David John Roberts – Royal Engineers, 283 Field Company

Sapper David John Roberts – Royal Engineers, 283 Field Company

Early Life

Born in 1920 at Gorseinon, Glamorgan, David John Roberts was the son of Gryffydd Roberts and Decima Roberts. His early childhood unfolded within the industrial communities surrounding the Loughor estuary, where steel manufacture shaped much of local working life.

Family Life

1921 Census

The 1921 Census records the Roberts family at 24 Lower Lime Street, Gorseinon. Gryffydd, aged 27, was employed as a Crane Driver in Steel Manufacture for Henry Folland Steel & Tin Manufacturer, though at the time of the census he was out of work, reflecting the unstable labour conditions of the post‑war period. Decima, aged 26, managed the household. Their two children were Megan (5) and David John (1), forming a young family rooted firmly in the Gorseinon community.

1939 Register

By the 1939 Register, the family were still living at 24 Lime Street. Griffith continued his work as a Crane Driver in Steel Manufacture, while Decima undertook household duties. Their daughter Megan also carried out household responsibilities, and David J., now a young man, was employed as an Improver Motor Garage, beginning his own working life in the growing motor trade.

Military Service

David John Roberts served as a Sapper with the Royal Engineers, attached to 283 Field Company. As a Sapper, he belonged to a corps responsible for essential engineering, construction, and technical operations—roles that demanded skill, resilience, and adaptability during the early years of the Second World War.

Death and Burial

David died in Hampshire on 28 December 1940, becoming the first Second World War burial at Kingsbridge Cemetery. His body was brought home to Gorseinon, where he was laid to rest among the community that had shaped his early life. His grave stands as a quiet testament to a young man whose service began in wartime and ended far too soon.