A VILLAGE which lost three of its sons in World War I is to hold a special event marking the centenary of the infamous battle of the Somme.

Soldier Daniel Thomas Evans, who was born in Crai, died in action on July 1, 1916 - the first of 141 days of a brutal battle of attrition along a 15-mile front in northern France.

Private Evans’ story will be told at Crai Village Hall, where a memorial commemorates all those from the village who served in the conflict, at a commemoration evening on Saturday, July 2.

It is being organised by a group of local history buffs and will also feature musical entertainment and surviving relatives of veterans of the Great War will attend.

David Ross, one of those behind the event, said: "People can come and find out about the Somme and World War I and remember people.

"The First World War will have affected everyone in Wales, England, Scotland and right across the British Isles.

"The British Army had 60,000 casualties on July 1 and 19,000 were killed, it was a huge body count and the battle went on until November. July 1 is always associated as the worst day in the history of the British Army."

As well as a chance to learn more about the history of the conflict and its impact on the village the night will feature songs from the period.

Helen Jones has arranged the event’s musical programme which will include a Welsh hymn sung by soldiers from the 38th Welsh Division who fought at Memetz Wood.

Helen and retired teacher, Glyn Powell, who served as an officer in the Army after being called up for national service, originally carried out research into those from Crai who served during WWI.

Glyn, who was born in the village, will talk about those from Crai who served in the First World War. Their names are listed at the village hall and include one woman, nurse Ethel Evans who served with the VAD or Voluntary Aid Detachment, volunteer medics and cooks who assisted the war effort.

"A lot of people from this area were in the war, and their names are listed on a board at the Memorial Hall, but there were only three casualties though of course a lot would have been wounded and they are often forgotten," said David.

"I’m going to talk about Corporal Daniel Thomas Evans. He was the son of Roderick and Margaret Evans, of Twynyrodyn, Merthyr, but he was born in Crai and was killed on July 1, 1916 the first day of the battle of the Somme serving with the second battalion South Wales Borderers.

"He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the 73,000 servicemen who didn’t come back. It is a fabulous place and I’ve been there many times.

"I will talk about Corporal Evans as I’ve been to the ground where he fought many times and that he died on July 1 makes it perhaps more relevant," said retired detective David who also worked as battlefield guide while living in Kent.

Retired history teacher Arthur Gwyn, who also lives in Crai, has also led trips to the former Western Front.

His grandfather served in the Royal Navy, aboard minesweepers from the age of 17, and was twice sunk, by a torpedo and a mine. He survived the war and inspired Arthur’s passion for history.

He said: "I have led a number of trips to the Western Front, although my long lasting interest in the 1914-18 war was fired, as a child, by listening to family members talk about their part in the conflict and meeting a number of veterans in the 1970s."

While Corporal Evans was killed during the first day of the Battle of the Somme the conflict, known as the Great War, also claimed the lives Private David Howell Davies, who attended Christ College, Brecon, and Private Daniel Jones.

Private Davies, was killed in the final German offensive of spring 1918, and Private Daniel Jones was killed in Moshi in Tanzania, then known as German East Africa.

Private Jones, who served with the South African Infantry, was the son of David and Gwenllian Jones, of the Shepherd’s Arms, which at the time was a pub near the site of what is now the Crai reservoir.

Their stories will be told at Crai Community Hall on Saturday, July 2 at the Somme commemoration evening that starts at 7pm. Edwin Roderick, the chairman of Crai Community Council, will be MC on the evening.