Thomas Alfred Rees (known as Tom) was born on 22 December 1891 in Swansea and baptized on 1 March 1892 at St Nicholas’s. His parents were Henry and Mary Ann and they lived at South Dock Cottage. Henry was working as a Harbour Pilot.

His grand daughter kindly provided the following: Thomas was put into boarding school at a young age as his mother accompanied Captain Henry around the world most of the time. Tom ran away from school on 2 occasions and both times found in a boat rowing out to sea to find his father. He was twice punished for his actions and sent back to school.

By the time of the 1901 census, Tom’s father had died and he was living with his widowed mother and 6 elder siblings at 2 Somerset Place. In the 1911 census, the family had moved again to 75 Norfolk Street, Mount Pleasant. Tom was now 19 years old and has started work as a Blacksmith’s apprentice at the Harbour Trust.

In 1914, shortly after the start of the Great War, Tom enlisted in the Royal Field Artillery. In his records, he is described as 5ft 10in, dark Brown hair, brown eyes and a fair complexion. He would have initially trained in Swansea, possibly still living at home. However, in December 1914, he moved with his comrades to Cambridge, from that point onwards, he would have seen little of his family other than some short periods of leave.

On one of those periods of leave, Thomas married Grace Elizabeth Bond. They were married on 25 July 1915 at the Parish Church, Oystermouth, Thomas gave his occupation as Soldier and address as Bedford (1st Welsh Brigade).

He returned home after he was discharged from the Army in March 1919 and Tom and Grace went on to have 4 children, Barbara Thurza Mary (1919), John Ernest Trevor (1920), Dorothy Grace (1924) and Jeff.

Thomas enlisted again in 1920 and in the 1921 Census he is listed at 24 Park Street, Mumbles with Grace, Barbara and John. His occupation was given as Army-Bombadier.

His family continue the story after he left the army: after the war he worked a lot with looking after other peoples horses belonging to the gentry. This potentially links back to his experiences as a Blacksmith. They continued: My mother told me a story about a particular horse he knew which was a Clydesdale by the name of Major. This horse saw my grandfather from quite a distance and somehow got loose from being tethered and came trotting up the road towards him just as Thomas entered the home. Major proceeded to follow him inside and consequently became wedged in the narrow hallway. Thomas had to act fast to stop the horse panicking and so slowly and gently talked to him repeating, "whoa Major" whilst pushing and backing the horse out trying not to spook him any further. He successfully managed in keeping him calm and back out onto the road and then took him home and tied him back up properly much to the relief of the owner and everyone else.

The next record is the 1939 Register where the family; Tom, Grace and the 4 children were living at 32 Brunswick Street, Swansea. By this time, he was working as a Jointers Mate. His grand-daughter added I have a recollection of mum telling me that he worked for the electric company at some stage and that even years later after retiring from there, he would have someone from this company contact him from time to time as to where certain electrical components were or connections underground etc things like that, as he was the only one that knew certain things.

Thomas Alfred Rees passed away on 10 April 1981 in Swansea.

His grand daughter concluded: My mother always told me her father was a wonderful man and they were both very close. After a long hard day at work my mother as a little girl would wait for him to come home at the door and when she saw him walking down the road she would run to him and he would open his arms and lift her up onto his shoulders and they would laugh and play around until reaching the house.

Tom Rees enlisted in the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade, Swansea as a Gunner on 2 September 1914 and was given the Brigade Service Number 922.

Fortunately, his burnt Service Record has survived, so it is possible to give a detailed outline of his service. The first point of note is that he had previously served in the Brigade, completing his 4 years service. His previous Brigade Service Number is not known.

Following the outbreak of the Great War, Gnr. Rees was one of the earliest recruits into the Brigade and he undertook his basic training at the Depot in Swansea. He is included in the photo of Swansea recruits published in the Cambria Daily Leader on 9 December 1914.

Shortly after, he joined the Brigade in Cambridge and was posted to the Ammunition Column. In early May 1915, the Brigade moved to Bedford where they continued their training and he was transferred to the 1st Glamorgan Battery. In Bedford, they continued to ready themselves for Active Service.

Shortly before the Brigade went overseas, they had a major reorgansiation. On 9 November 1915, Gnr Rees transferred to the 53rd Divisional Ammunition Column (DAC) and travelled with them to France on 23 November 1915. From Le Havre, the DAC travelled to the Somme to undertake frontline training in an area close to Albert which would mark the Southern edge of the Somme battlefield just 6 months later.

In February 1916, the 1st Welsh (Howitzer) Brigade, along with the rest of the 53rd Divisional Artillery, travelled to Egypt. However, the 53rd DAC remained in France and transferred to the 29th Division and became the 29th DAC.

The next record confirms that he was transferred S/29 Trench Mortar Battery on 8 July 1916. S/29 was set up to support the 29th Division in the Beaumont Hamel area of the Somme offensive and was disbanded shortly after – it is therefore reasonable to assume he was directly involved in the Somme battle. This is confirmed by his grand-daughter who recounted: he was blinded for some time after being gassed in the battle of the Somme.

In October 1916, he was posted to the Headquarters of 256 Highland Brigade and shortly after – in December 1916 - was given leave. Whilst on leave in Swansea he contracted blood poisoning and finally rejoined his unit in May 1917.

He continued to serve with 256 Brigade (with B, then D Batteries) until September 1917 when he transferred to D Battery of 86 Brigade who he served with for the remainder of the war.

Gunner Thomas Alfred Rees returned to the UK on 21 December 1918 and was demobilized on 3 March 1919. For his service in the Great War, he was awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

Following the War, he re-enlisted in the Territorials on 29 May 1920. He was finally discharged in May 1923 with the rank of Lance Sergeant.