David Tamplin was born in Neath on 9 February 1892. He was the third child of David and Elizabeth Ann Tamplin.

The first identified record of David is in the 1901 census. He is reported living with his family (his parents and 5 other siblings) at 5 Whittington Street, Melyn, Neath. His father was working as an Iron Moulder.

At the time of the 1911 census, the family were still at Whittington Street. In total, there were now 11 children. By that time, David had reached the age of 18 and had started work as a Carpenters Labourer.

In line with the other members of the Brigade, David would have been mobilised in August 1914, leaving Neath shortly after. With the exception of some brief periods of leave between August 1914 and November 1915, he would not have returned to Neath until after the war.

David was demobilized in March 1919 and shortly after, in the summer of 1920, he married Mary Trolley.

In 1939, the family (David, Mary and their youngest son, William) were still living at 4 Phillips Court. David was working as a Postman for the General Post Office (GPO).

His grandson recollects: He was very well know in the local area, everyone called him ‘Dai the Postman’. He added He was a good singer and played the guitar.

David Tamplin died aged 66 in 1958. His obituary was published in the Neath Guardian and reported On Tuesday week, Mr David Tamplin died at his home, 4 Phillip Court, Neath. Mr.Tamplin, who was a native of the town, was very well known. He retired six years ago from the Postal Service, having seen service on the first World War, mostly in the Middle East.

David Tamplin joined the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade in April 1912 and was given the number 621. Unfortunately, his service record has not survived, but using the surviving pieces of information available, it is possible to piece together much of his service.

David and his family lived in Neath, the home of the Left Section (2 guns) of the 2nd Glamorgan Battery. It is therefore likely that he was a member of this unit right through to the start of the War.

Along with the rest of the Brigade, he was mobilized at the start of the war, initially travelling to Shrewsbury in late August 1914 and then moving to Northampton shortly after where they trained until December 1914.

On 7 December 1914, the Cambria Daily Leader reported Gunner Tamplin and Gunner Spraggon of the Swansea Artillery, both won first prizes at a singing competition the other evening at a Y.M.C.A. tent in Northampton.

Shortly after, the Brigade moved to Cambridge where they remained until May 1915 when they moved to Bedford.

David’s Medal Index Card confirms that he, along with the rest of the Brigade, travelled from Southampton to Le Havre on 22 November 1915. From there they moved to the Somme area, where they underwent further training, including a period in the front-line South-East of Albert (an area that marked the southern edge of the Somme battlefield just 6 months later).

Just before Christmas 1915, the Brigade withdrew from the front-line and in January 1916, received orders to rejoin the rest of the 53rd Welsh Division in Egypt.

According to various newspaper articles, David served in the Middle East and Palestine, so it is reasonable to assume that he travelled with the Brigade to Egypt in February 1916.

Given that he was also given a new service number in 1917 from a batch of numbers associated with the Brigade, it is likely that he remained with the Brigade throughout the Egypt campaign, being involved in Suez Canal Defences (1916), the 3 Battles of Gaza and march into Jerusalem (1917) and the subsequent push through the Judean Hills until the defeat of the Turkish Armies (1918).

A surviving hospital record shows that he was admitted to No 34 Combined Clearing Station in Jerusalem on 25 June 1918 suffering from the effects of Dysentry.

It is not clear whether he returned to active duty, but David was discharged from the army on 2 March 1919 and his military pension record noted that he was still suffering from the aftereffects of his illness.

For his service in the Great War, Gunner David Tamplin was awarded the 1914/14 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

During the war, David’s family paid a heavy price. In March 1918, the South Wales Weekly Press reported The war has exerted a heavy toll from many homes. Mr. and Mrs. David Tamplin of Whittington-street, Neath have just received news of the death of their eldest son, Pte. William Tamplin, of the Middlesex Regiment, killed in action in France. Pte. Tamplin was well known in local Rugger circles, and was one of the leading members of the old Melyn Barbarians. His brother, Sapper Jack Tamplin, of the R.E., was killed at the Mametz Wood battle in July last, and another brother, Gunner David Tamplin, is now with the Welsh Territorials on the Palestine front.