There is already a ‘VC Garden’ at the Town Hall in Llanelli in memory of Sergeant Ivor Rees, a young man from Felinfoel who received the Victoria Cross in 1917. One hundred years later Sergeant Rees was being honoured again with a memorial stone at the War Memorial in Llanelli.
Sergeant Rees was mentioned in The London Gazette on 14th September 1917 as follows: For most conspicuous bravery in attack a hostile machine-gun opened fire at close range, inflicting many casualties. Leading his platoon forward by short rushes Sergeant Rees gradually worked his way round the right flank to the rear of the gun position. When he was about twenty yards from the machine-gun he rushed forward towards the team, shot one and bayonetted another. He then bombed the large concrete emplacement killing five and capturing thirty prisoners of whom two were officers, in addition to an undamaged gun.
The battle took place at Pilckem Ridge between 31 July – 2 August 1917 and was the opening attack of the Third Battle of Ypres in the First World War.
Attending the unveiling of the stone were his granddaughter Catrin Rees, Llanelli Town Mayor Jeff Edmunds, Deputy Mayor Louvain Roberts, Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council Irfon Jones and his consort, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Armed Forces Champion David Jenkins, the Llanelli Rural Mayor John Evans and representatives of the Royal Welsh Regiment and the Royal British Legion.
Following the unveiling the party made their way over to Llanelli Library where there was an exhibition of 1st World War memorabilia including photographs of Ivor Rees and military activity in Llanelli.
