26/11/1914

WORKING HARD AT DOVER. AMMANFORD MAN WITH A. O. C. P1

Private G. T. Hill, 1946, 17 Company Army Ordnance Corps, Gun Wharf, Dover, has written an interesting letter to his friend Mr. Willie Rees, tailor, Llandebie, of which the following are extracts :- “I must really apologise for not having written sooner, but to tell the truth I detest the job, although it has got to be done. Well, there is one advantage derived by joining the Army, and that is, the see a great deal of the country at the Government’s expense. We joined up at Aldershot. Then we went to Woolwich, and now we are at Dover, and from here we are gradually being distributed to different centres. Our work is to equip all regiments with small and large arms, and all appertaining to such. At present we are very hard worked, there being such a rush for everything; in fact, we are working night and day. It is a sight to see the stuff that goes through our hands alone. As regards the place itself, I cannot tell you much about it, for as soon as we finish we march back to barracks and the confined, as we may be called out at any time if there is anything specially wanted. There is one redeeming feature, and that is that our barracks are situated in an ideal position, and commands an excellent view of the harbour. The German submarines have been very close to us here at Deal, where they sank a gunboat a day or so ago, being only a few miles distant. Well, old chap, I must mow draw to a close. Remember me to all your family.”

AMMANFORD BANDSMAN WITH THE COLOURS. Writes to Thank the Silver Band for a Kind Gift. P4

Driver W. J. Edwards, of the R. F. A., stationed at Shorncliffe, has sent the following letter to Mr. T. C. Price, of Myrtle House, Bettws, the secretary of the Ammanford Urban Silver Band, in acknowledgement of a silver cigarette case, suitably inscribed, presented to him by the Band, of which he is a member: “Just a few lines to acknowledge receipt of parcel, the contents of which I very much appreciate. Give my sincere thanks to all the members of the Band and inform them that the cigarette case helps me to remember my pleasant association with the band. I have missed my instrument very much, but I hope to have a blow on it again when I get home. We are getting plenty to do here, as they want to get us fit for service as soon as possible. It was hard work at first, but we have got quite used to it by now. In conclusion, I hope that all the members of the band are sticking to their work, and that I shall have the pleasure of seeing them shortly. Wishing you well like myself and again thanking you.”



FAILURE OF GERMAN STRATEGY EAST & WEST REVERSES INCIDENTS OF THE WORLD WIDE STRUGGLE
06/08/14 13/08/14 20/08/14 27/08/14 03/09/14 10/09/14 17/09/14 24/09/14 01/10/14 08/10/14 15/10/14 22/10/14 29/10/14	AMMANFORD SOLDIERS WAR EXPERIENCES. RAIN, HAIL AND SNOW IN THE TRENCHES. PTE FINCH GETS HIS “CHRONICLE” ON THE BATTLEFIELD. P1 Another letter giving realistic glimpsed of the fighting in Northern France and Belgium has been sent home by Pte. Joe Finch, of Ammanford, serving with the Shropshire Light Infantry, to his brother, Mr. W. Finch, of Pontycleric House, Ammanford. “I told you in my last letter about it being cold in the trenches (he says). Well, yesterday it was worse than ever, as we had rain, snow, and hail accompanied with a keen east wind. I don’t think it could have been much colder.” “We left the trenches again on Saturday morning and went back into the reserve for a short rest, having been in the trenches for fourteen days and nights; and, now, I don’t think we shall go into the trenches for another week at least. We did not get much fighting in the trenches during that period, as most of the fight is now raging on our left flank towards the coast, you know – the way that “Willie the Dreamer” is thinking of getting to England via Calais. No doubt he will manage that about as well as he did when marching to Paris. He has got something to do before he gets what he wants with the British and French, and also our Indian troops. “The Gurkhas have already shown the Germans how they can use their knives or kurki, as they call it. I believe they have already had thousands to their credit with killed, wounded and prisoners. “We did have two in the firing line but they were of a very faint-hearted nature, and we only lost one and had three very slightly wounded in my battalion, but I can’t tell you how the right and left flanks got on.” “The only bit of excitement I had was on the night of the second attack. I was on duty about 900 yards in rear of my battalion seeing that no water was wasted by the men during the process of filling their water bottles, when a few stray shells and a few bullets from the enemy’s rifles started to come round us. So you may guess, we made a pretty quick move to rejoin our different companies, but, I am pleased to say, we all managed to return safely.” He proceeds to say that he does not need anything else at present in the way of clothing, but is thankful for the great kindness shown towards him. In a postscript, he says he has just received a copy of the Amman Valley Chronicle which he hopes to read all through the week. He has no doubt that is the first copy to reach that part of the world..	WORKING HARD AT DOVER. AMMANFORD MAN WITH A. O. C. P1 Private G. T. Hill, 1946, 17 Company Army Ordnance Corps, Gun Wharf, Dover, has written an interesting letter to his friend Mr. Willie Rees, tailor, Llandebie, of which the following are extracts :- “I must really apologise for not having written sooner, but to tell the truth I detest the job, although it has got to be done. Well, there is one advantage derived by joining the Army, and that is, the see a great deal of the country at the Government’s expense. We joined up at Aldershot. Then we went to Woolwich, and now we are at Dover, and from here we are gradually being distributed to different centres. Our work is to equip all regiments with small and large arms, and all appertaining to such. At present we are very hard worked, there being such a rush for everything; in fact, we are working night and day. It is a sight to see the stuff that goes through our hands alone. As regards the place itself, I cannot tell you much about it, for as soon as we finish we march back to barracks and the confined, as we may be called out at any time if there is anything specially wanted. There is one redeeming feature, and that is that our barracks are situated in an ideal position, and commands an excellent view of the harbour. The German submarines have been very close to us here at Deal, where they sank a gunboat a day or so ago, being only a few miles distant. Well, old chap, I must mow draw to a close. Remember me to all your family.” AMMANFORD BANDSMAN WITH THE COLOURS. Writes to Thank the Silver Band for a Kind Gift. P4 Driver W. J. Edwards, of the R. F. A., stationed at Shorncliffe, has sent the following letter to Mr. T. C. Price, of Myrtle House, Bettws, the secretary of the Ammanford Urban Silver Band, in acknowledgement of a silver cigarette case, suitably inscribed, presented to him by the Band, of which he is a member: “Just a few lines to acknowledge receipt of parcel, the contents of which I very much appreciate. Give my sincere thanks to all the members of the Band and inform them that the cigarette case helps me to remember my pleasant association with the band. I have missed my instrument very much, but I hope to have a blow on it again when I get home. We are getting plenty to do here, as they want to get us fit for service as soon as possible. It was hard work at first, but we have got quite used to it by now. In conclusion, I hope that all the members of the band are sticking to their work, and that I shall have the pleasure of seeing them shortly. Wishing you well like myself and again thanking you.”	05/11/14 12/11/14 19/11/14 26/11/14 03/12/14 10/12/14 17/12/14 24/12/14 31/12/14