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AMMANFORD WOUNDED SOLDIER. P3
Upset by Drink at Llanelly. His Career Saves Him from Fine.
A wounded soldier, named William Rees, of Ammanford, was charged at the Llanelly Police Court on Saturday with drunkenness.
Defendant, who pleaded guilty said, “I have come form the firing line, having been wounded at Ypres. Being still very weak, I suppose the drink upset me. I may say, gentlemen, that this is the second war I have taken part in.”
Replying to the presiding Magistrate (Mr. Thomas Jones), defendant said he served in the South African war.
The Presiding Magistrate: Don't you think it would be better if you kept sober when you are invalided home?
Defendant said he was unable to ‘stick' so much drink since he had been in hospital for two months.
Mr. W. B. Jones: But as you are weaker you ought not to drink and make a fool of yourself.
Defendant: I hope I will not do so any more.
The Presiding Magistrate: We ought to penalize you, but we feel that you have done your duty by serving your King and Country. We sympathise with you, and we are proud of such men, but at the same time it must be remembered that even a soldier who gets drunk ought to be penalised. We feel inclined to fine you, but as you have given us your history we dismiss the case.
STEADY TRICKLING OF RECRUITS P?
The anticipations held of brisk enlistments with the colours following the Yuletide holidays are being realised at Ammanford, where during the past few days there has been a steady trickling of men of a fine class, all ready and eager to serve with their comrades in upholding the country's honour and liberty. This at least shows that the appeals of the last month or so have not fallen of deaf ears, and that the youth of the locality are fairly well alive to their responsibilities and privileges.
The industrial conditions form an important factor in the mental process preceding the determination to enlist, and we have heard it suggested that the lockout at the Tirydail Colliery has had a great deal to do with the influx of men this week.
This may or may not be correct. It is evident that the matter is so finely balanced in the minds of our young men that seemingly trivial circumstances which arise serve to turn the scales one way or the other.
We feel obliged to state that on the whole the youth of the town and the locality have done well; at the same time we feel confident that in the very near future they will do better. Some interesting recruiting figures have been given by Capt. Veale, who is the chief recruiting officer for the area comprising the counties of Carmarthen and Pembroke.
Up to the end of the year there have been close upon 3,700 enlistments for the Regular Army. The largest number, of course, joined in the first few weeks after the outbreak of the war, but since September the number has greatly diminished, for only about 700 were registered from that time on.
Of the total number the industrial districts of Llanelly, Tumble, and Ammanford sent 2,147. In the period of five weeks seventeen men only enlisted at the Ammanford offices, but it appeared that many men in the Amman Valley preferred to join in Glamorgan, and Capt. Veale believes that many men were thus lost to Carmarthenshire.
Sapper T. Richards, of Llandebie, in the 12 th Field Company, Royal Engineers, writing to his wife, sends an extract from a report by Lieut-Col. — commanding, on the action at Hooge on the 9 th August: —
“The excellent work done by the section of the 12 th Field Company, Royal Engineers under Captain Turner and Lieut Sibbth. This section went forward to the second line and move through our first line under very heavy artillery and machine-gun fire, and put up wire in front of the captured position. I regret their losses were very heavy. Both officers were wounded, but the remainder of the men still went on working, and when the wire was finished, came back and dug communication trenches in the open. I cannot speak too highly of their work, and this section had the admiration of all for their bravery and coolness under very heavy fire. What do you think of that? That's all right, isn't it? Twm Danyberllan (himself) was one of them.
NEW INN (Private Will Jenkins)
Wednesday evening saw another good attendance at a smoker given in the long room of the same hotel, when a presentation of a cigarette case and 100 cigarettes and a purse was made to Private Will Jenkins, of Wind Street, son of Mr. W. Jenkins, of Bettws. The chairman was again Mr. Jno. Williams. Mr. Tom Thomas, Walter Road, acted as secretary, and Mr. E. John Evans was the accompanist. Those taking part were : — Messrs. D. Davies, Tony Wood, Jack Williams, D. John Richards, Tom Roach, Tom Williams, Will Roberts, M. Lewis, Dd. Evans, E Edwards, Jack Thomas, Tom Morris, Owen Madden, Wyndham Davies and Ewart Evans.
“SEND-OFFS” FROM AMMANFORD P5
Presentations to Soldiers.
An interesting event took place at the Dynevor Arms Hotel, Pantyffynnon, on Monday evening, when a considerable gathering of his friends assembled for the purpose of making a presentation of a handsome leather dressing case and a purse of money to Gunner Fred Jones, of the Royal Garrison Artillery.
There recipient, who is a fine specimen of a soldier, standing over 6ft., has served in France for a year, and had been home one a few days furlough. He was returning to the front on Tuesday morning. Mr. Jno. Harries, J.P. (Irlwyn), presided, and made a very effective speech, remarking that Fred Jones had always been a friend in any matter affecting the colliery workers. They were gathered together to welcome their friend and show a little appreciation of the heroism he had shown in the battles of Neuve Chapelle and Hill 60. they were glad to see he had succeeded in returning home out of that severe fight. He was now going back to help crush the German autocracy which had cause the European war.
The presentation was made by Miss Owen, daughter of Mr. Rhys Owen, Dynevor Arms, who wished the recipient long life and happiness, and hoped that she might see him among them again. In responding, Gunner Jones said he was pleased to see them all there, for Ammanford was the best spot he had struck in all his life. He had been well treated there, not only as a soldier, but also as a civilian when he worked amongst them. He thanked them for what they had done, not only for him, but for other soldiers who had gone to the Front. It was their duty to go, and as workmen those present were doing their share. He was proud of Ammanford. The recipient's health was drunk with musical honours.
Short addresses were also given by Messrs. D. Thomas, Hy. Esmond, Rhys Owen, F. Treavett ( Amman Valley Chronicle ), and W. Williams.
Solos were rendered by Messrs. Rees Davies, Garnswllt; Morgan Rees, Garnswllt; W. Williams and D. Jenkins, Penybank; Jonathan Davies, Jno. Williams, D. Jenkins, Jno. Williams, and D. H. Williams; and Mr. Rees Isaac, Tirydail, gave two recitations. Mr. Caradog Roberts was the accompanist.
NEW INN (Gunner D. Williams)
On Monday evening, at the New Inn, a smoker was given in honour of Gunner D. Williams, brother of Sergt. W. B. Williams, who unfortunately lost his life in action. William was home on a short visit, and a few of his friends assembled and presented him with a cigarette case, some cigarettes, and a purse of money. A capital concert followed, under the chairmanship of Mr. Jno. Williams, Walter Road, the following taking part : — Messrs. Frank Hughes, Sam Morgan, Jack Thomas, Owen Madden, Joe Morris, Tom Thomas, D. O. Jones, Morgans (Tycroes), D. Davies, Palmer, and Phillips (Cwmgorse) sang; Messrs. Hughes, Thomas, and Davies rendered a trio; Mr. Jno. Williams recited; and Mr. Tony Wood gave a step dance.
The proceedings were very interesting and pleasurable. Mr. Fred Jenkins was the secretary, and Mr. Evan John Evans the accompanist.
GLANAMMAN POSTMAN WOUNDED. DURING CHARGE ON GERMAN TRENCHES. P4 Thrilling Account of the Onslaught.
News has reached Glanamman of the wounding on the battlefield of Private Tom Lewis, while serving with his regiment, the Somerset Light Infantry. He was called up immediately on the declaration of war, and, although nearly always in the thick of it, he escaped unscathed up to the middle of December, when in a charge upon the German trenches he got cut up in the barbed wire entanglements.
He is now in hospital in France. Being a postman, he was well known in Glanamman.
Writing to his wife, Mrs. Lewis, of Tabernacle Terrace, from the hospital on Xmas evening, he gives a thrilling account of the charge. He says :—
“I wonder what sort of a Christmas Day you have had? Hope you had a pleasant and enjoyable one. If not, I shall be very cross when you see me.
Mine has been a very excitable and enjoyable one. I had two nice presents given me in hospital – Princess Mary's and a nice little writing case from some old folk in Scotland. Princess Mary's consists of a nice little box, pipe, fags, and “bacca.”
I simply must tell you how I got wounded. Our Company was selected to make an attack on some trenches to our front about five hundred yards; the gunners bombarded them for a few hours before we commenced, and my God what a sight. We hadn't been able to see the effects of our guns before. Their marksmanship and the many they had hit over with their trenches to pieces; they must have killed hundreds. After the bombardment, we made the charge; then we had it hot for a while. Our boys went at them like tigers, with the thoughts of revenge for the many they have hit over with their snipers. I didn't get right up myself; I got bowled over in front of the barbed wire entanglements, in the left buttock. I was very fortunate to have it in the fleshy part, though it is rather a nasty hit; it ripped me open so much. I am much easier now than I've been, my temperature almost normal; so things are looking a little rosy. I was left on the field form the time I was hit until eight o'clock without being dressed, nearly five hours; it was an awful time.
Of course no one could come to me, as we were under fire the whole time, and our boys had to hold on to what they had gained like grim death. However, I managed to drag myself back on my elbows to the edge of the wood – about 300 yards; there I got picked up by stretcher bearers, and here I am in, and very tired too.”
LOCAL LOSSES AT DARDANELLS. P7
Corporal Edward Evans, B company, 1/4 th Battalion Welsh Regiment. Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, writing home to his brother, sister and niece at Ammanford, on the 13 th August, from the 2nd Australian Stationary Hospital , says : — “Sorry I didn't have time to write to you before, as after we landed last Monday morning we were preparing for breakfast and the enemy started shelling us, so that they spoiled our meal, and we had to go further on. We were ordered to take off our valises and straps and put off to the fighting area. On Tuesday we were put in the firing line, and I got wounded, a bullet passing through the top of my left shoulders and out a little lower down, as we were going for a bayonet charge. I believe we have suffered heavy losses between the killed and wounded.
I have heard now that Dai is killed, and our Company Sergeant-Major (Meredith Williams), from Carmarthen, you know, and Tom Hughes (chemist), Harold Jones and Twist are here in the hospital, as well as hundreds of other.”
BULLETS FOR BREAKFAST. P?
An amusing description of the reception to Britishers by the enemy in the Dardanelles is given by Sergt. Dick Williams, Llandilo Company, 14 th Welsh, in the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, in a letter to a friend, Mr. Ned Edwards, of Llandilo.
“Dear Ned,” he writes, “ have washed once and shaved once in twelve days. How is the world using you? We had a fine reception from the Turks when we landed. They no doubt heard that the 4 th Welsh were coming. We landed in small boats from the big one, and we got ashore all right. We started making a fire, and no sooner had we done that than they shelled us and smashed the ‘dixies' we had for cooking to pieces. Then we scattered, but soon got together again and marched up a valley, and the following night we got into position and had a go at them.We have been in the trenches twelve days without being relieved, but I am feeling tip-top and in the pink of condition. Bullets and shells are flying about all day and night, and you can hardly raise your head above the trench. Sid Bell wishes to be remembered to you, and says please send half a pint of Worthington on. A lot of fellows have been wounded, in leg and arm mostly. The ‘grub' is very good. For breakfast we have bullets; dinner, shrapnel; and tea, bullets. For the remainder of the time we get an assortment. But, Ned, I am feeling in the pink, and thank God for having saved us so far. Remember me to the Club.”
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