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Thomas John Eynon was born at Cwm (Cwmsyfiog, New Tredegar), in 1895.
He was the son of John Eynon, b. c1873 (place of birth listed a Cwm, Tredegar and Blaina over different years), and Elizabeth Ann, b. c1877 (place of birth similar – Bedwellty, Blaina). John and Elizabeth Eynon had several children who were:
Thomas John b. Cwm c1895
Margaret J b. Cwm c1897
Griffith b. Cwm c1900
Annie May b. Cwm c1904
Martha Mary b. Cwm c1906
William b. Cwm c1901
Beatrice b. Cwm c1909 and
Winifred b. Cwm 1910.
In 1881 the family were living at Beaufort Hill, Llangattock.
In 1891 the family, as it was then, lived in Nantyglo and Blaina, at 1a Engine Terrace.
In 1901 the family were at 25 Upper Cwm Road, Cwm (Cwmsyfiog, New Tredegar)
And in 1911, they were shown as resident at 25 Upper Road, Cwm.
In Q4 of 1918, Thomas married a Winifred E Russell (Bedwellty 11a/188). Their address may well be the one shown on his Medal Index Card : 53 School Street.
There is a possible Death record for Thomas' father, John, listed as “ John H Eynon, born c1873, died Q4 1937 (Bedwellty 11a/129) – this may account for the use of 'Thomas H Eynon on the Memorial record vice John H?
Regretfully, Thomas' Army records no longer exist beyond a couple of entries. I have no doubt they would have made interesting reading as he served in the South Wales Borderers (SWB) throughout WW1, and also served in WW2 (possibly from September 1943, but maybe earlier).
Born in Cwmsyfiog c1895, he enlisted at the start of the War, and on 23rd September 1914 landed with 2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers, at Lao Shan Bay, China, for operations against the German forces at Tientsin.
2nd Battalion
August 1914 : in Tientsin, China.
23 September 1914 : landed at Lao Shan Bay for operations against the German territory of Tsingtao.
4 December 1914 : embarked at Hong Kong, landing at Plymouth 12 January 1915.
12 January 1915 : came under orders of 87th Brigade, 29th Division. Moved to Rugby.
17 March 1915 : embarked at Avonmouth for operations at Gallipoli. Landed at Cape Helles 25 April 1915.
11 January 1916 : moved to Egypt and went on to France, arriving Marseilles 15 March 1916.
There is one reference to his having served with the 7th Battalion, so he may have been attached to them whilst in Salonika.
Another snippet, from the SWB Medal Roll, indicates Thomas also served at some point with the 1st Battalion. So he served in Asia, Salonika, N.Africa and France/Belgium.
Whilst with 2nd Battalion he was promoted from Private to Corporal, and when with 7th Battalion was promoted again to Acting Sergeant.
In January 1917 (still with 2nd Battalion) he was with 'G' Company at the Western Command Depot at Heaton Park, Manchester.
[Note: He may have been here following a period in a Military Hospital. Heaton Park was used as a 'convalescent' camp, and worked to get men fit again to rejoin their units].
Then, on 31st January 1918, Thomas received a Commission and became 2nd Lieutenant Eynon, South Wales Borderers. His Medal index card indicates an attachment to the Machine Gun Corps around this time, but he remained an Officer of the SWB.
At some point he did 'retire', but probably not before 1920/21, and was listed in the Reserve of Officers. I suggest these dates because although his Service records are gone, entries in the London Gazette Supplement (LGS) have not ! :
1. 8th October 1918 LGS 30943 page 11927: South Wales Borderers - 2nd Lt T J Eynon confirmed as 2nd Lt with seniority date (seny.) 30 Jan 1918.
2. 22nd July 1919 LGS31468 page 9326: South Wales Borderers - 2nd Lt T J Eynon – reference to receiving a 'gratuity' [War Gratuity, perhaps?] on 23rd July 1919.
3. 26th September 1924 LGS 32977 page 7041: South Wales Borderers - 2nd Lt T J Eynon to be [promoted to] Lieutenant 28/12/1920.
4. 24th September 1943 LGS 36184 page 4259: Royal Navy [Volunteer Reserve] -To be temporary sub-Lieutenant (Special) with seny. 13/09/1943 : T J Eynon.
5. 25th July 1944 LGS 36628 page 3508: South Wales Borderers – Lt T J Eynon (59825) having attained the age limit of liability for recall [to the Colours] ceases to belong to the Reserve of Officers [with effect from] 18th July 1944.
He was also listed, under South Wales Borderers, in the list of the 'Reserve of Officers' as a Lieutenant with the seniority date of 24th August 1939.
Thomas is also to be found in the Navy Lists (NL) covering 1943-1944:
NL February 1944 Volume I: HMS Lizard, Lt (Sp) T J Eynon, seniority 12/10/1943.
NL 1944 Volume II page 1528: Thomas John Eynon, Acting Temporary Lieutenant (Special Branch) RNVR. Seniority 12/10/1943.
NL January 1945 Volume 1: 1944: Lt (Sp) T J Eynon, HMS Lizard. Seniority 12/10/1943.
(There are Naval records held at the National Archives that may reveal more about Thomas' Naval service (Reference ADM340/255), but these are not digital and a copy would have to be ordered, for a small fee, from the Archives)
Thomas died on 30th January 1945 (cause not found). The Commonwealth War Graves entry reads:
“Lieutenant, age 50, Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve, H.M.S. Medina, Row 5 Grave 15, Bedwellty (St Sannan) New Churchyard.
Son of Thomas H Eynon and Elizabeth Eynon, husband of Winifred Eynon, of Tirphil, Glamorgan.”
I'm not sure this is actually correct as I believe his father's name was John, but someone may know different?
Historical Note:
HMS Medina was an Administrative Base on the Isle of Wight and would have dealt with all Thomas' paperwork, pay etc.
He actually served at HMS Lizard – much more interesting ! Why? Because Lizard, at Shoreham, was the Combined Operations Landing Craft Base, and they were the ones who landed troops etc on SWORD beach on D-Day. Thomas would have been involved in this.
“HMS LIZARD's last major operation was her involvement with the preparations for D-Day, June 6th 1944. LIZARD provided a logistic and maintenance support base for the huge numbers of vessels which crowded into Shoreham harbour in the run up to the invasion code name Operation 'NEPTUNE'. Assault Force 'S' which comprised of the 3rd British Division assembled at the ports of Newhaven, Shoreham and Portsmouth; once loaded their flotillas sailed for Spithead, Portsmouth in the early morning of June 5th to assemble in preparation for the channel crossing - their destination was SWORD beach, Normandy”
Medals awarded:
1914-15 Star, Victory and British War medals (WW1), probably War Medal 1939-45 and 1939-45 Star (WW2).
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