Tales of the Unknown, mostly useless.

[ianto73]

In 1961, the 1st Battalion the Welch Regiment were posted from Cardiff, where they had spent some months after a tour in Benghazi, to Berlin which involved travelling by ship to the Hook of Holland and then the long train journey through Germany and what was then the 'Russian Sector'. Bearing in mind that there were numerous families and children on this ship, the journey from Cardiff took 36 hours to the Hook of Holland!
Shortly after they arrived "The Berlin Wall" was erected.
I have to blame my former colleague for giving me the old regimental journals to read for this - but there is some fascinating information contained in them of past events.:biggrin:

 

[jay]

That puts a new angle on the building of The Wall ... built to keep out all those Welshmen. :2fun: :2fun: :2fun:

Jay.

 

[Adam]

Hi Ian
I used that ferry service a few times from 1960 to about 1964, their was 2 ships operating a night service, "HMT Empire Parkeston" which I remember, and the "Wansbeck"
The travel time was about 36 hours from Liverpool to north Germany, we were packed like sardines.

Adam

 

[ianto73]

Adam, the 'Parkeston' was the ship that they travelled on, being a whole regiment, I presume it was easier to use that. I flew in 1963, with a change at either Hamburg or Hanover, but can't remember exactly where.

Jay, what a priceless answer, they need some good one-liners on TV these days, but I'm not surprised, I've been blamed for all the wet weather we've been having up here in Lancashire. Broad back us taffs!:2fun::2fun::2fun:

 

[ianto73]

In 1879 when the new infant school opened in the mining village of Blaenllechau where I was born and brought up, the Head Teacher was the only qualified person who taught the roll of 169 with the help of a 3rd year pupil teacher and two monitors. The Head Teacher taught the pupil teacher and monitors in the morning and they then helped to teach the children in the afternoon.
Taken from the "Centenary Booklet" of the school 1879 - 1979.
Makes me wonder if this was a normal practice throughout the whole country? It does, however, give us an indication of how education and what is a common topic on here - how all those records were compiled!

 

[jay]

The practice of using monitors to teach was widespread at one time. A teacher would teach a few of the older pupils and then they would go and teach the younger ones.


My grandmother, who began school in the 1890's, remembered the "Welsh Knot".


Jay.

 

[ianto73]

I'd forgotten about the "Welsh Not", which is how it was meant to be reflected as "Welsh is NOT to be spoken". Couldn't have happened to my welsh grandparents as they were fluent welsh speakers, their parents had migrated from Carmarthenshire when the mines were set up and to this day, welsh is still spoken a lot in that county. Thanks for the memory.

 

[ianto73]

On another thread, it was mentioned 'the eating of a leek'! Yes, sounds horrible! However, it was always a tradition in any of the Welsh Regiments, that on St David's Day, the youngest soldiers, Senior NCO's and Officers would not only eat the leek (cleaned, of course), but would then drink a half pint of beer straight down. In 1971, The Colonel-in-Chief of the Royal Regiment of Wales, HRH Prince Charles visited the Battalion in Osnabruck for St David's Day, and he was presented with the leek and beer, which he managed to do both without any hesitation. I don't suppose there will be a queue here volunteering to join me this year? :2fun::2fun::2fun:

 

[thecelticbard]

There was a comment made in my paternal grandfather's obituary that he was one of the 8 original Welsh miners who raised money for striking miners by travelling the country singing. The only connection I've found is that there was "EIGHT WELSH MINERS IN A COAL MINE - NOVELTY ACT - COMEDY COMBINED WITH GOOD SINGING", which gave performances across Wales, The North West, the North East and Scotland between March 1924 and April 1925. What I haven't found is the names of those who did the performances. I've also found that some miners from my area of the Rhondda attended the International Eistoddfod in Pittsburgh USA on 4 July 1913. So many unanswered questions, but again within the back of this aged brain, I recall something about my grandfather going to America singing. The moral of this is that all you younger people must talk to the old ones otherwise you'll end up like me - WONDERING???

 

[jay]

Write it all down Brian ... all that you can remember so that the information you have won't be lost.

It takes time but is worth it.

Jay.

 

[thecelticbard]

Just found my old map of Wales which lists the original 13 counties:-
Anglesey; Brecknockshire; Caernarvonshire; Cardiganshire; Carmarthenshire; Denbighshire; Flintshire; Glamorganshire; Merionethshire; Monmouthshire; Montgomeryshire; Pembrokeshire and Radnorshire. These were how we were taught at school, how times have changed, because the new counties like Powys have taken some parts of those listed above. History - wonderful!

 

[gibbo]

Arh but this is one tale that is KNOWN :biggrin:

Ouch

 

[jay]

Just found my old map of Wales which lists the original 13 counties:-
Anglesey; Brecknockshire; Caernarvonshire; Cardiganshire; Carmarthenshire; Denbighshire; Flintshire; Glamorganshire; Merionethshire; Monmouthshire; Montgomeryshire; Pembrokeshire and Radnorshire. These were how we were taught at school, how times have changed, because the new counties like Powys have taken some parts of those listed above. History - wonderful!

A shame that they had to change them. I still prefer Monmouthshire to Gwent.

Jay