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

A bench for David Tom Davies OBE, from Dryslwyn, who died in 2020, has been placed in Penlan Park, Llandeilo with a second bench in his home village.

Llandeilo Royal British Legion set up a fundraiser earlier this year to raise money for the memorial benches.

Cllr Edward Thomas, RBL chairman, said at the time that the group wanted to mark the contributions DT Davies made to the British Legion and the community.

Donations flooded in from the public and local organisations and businesses.

Cllr Thomas said: "DT Davies was a war hero, a successful local businessman, county councillor for decades but to the Royal British legion, he was the chairman then the president who kept the branch together and in the Legion’s centenary it is important to recognise his contribution."

The bench plaque to honour DT Davies Picture Mark Revitt

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.

The bench at Penlan park with family members of DT Davies and local dignitaries Picture Mark Revitt

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.

The bench at Penlan park with family members of DT Davies and local dignitaries Picture Mark Revitt

An event has taken place to mark the installation of the bench at Penlan park where 20 members of the family and local civic dignitaries attended. Cllr Thomas added: "We set ourselves a modest target of raising £500 but we were amazed with the fantastic response from the community.

"We raised £1500 and were able to place two benches, one in Llandeilo and the other in DT's home village of Dryslwyn. These are fitting tributes to a man who gave so much to his community and his country."