FOLLOWING a Carmarthenshire man’s appeal to find out more about a former soldier, the Penarth Times readers have stepped up to the plate.

John Thomas had received a plaque dedicated to Joseph Clifford Hart after it was found on his late father’s estate in Napier, New Zealand, and wanted to find out more about his distant relative, so he could hopefully meet a direct descendant of Private Hart and present them with the plaque.

Pte Hart died fighting in France in 1915 as a member of the Staffordshire Regiment.

The Friends of St Augustine's Church got in touch as Pte Hart is registered on the church’s Roll of Honour.

In a bio on the Friends’ website, they documented Pte Hart’s history.

“Clifford Joseph (also known as Joseph Clifford) Hart was born in Penarth in 1896 and baptised on June 23, 1896, the son of Joseph, a mariner and Annie Hart of 12 Lord Street,” it read.

“His parents, Joseph Hart and Ann Jane Harris, married in 1890.

“In 1911 Clifford was a messenger boy with the Taff Vale Railway and living at 32 Stanwell Place, Penarth, with his mother Annie J Hart, a widow described as ‘America Resident of British parentage’ and his sister Marjory.

“Clifford served in the 8th Battalion, the South Staffordshire Regiment with the rank of Private). He was killed in action on August 19, 1915 aged 19.”

Mr Thomas did not know where Pte Hart had been buried, however, another reader got in touch with the New Zealand War Graves Trust.

Derrick Bunn, from the trust, located the grave at Voormezeele Enclosure No.3 in Wittenhuisstraat, Belgium, with the grave at point X.B.21.

If you know of any information about Private Hart's relatives, please get in touch via penarthtimes@penarthtimes.co.uk.