William Henry Lawrence Chattin OBE

William Henry Lawrence Chattin was from an Army family. His father, William Henry Chattin, had served with Welsh Regiment in the Boer War, being mentioned in despatches. He rose to the rank of sergeant and after leaving the Army worked as a clerk in Cardiff. His son was born on 9th Nov 1894 and by the age of 16 was working as an estate agents clerk. He enlisted in the 6th Battalion, The Black Watch on February 8th 1915. After service in WW1 he reenlisted in April 1919, most likely for service in Northern Russia, where he may have met some of the officers who would later serve with Auxiliary Units.

He returned to South Wales, marrying in 1923. He appeared several times for Representative cricket teams in Glamorgan in the late 1920s and 1930s, like his father who had appeared for the Welsh Regiment. He was also Honorary Secretary to the Glamorganshire Playing Fields association. Mrs Chattin had some success playing golf.

During WW2 he was initially a Patrol Leader with the Cowbridge Patrol. He was subsequently promoted to Lieutenant and then Captain as Group Commander for the Glamorgan Group 4a and 4b Auxiliary Units Patrols. He was awarded an OBE in 1944 for his service with Auxilary Units, being listed in the London Gazette 15 Nov 1944 as a member of 202 (GHQ Reserve) Battalion Home Guard. A small article in the Western Mail 29 July 1944 records this honour and calls him Captain W.H.L. Chattin G.H.Q Res. Bn. (Auxiliary Units) Home Guard of St Fagans Castle. He also married again in 1944. After the war he attended reunions of South Wales Auxiliary Units held at The Greyhound at Llantrisant. He died in 1979.

In 2015, a small letter came up for sale through Pennlynn Collectables. It was written in December 1944 by Colonel Frank Douglas, Auxiliary Units commander, to congratulate William Chattin on his award of the MBE. It has been mounted, using glass, tape and cardboard, almost certainly shortly after being received and proudly displayed. Presumably Colonel Douglas wrote to the other recipients of the MBE, and perhaps also those who received the BEM as well, though no other such letter has come to light.