A rather Welsh story: the Siloh Chapel in Borth closed for business in 1994. Along with most chapels it had its own war memorial, and this was transplanted to the Gerlan Chapel; in due cousre, Gerlan also closed, to be converted into the successful Libanus 1877 cinema and restaurant and the memorial needed to move again. Along with those from three other closing Borth chapels it was courteously offered a home within the [conformist] St Matthew's. St Matthew's of course already had its own memorial.
The chapel memorials are poignant - no less sad for having relatively few names listed. The Siloh memorial is most unusual ... 6 victims of WW1, 7 of WW2, and 1 of the Spanish Civil War. I have not seen another Britsih memorial that lists a local man or woman lost in that terrible business.
The inscription reads "Hefyd Henry L Williams Yn Rhyfel Yspaen 1936-1939. Wedi Huno Ond Yn Fyw Yn Yr Yspryd" translating as "Also Henry L Williams, in the Spanish Civil War, 1936-1939. Fallen asleep, but alive in spirit.".
A lot of good work has been done on the history of Borth and its inhabitants, and we can learn that Heny Levi Williams was one of a large family with close ties to the sea. The family lived a crowded life in a cottage they owned that came to be called "Colliscott", and more recently "Mermaid's Rest". Henry, born in 1879, was known as a rascal and had a long and active career as a merchant seaman. In 1938 he was on the crew of the Stanhope which had been blockade running, and was berthed at Cartagena: this was a Republican stronghold. The crew was cautioned to stay aboard as life ashore was dangerous; on July 12th Henry chose to go ashore for a drink and was killed in a bombing raid.
Well, he was British and died aged 58 as a result of military action; just what his politics were is unrecorded. Anyway, they brought him back and he's in Llandre cemetery. The heavily weathered headstone reads "In loving memory of/MARGARET JANE WILLIAMS/Sandhurst Borth/ died July 22nd 1950 aged 68 years./ Also of her dear husband/HENRY LEVI WILLIAMS/who lost his life in Carthagena/during the Spanish Civil War/July 12th 1938 aged 58 years./ Until the day break/ and the shadows flee away./"
