A-Z of Services

First World War 1914-15

WREXHAM & EAST DENBIGHSHIRE TELEGRAPH

1914-1915

THE WAR

THRILLING SCENES IN WREXHAM

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.

(Wrexham Advertiser, August 8th 1914)

CHRISTMAS DAY IN THE TRENCHES

LETTER TO FRIENDS IN NORTH WALES

“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.”

(Wrexham Advertiser, January 9th 1915)

WREXHAM MAN’S EXPERIENCES

A DEADLY BULLET

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.”

(Wrexham Advertiser, January 30th 1915)

D.C.M. FOR A WREXHAM MAN

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.’

(Wrexham Advertiser, March 27th 1915)

4th Battalion, Royal Welch Fusiliers, Givenchy, France. WCBM 84.90.23

SEVERE LOSSES IN THE 4TH BATTALION

ROYAL WELSH FUSILIERS

According to information which has been received in Wrexham, the 4th Battalion R.W.F., ‘The Fighting Fourth’, has sustained very heavy losses in a severe engagement in France on Sunday last. The sad news has cast quite a gloom over the whole neighbourhood of Wrexham, where scores of homes will be plunged in grief and mourning.

(Wrexham Advertiser, May 15th 1915)

First World War recruitment poster. WCBM 84.50.11

Brymbo Soldier’s Recruiting Appeal

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.

(Wrexham Advertiser, August 14th 1915)

A COEDPOETH SOLDIER AS POET

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.

Trwm yw gweld y gwenith melyn
Yn sathredig o dan draed
Pam yr ofna fysedd newyn –
Llu orweddant yn eu gwaed,
O fy Nuw rho ddiwedd buan,
Ar y rhyfel waedlyd hon
Fel y bydda heddwch buan
Yn 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.

(Wrexham Advertiser, July 31st 1915)

RHOSDDU BANDSMAN UNDER FIRE

Mr Harding Griffiths, Walnut Tree Hotel, Rhosddu, has received a letter from Bugler Jack Griffiths, 1/5th R.W.F. with the Mediterranean Force. The writer says “We have been out here three weeks, and for two of those weeks we have been holding the front line trenches. Talk about being put through the mill. The first day we landed we were met on the beach by a very heavy shell and shrapnel fire, but worse was to follow, for the next day we were ordered to advance and for eight solid hours we were in the thick of a great battle.

It was a scene I will never forget. Our men were knocked over as fast as they went up the hill. But the true Welsh pluck never left the Welsh boys, and by five o’clock we were on top of it. We suffered tremendous, and when the roll was called, our smart and proud Battalion looked very small. Our Colonel, Major, and best part of our leaders went down. It was a proper slashing, but thank the Lord, I am one of the lucky ones. My bugle was fairly riddled with bullet holes but none caught me.”

(Wrexham Advertiser, September 25th 1915)

Editorial

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.

This document with added images is available to download in the following formats: