From the Front

Badge of the Cheshire Regiment. The Cheshires trained in Aberystwyth in 1915

When considering the role of Aberystwyth in the First World War, there may be a tendency to look upon the grand seafront memorial and list of the fallen with a sense of disconnection, or of an historic event completely removed from anything us alive could comprehend. This can't be the case when reading the words of and about those alumni who left this seat of learning to risk their lives overseas, doing what they saw as their duty.

Lieutenant William Thomas, or Bill as he was known to friends and comrades was one of the first Aberystwyth students to leave Aberystwyth to serve in the First World War and the first to appear on the casualty list. He began studying at Aberystwyth in 1909 and was a keen athlete and member of the Officer Training Corps (OTC).

The time William Thomas spent with the OTC must have made an impact on him, his opinion and knowledge of the military, as well as his sense of purpose in the organisation. This is shown by his attainment of the rank of Colour Sergeant, a testament to his aptitude for service life.

William joined the Army on 21^st August 1914 and within two weeks was on his way to France. Soldiers were usually given three months' basic training, although the war was less than a month old when William Thomas joined the army. It is likely that his volunteering so early in the war, as well as his extensive OTC experience meant that he was of more use on active service at a time when trained soldiers were few, than he would have been undertaking more extensive training. However, OTC training, no matter how extensive is little substitute for training for war. To go from a student to a commissioned officer on his way to war in less than two weeks is a considerable achievement and shows the strain on both the individual and the country in 1914.

The Cheshire Regiment, into which William Thomas was commissioned was a line infantry regiment, whose main duties throughout was engaging in direct combat with the enemy of the time. Although William had no known links to Cheshire, it was standard practice to send officers to regiments with which they had no links, as they would not know the men who they commanded. Officers who were placed into their local regiments could find themselves commanding, or failing to command men who they had grown up with.

In the 1911 Census, William was recorded as living at 6 Custom House Street, Aberystwyth, a boarding house at which he lived with three other students, including David Gibby who also came from William's home, the village of Clynderwen in Pembrokeshire.

In Lt. Thomas' own words.. “It's been awful. I joined the Army on August 21st. At the beginning of September  set sail from Southampton to St. Nazaire, then travelled by train to Nantes, Paris, near Soissons. Then for three weeks fought in the Battle of the Aisne”

The Battle of Aisne, the first battle in which Lt. Thomas fought was the first British and French counter attack following the halt of the German advance into France, saw no decisive victor and was the start of the descent into trench warfare with neither side willing to surrender or able to dislodge the other.

“Marched day and night via Amiens to Bethune, and on Tuesday, the 13th October, had a most awful day. At 8.30 in the morning 1 had a bullet in my left shoulder and there I lay bleeding all day in a burning farm-house. No food. No help. No Williams. Nothing but hell, and that a thousand times worse than I ever dreamt it would be. At 8 p.m. the same day the Germans took me prisoner and have looked after me well.”

The action in which Lt. Thomas was wounded and taken prisoner became known as the Battle of La Bassée and as a par of the 'Race to the Sea', in which the opposing armies raced northwards through France and Belgium in an attempt to outflank each other. The German and Franco-British forces battled where they met each other, including at Bethune where Lt. Thomas was wounded and captured. There was no victor in the 'Race to the Sea' and the trenches that were begun after this effort became some of the first in four years of trench warfare.

Following his capture, William was able to write back to Aberystwyth to inform his friends and the university of his situation, with his own words immortalised in the Aberystwyth University archives; “Now I am A1, but very weak. That was a terrible day. 80 per cent, of our side were killed. We were outnumbered 12 to 1 and we had no guns. Someone had blundered, but "Ours not to reason why, Ours but to do and die; Into the valley of death— Now  I  shall be in Germany till the war is over and hope to get a good time.”

The seemingly jovial ending to the letter to Aberystwyth appears to show that William is relieved, at least in some part at his present situation. Being a prisoner of the Germans would at least guarantee a basic level of subsistence; he would be fed, clothed, sheltered and would not be at risk of torture or a violent death. It is his recognition of the happiness and relative ease of university life that strikes the reader from his final paragraph;

“It's now I realise what a glorious time one gets in Coll. (University) I thought I worked hard there; by Jove I wish I were there now. As soon as the war is over I shall come up to Aber. for a few days.    My address now is:- Lieut. William Thomas, Prisoner of War, Leo Convickt, Paderborn, Westphalen, Germany. Do write me a word old boy and please send me Otto's German Book—the one you lent before. Also ask the Mag. treasurer to  send me the Mag. My left side is very bad. I have to be in bed three more weeks. Yours T-H-F- ' Bill.”

Blog by Otto Jones, Aberforward Project Assistant 

Conscientious Objectors (part 2)

In early 1916, an act of parliament, known as the Military Service Act, automatically drafted all single men between the ages of 18-41 into the army reserves, ready to be conscripted into the army or navy. However, as was to be expected, this was not popular with everyone. Many citizens still wanted to avoid being called up even as conscription was introduced, and this law gave several provisions for exemption from service. Most famously was conscientious objection, which allowed an applicant to be excused from military service on moral grounds, usually religious or political; those belonging to non-conformist church groups and leftist political groups were the most likely to apply for this exemption. Given Wales’ position at the outbreak of war as both a stronghold of non-conformism (groups such as Baptists, Congregationalists and Christadelphians all had large followings) and leftist political tradition (the Labour Party had been founded, and was at its strongest, in South Wales), it is understandable that a disproportionate amount of the 16,500 objectors nationwide hailed from Wales[1].

An image from national paper The Daily Sketch. The caption reads '"Percy" the Conscientious Objector, who refuses to wear khaki, is making progress. He has had his hair cut-unwillingly, even forcibly, it is true- and had put his feet into Army boots. They may make a soldier out of him yet!’ This sort of patronising language directed towards conscientious objectors reflected a wider trend of public ostracism of the group, especially during the war.

Indeed, in Aberystwyth, several residents made attempts to avoid conscription through conscientious objection, and their cases were brought before a tribunal made up of local religious figures, military men and people of good repute within the community; this was largely typical through Britain. The transcripts of these meetings were often recorded in the Cambrian News; their pro-war angle suggests this was in many cases an attempt to humiliate those who were applying for said status. Nevertheless, it tells us a lot about the path locals went through to try and avoid conscription. [2]

One notable conscientious objector from Aberystwyth was Thomas Parry-Williams. In 1908, he became the first Aberystwyth University graduate to receive a first-class honours studying Welsh, and he went on to study at several other institutions, including Oxford, becoming well known for his poetry, much of it written in Welsh. In 1914, he returned to Aberystwyth, this time as a lecturer, and began to write poetry for several publications, such as Y Deyrmas, which has been described as ‘the nerve centre for the general anti-war movements in Wales’[3]; Y Wawr, otherwise known as The Dawn, which also had a significant anti-war tint; and The Dragon, the main English language student magazine at Aberystwyth University at the time.

 Thomas Parry-Williams, pictured after WW1

When conscription was introduced, he was exempted as a conscientious objector following two hearings in his town of residence Pwllheli. Initially he was exempted, before being reviewed, and once more getting exempted status.  Once he had achieved his exemption through these two tribunals, his criticism of both the war and conscription intensified, most notably so in his piece To a Dog, published in The Dragon in 1917[4]. The poem subtly outlines his dissatisfaction with those who have shunned him, and his desire to be isolated from them, preferring to spend his time amongst dogs[5]. In an earlier poem, titled Christmas 1916, he writes a scathing indictment of the general public’s nerve to sing of peace in Christmas carols, when they have been baying for war for so long[6].

                                                                                                        

The North Wales Chronicle, above,  reports on Parry-Williams' second exemption in an article that goes on to describe the exchange between Lieutenant Davies and Dr Parry-Williams as thus: 'However important your position at the college and however indispensable your services there, you are not entitled to conditional exemption in view of the present demand for men in the army, and that you are only 28 years of age. In answer to Lieut. Davies, Dr. Williams stated that he had already suffered on account of his conscientious objection. Some people had made an effort to deprive him of his occupation. Lieut. Davies: But you suffered no financial loss? Dr. Williams: Oh, no. I don't attach much importance to money. Conditional exemption was granted.[7]

After the war, he applied for the vacant professorship in Welsh at Aberystwyth, but following a campaign against him, was passed over for the role. Whilst he was eventually appointed to the post in 1920, the campaign against him was an attempt to punish him for his decision to stand by his principles through the war, sadly something that was happening the whole country over. 

Following this, he became a very private man until his marriage in 1942. The key figures in this attack were the local bishop, John Owen, and several friends and family of his rival for the post, Timothy Lewis. As Parry-Williams had previously been a Christian man, and was very integrated into the university community, it is easy to see why the town’s animosity clearly had a big impact on him. [8]   The ordeal also showed how the jingoistic town held significant sway over the more liberal university, who were initially happy to appoint Parry-Williams[9].

Christmas 1916

A mischievous spirit, in madcap mood,

Frolicked today through the neighbourhood.

As he neared my door, on the Morn of the Birth

I could hear his chuckling and sniggering mirth.

He spat his sarcasm through the hole, -

‘On earth, Peace!’ and away he stole.

Above: Parry-Williams' Christmas 1916. This poem was a scathing indictment of those who would send young men off to war yet sing of peace in Christmas carols.

It is important, however, not to overstate the scale of conscientious objection by believing that these sort of stories were particularly common. Throughout Wales, there were 810 identifiable conscientious objectors who achieved exemption, only 0.33% of the population; within Cardiganshire (now Ceredigion), there was only 31. As such it is easy to overestimate the impact they had on British society, and Aberystwyth in specific, especially given the impact they have had on the WW1 historiography. 

An example of the application for exemption letter that would need to be filled out to avoid being conscripted after the Military Service Act of 1916. The reason this person, Robert Rees, desired exemption was twofold, as many applications were; both a religious conscientious objection, and a worry that if his mother and sister were left to care for themselves they would suffer. He writes as his explanation ‘Having taken the oath of alliegence to abide to the lord Jesus Christ and his gospel, I feel it quite impossible to undertake service in the furtherance of War. My religious convictions as such that leave War-under all circumstances-to be opposed to Christianity. I am compelled not to enlist as it as it means the taking of the military oath. I may also add that I am the only son left of a widow (my only brother being already in Military Service). Both my Mother and Sister are entirely dependant upon me. In the face of clauses F (conscientious objection) and D (economic hardship to others) of the military act of 1916 I therefore claim exemption.

However, they do tell us quite a lot about the prominent individuals who applied for this status, and about the jingoistic people who reacted negatively about this exemption being granted. For example, the exempted Parry-Williams’ potential appointment to a professorship created a scandal that brought reactions of both support and outrage, which affected the university, the town, and most chiefly Parry-Williams himself. In this sense, although there were very few conscientious objectors, the impact they had on society was disproportionate to their small numbers.

Blog by Nathan Davies, Aberforward Project Assistant 

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[1] https://journals.library.wales/view/1073091/1077647/435#?xywh=-1815%2C77%2C6093%2C4211, ref.46

[2] Rae, John. Conscience and Politics, (Oxford University Press, 1970), p.80

[3] Morgan, Kenneth. ‘Peace Movements in Wales, 1899-1945’, Welsh History Review, vol.10, (1980-81), p.411

[4] https://biography.wales/article/s10-PARR-HER-1887#?c=0&m=0&s=0&cv=21&manifest=https%3A%2F%2Fdamsssl.llgc.org.uk%2Fiiif%2F2.0%2F4633672%2Fmanifest.json&xywh=27%2C598%2C4041%2C3495

[5] The Dragon, June 1917, p.179

[6] The Dragon, March 1916, p.109

[7] The North Wales Chronicle, 23 March 1917

[8] Robert Rees’ exemption application, National Library of Wales

[9] https://journals.library.wales/view/1073091/1077647/435#?xywh=-1815%2C77%2C6093%2C4211,

Conscientious Objectors

It is difficult to define the term ‘conscientious objector’ because they were not one homogenous group. It is true to say that they were opposed to participating in military service during the war. It is fair to say that all objected on grounds of conscience, but the degree to which they objected to war has led Simmonds to argue that argues that there were two main groups: the ‘alternativists’, who would not join the military service but would engage in work that could include working in a munitions factory, agriculture[1] or ‘absolutists’ who refused to take any part in the war and refused to accept any part in the war.

Conscientious objectors were the men who objected to participation in the First World War. They were known as “conchies”, which was a pejorative term.[2] Conscientious objection began in the years after conscription was introduced in the Defence of the Realm Act 1916.[3]Governmental propaganda ensured that public opinion of the war was (largely) favourable, and pacifists and conscientious objectors were seen as a threat to national security in the government’s view,[4] and the No Conscription Fellowship[5] seemed like a likely rallying point for those people who objected to going because it was capable of persuading others against the war effort.

As a result, there was much resentment in the country towards the conscientious objectors; some were sent to France, where they could be shot for disobeying orders, others were imprisoned, where 73 nationally were killed in prison due to the attitudes of other prisoners.[6] Furthermore, they were also forbidden from voting for the five years immediately after the war, and they also found it difficult to gain employment in the same period due to the attitude of some employers.[7] After all, the First World War was Britain’s first total war.[8]

Britain was the only major power in the war to allow appeal against conscription. [9] Those who objected to going to fight had to present themselves to their local appeals tribunal, usually within the county that they lived,[10] and it was usually here that they were offered alternative war work such as caring for the wounded.[11] 

Aberystwyth borough and rural district were covered under the Ceredigion Tribunals.

There were about 16500 conscientious objectors in Britain as a whole,[12] and about 6000 men appealed against conscription in Ceredigion.[13]

It is interesting to note that, despite a national reputation for pacifism and a refusal to enlist,[14] there were no Quakers in the Ceredigion.[15] There were men who appealed against conscription on religious grounds. Lewis William James was a ministerial student at the University College of Wales, Aberystwyth, who objected on grounds of religion and was exempted from a combative role on condition that he took on work of a national importance within three weeks of his exemption.[16] I could not find a further record of him, but people in his position could have taken on the role of caring for the wounded or being an ambulance driver in the Royal Army Medical Corps.[17]

John Lloyd Thomas was a final year student at the University College of Wales training to be a cleric who refused to join the British Red Cross because he viewed it as part of the war effort.[18] Originally a 21-year-old Congregationalist originally from Shropshire,[19] he was an absolutist who believed that he was condoning the war by caring for those who needed care as a result of it, and the war was making endangering human life, which, according to the Bible was a grievous sin against God.[20]

There were also men who objected to go to war for more than one reason: Robert Rees was a railway clerk who was granted an absolute exemption on religious and hardship grounds. He argued that the gospel told him that he could not carry out war work, but he also said that he had a dependent mother and sister who would be left in severe hardship should he go to war as his brother was already carrying out military service.[21] Although reforms had been taking place under the liberal government before the outbreak of the First World War, there was not much state assistance to those who were too ill to work or unemployed for any other reason.[22] As A. J. P. Taylor put it, “until august 1914 a sensible, law-abiding Englishman could pass through life and hardly notice the existence of the state, beyond the post office and the policeman.”[23] Because the general prevailing preference for laissez-faire economics (though it was becoming more interventionist) and the fact that the war effort was expensive and the government also wanted to keep the people at home on side and not dependent on the state if possible, Robert Rees was allowed an absolute exemption so he could provide for his family in addition to his family.

Many more men from Aberystwyth were exempted based on their work, which was deemed essential for the war effort. Whilst it may be considered subjective which work is and is not essential for the war effort, these occupations were considered essential by the Cardiganshire tribunals. David Mawr Thomas was exempted on the fact that he was a miner.[24] Coal was used as fuel in munitions factories and transporting the munitions and men on the railway and steam-powered ships to the front line, as well as getting imported food into the country, and was therefore essential for winning the war. That is why David Mawr Jones’s appeal was allowed.

Agricultural work was also considered essential for the war effort. W. Williams was successful in appeal on 5th May 1916 because he was a farmhand.[25] The government had allowed the number depended on the size of the farm they worked on or owned, for example, one farmhand was allowed for from 50-100 acres, two from 100-200 acres and one more man was allowed for every further hundred acres and one more per 300 sheep owned.[26] Britain was dependent on food imports before the war, and imported 80% of wheat and 40% of meat she consumed [27] and this was known in Germany because it was planned to starve Britain into submission by launching submarine attacks on British food imports.[28] It was therefore imperative that Britain started to increase the production of food at home in order to feed her population, which is why W. Williams’s appeal was allowed. 

Conversely, appeals were often refused where the man who made the appeal worked in a non-essential industry and could be done by a man older than the upper-limit of conscription or a woman, who were often substituted in for men of fighting age who had been conscripted.[29] An example of this was the case of Alfred Allen on 18th April 1916. Allen was a driver,[30] which was not considered an industry essential to the war effort and so he had to do military service as a result. 

Blog by project volunteer Elizabeth Bowater 

Bibliography

John Turner, ‘Introduction’, in Britain and the First World War, ed. John Turner, (London, 1988), pp.1-21

Noel Whiteside, ‘The British Population at War’, in Britain and the First World War, ed. John Turner, (London, 1988), pp.85-98

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[1] Alan G. V. Simmonds, Britain and World War One, (Abingdon, 2012), p.55

[2] Robb, British Culture p.118

[3] Arthur Marwick, The Deluge (2^nd ed.), (Basingstoke, 1991), p. 120

[4] Robb, British Culture, p.118

[5] Marwick, Deluge, p.120

[6] Robb, British Culture, p.118

[7] Ibid, p.118

[8] Alan G. V. Simmonds, Britain and World War One, (Abingdon, 2012), p.i

[9] Robb, British Culture, p.118

[10] Ibid

[11] Ibid

[12] George Robb, British Culture and the First World War, (Basingstoke, 2002), p. 118

[13] Michael Freeman, CND Cymru Briefing: 6, Conscientious objectors in Cardiganshire during the first world war, p.8 held in Ceredigion Archives, Aberystwyth

[14] Robb, British Culture, p.118

[15] Cardiganshire Appeal Tribunal Search,  https://www.library.wales/discover/digital-gallery/archives/cardiganshire-great-war-tribunal-appeals-records/ accessed 18/2/19

[16] Aberystwyth Borough Exemption as to military service Case 8, 26^th February 1916, Cardiganshire War Tribunals, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth accessed via https://www.library.wales/discover/digital-gallery/archives/cardiganshire-great-war-tribunal-appeals-records/ on 13/2/2019

[17] Michael Freeman, CND Cymru Briefing: 6, Conscientious objectors in Cardiganshire during the first world war, p.6 held in Ceredigion Archives, Aberystwyth

[18] Ibid, p.6

[19] Ibid, p.7

[20] The Bible NIV, Exodus 20:13

[21] Aberystwyth Borough Exemption as to military service Case 6, 25^th February 1916, Cardiganshire War Tribunals, National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth, accessed via https://www.library.wales/discover/digital-gallery/archives/cardiganshire-great-war-tribunal-appeals-records/ on 13/2/2019

[22] A. J. P. Taylor, English History 1914-1945, (Oxford, 1965),

[23] Ibid, p.25

[24] Cardigan County Tribunal Notebook, April 13^th1916-29^th September 1916), p.22, held in National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

[25] Cardigan County Tribunal Notebook, April 13^th1916-29^th September 1916), p.31, held in National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

[26] Ibid, p.i,

[27] Marwick, Deluge, p.58

[28] John Turner, ‘Introduction’, in Britain and the First World War, ed. John Turner, (London, 1988), p.6

[29] Noel Whiteside, ‘The British Population at War’, in Britain and the First World War, ed. John Turner, (London, 1988), p.92

[30] Cardigan County Tribunal Notebook, April 13^th1916-29^th September 1916), p.14, held in National Library of Wales, Aberystwyth

Calling up Cambria: Aberystwyth and Recruitment

Fighting a war is not a simple thing. Several things are required to prosecute it effectively, and in a conflict such as the first world war, these factors became even more important. Generally, to fight a modern war, a nation needs popular support for such an action, especially in the case of a democracy; it needs a robust industry, to supply its troops with a regular number of weapons and other war materials; and it needs a food supply that can remain uninterrupted throughout the course of the war. However perhaps the most important resource a nation requires is manpower; a nation can have all the guns and food in the world, but if there are no soldiers to use them, they are as good as useless.

Lord Kitchener's 'Your Country Needs You Poster'. It is one of the enduring WW1 images

Therefore, recruitment was such a huge part of the war. Britain’s active troop numbers stood at roughly a quarter of a million troops on the eve of war, with a further half a million territorial and reserve forces available for service[1]. By comparison, the other major powers of the world, Austria-Hungary, France, Germany and Russia all had more than 3 million troops each, the latter three by a significant amount [2]. This disparity led to intense propaganda efforts to coax citizens into joining, including Lord Kitchener’s ‘Your Country Needs You’ poster, which is one of the most iconic images of the first world war, and arguably of all time. Though initial recruitment drives were promising, drawing in over 350,000 volunteers in the first month, reports of the brutality of the conflict soon saw recruitment figures begin to drop significantly, leading to the introduction of conscription in early 1916.  [3][4]

 

              This graph shows recruitment numbers per month for the British Armed Forces during the first world war. Note the significant dip in late 1915 and early 1916, which made conscription necessary.

In many ways, the challenge of raising enough recruits that was faced nationally was also a problem within Aberystwyth. The Cambrian News felt the need to encourage local lads to enlist by writing a brief piece describing the action of one young Aberystwyth man, Hugh Lloyd, who travelled all the way to South Africa to enlist in the army, exclaiming that ‘His keenness and patriotism are splendid examples to home slackers’[5]. This article was written in August 1915, which as the above graph shows, was a significant trough in recruitment numbers nationally. Little stories such as this were commonplace in the paper, with a snippet from earlier in the year reading ‘R. W. Jenkins, the chauffeur of Dr. James, Lodge Park, has joined the mechanical transport and is now in France. He has written to say that he is enjoying himself, his only regret being that he did not enlist months ago’[6].

However, the paper was not the only source of recruiting propaganda that prevailed in Aberystwyth during the war. Mr W. Fuller, the first Welshman of world war one to receive the Victoria Cross, gave a speech whilst visiting family from Aberystwyth, attempting to drum up support for enlistment. His speech was focused heavily on single men, often trying to guilt them into joining. Sadly, this was very standard for the period (December 1914) [7].

A Victoria Cross, similar to the one Mr. Fuller would have received.
Recipients of such honours were often very instrumental in increasing recruitment numbers

Nevertheless, pro war and pro recruitment voices were not the only ones heard. The main student paper at the university, The Dragon, had some very measured comments to make on the subject, which read as such: ‘These pages are the last place to look for recruiting advertisements, and any attempt on our part to influence anyone's decision would be an impertinence. But what we must emphasise is the necessity, at a time of crisis like the present, for everyone, having first decided what his duty is, to do it and do it with his might. Those who go forth may be trusted to do their part; from those who perforce remain behind, College expects their very best’[8]. Given the levels of jingoistic outpouring in Aberystwyth at this time (Dr. Hermann Ethe had been infamously expelled from the town by angry citizens just the month before, to many student’s chagrin[9]), such a stance was a courageous one; even though they tend to imply a pro-war stance, their insistence that each man should do what they felt to be right, not what they were compelled to do, may not have gone down well in the far more jingoistic town.[10]

The front cover of the dragon magazine. It was the most important student publication in
Aberystwyth University at the time and published a variety of materials.

Despite an almost one-sided narrative, it seems recruitment drives didn’t have the desired effect. One soldier billeted locally complained in the Cambrian News, writing ‘I am much disappointed to find barely thirty Aber men all told in the University Company….I feel that there ought to be many more representatives of Aber, both past and present’[11]. Equally over 500 postal appeals to young men in the Aberystwyth area went sent in June 1915, with only 24 saying they intended to sign up; of these we don’t know how many eventually did before they had to be compelled [12].

This is reflected in the number of Aberystwyth soldiers who went to war. The town sent roughly 800 men out of a 1911 population of 8794, about 9% of the population, whereas throughout the UK around 13% of people served in one capacity or another. In terms of welsh figures, closer to 11% of people served, still above the number for Aberystwyth. (conscription took mostly uniform numbers across the country, so this overall number reflects a lack of volunteers).

This shows clearly that enlisting the people of Aberystwyth was an uphill struggle. This may have been due to an almost complete lack of recruitment infrastructure outside of the newspapers in the most fruitful opening months of the war throughout Cardiganshire; an article in the Cambrian News reads ‘Mr. Vaughan Davies, M.P., said that when he came home from London he found that practically nothing, was done to obtain recruits for Kitchener's Army…... he did not wish Cardiganshire to be described as the only county in Wales that had not tried to do something to maintain the honour of the country’[13]. The article goes on to explain that ‘Men had actually had to go to Brecon and other places to join, because there was nobody to attend to them in their own county’[14]. This suggests that official recruitment figures for Aberystwyth are perhaps underestimated due to enlistment in other regions.

However, they did support the war effort in other ways; Aberystwyth’s fundraising per head for the war effort was second only to Singapore within the entire British Empire. While manpower was crucial, economics was also; the impact of such as small area as Aberystwyth through its financial contributions to the war cannot be underestimated, even if their manpower recruited to the armed forces was below average.

Blog by Nathan Davies, AberForward Project Assistant

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[1] ‘Recruitment to the British Armed Forces in World War One’, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recruitment_to_the_British_Army_during_the_First_World_War, (November 13 2018), accessed January 24 2019

[2] ‘Forces and resources of the combatant nations’, https://www.britannica.com/event/World-War-I/Forces-and-resources-of-the-combatant-nations-in-1914, (July 13 2018), accessed 24 January 2019

[3] ‘Recruitment to the British Armed Forces in World War One’, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recruitment_to_the_British_Army_during_the_First_World_War, (November 13 2018), fig.1, accessed January 24 2019

[4] ‘Recruitment to the British Armed Forces in World War One’, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Recruitment_to_the_British_Army_during_the_First_World_War, (November 13 2018), fig.4, accessed January 24 2019

[5] The Cambrian News, 20 August 1915

[6] The Cambrian News, 28 May 1915

[7] The Cambrian News, 18 December 1914

[8] The Dragon, Vol.37, November 1914

[9] Troughton, Will. Aberystwyth and the Great War, (Stroud, 2015), ch.2

[10] The Dragon, June 1917

[11] The Cambrian News, 6 November 1914

[12] Troughton, Will. Aberystwyth and the Great War, (Stroud, 2015), ch.10

[13] The Cambrian News, 11 September 1914

[14] Ibid.