A SPECIAL service was held at St Cynwyls Church, Aberporth on Monday, July 31 to remember a soldier who was killed in battle at Ypres.

Private James Thomas Wade was originally from London. He came to this area and in 1911 was a farm servant at Mwnt farm, then as a horseman at Ffrwdganol Aberporth, living at Crown Blaenporth.

He joined the 11th Battalion South Wales Borderers serving in France but he was killed shortly afterwards on July 31, 1917. Sadly his body was never recovered. His name is commemorated at the Menin Gate, Ypres.

A very moving service was conducted by Rev Canon David Tizzard who also described the conditions at that time at the battle of Passchendaele.

At 11am, the church bell was rung by Hywel Evans representing the Royal British Legion and this was followed with the congregation observing a two-minute silence.

The service concluded with Canon Tizzard giving the exhortation followed by the Kohima prayer and the blessing.

Aberporth's World War One committee organised this service and will continue to honour all the servicemen from the parishes of Aberporth and Blaenporth on the date that they fell.