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Brinley Llewelyn trained as a clergyman at Lampeter but was granted permission from the Bishop to join the RAF as a Wellington Bomber pilot with the 101 Squadron. He completed two tours and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Medal on the 11th of August 1942 for several brave acts.

On the 25th of April 1942, Brinley and his crew were on a night sortie to the North German city of Rostock when his aircraft was attacked by two German Messerschmitt fighter planes. Brinley's aircraft was badly damaged and his rear gunner was badly wounded but it is on record that Brinley's skill and courage resulted in the safe return of the plane and it's crew.

Brinley opened a colliery on part of the Hendy Farm estate on Grenig Road at Glanamman, which was at that time in the ownership of Brinley's family. On the way back from Llantrisant where he registered the colliery, he stopped for a pint at the Wellington Public House at Cowbridge. Given his history with Wellington Bombers and the location he found himself in, it must have seemed most fitting to Brinley to decide to call his new enterprise the Wellington Colliery.

Brinley Llewelyn played rugby for the Scarlets and for Northampton and it is said that if it weren't for the war he would have represented his country by playing rugby for Wales. After the conflict had ended, he moved North to Manchester to persue a career as a professional rugby league player and this unfortunately resulted in him being banned from the Scarlets club house even when his sons and uncle were playing for the Llanelli team.

Brinley and his wife Clarice had two sons who both played rugby for the Scarlets. One also played for Wales.