Memorial for Llanelli Victoria Cross soldier
A NEW memorial is to be unveiled in honour of a Felinfoel soldier awarded the Victoria Cross for bravery during WW1.
Ivor Rees, a Sergeant in the 11th Battalion The South Wales Borderers, was decorated by King George V for an act of bravery on the Western Front at Ypres, Belgium, on July 31, 1917.
On that day, the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres, Sergeant Rees led his platoon through close range machine-gun fire, working his way round the right flank until he was within 20 yards of the gun, and then rushed forward towards his enemy, shooting one, bayoneting another, and silencing the gun fire.
He then bombed the adjacent pill box, killing another five enemy soldiers, and captured 30 men including two officers.
The VC is the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be given, and exactly 100 years to the date of his heroic act a memorial stone will be laid in the grounds of Llanelli Town Hall as part of WW1 100th anniversary commemorations.
The stone will be unveiled by Cllr David Jenkins, Armed Forces Champion for Carmarthenshire County Council, who will then lead guests to a WW1 exhibition at Llanelli Library.
“It will be a great privilege to unveil this memorial in honour of Sgt Ivor Rees,” said Cllr Jenkins.
“He was a young man who showed great bravery and was rightly honoured with the highest award.
“A hundred years on from his heroic deed, we will meet at Llanelli Town Hall to remember his actions, and those of many other Carmarthenshire men who fought in the First World War.”
Military and subsequent career
Rees enlisted into the South Wales Borderers on 9 November 1914 and was posted to 11th Battalion. He went overseas with 11th Battalion on 4 December 1915 and promoted to Lance Corporal on 5 August 1915 and Corporal on 1 December 1915. He became a Sergeant on 19 September 1916, and was appointed acting Company Sergeant Major on 5 September 1917. King George V decorated him with the VC at Buckingham Palace on 26 September 1917.
He returned to Britain on 11 February 1918 and served with the 53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion, South Wales Borderers before transferring to the Reserve on 21 May 1919. He was finally discharged from the reserve on 31 March 1921.
On 31 December 1920 Ivor Rees enlisted as Territorial in the 4th (Carmarthenshire) Battalion, The Welch Regiment and he was discharged a year later.
Rees was unemployed for two years after the Great War, before taking a job with the Llanelli Borough Council as a Water Inspector and Cleansing Superintendent, a post he held until his retirement in 1959.
Rees served as a Company Sergeant Major in the 2nd Carmarthenshire Home Guard during the Second World War.
Family life
Ivor Rees was born on October 18, 1893, at Union Street, Felinfoel, Llanelli, to father
David Rees, an Electrical Engineer, and mother Ann.
He was a pupil of Pwll School and then worked at Llanelli Steelworks before his enlistment to the South Wales Borderers.
He was married just days after receiving his VC at Buckingham Palace, and went on to have two sons and three daughters with his wife Martha.
He lived at Long Row, Felinfoel, and Craddock Street, Llanelli, before his death in March 1967.
A Paving Stone will be laid to recognise this award of honour at the Town Hall, Llanelli, SA15 3AH on Monday 31 July 2017 at 1:45pm. The ceremony will start at 2pm. Followed by an exhibition to trace the history of Ivor Rees and the First World War at the Athenaeum Hall, Llanelli Library.
If you would like to attend to film or arrange interviews, please let us know in advance.
Cofeb i filwr Croes Victoria o Lanelli
BYDD cofeb newydd yn cael ei dadorchuddio i anrhydeddu milwr o Felin-foel a dderbyniodd Groes Victoria (VC) am ddewrder yn ystod y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf.
Arwisgwyd Ivor Rees, Rhingyll yn 11eg Bataliwn Cyffinwyr De Cymru, gan Frenin George V am weithred o ddewrder ar y Ffrynt Gorllewinol yn Ypres, Gwlad Belg, ar Orffennaf 31, 1917.
Ar y diwrnod hwnnw, diwrnod agoriadol Trydedd Frwydr Ypres, arweiniodd y Rhingyll Rees ei blatŵn trwy ergydion gwn peiriant pellter byr, gan weithio ei ffordd o gwmpas yr ystlys nes ei fod o fewn 20 llath i’r gwn, ac yna rhuthrodd ymlaen tuag at y gelyn, gan saethu un, trywanu un arall a thawelu ergydion y gynau.
Yna bomiodd y blwch pils cyfagos, gan ladd pump o filwyr eraill y gelyn a dal 30 dyn arall yn cynnwys dau swyddog.
Y VC yw’r anrhydedd uchaf a mwyaf clodfawr am ddewrder yn wyneb y gelyn y gellir ei roi, ac yn union 100 mlynedd i ddyddiad ei weithred arwrol caiff carreg goffa ei gosod yng ngerddi Neuadd y Dref Llanelli fel rhan o ddathliadau 100 mlwyddiant y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf.
Caiff y garreg ei dadorchuddio gan y Cyng. David Jenkins, Hyrwyddwr y Lluoedd Arfog i Gyngor Sir Caerfyrddin, a fydd wedyn yn arwain gwesteion i arddangosfa ar y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf yn Llyfrgell Llanelli.
“Bydd yn fraint fawr i ddadorchuddio’r gofeb hon i anrhydeddu’r Rhingyll Ivor Rees,” meddai’r Cyng. Jenkins.
“Roedd yn ŵr ifanc a ddangosodd ddewrder mawr a derbyniodd yn haeddiannol iawn yr anrhydedd uchaf.
“Ganrif wedi ei weithred arwrol, byddwn yn cyfarfod yn Neuadd y Dref Llanelli i gofio ei wrhydri, a gwrhydri llawer iawn o ddynion eraill o Sir Gaerfyrddin a fu’n ymladd yn y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf.”
Ei yrfa filwrol ac wedyn
Ymrestrodd Rees gyda Chyffinwyr De Cymru ar 9 Tachwedd 1914 ac fe’i rhoddwyd yn yr 11eg Bataliwn. Aeth dramor gyda’r 11eg Bataliwn ar 4 Rhagfyr 1915 ac fe’i dyrchafwyd yn Is Gorporal ar 5 Awst 1915 ac yn Gorporal ar 1 Rhagfyr 1915. Daeth yn Rhingyll ar 19 Medi 1916, ac fe’i penodwyd yn Uwch Ringyll Cwmni Gweithredol ar 5 Medi 1917. Cafodd ei arwisgo â’r VC gan y Brenin George ym Mhalas Buckingham ar 26 Medi 1917.
Daeth yn ôl i Brydain ar 11 Chwefror 1918 a gwasanaethodd gyda’r 53fed Bataliwn (Milwr Ifanc), Cyffinwyr De Cymru cyn trosglwyddo i’r Adfyddin ar 21 Mai 1919. Fe’i rhyddhawyd yn derfynol o’r adfyddin ar 31 Mawrth 1921.
Ar 31 Rhagfyr 1920 ymrestrodd Ivor Rees yn Diriogaethwr ym 4edd Bataliwn (Sir Gaerfyrddin), Y Gatrawd Gymreig ac fe’i rhyddhawyd flwyddyn yn ddiweddarach.
Bu Rees yn ddi-waith am ddwy flynedd wedi’r Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, cyn cymryd swydd gyda Chyngor Bwrdeistref Llanelli yn Arolygydd Dŵr, swydd y bu ynddi nes iddo ymddeol yn 1959.
Gwasanaethodd Rees yn Uwch Ringyll Cwmni yn 2il Warchodlu Cartref Sir Gaerfyrddin yn ystod yr Ail Ryfel Byd.
Bywyd teuluol
Ganed Ivor Rees ar Hydref 18, 1893, yn Heol yr Undeb, Felin-foel, Llanelli, i’w dad David Rees, Peiriannydd Trydanol, a’i fam Ann.
Bu’n ddisgybl yn Ysgol Pwll ac yna gweithiodd yng Ngwaith Dur Llanelli cyn iddo ymrestru gyda Chyffinwyr De Cymru.
Priododd ddyddiau’n unig ar ôl derbyn ei VC ym Mhalas Buckingham, ac aeth ymlaen i gael dau fab a thair merch gyda’i wraig Martha.
Bu’n byw yn Rhes Hir, Felin-foel, a Stryd Craddock, Llanelli, cyn ei farwolaeth ym mis Mawrth 1967.
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