The civilian war dead of Neath and Port Talbot

There were two raids in Neath in August 1940. Both caused much damage and there were casualties. On Monday 12 August and Tuesday 13 August between 23.00 and 01.00, three people were killed in Old Road, including an Air Raid Warden, and five were admitted to hospital. On Tuesday 20 August at 10.00 there was a dive bombing attack on the area including Pendrill Street, Henry Street and Alice Street, with a terrific explosion. Five people were killed and nearly 100 injured. Further incidents in Cadoxton and in the oil refinery near Skewen also resulted in loss of life.

Meanwhile in Pontrhydyfen, around four miles south-east of Neath, in the early hours of 11 May 1941 a bomber on its way back from a raid dropped its two remaining bombs. While one fell harmlessly, the other hit a house in Morgans Terrace, killing four people, including the grandfather, father, mother and sister of the actor Ivor Emmanuel. Ivor and his brother were pulled out alive.

The Archive Service holds a Luftwaffe map of Port Talbot, annotated with potential targets. Although bombs fell on industrial sites in 1940, no raid was ever launched there on the scale seen in Swansea. On 13 February 1941 two properties in Corporation Road, Port Talbot were bombed, causing the death of six people in one of the houses. They are recorded in a register of civilian war deaths similar to the one that recorded the deaths in Swansea, and a copy of it can be seen here. Right at the end of the war another incident occurred which is not recorded in the register: on 5 July 1945, as reported in the press, three boys were killed at the practice range on Baglan Moors while playing with unexploded bombs.

Neath Borough

Harold Llewellyn COCKWELL of 197 Old Road, Briton Ferry, aged 37.
Died at Old Road, 13/08/1940.
Air Raid Warden. Husband of Ivy M. Cockwell.

Mary Beatrice CURTIS of 248 Old Road, Briton Ferry, aged 68.
Died at 248 Old Road, 13/08/1940.
Wife of Samuel John Curtis.

Samuel Herbert CURTIS of 248 Old Road, Briton Ferry, aged 34.
Died at 248 Old Road, 13/08/1940.
Son of Samuel J. and Mary B. Curtis, husband of Winnie Curtis.

Ebenezer EVANS of 314 Llangyfelach Road, Pentre Estyll, Swansea, aged 46.
Died at West Glamorgan County Hospital, 03/07/1945. Injured in February 1942.
Fire Guard. Son of the late Ebenezer Evans, husband of M. Evans.

Alwyn JONES of 9 Westbourne Road, Neath, aged 38.
Died at Great western Railway Yard, 20/08/1940.

Phillip George MOTH of 257 New Road, Skewen, aged 32.
Died at West Glamorgan County Hospital, 12/05/1941. Injured at Burrows Road, 12/05/1941.
Son of George Moth of 1 New Road, husband of the late Margaret Helene Moth.

Alfred NEWMAN of 1 Grandison Street, Briton Ferry, aged 27.
Died at Great Western Railway Yard, 20/08/1940.
Son of Charles and Margaret Newman of 8 Christopher Street, Llanelli, husband of Sarah Newman.
Buried at St Thomas Church, Neath, 24/08/1940.

John Clifford PENHALE of 10 Gerald Street, Aberavon, aged 31.
Died at Great Western Railway Yard, 20/08/1940.

Annie REES of 68 Pendrill Street, Neath, aged 55.
Died at 68 Pendrill Street, 20/08/1940.
Wife of Rees Thomas Rees.

Rees Thomas REES of 68 Pendrill Street, Neath, aged 58.
Died at 68 Pendrill Street, 20/08/1940.
Husband of Annie Rees.

Neath Rural District

Evan Thomas BEVAN of Cartrefle, Clyne, Resolven, aged 46.
Died at Cadoxton Schools, 24/07/1943.
Son of Mr and Mrs John Bevan of Tyn Ton Farm, Pontrhydyfen, husband of Alice May Bevan.

Frederick David BOWEN of 6 Springfield, Skewen, aged 42.
Died at National Oil Refineries, Skewen, 10/07/1940.
Husband of Ann Bowen.
Buried at St John's Church, Skewen, 15/07/1940.

Ivy Margaretta EMMANUEL of 18 Morgan's Terrace, Pontrhydyfen, aged 33.
Died at 18 Morgan's Terrace, 11/05/1941.
Daughter of John Lewis; wife of Stephen John Emmanuel.

Mair EMMANUEL of 18 Morgan's Terrace, Pontrhydyfen, aged 2.
Died at West Glamorgan County Hospital, 12/05/1941. Injured at 18 Morgan's Terrace, 11/05/1941.
Daughter of Stephen John and Ivy Margaretta Emmanuel.

Stephen John EMMANUEL of 18 Morgan's Terrace, Pontrhydyfen, aged 36.
Died at 18 Morgans Terrace, 11/05/1941.
Son of Rhys Emmanuel of 20 Brombill Road, husband of Ivy M. Emmanuel.

John LEWIS of 18 Morgan's Terrace, Pontrhydyfen, aged 60.
Died at West Glamorgan County hospital, 12/05/1941. Injured at 18 Morgan's Terrace, 11/05/1941.
Son of William Lewis of 12 Queen Street, husband of Mary Lewis.

Port Talbot Borough

The following seven entries are taken from the register of the civilian war dead.

Albin ANDERSEN of Norway aged 68.
Found on Taibach Beach, 08/08/1940 and taken to the mortuary at Port Talbot Docks.
Buried at Goytre Cemetery, Port Talbot, 10/08/1940.

Gladys MORGAN of 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot aged 36.
Found at 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot, 13/02/1941 and taken to the mortuary at Port Talbot and District General Hospital.
Buried at Goytre Cemetery, Port Talbot, 16/02/1941.

Ernest MORGAN of 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot aged 34.
Found at 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot, 13/02/1941 and taken to the mortuary at Port Talbot and District General Hospital.
Buried at Goytre Cemetery, Port Talbot, 16/02/1941.

Florence MORGAN of 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot aged 28.
Found at 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot, 13/02/1941 and taken to the mortuary at Port Talbot and District General Hospital.
Buried at Goytre Cemetery, Port Talbot, 16/02/1941.

Minnie MORGAN of 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot aged 23.
Found at 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot, 13/02/1941 and taken to the mortuary at Port Talbot and District General Hospital.
Buried at Goytre Cemetery, Port Talbot, 16/02/1941.

Constance MORGAN of 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot aged 19.
Found at 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot, 13/02/1941 and taken to the mortuary at Port Talbot and District General Hospital.
Buried at Goytre Cemetery, Port Talbot, 16/02/1941.

Linda ELLISON of 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot aged 7.
Found at 13 Corporation Road, Port Talbot, 13/02/1941 and taken to the mortuary at Port Talbot and District General Hospital.
Buried at Goytre Cemetery, Port Talbot, 16/02/1941.

These three are not included in the register. Information has been gleaned from a contemporary newspaper account.

Wyndham Evan James of Christopher Road, Skewen, aged 10.
Died on Baglan Moors, 05/07/1945.
Son of Sidney James.

Richard Thomas RUMBLE of 43 Addison Road, Aberavon, aged 13.
Died on Baglan Moors, 05/07/1945.
Son of Reginald Rumble.

Walter Samuel WHITE of 41 Addison Road, Aberavon, aged 9.
Died on Baglan Moors, 05/07/1945.
Son of Thomas Samuel White.