MILITARIANISM # 3

There is an argument in favour of no longer commemorating very old wars (i.e. wars beyond living memory) because it is inappropriate to celebrate mass murder and mass suicide.
The social history of wartime however remains fascinating. Here are more local military images from near or during World War 1.

B Squadron, Lancashire Hussars Yeomanry (LHRY) at Rhyl, 1908
Ferry Hotel, Kinmel Bay, in background

Note on rear of this says Grenadier Guards at Rhyl, 1913

Click on any image to see a bigger version.

1st Battalion, Welsh Regiment at Kinmel Park Camp
near Bodelwyddan, 1915

Rhyl Volunteer Training Corps, April 1916
- not Rhyl in background

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Colin Jones / rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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MILITARIANISM # 2

A post on 8th January this year, now titled MILITARIANISM #1, featured some local military camp pictures from the World War 1 era. These drew a considerable amount of interest so here are more of the same.

I present these as items of social history and would not wish to condone or glorify military conflict in any way. In my lifetime I have not supported the UK's involvement in any war. Peacenik, that's me.

The following images are dated.
Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

1908 - Cheshire Regiment at Rhyl

1914 - North Wales Comrades training at Rhyl
(not to be confused with North Wales "Pals")

1914 - North Wales Comrades training at Rhyl (2)

1915 - Service Batt. Welsh Regt. (Carmarthenshire)
outside Rhyl Pavilion

1916 - Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Kinmel Park Camp near Bodelwyddan
Aber. Hut (Aber Where,  I wonder)

The following images are undated but from same period.
Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

 Church Lads' Brigade - Morning wash at Rhyl Camp No.7
(Magic Lantern slide)

 Royal Welsh Fusiliers - Church Parade at Rhyl Camp

Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Kinmel Park Camp

Royal Welsh Fusiliers at Kinmel Park Camp (2)

To round off this post, here is a rare snapshot of WW1 soldiers in Rhyl, marching down High Street and about to cross the Alexandra Bridge which these days is called Vale Road Bridge:

Furthest right is a tantalising glimpse of the building that was demolished in the 1930s to make way for Odeon Cinema (now Apollo Bingo).
In centre of the picture is William Roberts' corner shop, and to your left of the shop is a hotel; I have it on good authority that the hotel's rooms still exist on the upper floors.

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MON 11 SEP 2017 UPDATE: Another image of Church Lads' Brigade. Here they are marching along the prom in Rhyl. This pic is presumably from World War 1 period.

You can find out more about the Church Lads' Brigade and Church Girls' Brigade in Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Lads%27_and_Church_Girls%27_Brigade

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MILITARIANISM #1

Blessed are the peace makers and not the war makers. The image above is captioned Denbighshire T.Y. RHYL 1912 "Church Parade". Abbreviation T.Y. may stand for Territorial Youth. On the other hand, it may not.

Click on any image to see a bigger version.

The Rhyl district, a comparatively safe place, has been ideal for military training camps. Here is a picture captioned The Lancashire Hussars Camp at Rhyl 1909:

The following is Western Signal Camp, Royal Engineers Camp at RHYL 1913 (the year before The Great War aka World War 1 began):

Below: Taking a break at Denbighshire Hussars Camp Rhyl 1914.

Recently the next item was for sale on Internet, hence the seller's logo. The accompanying description said DRUM MAJOR PALMER 1st RHONDDA BATT WELSH REGIMENT BAND POSE RHYL 1914:

The letters R.B.B. above must stand for Rhondda Battalion Band. I wonder why soldiers from South Wales were up here.

The next was taken at Kinmel Park Camp, Bodelwyddan, in 1916 by which time the war was half over. It is in the form of a postcard addressed to John Evans Esq of Kensington, Liverpool. 

The postcard bears the following message on the reverse: "Waiting for a word from you. I have blood poison in my right hand & be home very soon. Your friend, Dick."

The card below reflects the toxic combination of patriotism and emotional blackmail that led an estimated 744,000 young Britons to their deaths in that dreadful conflict.

For more statistics about the extent of casualties see Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_War_I_casualties

Recommended film: Oh! What A Lovely War (1969) directed by Richard Attenborough, from an epic stage musical created by Joan Littlewood's ensemble at Stratford, London, in 1963.

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Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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THU 23rd NOV 2017 UPDATE: A dramatic shot of Denbighshire T.Y. galloping on the sands near their Rhyl camp in 1912:

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GREETINGS

The above image of Elwy Street, Rhyl, under snow appeared in a previous post. I said at the time that it would make a nice Christmas card, so here it is from me to you. Thanks for reading.

An item has come to hand re: Kinmel Park Camp near Bodelwyddan, a card dated Christmas Day 1919 (the year after World War 1 ended) and signed by W.B. Hughes, Chaplain to the Forces:

Click on it to read the small print.

More local militaria is in the pipeline for next year plus more of everything from Rhyl and district. Stay safe until then. Best wishes.

Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Frohe Weihnachten und Happy New Year

веселого Рождества и счастливого Нового года

joyeux Noel et bonne année

З Різдвом і Новим Роком

Feliz navidad y próspero año nuevo

Wesołych Świąt i Szczęśliwego Nowego Roku

vrolijk kerstfeest en een gelukkig nieuwjaar

メリークリスマスと新年会

UPDATES

During the course of 2016 quite a few old posts were updated. To see the updates please click here:

http://rhyl-life.blogspot.co.uk/search?q=2016+UPDATE

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Don't forget my YouTube channel featuring Rhyl videos and slideshows. The channel is named RhylTime. Click here to see RhylTime's Top Ten:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL7BKgZiQNRSaVpnyTl8PgEpPusmd3dl_z

Only YouTube items labelled RhylTime are mine.

Colin Jones / email: rhyl.colin.jones@live.co.uk

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QUIZ ANSWER # 154

Last Sunday I posted part of a photo taken a few days before in Rhyl by Yours Truly. The question: Where was I standing?

The answer: Paradise Street or Clwyd Street.

I was in Paradise Street but with a touch a zoom I could have taken the same shot from Clwyd Street. Here is complete photo with St. Thomas' Church and other details restored:

Also I posted the following picture of a badge. The question: What is unusual about it?

The answer: The National Eisteddfod was not here in 1974.

Eisteddfod Yr Urdd is the youth version of the event and it has a separate itinerary. The adult version of National Eisteddfod Of Wales came to Rhyl in 1892, 1904, 1953 and 1985.

Both correct answers were needed to score 1 win. Everybody got the street but nobody got the badge. No winners!

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More badges: a poppy styled emblem of the Junior Tradesmen's Regiment (Kinmel Park Camp, Bodelwyddan) 1962-1974, and Rhyl & District Motor Club car badge / Model Train Exhibition Rhyl, and gold-coloured badge (style of lettering indicates it's quite an old one) / Rhyl Football Club badge by Mark Parr, and Rhyl Delta F.C. who played in Welsh Alliance League from 1998 to 2000:

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WED 1st MAR 2017 UPDATE: Further to the Junior Tradesmen’s Regiment (Kinmel Park Camp) emblem shown above, here is a sew-on badge and a belt:

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THU 4th JAN 2018 UPDATE: Further to the Rhyl & District Motor Club car badge shown above, here is an enamel coat badge of completely different design:

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BODEL-ODDMENTS

The village of Bodelwyddan (pronounced Bodel-withan) is about 5 miles or 8 kilometres south of Rhyl and shares the same LL18 postcode, and is my kind of place: only one public house and more than sixty listed buildings. 

Its most famous landmark must be St. Margaret's Church or 'the marble church'. The old photos above, of the exterior and the pulpit, are by Rhyl photographer Rae Pickard.

Much admired is the church's east window designed by father and son Michael and Arthur O'Connor in 1859:

Also widely known is Bodelwyddan Castle; the version that exists today is an 1830s rebuild. Here is a 1960s-looking scene of horse riders at the castle when it was Lowther College private school for girls:

In recent years the castle has been a hotel. Of the following cards the second is postmarked 2014 and finds the business renamed fancifully as Bodelwyddan Coast Hotel:

Do you remember the Wayside Cafe? This card is postmarked 1965:

Here are a couple of World War 1 shots of Kinmel Park Camp near Bodelwyddan. The lower one is circa 1917 and labelled "Canadian soldiers and civilian visitors".

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In present times Bodelwyddan is the home of Rhyl's nearest general hospital Ysbyty Glan Clwyd of which I am not a huge fan.

The population of the village may treble in a few years if the building of 1,700 new homes goes ahead; Denbighshire Council allocated land for this purpose despite bitter local opposition.

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The following references are added here for indexing purposes: Hovis bread, Warner Leisure Hotels.

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THE GREAT WAR REVISITED

The Great War, later known as First World War/World War 1, was fought overseas. Around here local people would not have known what a forlorn and muddy bloodbath it was. Young men were urged to join up and fight; those who had moral objections were branded as cowards.

Nearest army training camp to Rhyl (during WW1 and WW2) was Kinmel Park Camp near Bodelwyddan. The above photo of the camp was taken by Rhyl photographer Rae Pickard presumably before, during or after WW1.

The camp looks a pleasant sort of place but conditions were not exactly comfortable if we are to believe the following:
Click on any picture to see a bigger version.

This half-joking card would have been for sale in various locations in UK with the name of the camp changed to suit - worth Tommy's penny for a good larf.

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The card below is dated June 1916 and shows a group at the Red Cross Hospital (aka Men's Convalescent Home) in Bedford Street, Rhyl:

Here is the back of the card:

It is from Grace Brown (presumably a nurse) writing home. She says that the card cost 3d (three pennies) which probably went to Red Cross funds. 
"Dear Mama, What do you think of this? I think it has only just lately been taken because Frank is not on it - Can you find Stiff Neck, Scotty and Flying Boy - We have just had a very nice sergeant about sending stuff to Kinmel. Love Grace."

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Here is a photo hand-dated 1917 of Rhyl County School Cadet Corps. The County School was forerunner of Rhyl Grammar School now Rhyl High:

And below is a rarity that was on sale last year on Internet - hence the seller's logo across the middle. It shows some Belgian refugees being welcomed to Rhyl in 1914:

As we saw recently in Syria, war displaces large numbers of people who uproot themselves and search for a safer place. Drought, famine, war, persecution, failing economies – the history of the world is the history of mass movements of refugees.

No doubt that is how we all came to be where we are.

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This reference is added here for indexing purposes: Brown Attleborough Nuneaton.

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SUN 1th FEB 2016 UPDATE: More bad press for Kinmel Park Camp, this time in the form of a sarcastic poem titled ‘A Little Bit of Heaven’ written by G.W.D. (M.T., A.S.C.)

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SUN 13th AUG 2017 UPDATE: However grim the circumstances, there's always time for laughter. This card is designed by Reg Carter:

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Below: an Internet auction item in 2018 – a folding card!

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