Aberystwyth at Christmas in the War Years

A few more snippets from the wartime Cambrian News, 1914-1919: 

1916: 22 December

Goods: 

An article entitled ‘The Hunt for Presents’, makes much more mention of the war ‘and its sorrows and preoccupations’.  It applauds the spirit of the public being ‘wisely determined to keep the great festival of Christendom with as much éclat as possible’, and of the tradesmen for enabling them to do so.  It introduces the various goods on offer, such as ‘prime beef’, with this sentiment:
 


“A tour around the shops in Aberystwyth tends to banish for the moment the dread spectre of war and to give the spectator the impression that the famine which is said to be stalking the Huns is conspicuous by its absence in this favoured district.”

However, it is worth noting that the previous week’s edition (15 December) published a stringent call for landowners – however small – to prepare land for planting potatoes and other food items to mitigate the ‘serious danger’ of food shortages: ‘If food be scarce, of what use is money?  It will not nourish our children.’  In the 22nd December issue this is referred to explicitly:

  ‘The food problem has become of late a pressing one and the scarcity of good butter has driven all classes to seek a reliable substitute’, which was margarine, manufactured by the Maypole Dairy Company at Aberystwyth, which had recently been inspected by the King and Queen. 

Anti-German feeling is reflected in a note about Owen’s of Terrace Road and North Parade, providing Japanese goods such as ‘elegantly-lacquered boxes and chests of chaste designs intended to permanently oust goods made in Germany’.

 
Troops: 

Many ‘Comfort Fund’ letters are cited in an article entitled ‘Comforts for Fighters’, many giving illuminating details not only of the Christmas parcels sent out but also of their conditions, of which this is a small illustration, from a letter by Private D.A.Hughes from France: “I have read in the Cambrian News of the good work you are accomplishing and of your anxiety to give every Aber boy a Christmas parcel.  We are at present in a German dug-out, thirty feet below.  It is nice and warm, but terribly smoky as the boys keep putting wet logs on the fire.”

The religious heart of Christmas was promoted in various notices of sacred concerts and Church Services, and in the 29 December edition a small piece about the Salem C.M. Church describes a meeting on Christmas morning devoted to celebrating The Nativity, with children reciting pertinent verses and hymns.  A choir was proposed to revive ‘some of the old-time carols which have of late years fallen into disuse and tend to become forgotten.’  It would be interesting to try to find out which those were!

1917: 21 December

This edition states cheerfully that ‘a casual observer would not find many evidences of war’, and applauds local tradesmen for securing ‘necessaries’ for their customers, though there was some ‘deprivation of luxuries’.  The article highlights many shops in well-known Aberystwyth streets, of which the following is but an illustrative selection.

Plenty of clothing for ladies and children was supplied by T. Ellis & Co in Terrace Road, and in particular ladies who ‘wish to secure the latest creations in hats, blouses and other articles dear to the feminine heart’ are encouraged to visit the ‘Misses Compton Evans’s establishment opposite the Town Hall’.  (An enjoyable follow-up to this article would be to scour for any photos of the time identifying such intriguing establishments!)

Christmas Fayre was not scarce: Owen’s bakery provided ‘as fine an assortment of delicacies as the Controller will allow’ (who is this ‘Controller’ and what was his remit?), including ‘Christmas crackers, bon-bons in abundance, miniature tanks and ingenious mechanical toys filled with sweets and chocolates’.  

The article mentions the difficulty of buying good boots and shoes but that ‘Dicks’ in Great Darkgate Street were able to provide a good selection.  Boots the Chemist provided not only ‘thoroughly reliable drugs and medicines’ but a fine selection of ‘goods adaptable for presents’.  James Veary of Northgate Street supplied fresh fruit, flowers and vegetables from his own garden.  

Holliers of Bridge Street offered Christmas stationery, dolls and toys, whilst David Watkins, a plumber in Terrace Road, secured a supply of flash lamps and batteries ‘to guide the pilgrim through our badly-lighted streets’.  

 Reference is made to an attractive window display in Styles, Terrace Road, which parents and guardians won’t fail to visit because the ‘children will not allow them to do so’, since it provided toys ‘in abundance despite Germany’s exclusion from British markets’.  In several editions a large advert illustrated with a mother bear holding a baby bear surrounded by toys (subliminal messaging even 100 years ago?!) promotes the Christmas Toy Club at Styles: ‘Pay what you like.  Have what you like.  See Window.’  

What we would now call ‘pester power’ must have then been intense!

 1918: 27 December

The newspapers for this ‘Peace Christmas’ have less about Christmas offerings and more about wounded or killed soldiers, casting a more sombre note over the festivities.  An article detailing the plans for the War Memorial raised by the YMCA is to be found in the 3rd January 1919 issue.

Whilst home life in Aberystwyth does not appear, from this tiny sample of snippets, to have been greatly affected by the four years of war, poignant letters cited from troops still away from home remind us that cessation of war is never instant or easy, as represented by this note from Seaman R.A.Jones: 

‘We ought to be thankful to God for His protection through the war.  I should very much like to be home for Christmas, but having so much work to do I am afraid I cannot.  This is the fifth Christmas for me to be away from home.’ 

– or indeed permanent, as in this extract from Bombardier T. Price’s comfort fund thanks letter, Egypt: ‘At last we have had the joyous news that hostilities have ceased, never to re-commence, I hope, and before very long the boys will meet once again in dear old Aber.’

To end on a lighter note, we jump ahead to the following year, where the edition on 26 December 1919 includes an article entitled ‘Christmas – Old and New’, ostensibly about how Christmas has been celebrated through the ages.  But its opening lines convey the sense of hopefulness as Aberystwyth faced the post-war years, and is still pertinent today:

‘Christmas, 1919, will rank as one of the most memorable in the annals of the world.  It will be a “Peace Christmas” when the divine call “Peace on Earth Goodwill towards Men”, will be realised as never before.  Despite sorrows, despite hardships, it will be possible to feel “Christmassy” this year, and we trust the carillon of the bells, young voices raised in melody, with the revival of many an old custom will cause the dark shadows of the past to flee away.”


Wishing everyone a Peaceful 2019!
Lynne Blanchfield, Project Volunteer

Aberystwyth at Christmas in the War Years

From various editions of The Cambrian News :-

These are just a very few Christmas snippets from the online newspapers during the four WW1 Christmases in Aberystwyth, interspersed with shop adverts of the time.  They provide tantalising glimpses into Aberystwyth life during that time with plenty of leads to follow up by further research, especially photographic, in regard to the shops, entertainments and home life of our small but highly community-minded town, both now and 100 years ago.

1914: 25 December

The Christmas Day edition in the first year of the war indicates that the impact of the start of WW1 had not immediately made itself felt in Aberystwyth. Its articles and adverts at the time reflect life carrying on fairly normally, from the annual reunion of old pupils of The Ardwyn County School (albeit to raise money for ‘patriotic objects’), to the ‘large supply and plenty of demand’ at the Christmas Market, where Geese and Turkeys sold for around 1s 2d per pound, Ducks for 4s each and ‘Fowls’ 6s ‘per couple’. 

 Entertainments:

In our time, the Skating Rink has just returned to Aberystwyth (to be opened 8 December 2018), whilst back in 1914 the Rink played host to a tea and Christmas Tree for the wives and children of serving men, arranged by the Soldiers and Sailors Families Association.  Additionally, the Rink was very popular with the Troops with concerts provided by the YMCA (a list of singers is given).

The Coliseum advertised its ‘annual Eisteddfod’ for Boxing Day, and promised ‘splendid pictures’ to be shown over the Christmas holidays. 

Cheetham’s Cinema promised ‘excellent programmes’ for the Christmas period including ‘The Warrior Maid’ and the Gaumont War Graphic.  A special festive offering of 3 shows were planned for Christmas Day only. 

Troops:

Christmas leave with advanced pay was given to men enlisting before Christmas, enabling them to spend Christmas at home before embarking on their duties.  Brigades of the Welsh Territorial Reserve went home on leave ‘in alphabetical order’, whilst those still active spent their time in drilling and marches ‘over the hilly country around Aberystwyth [which] has meant hard work’.  Christmas Day was spent attending a Church Parade and participating in football matches. 

1915: 31 December

Entertainments:

The Salvation Army provided an annual Christmas Night entertainment at the Queen Street Hall, including ‘pretty action songs’ by the children, with a display of ‘dumb-bell drill’ by the boys.  There were readings and recitations, and the Young People’s Legion gave a ‘tambourine drill’. 

 Infirmary: 

There is a touching description of Christmas on the wards of the Infirmary, which were decorated with ‘flags and holly’, with an entertainment provided on Christmas night by ‘an ex-patient’ held in ‘both’ wards.  The programme is listed and includes songs, violin solos (not by the Belgian refugees!) and dances.  After which ‘Nurse N. Evans, in the character of Father Christmas, distributed gifts’.  A list of thanks to individuals shows that the townsfolk provided fruit, tobacco, crackers, sweets, poultry, mistletoe, holly, and flowers, to alleviate the suffering of the patients.

Workhouse: 

Another touching example of the humanity of Aberystwyth residents is that the Board of Guardians at the Aberystwyth Workhouse ‘voted the usual extra cheer and gifts … to give the inmates a happy Christmas’ – in contrast with other boards who ‘curtailed the Christmas fare for the inmates on the grounds of economy’.  In Aberystwyth the rooms were decorated with holly and paper chains.  The children all had stockings filled by the Matron and Nurse, and everyone breakfasted on cocoa, ham and sausages, bread and butter.  Each inmate received a Christmas letter by a lady in Midlothian (no further details!).  

Their Christmas dinner consisted of Roast Beef, Geese, four vegetables, followed by Plum Pudding with Sweet Sauce.  Entertainment was provided, and gifts of mince pies and apples were donated by board members and townsfolk, with chocolates for the children.  (It may be appropriate to mention the current Food Bank in St Anne’s Church, Penparcau, where donations today can make a similar difference in our present-day community.)
 

Troops:

This edition quotes from a letter written from the trenches by Private Charles Ansley to his home at 5 North Road, in which he records taking a wounded comrade to hospital and looking forward to spending Christmas out of the trenches, although he had not yet received any letters from home.  He did record meeting ‘three Aber policemen in the trenches’, and notes that even though ‘cigarettes are short here’, he prefers a ‘tin of cocoa and some sugar’ to be sent to him instead. 

Wishing everyone a Happy Christmas!

Blog post by Lynne Blanchfield, project volunteer

Images courtesy of the Cambrian News

Aber Boys Overseas

There is something about Aberystwyth, the small magical, end of the line town.

In every conversation one has about Aberystwyth, with so many people, the wonderful thing that comes across is the feeling of welcome and love, and how magically Aberystwyth embraces those who come to live in it. All these sentiments, and more, can be found between the words in the letters written by Aber Men serving abroad during WW1 in acknowledgment of parcels they received from the people of  Aberystwyth.

These are some of them:

THOMAS JAMES, R.N. 

"It is good of you and Aber. friends to think of us in these hard times. Believe me that such thoughts make us feel proud that we are Aberystwythians."

Private G.M.HAMMOND, Egypt - "Every time I smoke the cigs. my mind is turned to Aber. and to its kind people. I shared the cigs. between my mates who wished they came from Aber."

J.R. DAVIS, France 

"I shall always remember the warm spirit which prompted the good Aber friends to think of me, and I hope soon to be among them. I shall always remember your kind words of cheer."

H.W.STEPHENSON, France- "We are grateful to you because it is not every town that look after its boys like you and Aber. friends are doing."

Private, HINTON JONES, France

"We Aber. boys are deeply indebted to you for your continued efforts on our behalf and to the people of Aber. for generously responding to your appeals thus assuring us a regular supply of smokes. We shall never forget it. The thought of having such good friends at home makes things much easier to bear out here. I am quite proud of Aber’s part in the war. 

We are not behind with the honours. I know that Aber was well represented in the last “great push.”  I assure you that the time is not far off when we shall all meet together in Aber. Y.M.C.A., which is our every thought."

GWILYM JONES, France- "It is indeed a great help and lift when we realize that friends at home are thinking of us. The thought that you are doing your share tends to lighten our trials and give us strength."

Lance-Corpl. E.D. ROWLANDS, France

"I am very proud of the good work you have done in connection with the Y.M.C.A . and only hope I shall soon be with you to help along with it. I am sure all the boys will be delighted to see the good old building when they return. I am writing this note not far from Fritz. 

What a contrast from a week to day when I was walking along the dear old prom. Cheer up, we shall not be long now. May the good Lord be always with you and help you with your good work."

Those were the people from Aberystwyth supporting each other in the darkest days of the Great War, sending their care, kindness, love and thoughts to their soldiers.

Those were the Aber Men in the battlefield appreciating their townsfolk and feeling proud of their town. 

And this is the spirit of Aberystwyth and the nectar of love which it spread among its people.

Blog by Ruby Radwan, project volunteer

Sources:

The Comforts Fund letters, NLW

The Cambrian News

Images courtesy of  West Wales War Memorial project

 

The Women’s Land Army

The Women’s Land Army was a unique phenomenon that originated during the Great War, which basically meant that women replaced men to do agricultural and other work. Due to the demand of the armed forces, many men enlisted, leaving  land abandoned and food production decreasing. In 1915, Aberystwyth experienced a poor harvest, which was exacerbated by the German unrestricted submarine warfare. Hence the problem of food production and supply attracted considerable attention from the government. 

With the establishment of the Women’s War Agriculture Commitment in October 1915, the program of engaging more women labourers in agriculture was put into progress. When conscription was introduced in 1916, the demand for men for the front increased considerably and consequently this opened up greater opportunities for women to enter the workforce.  During 1917, the engagement of and demands for women in agricultural services increased tremendously and the system of the Women’s Land Army gradually evolved and became much more effective. 

Image courtesy of the Cambrian News

There are three items in the Cambrian News of 1917 that reflect the enthusiasm and efficiency of women to work on the land:

On 11th May, the newspaper recorded that, considering that in some places women had not been accustomed to farm work, the organizers came up with a strategy for setting up working groups and 'gangs'. The mechanism of this system was that, firstly, a number of women with organizing capability and some practical knowledge of agriculture was needed, then these forewomen would lead and train the rest of the women. The Cambrian News relates the story of two potential land army 'recruits':

"WAR AGRICULTURAL SERVICE.—Two young women residents recently volunteered for service on the land and were interviewed by a lady who had travelled first class from Newtown. No place was available, it is said, for one of the young women. The other, who is an accomplished pianist but did hard farm work last summer under the agricultural gang system, was sent to a Cardiganshire farm, as she understood, to do milking, take the milk into a town, and attend the cattle. She returned home in less than a week, alleging as one reason that she had to work from six in the morning until after seven at night."

In addition to the increase of work efficiency, the job of publicity was not ignored. On 8th June, a group of women wearing picturesque uniforms were distributing leaflets and encouraging other women to join them, and this scene attracted lots of attention. In spite of the expanding woman gangs and continuing publicity, there was still a great demand for women labourers, however. On 19th October, the Cambrian News reported that the Ministry of Labour urgently required 70,000 women to fill the work positions of men, reflecting the huge importance of and demand for women.

Besides these facts showing what women did in an agricultural aspect during the Great War, it is also significant to analyze the implications and influence behind this behavior. The Great War has been called ‘the women over the top’, and such enhancement in the position of women is evident in the Women Land Army. It can be said that the Women's Land Army  contributed significantly to improving the social status and impressions of women, and promoting gender equality. It is recorded that during agricultural work, women wore the utilitarian uniform of khaki breeches, green v-neck sweater, overcoat and hat. 

The changes in attire reveals the improvement of gender equality with men who wore uniforms in military service, and changed the old norm of women seldom wearing pants.  Furthermore, the Women’s Land Army contributed to moving the stereotypical impression of women, from leisure and subservience to one of action and influence, and this again helped to raise their social status. 

Finally, the respect and recognition can also be noticed from the name Women’s Land Army itself, because it can be argued that women’s engagement in food production had the same importance as the army fighting in the war. The only difference is that men were fighting for their country in the frontline whereas women were fighting for their country on the land.

Blog by Meixi Lei, project volunteer

Sources:

Cambrian News

C.G. Wygant, Cultivating Victory: The Women’s Land Army and the Victory Garden Movement, University of Pittsburgh Press, 2013.

W. Troughton, Aberystwyth and The Great War, Amberley Publishing, 2015.

Margaret Kathleen Turner, civilian scientist

Recently, and particularly over the last four years, articles and books have identified the essential roles of civilian scientists during the Great War, 1914-18. Some have concentrated on the contribution of women while others have dealt with the ways in which university chemistry departments were active in helping to produce essential materials, such as pharmaceuticals, when the cessation of European trade precipitated a crisis of supply. A number of these accounts mention a letter written in 1915 to the War Committee of the Royal Society by Miss Margaret Turner of the Edward Davies Chemical Laboratories, Aberystwyth.

Margaret Kathleen Turner was born in Newcastle-under-Lyme, Staffordshire, on 14th September 1880, the second daughter of William Turner, a prominent local solicitor. Educated first at the Orme Girls' School, she received a major county scholarship in 1899 and continued her studies at the Stafford Technical School. Under the guidance of GW Hefford, she studied chemistry with a view to taking a degree in the subject, and pursued and passed the Intermediate BSc examination of the University of London in 1906 as an external student.

At around this time, Margaret and her elder sister, together with their retired widower father, all moved to Aberystwyth, to a house in Queen's Avenue, where her sister ran the residence as a guest house, taking in student lodgers. Margaret was clearly anxious to complete her degree course, and entered the University College of Wales (UCW) in 1908, having been awarded an Open Exhibition. The head of the UCW Chemistry Department at that time, Professor JJ Sudborough, found the work of the Final Class that year was 'not quite up to the average', but Miss Turner was deserving of mention. She gained her University of London external degree, BSc with Honours in Chemistry, in 1909.

The next piece of information about Margaret’s progress is found in the adverts for the chemistry degree course at Aberystwyth in the chemical press in 1910 and 1911, which listed Miss MK Turner as a student assistant. In this capacity she would have helped with the supervision of students' practical work in the laboratories which were open on weekdays from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and from 2 to 6 p.m. Facilities were also advertised for students wishing to undertake research work and Margaret took advantage of these, collaborating with JJ Sudborough in studies on the esterification of organic acids which were published in the Journal of the Chemical Society in 1912.  She also assisted T Campbell James in his work on iodocinnamic acids, and took an active part in the UCW Chemical Society, reading papers and participating in discussions. 

While Britain had retained its pre-eminence in heavy inorganic chemicals in the early years of the 20th century, it had fallen far behind Germany in the industrial production of fine organic chemicals such as dyestuffs and pharmaceuticals. It therefore relied heavily on the German chemical industry for such materials, but when supplies were cut off as hostilities began in July 1914, there was an urgent national need to produce drugs and medications to make up the deficit. The Royal Society took the initiative by setting up a Chemistry War Committee to coordinate production. In mid-November all chemistry departments at British universities were asked to contribute to the production of relevant organic chemicals, and by the end of November offers of assistance had already been received from 32 institutions. 

Image (c.) Dr Brian H Davies

UCW's Department of Chemistry was already stretched in 1914, staffed by only three academics, namely Professor Alexander Findlay, T Campbell James and CR Bury. The outbreak of war caused considerable disruption, as Bury and nearly all the senior students went off on military service while Campbell James was heavily involved with UCW’s Officers’ Training Corps. UCW was, nevertheless, one of those institutions responding to the Royal Society's request, and the temporary appointment of Margaret Turner to a staff position as Demonstrator was made 'in consequence of the effects of the war'. She and others carried out a number of large-scale preparations of essential components for certain drugs. By 1917, the Institute of Chemistry was able to report that 'the laboratories of our universities and colleges have become small factories for the preparation of drugs and medicaments'.

While Margaret’s contribution to the war effort was appreciated, it must have been frustratingly limited. At the end of August 1915 she wrote to the Royal Society's Chemistry War Committee asking if there was further work she could do and explaining that:–

"I was one of the workers in the preparation of diethylamine some weeks ago and should be very glad to hear of any further help I could give. I can put all my time and energy at your service for the next 6 weeks, and am anxious to know whether the few helpers down here could not be allowed to contribute further to the needs of the country? I should be much obliged if you would inform me whether there is any other preparations we can make, as I, for one, am willing and eager to give up all ideas of holiday while there remains so much to be done."

She must have been disappointed by the reply from the Committee's assistant secretary, thanking her for her offer, but stating that there was "no other preparation on hand in which I can ask you to assist". 

Her remaining research at the Edward Davies Chemical Laboratories was of a more academic nature. She worked on projects with T Campbell James in 1920, and by 1922 had consolidated and extended the earlier work she had done with JJ Sudborough on the esterification of organic acids. She then submitted this work as an external candidate to the University of London and was awarded the degree of MSc (Chemistry) in 1922.

This young woman’s contribution to the war effort by using her chemical knowledge has been little recognised at Aberystwyth University to date.

Blog by Brian H Davies 
(Retired PAU staff member, Biochemistry)
November 2018

Remembering 'Our Boys : Aberystwyth War Memorial and the YMCA

Although the Armistice was signed on 11th November 1918, in the Palace of Versailles, in the spring of 1919, the leaders of the Great Powers were still deep in the negotiations that would officially end the First World War. 

In Aberystwyth, a public meeting was convened in the Town Hall (now the town’s library) at 8pm on Tuesday 27^th May 1919.  The meeting was being held to agree to collect donations for a town war memorial, similar to those going up in towns and villages all over Britain, to commemorate the dead, and provide buildings for the YMCA/YWCA (Young Men’s/Women’s Christian Association) to provide a social space for the living. Although it was widely felt that there should be a permanent reminder of the sacrifice of ‘Our Boys’ and to teach future generations about the horrors of war, the turnout was poor, so it had to be adjourned until a larger group could be gathered on 6^th June.

The first Aberystwyth War Memorial Committee had been formed in 1917 to debate whether there should be something to mark those that had, and were, dying or something to reward those returning from the war. By 1919, a second committee had been formed to replace this one and it agreed to do both by raising £10,000. Both projects were to be completed from a united appeal for subscriptions. They struggled to find a single building to contain the YMCA/YWCA, as they envisioned two wings (with each gender segregated) built around a central hall. However, they did not reach the target. Total subscriptions reached £5,865 11s 8d, with almost £3,000 going to the buildings and the rest set aside for the memorial.

Originally, a Welsh sculptor, Professor James Harvard Thomas, was commissioned to design the memorial but he died before work began. His replacement, Professor Mario Rutelli (of the Palermo Academy of Art) was hired, with the additional commission to design the statue of the then Prince of Wales (later Edward VIII) in front of the Old College. This is the only statue of him left in the world. His proposal was estimated to cost almost double that available for the memorial, so a renewed funding drive was called, which proved to be successful.

In 1921, the Presidents of the YWCA and YMCA symbolically took possession of the keys to new premises, on North Parade and Chalybeate Road, from the mayor in the town hall. This was on the understanding that a women’s club would be open to all, regardless of social background, religion, occupation, etc., for their recreation, rest, and to enable them to socialise. Both would be sold later in the century.

The memorial was built between 1921-23, with a bronze winged figure on top representing Victory, and a figure at the base symbolising humanity emerging from the war. It carries the inscription ‘Dros Ryddid’ (‘For Freedom’) and ‘Greater Love for no man than this…’. With 111 names of men of the First World War, and 78 of men and women from the Second World War, it is one of the largest war memorials in Britain.

Aberystwyth War Memorial c. Ceredigion Musuem

Blog by Ewan Lawry, project volunteer

Bibliography:

Councillor Richard Rowlands papers, National Library of Wales

Ceredigion Museum Collection @  https://pilgrim.ceredigion.gov.uk/

Armistice Week - Wythnos Cadoediad

Hanging the Exhibition - Gosod yr Arddangosfa 

This week's post is a report on our Armistice events, beginning on Thursday 8th November with the launch of our exhibition.  The National Library of Wales, Ceredigion Archives and Ceredigion Museum very kindly supplied and scanned these wonderful images for us, and the Arts Centre exhibition staff did a great job in hanging the display ready for the launch that evening. 

Many thanks to all who contributed, especially to our industrious and committed volunteers who found several of the images during their research.

The Launch - Y Lansiad

Mae'r post yr wythnos hon yn adroddiad byr ar ddigwyddiadau'r Cadoediad, a dechreuodd ar Ddydd Iau 8fed Tachwedd gyda lansiad ein arddangosfa.  Daeth y delweddau o Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru, Archifau Ceredigion ac Amgueddfa Ceredigion, a wnaeth staff yr adran Arddangosfeydd y gwaith o osod y lluniau yn barod i'r lansiad y noson honno. 

Diolch yn fawr i bawb oedd wedi cyfrannu, yn enwedig i'n gwirfoddolwyr gweithgar ac ymrwymedig am ddod o hyn nifer o'r delweddau.

 On Friday, there was a double bill of First World War films at the Ceredigion Museum, beginning with a silent propaganda film from 1918, 'Mrs John Bull Prepared', praising the war work of women. This was accompanied by the wonderful and very apt piano playing of Dr C. Stephen Briggs. Following this was the awesome 1930s film version of 'Journey's End', directed by James Whale, who served in WW1, as did many of the cast. A big thank you to Sarah, for being the techi for the night!

Ar nos Wener, roedd bil dwbl o ffilmiau yn Amgueddfa Ceredigion, yn dechrau efo ffilm mud propaganda 'Mrs John Bull Prepared,' yn canmol gwaith menywod yn ystod y rhyfel. Roedd canu piano byw rhyfeddol gan Dr C. Stephen Briggs. Yn dilyn hwn, roedd fersiwn 1930au o'r ffilm anhygoel 'Journey's End, wedi'i cyfarwyddo gan James Whale, a ymladdodd yn y Rhyfel Fawr, fel nifer eraill o'r cast.  Diolch i Sarah am fod yn dechnegydd i'r noson!


On Armistice day itself, we attended two events, the tea at the Old College that followed the parade through town, the laying of the wreaths at the town memorial and a very moving service in St Michael's church. Thanks to Aber Food Surplus for contributing to the food. In the afternoon, Sian, the project leader, went to the 'Pages of the Sea' event at Ynys Las, and read out some war time letters at the open mic session.  

Ar dydd y Cadoediad ei hun, aethon ni i ddau digwyddiad, te yn yr Hen Coleg ar ol yr orymdaith trwy'r dref, gosod y torchau ar gofeb y dref, a gwasanaeth arwyddocaol yn Eglwys Sant Mihangel. Diolch i Aber Food Surplus i gyfrannu at y bwyd.  Yn y prynhawn, aeth Sian, arweinydd y prosiect, i draeth Ynys Las a digwyddiad 'Tudalennau'r Mor', a darllenodd rhai llythyrau amser rhyfel yn ystod sesiwn mic agored. 

Between these events, we also paid a visit to the Penglais Armistice tea and gave a talk to the local Scout group, so it was a very busy and very worthwhile weekend that paid a fitting tribute to this very special one hundred year anniversary of the end of the Great War.  Thanks again to all our volunteers for helping us tell the story of Aberystwyth at War and to the players of the National Lottery for making our project possible. 

Rainbow over the Memorial - Enfys does y Gofeb

Rhwng y digwyddiadau hyn, ymwelon ni a pnawn te yn Ysgol Penglais ac hefyd rhoesom sgwrs i'r gwrp sgowt lleol, felly roedd yn benwythnos brysur a gwerthfawr a dalodd teyrned addas iawn i'r dathliad arbennig hwn o gan mlynedd ers diwedd y Rhyfel Fawr. Diolch eto i'n gwirfoddolwyr am helpu i ni ddweud hanes Aberystwyth a Rhyfel ac i chwaraewyr y Loteri Genedlaethol am wneud ein prosiect yn bosibl.

Blog by Kate Sullivan, Project Coordinator

Richard George Read 1899-1946: 'A Lifetime of Service'

Until fairly recently I knew nothing about my great grandfather other than that he must have served in the Army, as he is commemorated on Llanbadarn Fawr War Memorial. I had passed the war memorial a million times but never spent any time studying it or questioning his name on it. When my mum became very ill a few years ago she asked me to find out more about her grandfather, as he had died before she was born. She told me that his name was held in high regard within the family. I therefore started on my journey finding our more about the life of my great grandfather Richard (Dick) George Read. 

Dicky Read c.1920s

My mum’s family were brought up in Llangawsai, I had always assumed that they were Welsh, but it turned out that Richard was born in Hockley in Warwickshire in April 1899. Richard's mother Mary, and his two sisters Violet and Hilda, lived in army barracks as his father was an artillery man, accordingly Richard education was mainly in barrack schools where his father happened to be posted. 

Richard's father was in the South Staffordshire Regiment but left to join the Royal Artillery in 1891. He served a total of 12 years, and was called up to serve in the Boer War arriving in April 1900 but sadly he died of dysentery in October 1900 when Richard was just over one year old. 

Richard’s mother therefore had to bring up three children on her own, no mean feat without the today's safety net of the NHS and Benefit system. She eventually re-married another artillery man five years later and had three more children with him.  When Richard reached the age of 12 he found work at the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich. He was employed as a 'boy' and it was here that they created the weapons and ammunition for the British Armed Forces.  At the start of WWI he left aged 14 to enlist in the Royal Horse Artillery as a 'Bugler', he was posted to the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) serving on the Western Front in France. 

In Egypt 1920s

I find it hard to even contemplate the things he must have seen, especially considering that he was still only just a teenager. Richard's role in the Royal Horse Artillery meant that he would have been involved in several campaigns on the Western Front (I need to do more work to find out which!), indeed he was still in France in 1919, all before he was 20 years of age.   

Richard went on to spend over thirty years in service, serving in Palestine and Egypt in the 1920's and 30's, reaching his twenty one years’ service as Quartermaster Sergeant. 

He then re-enlisted just prior to WWII as a Lieutenant (QM) in the Territorial Army firstly in the 102nd then the 146th Regiment Royal Artillery and was promoted to Captain during this period. He was based mainly in Pembrokeshire and Cardiganshire before he decided to relinquish his Captain’s rank to join the 118th Field Regiment Royal Artillery as Lieutenant again. 

F Sphinx Royal Horse Artilliary in Gaza, 1923

He and his unit were deployed overseas initially expecting to arrive in the Middle East, however the war against Japan in the Far East was not going well and Churchill decided to deploy the 18th Division to Singapore, arriving when the battle was virtually already lost. They landed during air raids in Singapore harbour and many disembarked without the right equipment or training for warfare in the Far East. Within two weeks, on the 15th February 1942, Singapore had surrendered to the invading Japanese. About 80,000 mainly British and Australian (but also Indian and Dutch) troops became prisoners of war. The British prime minister, Winston Churchill, called it the "'worst disaster and largest capitulation in British history'". 

With his Unit,  location unknown

There followed over three and a half years of imprisonment for Richard and his fellow POW's. The Japanese had refused to sign up to the Geneva convention and were notorious in their acts of cruelty to their prisoners. Richard entered weighing 12st, 10lbs but by the time of his release was down to 7st, 10lbs, a reduction of 40%. Many families at home were in the dark for years about the fate of their loved ones. Richard only got his first piece of mail from his family in September 1943.  Richard somehow managed to survive and after recuperating for a few months in India, arrived back to a hero’s welcome in Aberystwyth in December 1945. There is a Cambrian News article about his return, and on arrival in Aberystwyth there was a welcoming party including the mayor and other dignitaries. His wife, Marion, misunderstood the arrangements and, having taken the train to meet him in Shrewsbury, missed his homecoming!

Richard George Read is commemorated on Llanbadarn Fawr War Memorial. Sadly he never really recovered from his poor treatment as a POW and died of stomach cancer in Chester Military Hospital in September 1946, leaving behind his wife and two daughters in Llangawsai.

Blog by Simon Burges, project contributor

Find out more about his great grandfather on Simon's website: http://www.richardgeorgeread.com/