William Trefor Morgan (known as Trefor) was born in 1895 in Swansea, the son of William Rhandair Morgan (Steamship Company Manager) and Elizabeth Jane.

In 1911, aged 15, he was living at Westfa, Brooklyn Terrace, Mumbles. He was recorded as a part-time student and lived with his parents, one brother, and six sisters.

In September 1914 he volunteered for the army and was included in a published Roll of Honour from Harries Bros & Co, Cambrian-Place. It is possible he was working there with his father at the time.

During the War, his family suffered tragedy when his 24-year-old brother, Brinley, died in a flying accident in 1917.

After the War, Trefor returned to civilian life and began a successful career as a Chemist and Metallurgist.

In 1921 he was living at Dunbee, Queens Road, Swansea, aged 26 years. He worked as a Steel Works Chemist for Messrs R. Thomas & Co. Ltd, Tin Plate Manufacturer, and was living with his parents and four siblings.

In 1925, Terfor married Ruby Annie Wroe in Portsmouth.

In 1927, he and his new wife emigrated to the United States. Trefor began working as a Metallurgist with the Taylor Instrument Company in Rochester, New York.

By 1930 he was living at 12 Anthony Street, Rochester, NY, aged 34, and employed as an Engineer in instrument manufacturing. He lived with Ruby and their daughter, Rosemary, then aged five.

That same year he also began teaching evening classes in advanced steel treating and metallography. By 1934 he had been elected chairman of the Rochester Chapter of the American Society for Metals.

By 1940 the family had moved to Brighton, New York. Trefor, then 44, was working as a Metallurgist in an instrument factory. He lived with his wife Ruby and their daughter Rosemary, aged 14.

On 1 February 1941, Trefor Morgan died suddenly at his home, 135 Willowbend Road, Rochester, following a heart attack. He was only 45 years old. He was buried at Mount Hope Cemetery, Rochester, NY.

At the time of his death he was Chief Metallurgist at the Taylor Instrument Company of Rochester. A man of distinction, he became the first Welshman to be President of the American Society of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering. He was also a member of the British Iron and Steel Institute and served on the executive committee of the Rochester Chapter of the American Society for Steel Treating.

The South Wales Evening Post reported his death on 4 February 1941. It noted that he was survived by his wife Ruby, their daughter Rosemary, his mother Elizabeth, and four sisters.

Trefor Morgan enlisted in the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade, as a Driver, shortly after the outbreak of the Great War, receiving the Service Number 990. Sadly, his full Service Record was destroyed during the Blitz, but enough fragments remain to piece together the outline of his wartime journey.

Early Service and Training

Based on his Service Number, Trefor enlisted on 14 September 1914, during the very first wave of wartime recruits. He began basic training in Swansea, and his family still hold a photograph taken at the end of this period, showing him proudly wearing his newly issued uniform.

After training, he joined the Brigade in Cambridge in late 1914 or early 1915. By May 1915, the Brigade had moved to Bedford for further preparation before finally receiving orders for Active Service in France.

On the night of 21–22 November 1915, Driver Morgan was among the 401 men who sailed from Southampton to Le Havre. From there, the Brigade travelled to the Somme, where they undertook frontline training near Albert—an area that would soon form the southern edge of the infamous battlefield.

Egyptian Expeditionary Force

Surviving records confirm that Trefor later served in Egypt. It is likely he sailed with the Brigade from Marseilles to Alexandria in February 1916, enduring the hazardous five-day Mediterranean crossing.

From Alexandria, the men moved to Beni Salama (Wardan Camp) , near Cairo, adjusting to the desert climate. Many visited the city’s famous sites during this time. In May 1916, Trefor sent home a photograph of himself with his hutmates.

Later that month, the Brigade took over a section of the Suez Canal defences, near Ismailia. By late 1916, under General Murray, the Brigade embarked on the grueling march across the Sinai Desert. This campaign culminated in the first two (ultimately unsuccessful) battles of Gaza, in early 1917.

Illness and Recovery

During the summer of 1917, Trefor fell seriously ill. The South Wales Evening Post reported on 10 November 1917:

“Mr and Mrs WR Morgan, Sketty, whose son, Lieut. Brinley Morgan, was killed in action on March 5th, have received information that his brother Trevor, with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, who had just recovered from septic poisoning after a month’s treatment, has been unfortunate enough to contract diphtheria, and is again in hospital.”

Given the length of his illness, it is uncertain whether he rejoined his Brigade immediately afterwards. However, it is likely that he returned to duty in early 1918, serving with the Egyptian Expeditionary Force, in Palestine, the Judaean Hills, and Jordan. These campaigns were made even more difficult by widespread malaria.

At some point, Trefor also trained as a signaller, taking on this important role during the later stages of the war.

End of the War

Following the Armistice with the Ottoman Empire in October 1918, the Expeditionary Force returned to Alexandria, and the men gradually began their journey home in early 1919.