Daniel Thomas
Ystradgynlais Fallen of World War One
Daniel Thomas served as a driver in the Army Service Corps during the First World War. He died in Cimla Sanatorium Hospital, Neath, on 13th August 1917 from the effects of consumption.
Daniel Thomas is buried in Beulah Cemetery, Cwmtwrch, Ystradgynlais. Although living in Seven Sisters, in the Dulais Valley, with his wife Ellen at the time of his death, he had originally come from Cwmtwrch.
Daniel Thomas is not remembered upon the Ystradgynlais War Memorial, perhaps because he was resident in Seven Sisters, or perhaps because he was a discharged soldier at the time of his death. We include him, however, because of his connection with the town and because of his burial at Beulah Cemetery.
The war grave of Daniel Thomas in Beulah Cemetery, Cwmtwrch.
Daniel Thomas
Ystradgynlais Fallen of World War One
| Name | Daniel Thomas |
| Date of Death | 13th August 1917 |
| Place of Death | Cimla Sanatorium Hospital Neath |
| Age at Death | 29 |
| Unit and Regiment | Discharged Soldier, formerly of the Army Service Corps |
| Rank | Driver |
| Service Number | T4/109317 |
| Memorial | UNKNOWN |
| Local Memorials | UNKNOWN |
| Rolls of Honour | UNKNOWN |
| Notes | Wife of Ellen, and resident in Seven Sisters. Ellen died 27th December 1969 aged 84. |
The Thomas grave in Beulah Cemetery
Headstone of Ellen Thomas, widow of Daniel Thomas, in Beulah Cemetery, Cwmtwrch.
From The Llais
The Llais newspaper prided itself on being the source of a plethora of local information, including on the fate or circumstance of soldiers during the war, and on the death of members of the community over decades of reporting.
The Labour Voice newspaper, 25th August 1917 reported on the funeral of Daniel Thomas, held on the 18th August 1917:-
FUNERAL: DANIEL THOMAS
There was a large attendance on Saturday at the funeral of Mr Daniel Thomas of Seven Sisters who died at Cimla Sanatorium, Neath. The remains were buried at Beulah Cemetery. He was a discharged soldier and had contracted consumption from which he died. The Rev W T Hughes, Beulah and D J Davies, Ystradgynlais were the officiating ministers, and there was a large attendance of relatives of the deceased. Much sympathy is felt in the Cwm with the widow and small children to mourn their loss.
The Voice newspaper, 8th January 1970 reported on the death of Ellen, widow of Daniel Thomas, over fifty yeara after his death in 1917:-
DEATH: MRS ELLEN THOMAS
The death occurred last week of an old resident of Seven Sisters, Mrs Ellen Thomas, widow of the late Mr Daniel Thomas, 12 Standert Terrace. She was 84 years of age. She came to the village at an early age from Ystradgynlais and her husband hailed from Cwmtwrch. Mrs Thomas had been a widow following her husband's death from the effects of World War I over fifty years ago.
The funeral was Wednesday 31st December at Beulah, Cwmtwrch. She is survived by her daughter Katie, and two sons, Idris and Tom, and families.
