2737526 Rees Thomas WILLIAMS, Welsh Guards: 11/9/1940, Bombing of Caterham Guards Depot

CWGC headstones are a lot less frequent in the cemeteries of West Wales than in England. I often drive through Cribyn near Lampeter, and thought I glimpse a flash of white gravestone when passing the Unitarian Chapel so set out to investigate when I had more time. Sitting behind the Chapel is a headstone for Guardsman Rees Thomas Williams (2737526) of the Welsh Guards who died on 11th Sept 1940. Next to it is the graves of his parents who died after the war.

Guardsman Williams lived at Derlwyn, Cribyn and was born 25 March 1914. He was a 'Permanent Way Labourer' and living with his parents at Derlwyn in 1939.

My first port of call was the brilliant website of West Wales War Memorial Project but there isn't much info there for this one: https://www.wwwmp.co.uk/ceredigion-mem…/cribyn-war-memorial/

So researching him online I found that rather than be the victim of accident or illness Pte Williams was killed in action. He was one of nineteen Welsh Guardsmen killed when a German bomber bombed the Guards Depot at Caterham, Surrey on 11th September 1940. This is confirmed by the village war memorial which has Caterham as the place of death. It is likely he was in training there having joined up recently, and he was killed when the bombs hit a barrack block and some mess halls.

There is a thread on this forum for the bombing of 1st Sept 1940 but none for 11th Sept 1940. There are snippets of information in various internet sources and a more detailed piece of research in the Welsh Guards Journal 2018 p.185. Part of Victoria Block, the Nursing Sisters Quarters, Dining Room No. 6 and Serveries No. 1 and 2 were destroyed, and Dining Rooms No. 1 and 2 (with associated wash-up areas) were badly damaged. Another account adds that a shelter was also hit.

Interested if anyone has any further information, background to the attack, photos etc.

Rest In Peace Rees Thomas Williams