In the footsteps of the Great War in Aberystwyth

Last Saturday was the first of our scheduled guided walks around Aberystwyth, led by project volunteers Lynne and Nigel.  The weather was kind, which was just as well since the guides were in period costume - viz, a Red Cross Nurse, an Army Officer and a Land Girl.  

The walks began and ended at the Ceredigion Museum in Terrace Road and from there went onto the prom to hear about the visit to the town of Julian the Tank during War Weapons Week of 1918 and then on to the Red Cross Hospital, now the Cambria.  The Old College was next on the list, to hear about the soldiers who enlisted and the students left behind who ran The Dragon magazine, before we headed into the centre of the town to visit the sites of long-disappeared shops and places of entertainment, and the houses of those who served in the war. 

We learned of the RAF mechanic of Chalybeate Street, who survived active service only to die (like many others) of flu in 1919; the POWs - men and women too - of Cambrian Street, where hardly a house was untouched by the war; nine men of the same family - the Merediths of Portland Road - who all joined up and survived;  and a young man who joined up underage - twice! - and was killed in action just a  month after his 17th birthday. 

And much more besides - so much so, that our remaining walks are already fully booked!

Many thanks to our wonderful, knowledgeable and entertaining guides; to Stephen of wardrobe in the Theatre, Film and Television Studies department of Aberystwyth University, and to Caroline Clark for the fabulous outfits; and last - but not least - to the Ceredigion Museum for hosting the walk and to the Museum Cafe for the much needed refreshments afterwards. 

Nurses and patients of the Red Cross Hospital c. 1915

Outside the Cambria - the old Red Cross Hospital - 2019

Dydd Sadwrn diwethaf oedd y cyntaf o'n teithiau tywys o amgylch Aberystwyth, dan arweiniad gwirfoddolwyr y prosiect, Lynne a Nigel. Roedd y tywydd yn garedig, a oedd yn beth da gan fod yr arweinwyr mewn wisg cyfnod - sef, Nyrs y Groes Goch, Swyddog y Fyddin a Merch o Fyddin Dir y Menywod.

Dechreuodd a benodd y teithiau yn yr Amgueddfa Ceredigion  yn Terrace Road ac aethon ni ymlaen i glywed am ymweliad â'r dref gan Julian y Tanc yn ystod Wythnos Arfau Rhyfel 1918, ac oddi yno i Ysbyty'r Groes Goch, nawr y Cambria.  Roedd yr Hen Goleg nesaf ar y rhestr, i glywed am y milwyr a ymrestrodd a'r myfyrwyr a adawodd ar ôl a oedd yn rhedeg cylchgrawn Y Ddraig, cyn i ni fynd i ganol y dref i ymweld â safleoedd siopau diflanedig a mannau adloniant, a'r tai o rhai a wasanaethodd yn y rhyfel.

Fe ddysgon ni am fecanig y RAF o Stryd y Ffynnon Haearn, a oroesodd ei wasanaeth milwrol yn unig i farw (fel llawer o rai eraill) o'r ffliw ym 1919; y carcharorion rhyfel - dynion a merched hefy -  o Stryd Cambrian, lle oedd y rhyfel wedi cyffwrdd ar bron pob ty; naw o ddynion o'r un teulu - y Merediths o Stryd Portland - a oedd i gyd wedi ymrestru ac i gyd wedi goroesi; a'r dyn ifanc a oedd wedi ymrestru dan oed - ddwywaith! -  a chafodd ei ladd dim ond mis ar ôl ei ben-blwydd yn 17 oed. 

A llawer mwy o storiau diddorol, syfrydanol ac emosiynol eraill hefyd!  Yn wir, does dim lle ar ol ar ein teithiau i ddod.

Llawer o ddiolch i'n arweinwyr rhyfeddol, gwybodus a difyr; i Stephen o'r 'wardrobe' yn adran Theatr, Ffilm a Theledu ym Mhrifysgol Aberystwyth, ac i Caroline Clark am y dillad rhyfeddol; ac yn olaf ond nid yn lleiaf - i Amgueddfa Ceredigion am gynnal y daith gerdded, ac i Gaffi'r Amgueddfa am y lluniaeth hyfryd wedyn.