Alwyn Blewett

This story  and photos are shared by the Trust with kind permission from Mavis Williams, Researcher. Photo source: Terry Heath and Lee B, FindaGrave.com

Alwyn Blewett was born on the 5th of June 1925. He was the son of Richard & Ellen Blewett (née Goulding), who married in the March quarter of 1920 in the Bedwellty registration district. The 1921 census shows Richard and Ellen living at 50, Lady Tyler Terrace, Rhymney, Monmouthshire. Richard was working as a coalminer (hewer) at Powell Dyffryn Coal Company, Mardy Rd, Rhymney. At that point they had one son, William Alfred Blewett. A second son, Ronald Blewett, was born in the December quarter of 1923 but he died in the June quarter of 1924. They went on to have four children: William, Richard Jnr, Alwyn and Cath Blewett.

We see the family again on the 1939 National Register, which was taken on the 29th of September 1939. Richard Blewett was ‘Incapacitated,’ but had signed up to be an A.R.P. Warden and Helen Blewett was doing ‘Unpaid Domestic Duties.’ Richard Blewett Jnr was seeking work and Alwyn and Cath Blewett were both ‘At School.’

Sadly, I have no other information on Alwyn Blewett, neither his early or teen years, but he was to find himself fighting in the Normandy invasion and laid down his life for our freedom. He was serving in the crew of Wellington LN293, 12 Operational Training Unit, Royal Air Force. Their aircraft crashed at Keynsham 5 miles south-east of Bristol after straying off track when returning from a Night Diversionary Sortie to Normandy. His body was found and he was taken home to Rhymney to be buried there.

He was much missed and on the 25th August 1945, his family published a notice in the Merthy Express.