Tag: Second World War

Contrasting Fortunes of War

Today marks the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Denmark Strait, one of the most infamous naval battles of the Second World War.

On 18 May, the new German battleship Bismarck, at the time the most powerful battleship in the world, embarked on her maiden voyage, accompanied by the heavy-cruiser Prinz Eugen. Their mission was to attack the convoys bringing much-needed supplies to Britain from America.

Battleship Bismarck. Photo courtesy of Bundesarchiv, Bild 193-04-1-26 / CC-BY-SA 3.0

In response, the Admiralty deployed as much of the British Fleet as possible to intercept the Bismarck. On the evening of 23 May, the British heavy-cruisers HMS Norfolk and HMS Suffolk spotted the German ships passing through the Denmark Strait – the passage between Iceland and Greenland. The two cruisers, being totally out-gunned by the German ships did not engage then enemy, but reported their position to the Admiralty to enable them to send in bigger ships, able to engage the enemy with heavier fire-power. The cruisers continued to track the ships using radar throughout the night.

The nearest British ships capable of tackling the Germans were the brand-new battleship HMS Prince of Wales, and the Home Fleet flagship, and pride of the British Fleet – HMS Hood. Despite its immense size and reputation, and armed with eight 15-inch guns (the same as the Bismarck), the Hood was an old ship, having been launched in 1918. Furthermore, the Hood had been designed as a battlecruiser – a ship with the fire-power of a battleship, but with the speed of a cruiser. The extra speed was attained by sacrificing the strong armour of a traditional battleship, especially on the deck. This left the Hood very vulnerable to plunging fire.

HMS Hood

At approximately 05.35 on the morning of 24 May, a lookout aboard  the Prince of Wales spotted the German ships. The British ships turned towards the enemy to engage in battle, and at 05.50, Admiral Lancelot Holland, commander of the British taskforce, aboard HMS Hood, ordered the British ships to open fire when in range, and two minutes later, HMS Hood fired the first salvoes of the battle.

Within 8 minutes however, the unthinkable happened. A shell from the Bismarck struck the weak deck of the Hood and plunged through the ship, exploding in the armament magazine. The whole ship erupted in a fireball, broke in two, and sank immediately. From a crew of 1,418, there were three survivors.

The loss of the Hood, would send shockwaves around the world.

In the meantime, the Prince of Wales was being pounded by enemy fire, and unable to continue the battle alone, retreated. The admiralty, devastated by the loss of the Hood, made the immediate decision that the main priority was now to destroy the Bismarck at all costs.

After a thrilling chase across the Atlantic (the details of which are too complex to go into on this blog), on the morning of 27 May, the Bismarck, which had by this time been crippled by a torpedo from a Swordfish plane from the aircraft carrier HMS Ark Royal, was finally cornered by ships of the British fleet. The battleships HMS Rodney and HMS King George V devastated the Bismarck with gunfire, and the heavy-cruiser HMS Dorsetshire finished off the stricken ship with torpedoes. Of Bismarck’s 2,131 crew, there were 115 survivors.

Now we get to the Merthyr connection. Below are two cuttings taken from the Merthyr Express dated 21 June 1941 highlighting the two sides of the battle.

Merthyr Express – 21 June 1941
Merthyr Express – 21 June 1941

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To read more about the Battle of the Denmark Strait, please visit http://www.hmshood.com/history/denmarkstrait/index.htm

Jones Brothers (Treharris) Ltd.

The following article is reproduced here courtesy of Peter Gould.

After the end of the First World War, John Jones was provided with a motorcar by his father, which he hired out as a means of livelihood. One of three brothers, he had been gassed in the War, and sadly died a few years later, however, not before the idea of providing charabancs in the district had taken hold. The brothers each purchased a new chassis on which they put second-hand bodies, the first vehicle taking to the road in 1919. By the end of the following year they had three vehicles and the business gradually developed.

In August 1921 a service from Treharris to Pontypridd was commenced, with another route to Nelson in 1925. At this time the brothers were trading as the Commercial Bus Service from premises at the Commercial Hotel, Treharris.

We think the driver was Howell Perrin from Gresham place not sure who the conductor was. (pic courtesy of W Phillips and Tony Evans)

To cope with the extra services two Thornycroft A1’s with Norman 20-seat bodywork were purchased during 1925.

By 1928 an additional route to Bedlinog had opened and more vehicles acquired, including two Thornycroft SB’s with Hall-Lewis B26D bodywork and two Leyland A13’s with Leyland 26-seat bodywork.

In March 1930 Jones Brothers introduced a short-lived service between Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd, which ceased shortly afterwards because of opposition from Merthyr Tydfil Borough Council. From August 1930 the company was incorporated as Jones Brothers (Treharris) Ltd. By 1931, however, other operators, including Imperial Motor Services of Abercynon, Aberdare Motor Services and Gelligaer UDC, were running along parts of Jones Brothers routes.

Under the 1930’s Road Traffic Acts Jones Brothers were granted operating licences for the following routes;

Nelson – Trelewis – Treharris – Pontypridd, and
Bedlinog – Hollybush – Nelson – Pontypridd.

Other routes were also applied for, including one to Tredegar, but were unsuccessful, however, in November 1932 another route from Blackwood to Pontypridd serving Treharris, Nelson, Ystrad Mynach and Pontllanfraith was granted, although the licence contained clauses protecting existing operators.

For some time Jones Brothers had been operating a joint service with Evans and Williams, originally a competitor, but their application to take over the route was denied and it passed to Imperial Motor Services.

By the onset of World War II the fleet had grown and had included examples of AJS, Dennis, Leyland, Lancia, Vulcan and Thornycroft vehicles. (It was reported that Jones Brothers had acquired an ex-London General Omnibus Company B-type open-top double-decker in the early years of the company, but that the vehicle was disliked and returned to LGOC. Whether it actually operated in service is unknown, but if so it would have been the only double-decker operated). During the War the inevitable Bedford utility vehicles made an appearance, including several OWB models. An interesting purchase in 1942 was an AEC Q, originally new to Corona Coaches of London in 1935, which gave several years of service with Jones Brothers before being withdrawn.

The Company operated in a livery of maroon and brown with cream lining.

On 1st November 1945, the stage carriage business was sold jointly to Caerphilly UDC, Gelligaer UDC, Pontypridd UDC and the West Monmouthshire Omnibus Board, with ten vehicles passing to these four operators, who ran the ex-Jones Brothers routes jointly.

A single vehicle, Dennis Lancet II (No.4; HB5236) now with Francis (of Swansea) C32C bodywork was retained by Jones Brothers who continued to operate the coaching side of the business until 1958, when it finally ceased.

A Jones Bros bus outside the old Merthyr Police Station. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

To read the original article, please use the following link – 

http://www.petergould.co.uk/local_transport_history/fleetlists/jones.htm

Nurse Olwen Davies

by Ann Lewis

Nurse Olwen (Dolly) Davies of Gwladys Street, Pant, was a gentle lady who hid the strong determination that allowed her to complete 42 years of nursing – sometimes under the most trying conditions.

Dolly was born in 1904, and undertook her fever training at Heather Green Hospital, Lewisham in the 1920s, and subsequently her State Registered Nursing at Whipscross Hospital, London – a 600 bed Council Hospital.

She always felt it a pleasure to return to her home town, as dear old Tom Price, who worked at Pant Station greeted all the young people returning home to the village by name, giving each of them a warm handshake, and escorting them from the top to the lower platform for safety. In 1924, Dolly paid £1.8s for the return fare to London.

Dolly had decided to specialise in fever nursing. Fever nursing meant nursing all sorts of infectious diseases including diphtheria, measles, whooping cough, meningitis and T.B. cases.

She was very worried the first time she nursed a tracheotomy case – a small child. It required a constant watch on her small patient to prevent the tracheotomy tube slipping out or blocking; using a feather and bi-carbonate of soda solution helped keep the tube clear. Care was required that no injury occurred from their surroundings, as the child needed moistened air to relieve breathing difficulties. This was achieved by the use of two primus stoves, with steam kettles constantly on the boil, which required frequent filling to prevent them boiling dry. Water jugs were used as there was no water tap in the room. It proved a long hard, unforgettable night for her.

Later, Dolly was ward sister for 6 years at Paddington Hospital, London. During this time she was a reserve for the Queen Alexandra Nursing Corp. When war was declared in September 1939, she commenced 6 years service as a Captain. Her service covered North Africa, Germany, and France, with long periods of time being spent in ‘field hospitals’.

From Alexandria, Egypt, she was sent to Tobruk to bring back the wounded soldiers, but later, the patients were brought to them. One time she and her colleagues nursed a whole hospital of wounded German prisoners. Dolly always treated them no differently to our own men.

After 4 years service, she was given four weeks leave at the Crickhowell Camp near Abergavenny, before being sent back to Normandy in the aftermath of the D-Day Landings, to commence the long trek across France, Belgium and Holland. Whilst in Holland she and her fellow nurses were told to prepare to go into a concentration camp – they were one of the first medical teams to go into the infamous Belsen Camp.

They were warned what to expect, and told not to allow the sights they would see affect them, or to make a nuisance of themselves by being ill, but to be proud, as many British people would be only too willing to do what they were about to undertake.

For her war service, she was awarded the following medals: the 1939-45 Campaign Medal, the Victory Medal, the Africa Star, the France and Germany Star, and the Defence Medal.

After the War, she spent two years at Merthyr General Hospital as a ward sister, having to ‘live in’ at the hospital. The nurses were called from bed to attend patients admitted during the night, and were still expected to carry on working their normal shift the next day. She later became a district nurse to enable her to devote more time to her ill father.

Dolly died in February 2001 at the age of 96.

Mildred Lewis – the Welsh Nightingale

by J Ann Lewis

Mildred Lewis, known as the ‘Welsh Nightingale’ due to her beautiful soprano voice, was born in 1911 in White Street, Dowlais. Her voice was trained to perfection under the tuition of the well-known musician W. J. Watkins, and his advice helped form her singing career.

Her father, a miner in Fochriw, sang with the Dowlais Male Voice Choir, and both her mother and brother, Gilbert, were gifted singers. Living in this environment, she was taught to read music as a child, but Mildred had little formal schooling due to contracting Tubercular Hip at the age of five. She walked with the aid of sticks for the rest of her life, but it never stopped her singing at the ‘Penny Readings’ or the Eisteddfodau.

Whilst competing at the City Hall, Cardiff, she was heard by Mae Jones, Head of Variety at the BBC, and was invited to sing for them, performing on a regular basis for many years, at one time singing with Kathleen Ferrier. She also won the National Eisteddfod in 1938.

Mildred married steel worker Gwynne Lewis in 1935. Many musical evenings were held at her home at Francis Terrace, Pant, when many friends joined her, and the late Glynne Jones, Musical Director of the Pendyrus Male Choir would often accompany their singing.

As a member of E.N.S.A. (Entertainments National Service Association), she travelled around Britain during the Second World War, helping boost the morale of the troops. After the war, she took a job at Teddington’s Factory, and following the death of her husband in 1958, she lived alone for two years until her niece, Dyfanwen, moved in with her following the early death of her parents.

Mildred spent her later years at Ty Bryn Sion, and, when well enough, continued to sing at local chapels. She passed away in August 1993.

V.J. Day – a Contemporary Account

by Laura Bray (née Bevan)

Following on from the account of V.E. Day from Glyn Bevan’s diary which appeared on this blog in May (http://www.merthyr-history.com/?p=4691), to mark the 75th anniversary of V.J. Day, here is an account of the days leading up to V.J. Day and the day itself from Glyn’s diary.

13th August
We put up all our flags and streamers yesterday and have listened to every news today to hear the official announcement of the end of the war. None of us have much doubt about it although it is believed that the Japs in Burma may fight on whether Japan capitulates or not. Rumours all day about peace and premature celebrations all over the U.S., Canada and Australia. Stayed round the supper table talking for ages and then washed up. Continued talking in the drawing room until 01.00.

14th August
All up rather late. Decided to go to Tintern and Symonds Yat before dinner. Came on through the Forest of Dean (where a red squirrel crossed the road) to Monmouth, and then went on down the lovely Wye Valley to Tintern. Unfortunately it was shut but we walked all round the outside of it. A very lovely place and in very good repair. Came on through Chepstow, Caerphilly and Nelson. Celebrations all the way up, several bonfires and a few rockets, floodlighting and illuminating V’s etc. Rumours all day. We fully expected the official announcement on the 9.00 o’clock news. Now we are waiting for Attlee to broadcast at midnight. We are all expecting Japan to agree to our terms of course, and that means peace.

……….

PEACE

Attlee has just announced that Japan has accepted our surrender terms and that tomorrow and the next day will be celebrated as victory days throughout the country. A very matter of fact speech with none of the drama that old Churchill would have put into it. The whole Empire must be sorry that he couldn’t make the announcement. We toasted the new peace with whiskey and wine and cake. Rockets started exploding singly and there was a little shouting. From the bedroom window we could see about 15 bonfires – but none really large. Later on crowds in town sang and danced and prayed until 3.00 o’clock in the morning. Hooters went as well and engines in the station blew their whistles. Several church bells rang including ours (people thundered on the door of the Vicarage, woke the Vicar and pretty well told him to ring it) and there was a peal of bells from the Parish Church. Town filled rapidly and there were crowds there for hours.

15th August
Rain last night, and after a week of very dry weather and the air was cold and clean with smoke drifting up and the sound of church bells in the valley. Very calm and peaceful, fresh and sweet, like a Sunday morning. I read most of the morning and nearly all the afternoon. Listened to a description of the King driving down Whitehall to open Parliament and also went to town where the shops were open till about 10.30. Then came home to find they had all gone to a Thanksgiving Service in Cyfarthfa so we down town to see if there was anything doing. There seemed to be a lot of troops about (nearly all army) but things were fairly quiet. Plenty of flags and streamers. Came back via Thomastown and up the Tramroad in time to hear the King at 21.00. We all went down to the bonfire on the allotments after the news (for which we supplied most of the heavy logs). About 20 good bonfires in the valley and lots of rockets and fireworks but no bells tonight.

Residents of Tramroadside North celebrating V.J. Day

16th August
Spent the morning doing little odd jobs that I wanted to clear up before going away. Read after dinner till 15.00 when we decided to go down to Cardiff to see Terence Rattigan’s play “While the Sun Shines”. Play very good. Museum floodlit. A large crowd was dancing and singing in front of the Civic Centre. Bonfires all the way up the valley but not on the same scale as Coronation night.  Came through Pontypridd where they had coloured lights strung along both sides of the main streets for about a mile and a well made crown fixed over the bridge. Very poor fireworks, but it is amazing that people have any at all. Saw lots of street teas on the way down.

Taff Merthyr Colliery

Opened in 1926, the Taff Merthyr Colliery was one of the last collieries to be sunk in Wales by a private company – the Powell Duffryn Steam Coal Company. It was also one of the most controversial.

Taff Merthyr Colliery in the 1920s. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

The two shafts of the Taff Merthyr Colliery were sunk between 1922 and 1924 to approximately 1900 feet and were 21 feet in diameter, but the development of the colliery took place during the 1926 General Strike. The pit officially opened just after the end of the strike, but the owners of the company insisted that no members of the South Wales Miners’ Federation could be employed at this new pit and they set up a company union, the South Wales Miners Industrial Union, which the miners were expected to join in order to work.

Throughout the 1920s and early 1930s the pit, together with others in the South Wales valleys became major trouble spots in the struggle for democratic representation with torchlight processions, stay down strikes and mass meetings, culminating in the strike of 1934/5.  Taff Merthyr ‘strike breakers’ went into the mine under police protection and fought with the stay-down strikers resulting in 40 men being injured in the battle.

The anger felt by miners and their wives towards the ‘scab’ workforce often spilled into the streets with physical violence and other forms of intimidation. Crowds would assemble on the streets and as this labour-force passed silence was observed with doffing of caps and caps until they passed out of sight (taken from the Western Mail 1935). This resentment was to remain in the village for many years.

Police Sergeant Gooding after being hit by a stone during the Taff Merthyr Riots in Trelewis. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

During the peak years of the early 1930’s however, the pit employed more than 1,600 men and produced an annual tonnage of over 600,000. With the outbreak of the Second World War, Bevin Boys were employed at the colliery, and in 1945 it was reported that 1,119 men were employed at the colliery.

The colliery was nationalised in 1947, and at that time it employed 153 men on the surface and 874 underground.

During the early seventies, 735 men were employed and they produced 340,000 tons of coal annually from the seven feet coal seam. £ 8 million was invested in the colliery in the mid-seventies and the work was completed in August 1978 and it involved deepening shafts to 640 meters and building a new coal preparation plant and MGR dispatch system.

Taff Merthyr Colliery in the 1970s. Photo courtesy of http://www.alangeorge.co.uk/index.htm

In 1992 Taff Merthyr was amongst 31 pits scheduled for closure, despite protests and the widely held opinion that there were at least 10 years reserves of coal. Safety and maintenance work continued during a review, but it seemed inevitable that 368 coal workers would lose their livelihood when tons of rubble and other material for filling the shafts were delivered before the review was even concluded. The final shift was worked on 11 June 1993. There was talk of a miners buy out but it never materialised and the winding gear was demolished by explosion on 22 July 1994.