& E a s t D e n b i g h s h i r e C h r o n i c l eEditorial

The First World War began in 1914. Britain, France and Russia fought against Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire (Turkey). On August 4th 1914 Britain declared war on Germany after the German army invaded neutral Belgium.

Golygyddol

Cychwynnodd y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf ym 1914. Roedd Prydain, Ffrainc a Rwsia yn brwydro yn erbyn yr Almaen, Awstria-Hwngari a’r Ymerodraeth Otomanaidd (Twrci). Ar 4ydd Awst 1914 cyhoeddodd Prydain ryfel yn erbyn yr Almaen ar ôl i fyddin yr Almaen feddiannu Gwlad Belg niwtral.

Thrilling scenes in Wrexham

Golygfeydd cyffrous yn Wrecsam

Never will we forget Wednesday night’s scenes in Wrexham. At nine o’clock, a contingent of Army Reservists left Wrexham for Portland and the greatest enthusiasm prevailed. All the way from the Barracks to the Great Western Railway Station, the

streets were thickly lined with people. Relatives of the men broke into the lines and there were hurried embraces.

Anghofiwn ni fyth y golygfeydd yn Wrecsam nos Fercher. Am naw o’r gloch ymadawodd mintai o filwyr wrth gefn y fyddin o Wrecsam am Portland yn llawn brwdfrydedd. Roedd llu o bobl ar hyd ochrau’r srydoedd o’r Barics i Orsaf y Great Western

Railway. Ymwthiodd perthnasau’r dynion i’r llinellau a’u cofleidio’n sydyn.

August 8th 1914 / Awst 8fed 1914

4th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, Givenchy, France. WCBM 84.90.23.4ydd Bataliwn, Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol Cymreig, Givenchy, Ffrainc. ABSW 84.90.23.

First World War postcard. Wrexham Archives 1049/67.Cerdyn Post Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, Archifau Wrecsam 1049/67.

T H E W A R Y R H Y F E L

“It was a memorable Christmas Day in our trench as we had a truce with the enemy from Christmas Eve until Boxing Day morning. Not a shot was fired – quite a change with no lead flying around. The truce came about in this way. The Germans started singing and lighting candles at 7.30 on Christmas Eve, and one of them challenged any one of us to go across for a bottle of wine. One of our fellows accepted the challenge and took a big cake to exchange. That started the ball rolling. We then met half way to shake hands and exchange greetings with them. The Germans seem to be very nice chaps, and said they were awfully sick of the war. We were out of the trenches all day Christmas Day collecting souvenirs.”

“Roedd yn Ddiwrnod Nadolig cofiadwy yn ein ffos gan fod cadoediad rhyngom â’r gelyn o Noswyl Nadolig tan fore Gwyl San Steffan. Ni thaniwyd yr un ergyd – cryn dipyn o newid heb fwledi yn hedfan o gwmpas. Fel hyn y trefnwyd y cadoediad. Dechreuodd yr Almaenwyr ganu a chynnau canhwyllau tua 7.30 Noswyl Nadolig a heriodd un ohonynt un ohonom ni i fynd ar draws i nôl potel o win. Derbyniodd un ohonom yr her ac aeth â theisen fawr gydag ef i gyfnewid. Dyna gychwynnodd pethau. Yna, cyfarfuom hanner ffordd i ysgwyd dwylo ac i gyfnewid cyfarchion gyda nhw. Roedd yr Almaenwyr i weld yn fois iawn a dywedont eu bod wedi cael llond bol ar y rhyfel. Roeddem ni allan o’r ffosydd drwy’r dydd Diwrnod Nadolig yn casglu cofroddion.”

January 9th 1915 / Ionawr 9fed 1915

A deadly bullet Bwled farwol

Private Sam Palmer of the 19th Infantry Brigade, writes from the front to Mrs Davies, 14, Bright-street, Wrexham –

“Just a line to let you know I am well and happy. The trenches are in a very bad condition owing to the recent heavy rain. Things are very quiet here at present, bar the sniping, which is going on all the time. Whilst standing in a group waiting for the water to boil to have dinner, I was scraping the mud off a coat when a bullet went through a poor chap’s head, past me and through the coat I was scraping. But we got our own back after dark.”

Mae’r Preifat Sam Palmer o’r 19eg Brigâd Troedfilwyr, yn ysgrifennu o’r ffrynt at Mrs Davies, 14, Bright-street,

Wrecsam – “Dim ond gair i roi gwybod i chi fy mod yn iach ac yn hapus. Mae cyflwr y ffosydd yn ofnadwy ar ôl y glaw trwm yn ddiweddar. Mae pethau yn ddistaw iawn yma ar hyn o bryd, ar wahân i’r tanio parhaus. Tra roeddwn yn aros mewn grwp yn disgwyl i’r dwr ferwi i gael cinio, roeddwn yn crafu mwd oddi ar gôt pan aeth bwled trwy ben un creadur druan, heibio i mi a thrwy’r gôt yr oeddwn yn ei chrafu. Ond fe dalom y pwyth nôl ar ôl iddi dywyllu.”

January 30th 1915 / Ionawr 30ain 1915

WRExHAm mAn’s ExpERIEncEs pROFIADAU DYn O WREcsAm D.C.M. for a

Wrexham man D.C.M. i ddyn

o Wrecsam

Corporal Evan Jones, 1st King’s Liverpool Regiment, who was mentioned in dispatches and is to receive the

Distinguished Conduct Medal, is an old Wrexhamite. He was educated at the British Schools. The act of bravery for which the D.C.M. is to be conferred is ‘For gallantry and ability on November 6th when he went out under shell fire in front of our position and succeeded in making a sketch of the German trenches which resulted in the accurate direction of our guns on the enemy.’

Brodor o Wrecsam yw’r Corporal Evan Jones, o Gatrawd 1af y Brenin, Lerpwl, y soniwyd amdano mewn adroddiadau

ac sydd i dderbyn y Fedal am Ymddygiad Rhagorol. Cafodd ei addysgu yn yr Ysgol Brydeinig. Bydd yn derbyn y fedal am ‘Ei wroldeb a’i allu ar 6ed Tachwedd pan fentrodd allan o flaen ein safle tra roedd y sieliau’n ffrwydro a llwyddodd i dynnu llun o ffosydd yr Almaenwyr; o ganlyniad llwyddom i anelu ein gynnau yn gywir ar y gelyn.’

march 27th 1915 / mawrth 27ain 1915First World War recruitment poster. WCBM 84.50.11.Poster recriwtio’r Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf. ABSW 84.50.11.

Brymbo soldier’s recruiting appeal

Apêl recriwtio milwr o Frymbo

Arise, ye sons of Brymbo,

Your country needs your aid,

And in the time that’s coming,

Ne’er let it e’er be said,

That you were cowards and wasters,

Or afraid to do, or dare

Or, in your country’s battles

Refused to do your share.

I’ve known you all since boyhood –

Together we have played,

And now, as men, together

Let our mettle be displayed.

…And now friends in conclusion,

Pray do not hesitate;

Come quickly, be a soldier

And seal the Germans’ fate.

August 14th 1915 / Awst 14eg 1915

The following verses have been received from pte. R. Davies, Brymbo, which were composed by him in the trenches of France, where he is serving with the R.A.m.c.:

Derbyniwyd y penillion hyn oddi wrth y preifat R. Davies, o Frymbo, cyfansoddodd ef hwy yn ffosydd Ffrainc lle mae’n gwasanaethu gyda’r R.A.m.c.:

A Coedpoeth soldier as poet Bardd o fi lwr o Goedpoeth

Trwm yw gweld y gwenith melynYn sathredig o dan draedPam yr ofna fysedd newyn –Llu orweddant yn eu gwaed,O fy Nuw rho ddiwedd buan,Ar y rhyfel waedlyd honFel y bydda heddwch buanYn teyrnasu ym mhob bron.

The following is a free translation:

It’s grief to see the ripened cornfields,Trampled down and spoiled with flood;While the thousands fear the famine –Others writhe in pain and blood.Heavenly Ruler, and these struggles,Fill with peace the hearts of men,Sound the trumpets, peaceful angels,Give us peace on earth again.

July 31st 1915 / Gorffennaf 31ain 1915

In a letter home, private Llewelyn Davies, of Bryn maelor, High-street, coedpoeth, writes the following verses from the front, where he is serving with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

mewn llythyr adref, mae’r preifat Llewelyn Davies, o Fryn maelor, stryt Fawr, coedpoeth, yn ysgrifennu’r penillion a ganlyn o’r ffrynt lle mae’n gwasanaethu gyda’r Ffiwsilwyr Brenhinol cymreig.

1914-15

W r e x h a m Te l e g r a p h

First World War recruitment poster, WCBM 84.50.7.Poster recriwtio’r Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, ABSW 84.50.7.

Flags of Britain and her allies, First World War. WCBM 86.3.14.Baneri Prydain a’i chyngheiriaid, Y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf. ABSW 86.3.14.

Christmas Day in the trenches Diwrnod Nadolig yn y ffosydd

LETTER TO FRIEnDs In nORTH WALEs: LLYTHYR I FFRInDIAU YnG nGOGLEDD cYmRU:

Wrexham Archives 1061-64.Archifau Wrecsam 1061-64.