Kenfig WWI - Life on the home-front 1915 A New Year Greeting & review of 1914 from Porthcawl including departure of the Cardiff City Battalion & the First Field Ambulance formed for the Welsh Army Corps together with the arrival of the R.A.M.C., and the Bantams Battalion. Glamorgan Gazette - Friday Jan 1, 1915 Peeps at Porthcawl (By Mariner) It is customary at the appropriate time to wish readers A Happy New Year. The Gazette this week will reach my readers just as the first hours of the year 1915 begin to flit by, joining company with others that have past and been forgotten. I therefore make haste to convey seasonable greetings to the perusers of this column. The year that has passed has not been altogether a happy one. We have had our municipal battles, but up till July we were fairly happy in Porthcawl. Then came the anxious moments of August and the declaration of war upset things a bit. Visitors hurried back from holidays just begun, others cancelled their arrangements, sons and husbands left to join the colours and altogether the black hand of war, which suddenly darkened our outlook on life, made things very subdued. Now we look forward to the New Year, with hope, confident in the righteousness of our cause, convinced that victory will attend our arms and anticipating a glorious time of peace on earth. May our wishes be gratified in the year 1915. To those who mourn, let comfort be freely given. Not even Porthcawl has escaped the hand of death, and to those whose sons and husbands have fallen in the fight to keep the flag flying against the violaters of all human laws, I trust that the balml of pride in a sons heroism will heal the wound and help them also to look ahead and see visions of future happiness. The year 1915 may herald a glorious era in the worlds history, when military oppression will have been crushed under foot and nations may regard with calm confidence the time when the heavy burdens created by this false notion that war is necessary will be removed. From the ruins of war may there be built up contented peoples who never more will allow the dog of war to be let loose on the world, robbing nations of their youth and homes of loved ones. If this war ends war for all time, then it will not have been in vain. *********** Porthcawl is enterprising; it is ambitious, but petty jealousies may do much to hinder its progress if allowed to operate. It started well with its Coast Intelligence Department and looked like forming an efficient Local Defence Corps, but it appears that personal feelings have been allowed to run riot and what promised to be a useful movement and to bring into existence an efficient body of men, is likely to be hampered and perhaps destroyed by the exercise on the part of a few persons of a desire for personal aggrandisement and the limelight. In our last issue I gave a list of officers appointed in connection with the corps. Before my note saw the printers ink, I am told the whole arrangements were upset. One thought he was entitled to rank senior to another, another one thought ditto, and so friction grew into mutiny. Now Porthcawl men are not a lot of schoolboys surely they are not going to cause a bother because one has got a bun and the other a currant. A Local Defence Corps is not organised for the purpose of ventilating grievances or creating ill feeling. There is more serious work in hand and it is time the malcontents realised that Porthcawl is playing a part in a National movement, inangurated to ensure the safety of the population if necessity arises in the event of invasion. Wouldnt it be delightful for one private to say to a corporal I want your stripes when a German was within firing distance! Really, I am ashamed of those who are creating the fuss. It is time they went home to their fireside or held a picnic. The best advice I can give to those who are determined that Porthcawl should have an efficient Local Defence Corps in spite of obstacles is, if they cant court-martial the mutineers to do the next best thing and get rid of them and chose other men whose patriotism will teach them how to sink personal feelings and work for the good of the movement, as that movement is intended to work for the good of the nation. *********** It was very quiet in Porthcawl over Christmas. Our boys who were able to wear khaki and those who were not but hope to soon, left us to ourselves and we missed them. They had as good a time as circumstances permitted - so did we. But it was not the Christmas we use to know. The streets were deserted and only on the Esplanade was there a sign of life. There the sea lashed the rocks furiously as it has been doing for the past few weeks. Out in the Channel one solitary light gleamed and then went out, to re-appear later. On shore points of light came through drawn blinds, where families were gathered round the fire enjoying the annual re-union, but in many homes one chair at least was vacant. Over those habitations more especially was the gloom cast. Still, there was no reason why Porthcawl as a whole should not have spent A Happy Christmas, for public effort has been of a splended kind in our little seaside resort. Practically every fund has been generously assisted and the combined totals are a credit to all who have given. *********** The Cardiff City Battalion, numbering over 500, left Porthcawl on Wednesday for Colwyn Bay and many expressions of regret were heard as they were leaving. The men had made many friends in the town; they had been well cared for; the progress they had made had made Porthcawl people proud of them. They had become to be regarded as residents for a few months at any rate, but military considerations made it necessary for them to be sent to another training depot, and they were given a very warm send off. Their place has been taken by the R.A.M.C., and the Bantams Battalion, who have already been made at home. The Bantams are a likely looking lot, and a plucky looking lot too. While they are in Porthcawl it is to be hoped that the efforts put forth to bring cheer to the hearts of the members of the Cardiff City Battalion will not cease. *********** Striking scenes marked the departure of the first field ambulance formed for the Welsh Army Corps, composed of members of the St. John Ambulance Brigade, from Cardiff on Tuesday for Porthcawl. They numbered 253 and were under the command of Dr. J.E.H. Davies of Wrexham, the second in command being Dr. Bickerton Edwards, Crynant, Neath. Amongst those present at the Great Western station to bid farewell to the men were the Earl of Plymouth, the Lady Mayoress of Cardiff (Mrs, J.T. Richards), Alderman C.H. Bird (Deputy Lord Mayor), Dr. T. Wallace and Dr. R.J. Smith. Mr Herbert Lewis (Deputy Commissioner for Wales of the St. John Ambulance Brigade) accompanied the men to the station, the band of the 3rd Welsh Regiment performing the musical honours. A large crowd of spectators gathered outside the station. Mr Lewis thanked Colonel Davies for his kind words and the men for their cheers, which he much appreciated and said, Go, boys, do your duty for your King and country and maintain the honour of the St. John Ambulance Brigade. On the platform of the railway station the Lady Mayoress, in a neat speech, wished the men God-speed and expressed the belief that they would maintain the traditions of the St. John Ambulance Brigade and do honour to the city of Cardiff. Loud cheers followed the departure of the men, who, in their turn, gave hearty cheers for the Earl of Plymouth and the Lady Mayoress. *********** Special services were held at All Saints Church, Newton Parish Church and Roman Catholic Church on Christmas Day. At All Saints services were held at 7, 8 (choral) and 11 oclock and in the evening. At Newton services were held at 8 oclock, 11, and 6.30. The Rector preached at 11 oclock service at All Saints and the Rev. A.J. Arthur at Newton. The number of communicants was in excess of last year. website researcher/author: Copyright © Rob Bowen, Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2014 Source: National Library of Wales, Welsh Newspapers Online (welshnewspapers.llgc.org.uk/en/home)
Posted on: Fri, 14 Nov 2014 16:59:05 +0000
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