A MOTHER and two daughters have become the first members of their family to visit the grave of a relative buried in Greece for more than 100 years.
Olive Davies, 85, and her daughters Gwen Davies and Jenny Davies-Scourfield visited Karasouli military cemetery in Greece this May, after discovering a relative who fought in the First World War was buried there.
A view over the British graves at Karasouli.
Harding Melbourne Davies, Jenny and Gwen’s father’s uncle, is buried at the military cemetery near Thessaloniki, northern Greece.
“It was quite emotional,” said Jenny, who lives in Whitland. “We were stood there thinking we were the first people to go to see the poor man.”
Harding and his family lived at Long Island Farm, Camrose before he and two of his brothers left to fight in the First World War.
He fought as a private in the 28th Division of the Welsh Regiment, first in France, before being posted to Egypt and later to Greece where his division remained.
A picture of Harding Davies in his uniform.
Harding died after succumbing to his wounds on May 19, 1917, while fighting in Salonika.
“It was a beautifully kept cemetery,” said Olive. “And the people in Greece were lovely. We had a driver called Dimitri who took us to Karasouli. He was a very friendly man.”
Gwen Davies, Olive Davies and Jenny Davies-Scourfield in Karasouli Military Cemetery.
While researching their family history, Jenny, Olive and Gwen also uncovered information about Harding’s brother Benjamin, who also fought in the Great War but returned home to Pembrokeshire.
In their research they found out that Benjamin died a year after he was discharged from the Army with gas poisoning which brought on TB.
He was nursed at Long Island Farm by his sister Florrie as sadly his mother Maria tragically died six months after he returned home.
He was only recognised as a casualty of the war in recent years, when his name was added to Camrose War Memorial.
After discovering a Wales Online article about Benjamin while researching their family history, Jenny and Olive found out he was buried in an unmarked grave at St Thomas’ Church, Haverfordwest.
Jenny Davies-Scourfield and Olive Davies in St Thomas a Beckett Churchyard.
At St Thomas' Church the Commonwealth War Graves Commission have placed a headstone to commemorate Benjamin.
There was also another tragedy in the family in 1903, when Harding and Benjamin’s father Henry was killed in an accident with a horse and cart.
An inquest in an old local newspaper revealed this sad history to Jenny when she visited the Pembrokeshire Archives.
Fortunately, Harding and Benjamin’s brother Joseph, who was Jenny and Gwen’s grandfather came home and fathered five children with his wife Maria (nee Watts), one of them being their dad, Desmond.
There are many more stories they have uncovered about their history, and the family would encourage anyone to look into their own past.
“I would say everyone should have a look at their family history,” said Jenny. “It is important to remember.”
There are plans to remember the closing days of the First World War throughout Pembrokeshire this year.
There are 11 days of remembrance events planned in Haverfordwest.
Contact wtnews@westerntelegraph.co.uk to let us know what plans you have for Remembrance this year.
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