY PUBLIC SUBSCRIPTION IN HONOUR OF THE
MEN OF LLANELLY DISTRICT, WHO AT THE
EMPIRE'S CALL, LAID DOWN THEIR LIVES DURING
THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA, 1899-1902."

"TROOPER JOHN WALES, 2ND DRAGOON GUARDS,
WOUNDED AT KLIPSTAPLE, DIED AT ERMELO, APRIL 23RD. 1901.
PRIVATE JOHN JONES, 2ND SOUTH WALES BORDERERS,
FELL AT MODDERFONTEIN, FEBRUARY 2ND. 1901
CORPORAL JOSEPH DAVIES, 1ST. WELSH,
FELL AT DRIEFONTEIN, MARCH 10TH. 1900.
PRIVATE TOM OWENS, 1ST. WELSH,
FELL AT PAARDEBERG, FEBRUARY 18TH. 1900.
PRIVATE SAMUEL SMEDLEY, 1ST. WELSH,
FELL AT DRIEFONTEIN, MARCH 10TH.1900.
PRIVATE ARTHUR LEONARD, 3RD. WELSH,
INVALIDED HOME, DIED AT SEA, MAY 24TH. 1900.
TROOPER ERNEST ROBERT WEBB, IMPERIAL YEOMANRY,
DIED OF ENTERIC FEVER AT HARRISMITH, MAY 29TH.1901.
TROOPER WILLIAM STANLEY WILLIAMS, IMPERIAL YEOMANRY,
FELL AT STANDARTON, AUGUST 22ND. 1901.
CORPORAL RICHARD HOWELLS, DIAMOND FIELDS HORSE,
FELL IN DEFENCE OF KIMBERLEY, NOVEMBER 28TH. 1899."

"UNVEILED AUGUST 26TH, 1905 BY
FIELD MARSHALL THE RIGHT HON. EARL ROBERTS,V.C.,
K.G.,K.P.,G.C.B.,O.M.,G.C.S.I.,G.C.I.,
COMMANDER IN CHIEF OF THE FORCES,
IN SOUTH AFRICA 1899-1900."

PUBLIC LIBRARY,
NEATH ROAD,
BRITON FERRY,
NEATH,
WEST GLAMORGAN,
SA11 2AQ,
WALES.

ORDNANCE SURVEY GRID REFERENCE:ST7427794240.


Public Library, Briton Ferry

The memorial plaque is located just inside the front entrance on the left hand side.
The memorial is constructed of a brass plaque measuring 3' x 2' and mounted on a backboard.


Memorial plaque commemorating Private Mortimer Whelan of the 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards.

The memorial plaque is inscribed this:
"ERECTED TO THE MEMORY OF
PRIVATE MORTIMER WHELAN
3RD BATTALION GRENADIER GUARDS.
WHO WAS KILLED IN ACTION AT
BELMONT, SOUTH AFRICA
NOV. 23RD 1899
THIS TABLET WAS ERECTED BY THE
INHABITANTS OF BRITON FERRY
AS A MARK OF APPRECIATION
OF HIS SERVICES RENDERED
TO THE COUNTRY.
1903."

Private Mortimer Whelan was one of the guardsmen killed in action at Belmont, his relatives would have received his Queen's South Africa medal with the single clasp Belmont.

For anyone wishing to view the plaque, please take a look at the opening times of the library as the opening hours are rather limited. Parking is easily available along the A474 main Neath Road.

I have come across the following poignant extract from a letter from Mortimer Whelan to his parents:

From the SOUTH WALES DAILY NEWS, dated 23rd December 1899;p.6:

"LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.

FROM A BRITON FERRY MAN
KILLED AT BELMONT.

The parents of Mortimer Whelan, 3rd Battalion Grenadier Guards who lived at Regent-street, Briton Ferry, have received a letter written by their son on the day before the Battle of Belmont, in which he was killed. He closed his brief letter with the words, "Cheer up, dear mother and father you will soon have your wandering boy back again."

Steve - I am surprised you did not write that Mortimer was one FOUR WELSH Grenadier Guardsmen killed in action at the Battle of Belmont.

One of them went several rounds (pun intended) 5 years ago following a post by Berenice:

www.angloboerwar.com/forum/17-memorials-...t-23-11-1899?start=3

Just looking to see if Mordecai Watkins & Thomas Griffith received the same treatment.

A very good point David.
I have been well aware of Berenice's excellent thread about the legendary Dai St. John, and have added a few comments to the thread myself.
However, I have had no joy with memorials to Watkins or Griffith apart from the South Africa memorial at Cathays Park, Cardiff. I hope you have more luck than me.