Community

My remembrance

Published

10 years ago

December 2, 2014

FOR many , Remembrance Day is more than a commemoration of the thousands of men who gave their lives for our freedom. Men whose stories we hear but will never get to meet. For many of us, it marks a personal tribute to the men of our own families whose lives and innocence was lost and whose bravery must never be forgotten. This year marks the centenary of the First World War and the strength and courage of those men is more poignant than ever. This is my remembrance for the three generations of my family who fought in the First and Second World Wars. My Great Grandfather, George, was a Dockyard worker who spent his spare time repairing clocks. Like many of the young men he was called up with, he had no idea of what War would be like, of the conditions he would live in and the terrible things he would see. He was proud to be fighting for his country, so he left his home in Devon to become a soldier in WW1.

He was part of the machine gun co, spending most of his service in the trenches. He was also involved in the Battle of Somme in 1916 which is most likely where he sustained his injuries. He was lucky not to be one of 58,000 troops killed during the battle. I don’t remember much about Great Granddad, except that he was very quiet and watchful. He never talked about the war or its effects on him. My Granddad, Robert, was a bricklayer and keen motorcyclist from Devon. When he was enlisted, he offered his services as a bricklayer.

There wasn’t any need for builders so he began infantry training in 1942. He later became a motorcycle Dispatch Rider (military messenger), serving for 5 years in North Africa, Italy and Palestine in several antitank regiments. Granddad kept a diary, a very frank account of what he saw and felt during the War. He was badly injured when a passing shell hit a farm house on the road he was walking down. Throwing himself to the ground, he remembers being littered with debris and a sharp pain in his back. It was later found that shrapnel from the shell had gone into his back, leg and shoulder.

This was removed in an operation but years later he could still feel small pieces of shrapnel in his knee and finger. Like many soldiers, Granddad wrote home to his family during the War. We discovered these letters after he’d passed away. There was also a prayer book, with an inscription inside by my Great Grandfather. This little book came safely through World War 1… Darling Bob, hoping you will come safely back to us.

The letters are heartfelt exchanges between a worried mother and a brave son. My Great Gran talks of my Great Grandfather ‘fire watching’ and the ‘Yanks’ nearly running her over in their Jeeps. Also the terrible silence as my Great Granddad works on his clocks and she sits with nothing to do but wait and worry. My Grandfather reassures her that he is well, requesting small items of comfort and to pass on his good wishes to friends at home. On leaving the War, Granddad wrote his diary entries into a book which I typed up for him and he had printed in 2008. Sadly he passed away in 2011, but I will never forget the tall man, who talked modestly about the war, cracked jokes at his own expense and loudly banged the side of the chair in time to the band on the Festival of Remembrance.

My Dad’s Great Uncle John Harris, affectionately known as Jack, left his family in LLanfrynach, Brecon in 1914. He joined the machine gun co and was heavily involved in front line battle. He died in a POW camp in Belgium in Sep 1918 just weeks before the Armistice. My Dad’s Uncle still has the letter from the British Red Cross announcing his death. In 2010 my family travelled out to France, to find the War Grave of Jack. They talk about the rows of grave stones, looking out over the Channel and the way they are beautifully kept by the locals. I think this was a cold realisation of all the lives lost, the Sons, Brothers, Fathers and Grandfathers who will never come home.

I am proud of my family’s military history and of the men and women who continue to fight for us. November 11 is a day to remember these people and the way they suffered to give us the freedom we enjoy today. We should never lose sight of that, of what it means to be alive, to share compassion. It’s the only way we can ever truly be thankful.

Community

Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity

Published

17 hours ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.

Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.

The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.

Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.

Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.

(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)

Community

Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend

Published

1 day ago

December 21, 2024

Tom Sinclair

ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.

In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”

Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.

Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.

Community

Restoration of a pond hopes to support biodiversity in Pembrokeshire

Published

2 days ago

December 20, 2024

Tom Sinclair

AN OLD millpond at the heart of the Wallis and Ambleston community, and a site of Special Scientific Interest, has now been improved to benefit water quality and increase biodiversity in an area of South Wales, thanks to funding from Nestlé Waters UK.

Wallis Pond was created in 1836 as part of the tributary of the Wester Cleddau River to supply water to a local mill. Back in 1978, it was restored and later re-opened by HRH King Charles III, the then Prince of Wales.

Over the years, the pond had become completely silted up, restricting the waters passage and the pond’s ability to retain water, resulting in a reduced diversity of habitat in and around the millpond.

Pembrokeshire County Council, Heavyside Landscapes and Nestlé Waters UK have come together to restore the millpond with regulatory guidance from Natural Resources Wales and support from the Ambleston Community Council.

The project saw the pond re-dug and de-silted, and the old sluice gate replaced to re-establish the millpond. With the pond now able to hold more water, it is hoped to help build resilience to the increased frequency and intensity of storm events, alleviating the risk of flooding in the local area.

Retention of flows in the pond for a longer time should help reduce silt build-up and prevent nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates from travelling downstream in the Cleddau catchment, helping to protect water quality, improve aquatic habitats, and encourage eels, otters, damselflies, and other wildlife species.

Restoration of Wallis Pond is one of the projects that Nestlé Waters is working on as part of its efforts to help regenerate local water cycles and create a positive water impact everywhere the company operates.

Matthew Faulkner, Factory Manager at the Nestlé Waters site in Princes Gate, said: “We are proud to be a part of the Wallis Pond restoration work, aimed at delivering long-lasting benefits in Pembrokeshire, where we bottle at source Princes Gate and Nestlé Pure Life waters. This beautiful landscape is not only our home, but also home to some incredible flora and fauna which are vital for keeping the area rich and thriving in biodiversity.

“We’re working hard to protect this land and the water beneath our feet. Water is a shared resource and a shared responsibility, and caring for it takes the whole community. That’s why we’re grateful to be working with partners on this project that will hopefully have a positive impact on the local ecosystem and community.”

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at the Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “We welcome this funding to enhance the biodiversity in Wallis Pond which can be enjoyed by the residents of Ambleston, the wider communities in Pembrokeshire and the visitors to our fantastic county.

“This is an excellent example of partnership working that has significant benefits for the environment and the wellbeing of generations to come.”

Eirian Forrest, Clerk at the Ambleston Community Council, said: “We are grateful to Nestlé Waters UK for the funding and wish to thank everyone who has been involved in this project, especially the Pembrokeshire County Council team, for pushing the project forwards.

“The Community Council are delighted that the work has finally been done and look forward to the positive impact it will have on biodiversity. We have already received many positive comments from members of the community. The improved pond encourages locals to take a walk around the area, as well as sit down to watch and enjoy the wildlife.”