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| Somme soldier Thomas Lewis's medal at Cardiff Castle Museum | Somme soldier Thomas Lewis's medal at Cardiff Castle Museum |
| (about 6 hours later) | |
| A soldier honoured for gallantry and devotion at the Battle of the Somme during World War I has had his medal put on display in Cardiff. | |
| Rhondda-born Pte Thomas Lewis received the Distinguished Conduct medal for risking his life in 1916. | Rhondda-born Pte Thomas Lewis received the Distinguished Conduct medal for risking his life in 1916. |
| The former miner came under heavy fire to save a fellow soldier who had lain injured in no man's land for days. | |
| Pte Lewis's family presented the medal to Cardiff Castle Museum of the Welsh Soldier. | |
| The Battle of the Somme in 1916 lasted more than four months and claimed about 420,000 British lives, including 20,000 on the first day. | The Battle of the Somme in 1916 lasted more than four months and claimed about 420,000 British lives, including 20,000 on the first day. |
| Former miner Pte Lewis, then 38, was a volunteer with the 2nd Battalion of the Welsh Regiment. | Former miner Pte Lewis, then 38, was a volunteer with the 2nd Battalion of the Welsh Regiment. |
| He was involved in the main assault at High Wood. | He was involved in the main assault at High Wood. |
| Enemy snipers | Enemy snipers |
| It was there that a soldier who was thought to have been from the South Wales Borderers had been wounded and left to die for several days. | It was there that a soldier who was thought to have been from the South Wales Borderers had been wounded and left to die for several days. |
| Pte Lewis's great-grandson, Maj Howard Smith of the Queen's Dragoon Guards, told BBC Wales: "It was around about the 8th of September and it seems after a sustained period of fighting, a soldier from a different regiment had been out in no man's land for a period of days. | Pte Lewis's great-grandson, Maj Howard Smith of the Queen's Dragoon Guards, told BBC Wales: "It was around about the 8th of September and it seems after a sustained period of fighting, a soldier from a different regiment had been out in no man's land for a period of days. |
| "I would've thought that after a while possibly, the sound of his cries perhaps became a distraction. | "I would've thought that after a while possibly, the sound of his cries perhaps became a distraction. |
| "I have this vision of my great-grandfather saying: 'I've had enough of this', and jumping out and running 100 yards under heavy German fire and rescuing this chap and putting him in a fireman's lift and bringing him back." | |
| The London Gazette reported that Pte Lewis rescued the man over the front line while "under observation of numerous enemy snipers". | The London Gazette reported that Pte Lewis rescued the man over the front line while "under observation of numerous enemy snipers". |
| It read: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion in voluntarily going out 100 yards in front of a line and bringing in a wounded man" | It read: "For conspicuous gallantry and devotion in voluntarily going out 100 yards in front of a line and bringing in a wounded man" |
| It went on: "Pte Lewis was heavily fired on the whole time." | It went on: "Pte Lewis was heavily fired on the whole time." |
| Unfortunately, the rescued soldier later died from his wounds. | Unfortunately, the rescued soldier later died from his wounds. |
| Pte Lewis was born in 1878 in Pentre, Rhondda. He was one of six children and the son of an iron moulder. | Pte Lewis was born in 1878 in Pentre, Rhondda. He was one of six children and the son of an iron moulder. |
| He and wife Mary moved to the Rhymney Valley and had five children. | He and wife Mary moved to the Rhymney Valley and had five children. |
| He worked at the Elliott Collieries, New Tredegar, as a haulier, colliery ripper and coal miner, and died in June 1944. | He worked at the Elliott Collieries, New Tredegar, as a haulier, colliery ripper and coal miner, and died in June 1944. |
| Major Smith said the family had decided to present the medal to the museum to help preserve it. | Major Smith said the family had decided to present the medal to the museum to help preserve it. |
| "My mother is the last living link to Tom Lewis. She remembers him. She was only 14 when he died," he said. | "My mother is the last living link to Tom Lewis. She remembers him. She was only 14 when he died," he said. |
| "She asked my brother and I if either of us wanted it [the medal] and of course we did. | "She asked my brother and I if either of us wanted it [the medal] and of course we did. |
| "We knew that perhaps our children would've had an interest, perhaps our grandchildren would've had an interest, but our great-grandchildren would almost certainly flog it!" | "We knew that perhaps our children would've had an interest, perhaps our grandchildren would've had an interest, but our great-grandchildren would almost certainly flog it!" |