Raymond Mort

Corporal Raymond Mort – Monmouthshire Regiment, 3^rd Battalion

Early Life

 Raymond Mort

Corporal Raymond Mort was born in 1917, registered as Griffith Raymond Mort, the son of Thomas L. Mort and Margaret A. Thomas, who had married in 1914.

1921 Census

The 1921 Census records the Mort family living at 9 George Terrace, Middle Road. Thomas (33) was employed as a tin worker, while Margaret (30) ran a small shop. They had three young children: Elund (6), Raymond (3), and Elwyn (1).

Marriage

In July 1939, Raymond married Elizabeth E. Mogridge. Official records continued to list him under his given name, Griffith.

Military Service and Death

Lurgan Mail

Raymond served with the 3^rd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment. On 11^th July 1941, he tragically lost his life during a training exercise at Carlingford Lough, Northern Ireland.

According to the Lurgan Mail, Raymond and five fellow soldiers had been practising beach-landing manoeuvres when they ran into difficulties. Having left a boat about 30 yards offshore, the men struggled in the water and drowned. An inquest led by Dr. J. B. McBurney concluded that their deaths had resulted from drowning.

The Monmouthshire Regiment in the Second World War

The Monmouthshire Regiment was a Territorial Army infantry regiment with deep roots in South Wales. At the outbreak of the Second World War, its battalions were mobilised for service both at home and overseas. Units of the regiment served in France and Belgium in 1940, during the retreat to Dunkirk, and later took part in the North-West Europe campaign from 1944, including the Normandy landings and the advance into Germany.

The 3^rd Battalion, to which Corporal Raymond Mort belonged, was primarily engaged in training and coastal defence duties in the early years of the war. Exercises such as those at Carlingford Lough prepared the men for amphibious operations that would later prove vital to the success of the Allied invasion of Europe.

Burial

South Wales Daily Post

South Wales Daily Post

The South Wales Daily Post reported that Raymond’s body was returned to Swansea for burial. His funeral took place at Danygraig Cemetery, where he rests today.

Legacy

Raymond Mort
Danygraig Cemetery
credit - findagrave

Though his death came not in battle but in training, Raymond Mort’s sacrifice reflects the dangers faced by servicemen even away from the front line. His loss was felt deeply by his young family, his comrades, and the Swansea community. His grave at Danygraig ensures that his service with the Monmouthshire Regiment will not be forgotten.