MEMBERS of Cardigan Rugby Club choir have returned from a poignant visit to the World War One battlefields of France and Belgium where they performed at the prestigious Last Post concert at The Menin Gate at Ypres.

The annual ceremony in Belgium marks the sacrifice of British and Commonwealth soldiers who died in the fighting and have no known grave.

Cor Meibion Clwb Rugby Aberteifi performed two hymns – ‘Calon Lan’ and ‘Gwahoddiad’ – during the wreath-laying ceremony.

“A very emotional evening last night,” choir supporter Sian James, of St Dogmaels, subsequently posted on Facebook. “Da iawn fechgyn.”

The Ceredigion party had previously attended an Easter service at Vis en Artois Cemetery in France, before visiting Mametz Woods, scene of the largest Welsh losses.

“While the choir was singing the echo from their voices drifted over from the woods,” recounted Mrs James. “You would swear that it was the spirits of our men singing with us.”

The four-day trip sparked a wide range of emotions for conductor Rhian Medi Jones, who located the name of her great-uncle, Dick Isaac, on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial.

The 19-year-old from Taliesin was killed during the closing weeks of the 1914-18 conflict as Allied troops made a final push towards the Hindenburg Line.

Pvt Richard (“Dick”) Jenkin Isaac, of the Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regiment, was killed at the Battle of Epehy on September 18, 1918.

In one of his last letters home the young soldier admitted to home-sickness, adding that he ‘would be very glad to come across somebody that I know’.

“There’s quite a lot of the fellows I came out with been wounded and back in Blighty,” he added. “I wish I was there out of this terrible lot.

“There is a lot of talk about Germany offering peace terms to the Allies. I hope it is true. “The sooner the war will end the better.”

Pvt Isaac was the uncle of the late Archdruid Dic Jones (‘Dic yr Hendre’), of Blaenannerch, who was named after him.