MORGAN Lewis Laugharne

During the Edwardian era, W. Laugharne Morgan & Co. was a well-established parcels and delivery business with an office at 10. York Street, Swansea and another at 10, The Dunns, Mumbles. However, tragedy was to strike his family life when, during the Great War, both his eldest son and his nephew who both served with distinction, each being awarded the MC, were killed in action in 1918.

William's son, Lewis won his medal during his time with the Royal flying Corps on 24 May 1917, when he 'crossed the lines at a height of under 100 feet and destroyed a hostile kite balloon and a hostile scout at close range,' sustaining a fracture of his leg, which required amputation. Despite this, he returned to action and known as 'the air hog' because of his incessant participation in air operations, continued to fight. However, on 26 April 1918, he was killed aged 21 while serving in a SE5a plane with no. 50 Squadron, due to problems with its take off and crashed into a railway embankment in Kent.

William's nephew, Captain David Lloyd Popkin Morgan MC, son of Mr. D.H. Morgan of Church Park, Mumbles was serving with the 24th Welch Regiment when he was killed in Palestine on 9 March 1918, aged 30, during the four-day battle for the 'wonderful observation point of Tell Asur', 15 miles north of Jerusalem. He had been working as an assayer and metallurgist in Peru when he came home and enlisted in the Pembrokeshire Yeomanry.

Both their names are commemorated with honour on the Rood Screen memorial inside All Saints Church, Mumbles and on the memorial in Parade Gardens, Southend, Mumbles.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

SWDP 19 July 1917

SWDP 13 March 1918

Whitehorne Major A.C., OBE, The History of the Welch Regiment, 1932

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