William Llewellyn Rhys


Memorial recalls the Charge of the Light Brigade on 25 October 1854 of which Llewellyn Rhys may have been a survivor.

Born in the Parish of llantisant, son of a vicar, he was a draper by trade.

He enlisted as a Private to the 11th Hussars on 2 December 1850, regimental number 1498.

It seems he had Chronic Ulceration of the left leg, resulting from Scurvy on his voyage to the Crimea in the Spring of 1854, for which he was in Hospital at Sutari for 6 months and thence invalided home in June 1855.

Medal awarded : Alma - Balaclava -Inkerman - Sebastopol (Sold at Debenhams 28 June 1901).

He was promoted to a troop sergeant-major on 8 January 1857.

He was demoted back to Private 18 March 1858 and transfered to the 18th Hussars as a troop Sergeant-Major by 31 March 1858.

Going absence without leave he was reduced again to a Private on 2 March 1859.

He was released from the 18th Hussars on 25 April 1861.

He was eventually released at Chatham as unfit for service from the army on 6 August 1861.

He is then believed to have travelled to the USA and joined in the Civil War.

Upon returning to Cardiff he is believed to have become the Chief Accountant at Insole & Son, Shipping.

He is quoted in the Illustrated London News of 30 October 1875 to have attended a dinner of the 11th Hussars as a suvivor of the Charge of the Light Brigade.

He married in Apr-June 1876 to Jane Gribble Davies at Cardiff.

He died in Philadelphia Road, Porthcawl on 15 May 1881, aged 51. At the time he was residing at 22 Dumfries Place, Cardiff, Parish of St Johns with his wife.


Thanks to Jim Lister for his Research on Rhys' career.

Cathays Cemetery Heritage Trail