Memorial benches for war hero David Tom Davies at Llandeilo and Dryslwyn

Mr Davies, known as DT, passed away at the age of 101 on April 7, 2020.

He served as a councillor for his local area of Dryswlyn, near Llandeilo, from 1970 to 2003, chairing the former Dyfed County Council from 1981-82, Carmarthenshire County Council from 1995-97, and on several education committees and boards.

He was also one of three founder members of the National Botanic Garden of Wales as well as Aberglasney Gardens, where he was a life member.

Before service to his community, Mr Davies served Queen and Country in WWII as a member of the Royal Artillery, and was captured as a prisoner of war at the Battle of Crete in 1941.

He spent three years as a prisoner in Austria, then Hungary and finally at the Zemun concentration camp, near Belgrade.

However, he managed to escape five times, eventually reaching Yugoslavia and joining the partisans before being invalided out to Italy and sent back to Britain where he was awarded a Military Medal.

On the first anniversary of his death, Llandeilo Royal British Legion has announced a bench will be installed at Penlan Park, Llandeilo in his memory, with members hoping to raise further funds to install another in his home village of Dryslwyn.

Cllr Edward Thomas, RBL chairman, said: "RBL Llandeilo decided that it wanted to mark the contributions of DT Davies to the British Legion and the community.

"We set up a Just Giving page initially to raise £500 to put up a bench in his memory in Penlan park Llandeilo.

"The page in a few weeks has raised £720 so we have decided to put another bench in his home village of Dryslwyn.

"We are hoping to raise more funds by placing a collection box in Dryslwyn Shop which he supported and we have written to all the community councils in the Towy valley asking for small donations."

To make a donation visit www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/edward-thomas-684

Cash or cheques to Royal British Legion Llandeilo