WW1 hero Guardsman Robert Bye honoured in Pontypridd

Welsh Guardsman Sgt Robert Bye will be remembered at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park

A World War One hero, who received a Victoria Cross after single-handedly storming two enemy strongholds, is to be honoured in Rhondda Cynon Taff.

Sgt Robert Bye was given the honour for his conduct during the first day of the 3rd Battle of Ypres on 31 July 1917.

A paving stone bearing his name will be laid at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, Pontypridd, in a special ceremony.

The Welsh Guardsman, who was given a hero's welcome at home, went on to become a miner. He died in 1962.

His WWI VC citation describes how his action led to 70 German soldiers being captured or killed.

The 3rd Battle of Ypres - also known as The Battle of Passchendaele - claimed more than 300,000 allied casualties, or 35 for every metre of territory taken.

On the first morning of the battle, Sgt Bye's company took the German's lightly-guarded forward line, but soon after ran into trouble as they came under machine gun fire from a heavily fortified system of blockhouses along the support line.

A memorial stone bearing Sgt Bye's name will be laid at Ynysangharad War Memorial Park

With the attack floundering, Sgt Bye crawled alone to the rear of the nearest blockhouse and threw in a hand grenade.

When soldiers in the neighbouring blockhouse turned its fire on him, he managed to dodge the bullets and silenced that post as well.

As a result, the Welsh Guards were able to secure all the objectives they had been set that morning.

Sgt Bye was presented with his Victoria Cross by King George V on the forecourt of Buckingham Palace on 5 September 1917.

'Bravery and commitment'

On his homecoming, the streets of Penrhiwceiber were decked out with bunting and schools were closed for a holiday to mark the occasion.

The Welsh Guards will be represented at next Friday's ceremony.

Major Karl Dawson said: "Sergeant Robert Bye VC epitomises the bravery and commitment we see in our Guardsmen on operations today.

"Learning from these experiences and honouring our brave is the pride of our wider Welsh family inheritance. Once a Guardsmen, always a Guardsman."

After WW1, Sgt Bye was promoted to Sergeant Major, and transferred to the Sherwood Foresters.

He also saw action in WW2, becoming a coalminer after the war. He died on August 23, 1962, aged 72.