HMS Tanatside (L69) - part two

 HMS Tanatside:  Commanding Officers and War service

At the time of writing, there have been three Commanding Officers that have been identified as commanding HMS Tanatside, namely Lt.Cdr (Lieutenant Commander) Frank David Brown, RN, Cdr (Commander) Bernard Jasper de St. Croix, RN and A/Lt.Cdr (Acting Lieutenant Commander) Harry Hutchinson, RN. They commanded the Tanatside from 18th July 1942 to 21st December 1943, 21st December 1943 to 17 April 1945 and 17 April 1945 to late 1945 respectively.

Lieutenant Commander Frank David Brown, RN

Unfortunately there is no picture of Frank Brown but there is some personal information on him. He was born on the 21st June 1907 and served as an officer from 1st September 1927 as an Acting Sub Lieutenant and retiring as a Commander on the 21 June 1952. The Tanatside was his only command during the Second World War and he was Mentioned in Despatches twice. Mentioned in Despatches (MID for short) is when a soldier whose name appears in an official report that is written by a superior officer to High Command that describes the soldier’s gallantry or other commendable service in action against the enemy. He received these on the 11th November 1941 and 2 December 1941, most likely helping him to get the Command of the Tanatside. The medal itself is a single bronze oak leaf which was used from 1920 to 1993 and regardless of how many Mentions, only one such decoration was worn.

Commander Bernard Jasper de St. Croix

Unlike the first Captain (in Navy Etiquette, whoever is in Command and under the rank of Captain is also referred to as Captain informally while on ship), a picture is available of Bernard de St. Croix. He was born on the 28th August 1903 and was son of Frederick Alexander de St. Croix (1862-1921) and Lucy Elizabeth Tuck (1877-1914). He was married on the 29th June 1925 to Helenora Margaret Stehn and they had one son and one daughter. He died on the 20th February 1965 and buried at St. Andrew’s Church, Bishopstone nr Seaford. They also have a family website to find out more and I thank them for this information and Bernard de St. Croix service.

He achieved the rank of Commander on the 31st December 1939 and was the commander of the HMS Aberdeen, HMS Salisbury and HMS Tanatside. It was when he was in command of the Tanatside that he got two decorations; he was Mentioned in Despatches on the 28th November 1944 and the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) on the 19th December 1944. The Distinguished Service Cross was awarded for those who demonstrated "... gallantry during active operations against the enemy at sea." (cite Uboat.net) The Mention in Despatches was awarded due to the role of the Tanatside in Operation Neptune, more commonly known as D-Day and this role will be discussed later. The Distinguished Service Cross was given for successful action with enemy light forces. He finally retired on the 22nd October 1952 after being found medically unfit for duty.

Lieutenant Commander Harry Hutchinson

Lt.C Hutchinson was the last Captain/Commanding Officer of  HMS Tanatside in her final, but relatively uneventful last year before being transferred to Greece in 1946 as part of the Royal Hellenic Navy and renamed Adrias. However, little is known about him apart from the fact he became a Lieutenant on the 16th August 1937 and becoming Lieutenant Commander on the same day and month in 1945, after taking command of the Tanatside. In addition, he retired on the 5th November 1953, having also commanded HMS Ambuscade and HMS Caistor Castle, which were a Destroyer and Corvette respectively.
 

War Service

HMS Tanatside did not have the most glamorous of starts. While her first set of trials at Scapa Flow with HMS Quality (Q Class destroyer) and HMS H 34 (Class H Submarine) as well as a practice attack on HMS Bermuda went fine on the 18th September 1942, on the day she did another set of trials, 26th September of the same year, she was damaged in a collision with an Allied vessel. The ship “sustained structural damage” in the collision with HM Minesweeper Bramble and two days later was taken in hand to repair in the Tyne shipyard. Once she was repaired and the work-up completed, she joined the Flotilla at Plymouth to intercept enemy coastal traffic and the defence of convoys in November of the same year.  She then successfully participated in Operation Tunnel alongside HMS Sloop Egret for interception of a German tanker in December, intercepting it on the 12th, but the tanker, named Germania, was scuttled by her crew, probably to avoid capture of her resources. 

In 1943, the ship remained on channel convoy defence and patrol deployment with the Flotilla, participating in training exercises, escorting the HMS Malaya but did again collide with the SS Normanville, sustaining damage to the forward structure. Despite her uneventful past, 1944 was the pinnacle of  HMS Tanatside’s career. In February, 1944, she was in action against enemy forces, the German Torpedo Boat T29 and the minesweepers M156 and M206 with her sister ships, HMS Wensleydale, HMS Talybont and a Type-4 Hunt Class destroyer, HMS Brissenden off the coast of Brittany. The M156 was heavily damaged and later destroyed by British Hawker Typhoons with the Tanatside sustaining only slight damage in the exchange of fire with the Torpedo Boat.  

Only a few months later, April 17th,  HMS Tanatside started its participation in Operation Maple, a series of mine laying operations intended to provide protection for the cross Channel convoys from R boats and E boats (multi-purpose minesweepers and fast attack craft) during the later Operation Neptune, known as the D-Day landings. The Tanatside was first deployed alongside HM Escort Destroyer Melbreak and Motor Torpedo Boats to support HM Cruiser Apollo during minelaying operations. Two days later, both the Tanatside and the Melbreak, along with the Royal Navy destroyers Wensleydale, Haida (Royal Canadian Navy, RCN) and Ashanti to cover mine laying by the 10th Motor Launch Flotilla and the escorting of Motor Torpedo Boats off the French coast. On the 25th, she continued her charge in covering the 10th Motor Launch Flotilla with her sister ship, the Wensleydale. She took some fire from shore defensive batteries but sustained no damage.

In May, she was nominated with HMS Talybont and HMS Melbreak for duty with the Western Task Force in Force O under US Navy Command for the upcoming Normandy landings and commenced exercises for the largest naval landings in history.  On the 6th of June, she arrived on Omaha beach with 18 other vessels in support of Operation Neptune - a mixture of American, French and British vessels, consisting of 2 Battleships, 4 Light Cruisers and 12 Destroyers as part of the bombardment fleet for Omaha beach. 

The Tanatside was on the East side of Omaha beach, in the lead near the Fox Green sector supporting the American 1st Infantry Division in its assault on the fortifications there.  From there, she was assigned alongside seven other vessels for interception patrols in defence of cross Channel routes against attack by E-Boats, later being released back to Flotilla duties. After a refit and trials, she re-joined the Flotilla at Plymouth, later being deployed in with the 21st Destroyer Flotilla in the North Sea area. In mid-December, she sustained major structural damage in its front in a collision with HM Frigate Byron.

In the final year of the war and after repairs, the Tanatside was again deployed with the Flotilla for interception patrols and convoy defence before becoming nominated for service in the Eastern Fleet after a refit. However, the refit was not completed and she was just maintained while berthed in Taranto until 1946. This is when she was transferred on loan to the Royal Hellenic Navy (Greece), taking the name Adrias but returning  in 1962 to be demolished.  The ceremony of the transfer from the British Royal Navy to the Greek Hellenic Navy consisted of a guard of 25 ranks and band at the request of Captain D Malta.

 

Blog by Max Bates


References and thanks to;

Cambrian News archive in Archifdy Ceredigion Archives, Aberystwyth
Uboat.net
Naval-history.net
Omaha Beach: A flawed Victory by Adrian Lewis. Page 227
Destroyers at Normandy: Naval Gunfire Support at Omaha Beach:
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/online-reading-room/title-list-alphabetically/d/destroyers-at-normandy.html
Forces War Records.co.uk
https://www.unithistories.com/
Forgotten Fights: The Taking of WN61, Omaha Beach Fox Green Sector: https://www.nationalww2museum.org/war/articles/wn61-omaha-beach-fox-green-sector
Imperial War Museum
History Today: Warship Weeks
P. Boniface for his book H.M.S Superb which contained some information on the Tanatside.
Royal Naval Museum:  http://www.royalnavalmuseum.org/info_sheets_Warshipweeks.html

HMS Tanatside (L69) - part one

 HMS Tanatside was a Royal Navy Type 3 Hunt Class destroyer, taking her name from a North Wales foxhunt, and adopted by the people of Cardiganshire (as it was known at the time) which included the regions of Tregaron, Aberaeron, New Quay, Aberystwyth and Teifiside. The ship itself was built by Yarrow Shipbuilders Ltd in Scotstoun, Scotland, and was ordered in July 1940.  Laid down on the 23rd of June 1941 as Job No 1869, she was launched on the 30th April 1942 and finally commissioned on 4th September 1942 after being adopted by the Cardiganshire people in March of that year.

Tanatside’s role was escort destroyer, designed to be cheap and easily built to be able to carry out convey escort and anti-submarine duties. As such, she had four dual purpose QF 4 of Mark XVI guns, as well as other anti-aircraft weaponry and 110 depth charges. Given her size, she only had a complement of 168 men including officers. The cost of the class was £352,000 per ship (£17,012,613.76 in today’s money) which makes it amazing that the towns of Ceredigion managed to finance the ship.

HMS Tanatside. Image from IWM website

 

Warship Week was a National Savings campaign during the Second World War designed by the Government to raise funds to produce new warships, ranging from escort destroyers - like the Tanatside - to larger battleships and auxiliary vessels. This was to replace warships that were destroyed. According to History Today, 254 Major Warships and over a thousand minor war/auxiliary vessels were lost over duration of the war.   As such, building these ships would cost large amounts of money, requiring the help of the British people to avoid the even larger loans needed to sustain the replacement of these vessels. However, it was not just necessary to replace losses; the need for new ships for escort duties, such as in the Atlantic, was paramount to sustain the war effort and this was the main purpose for Hunt-Class Destroyers such as the Tanatside.  

The fundraising for these ships would be conducted locally in villages, towns and cities, with each one raising enough for a particular class of vessel.  The big cities was given the goal of raising money for the largest vessels (Capital ships) including battleships and aircraft carriers, while large towns would aim to raise funds for cruisers and destroyers. The smaller towns and villages would be set a lower figure but all were proportional to the size of the area. Once the funds were reached, the community would adopt the ship and a plaque signifying the adoption was given to the vessel.  The plaque for the Tanatside is shown below but its current location is so far a mystery. 

 

According to the Cambrian News and Welsh Farmers Gazette of 16th January 1942, a conference at Aberayron (Aberaeron) on the previous Saturday “unanimously” decided to hold the Warship Week in Cardiganshire from 14th to 21st March. It was made known to the public that the objective was to raise enough for a Hunt Class Destroyer at £400,000 (technically more than was needed, as discussed above). This was originally £350,000 but was considered by Alderman Llewelyn Samuel (Aberystwyth) to be a “paltry sum”, and he believed it should be doubled. But Alderman J. Barclay Jenkins thought this too high and wanted a lower figure, believing it would be better to succeed at a smaller amount than fail at a larger one. The precise amount for Aberystwyth was revealed in the paper on January 30th, which was £150,000, with the other areas revealed on 13th of March,  including Cardigan £50,000, Lampeter £40,000, Aberayron & New Quay £50,000, Teifiside £45,000, and Tregaron £25,000.

The conference itself consisted of representatives from all the main savings groups (of which there were 251 by 16th of January) and convened by the High Sheriff,  Prof. J. Caio Evans. The interest itself was also expected to be high due to “Cardiganshire’s traditions as a seafaring community” in the words of the Assistant Regional Director Mr H.S.I. Edwards. He was not just involved in Cardiganshire but also with rural Carmarthen and Pembrokeshire, which wanted to raise £400,000 and £500,000 respectively for their own Warship Week. Apart from the historical past and good performance in the previous War Weapons Weeks, the Regional Commissioner, Mr D. A. Worgan, noted that this campaign was not, and did not want to give the impression of, “donate[ing] gifts to the government”; it was an honour and duty. He cited the difference between the British Government and totalitarian countries, where the former was a request for aid whereas the latter forced their people to contribute. Another important aspect he mentioned would be donations as a mark of appreciation to the men of the Navy, quite the motivator given those local men and women who served in the Royal Navy.

Those involved in the conference also included Alderman T.L. Old, Mayor of Aberystwyth, Mr F.R. Gregg (Lampeter), Mr Eifion Price (New Quay), Mr Gwyn Evans (Llanfair), Mr John Jones (Llandyssul) and Alderman Meredith Williams.   Mr Worgan (Regional Commissioner), suggested the appointment of area/group committees, arrangement of leaflets, planning of the publicity campaign as well as parade and entertainment committees, as an “attractive” indicator for both local and county to show and track the progress of the fundraising efforts.  

As to the methods of how the money would be raised, one such was the 3 per cent savings bonds and the 2 ½ per cent National War bonds for larger investors. As for the smaller ones, the Post Office Savings Bank, where 2 ½ per cent interest could be obtained as well as Savings Certificates, meant a whole family could participate in the fundraising. This was done by each member buying 500 and this was also free of Income Tax. In addition, for both the large and small investors, there was the option of loans to the Government which were free of interest. Also, people could invest in in 3% Defence bonds as well as buying Savings Stamps at 6d (6 pence) and 2/6d (2 shillings and sixpence) each from the Post Office or Savings Groups. The bonds were put across to the public/investors as being of mutual benefit, making themselves a ‘nest-egg’ and ‘reaping’ interest on savings while helping to provide the seamen of the Royal Navy with ships, guns and aircraft to protect vital convoys and help win the war.  

This was pushed again on March 6th, saying that the goal would not just be reached, but exceeded because the money being donated by the average person was an investment with a “regular rate of interest” and had the “utmost security” from the Government. While the accuracy of such statements can be debated, it was clear that the authorities were taking no chances and appealing to multiple groups. It even discusses it being better than keeping money in the house that could be potentially lost due to fire or enemy action such as bombings whereas the Government could provide safety for a person’s money but also use it to protect them.

Other posters said how important the Navy was to the people of Cardiganshire personally. This included a poster issued on 13th March saying that people’s food, work and life depended on the Royal Navy’s “Vigil” and to encourage them to contribute. As such, this would help to create a social contract between the Navy and the people, making those who may not want to get involved otherwise feel obliged to help. This strikes a contrast between the original messages of honour and heritage but it is surmisable that this was not aimed at that group. One such group with a scheme of its own was the Pearl Assurance Co., Ltd., whereby any client paying the 1st out of 13 instalments, the company itself would purchase 3% Savings Bonds to any amount desired and said amount would be allocated to the scheme.

Photo from Cambrian News

 

Apart from advertising in the Cambrian News, there were also events and public meetings. For example, on March 17th, the Borth Savings Group held a public meeting in the Public Hall at 7 p.m. with retired Royal Navy Instructor Captain Farr as the speaker. At the meeting, a 2/6 (two shillings and sixpence) Savings Stamp was given to six holders of “Lucky Number Leaflets”.

As to the Opening Day in Aberystwyth, the main event was the parade and procession of men in the armed forces as well as those in the Civil Defence Units and all the organisations working for the war efforts. The parade was mainly under the direction of three people, Lieutenant Colonel Jarvis Jones, RA., Wing-Commander Thomas, RAF., and Lieutenant Davies on behalf of the Navy Personnel. It was headed by a drum and fife band starting at 2.30 pm, with its route going from Alexandra road through Thespian street, North Parade, Great Darkgate street and finally to Marine Terrace, near the (as it was then) saluting base opposite the Bandstand. The salute was taken by an Admiral H.W.W. Hope and the commanding officers of the units in the procession. Other events included a “grand” dance for Warship week on Wednesday 18th March.

Regardless of the effectiveness of the mixture between honour, duty, bribery and other persuasive messages, all of Cardiganshire exceeded their aims with Lampeter raising double its target. The total raised was £563,930 (£27,255,463.85 in today’s money), more than £163,930 more than originally aimed for. Aberystwyth itself raised £201,241 10 Shillings which worked out at £8 9s (shillings) 8d (pence) per head of the population.  The breakdown of the investments in Aberystwyth were also given in the Cambrian News, with £48,216 in National Savings Certificates, £14,787, 10s in Post Office Savings Bank Deposits, £988 in Savings Bonds, £64,110 in 3% Defence Bonds, £50,750 in 2 ½% National War Bonds and £18,960 in 3% Savings Bonds. For the final few methods, £3,420 was in Free of Interest Loans along with the “Free Gift” of £10.

As to the groups themselves, the parishes of the area, St. Michael’s, St. Mary’s (including the Mother’s Union and G.F.S. at £1,616 and £760 respectively) and St. Anne’s at £282 totalling at £2,658 with Salem C.M. Church raising £2,337. In addition, Ardwyn School raised £1,100 with the Zoology Department in the U.C.W (University College Wales, now Aberystwyth University) raising £362 and the Cambrian News staff raising £220. While there were many individual groups, the breakdown of every single group was reported  in the Cambrian News and Welsh Farmers Gazette, April 3 1942. The largest contributor was North Parade at £1,139 with the second, South Gate, raising £612. The rest of the group breakdowns are also available in the same newspaper on the same date.

So where did Cardiganshire come overall? Comparing it with the other Welsh counties with a population under 500,000, Cardiganshire raised £9, 10 s, 10d per head of the population, coming fifth after Montgomeryshire, Merioneth, Breconshire and Radnorshire in order from highest to lowest.
Montgomeryshire raised a staggering £14, 8 shillings and 9 pence per head yet, looking at the final placings out of the 31 similar counties in both England and Wales, Montgomeryshire came 2nd, Merioneth 4th with Cardiganshire coming 12th.  But, despite the gap between the other Welsh counties, Cardiganshire certainly did not slack in its assistance to the war effort. Adding together Warship Week and the previous War Weapons Week in 1941, the money raised was £1,206,246 which is an admirable effort considering the size of Cardiganshire. The value of this money today would be £58,299,424.13, a massive sum even if others did beat it, but it shows the efforts that Cardiganshire/Ceredigion as well as the rest of the United Kingdom put into the war effort.   

Photo from Cambrian News

Blog by Max Bates

The Cardiganshire Home Guard

When most people think of the Home Guard they probably think of something along the lines of the Dad’s Army television show.  While at times there may have been some events reminiscent of the show, being in the Home Guard was a very admirable position. Emrys R D Prosser had once said before a speech to the Cardiganshire Home Guard that, “I should like to say in the first place how happy I am to be of any service to you. You are doing a grand job of work and when the history of this war comes to be written, I am confident the part played by the Home Guard will figure prominently in it.”[1] This shows how important that the work of the Home Guard was seen, even though they may not have come face to face with the enemy they still fulfilled a very important purpose.

Writing about the Home Guard has a special significance for me because my Great Grandfather, Ernest Dewi Evans, had fought in the Cardiganshire Home Guard. The majority of people who joined the Home Guard were those who were either too young or too old to join the army. However, another possible reason was their occupation. For example, the reason my Great Grandfather Ernest Dewi Evans was not conscripted for the war was due to his occupation as a mechanic. The Government released a list of jobs which were considered too important for the workers to leave so they had to stay behind. [2]

Ernest Dewi Evans

The Cardiganshire Home Guard was established soon after Anthony Eden’s speech on May 14th 1940. He broadcast an appeal for volunteers for what was then called The Local Defence Volunteers, which would later be called the Home Guard. Almost immediately men registered at the various police stations across the county. The Lord lieutenant of Cardiganshire, who was also the Earl of Lisburne, had stated that he would take command of this force and then Colonel B. Taylor Lloyd, who was a pharmacist based on Great Darkgate Street (where the Clarks shoe shop is now) had taken his position as second in command. The Lord Lieutenant was not able to keep his position, as he was recalled to join the Welsh Guards leaving B Taylor Lloyd to take command. Lieutenant Colonel J. Albert Evans then took the position of second in command. While initially there was concern there would not be enough volunteers, by September, only four months later, over 3,000 men had enrolled.

Lloyd had wanted the county to be split into three different platoons, however Higher Authority only sanctioned him with two. The 1st Cards., headquartered in Aberystwyth, and the 2nd Cards., headquartered in Cardigan. The 1st Cards. was under the command of Lieut. Col. D.C. Lewis and the 2nd Cards. under the command of Lieut. Col. T. Evans. This would remain the case until February 1942 when Col. Taylor Lloyd, after many requests, had finally been given the permission to form a 3rd Cards.  Battalion, which would be headquartered at Lampeter. Taylor Lloyd’s second in command, Lieut. Col. J. Albert. Evans, then assumed command over this Battalion which then left a certain Lieut. Col. Ernest Evans to take his place as second in command behind B. Taylor Lloyd.

As I mentioned earlier, the Cardiganshire Home Guard had their fair share of Dad’s Army-like incidents, the most dramatic of which is one that took place during one of the Home Guard’s demonstrations. In this particular demonstration, they were taught how to properly use a flame thrower. I’m sure you can guess what happened next!  Major S.J.F. Philpott, who wrote a history of the 1st Cards. Battalion and was present at the demonstration, described it thus, “. . the Flame Thrower wriggled out of the grasp of the demonstrator and poured molten pitch over the onlooking party, causing some hospital cases.” More violent than that, however, Philpott also describes other incidents which would not look out of place in a TV show. For example, when the Home Guard was first formed and the men were not yet fully trained, some basic exercises proved too difficult, while “Small exercises showed, without shadow of a doubt, that our men were so untrained that even getting them across the town from one defence position to another was a manoeuvre taxing our full capacity.” And -  perhaps when they were training how to properly camouflage,  “It was a revelation to most men to watch the progress of others as they crawled, apparently hidden, through thick bracken but revealed every inch of the way by the moving fronds.”

However, these all took place early on and by the end of their service, the members of the Home Guard had much improved. In the early days, it would have been quite obvious as to where they were because of the large clusters of soldiersl in one area. However, by the end "one had great difficulty in finding the unit even when it was known that they were in position" said Phillpot.  Perhaps the reason for such improvement came from the dedication that the men of the Cardiganshire Home Guard had to improving themselves. The men would often take part in drills, exercises, weekend camps, competitions and proficiency tests. In fact, proficiency tests had proved so popular in the Cardiganshire Home Guard that they set up an examination station in Aberystwyth. By the end, they had granted in total nearly 500 certificates and they still had more candidates in preparation out of a total of about 1200 officers and men. This shows how dedicated these men were to protecting their country and their homes from danger. The below is an example of a type of certificate that could be awarded, one that my Great Grandfather had earned in a Voluntary Aid course just before the UK had officially declared war.

 

 

During the first year of the Home Guard’s use of weekend camps, these were held in different locations. For example, their first ever camp was held in the Ardwyn Playing field (where the incident with the flame thrower occurred.) The students of the Ardwyn School (which has now been turned into flats on Llanbadarn Road), were asked to do an important task by the Home Guard. The schoolboys, “armed with rattles, had to sound them every time they saw an attacker” and, according to Philpott, “By the sound of it, the defence was most excellent.” The Ardwyn School was also the location where Army Reserve teacher Milwyn Jenkins and his pupils had held a demonstration for unarmed combat and ju-jitsu. Members of the Home Guard were present at the demonstration and some of them had even taken the time to memorize some of these ju-jitsu moves to help them.

Ardwyn School logbook. Photo courtesy of Archifdy Ceredigion Archives

In the second year of their weekend camps, they had moved them to Devil’s Bridge. Cooks would have been provided by each company taking a turn each. For those that would stay the night, they would sleep in tents and would have extra night exercises. However, in Cardiganshire they had trouble with these weekend camps due to some men not being able to come on Saturday evenings. Therefore many simply came Sunday morning and left Sunday evening without spending the night.

A schedule from the weekend training camp from Devil’s Bridge shows that for those present on Saturday, their training would begin at 16.00, when they would report to their officer. Then they would have some tea until 18.00, when training would really begin. There would be six different instructors, each teaching their own exercises, and six Platoons of men. They would each spend 25 minutes on each exercise then swap in a cyclic order ensuring every Platoon learned every exercise. The exercises would include First Aid, Bombing, Sten Gun, Blacker Bombard, Lewis Gun (aircraft) and Musketry.  This would take from 18.30 till 21.00, when they would then have supper followed by a lecture, then lights out at 23.00. They would have an early morning waking up at 07.00, have breakfast, then begin training drills and have section training.

Sundays also provided the Battalions with a forty-five minute section period when the men were allowed to ask questions and have discussions on any topics that they wanted after training had finished.  Another area they would train in was the Frongoch mine, marching there from the hotel by Devil’s Bridge.  They would plant targets in the mine to try and simulate enemy defence, using live ammunition to practice their platoon attacks. Frongoch mine also had a shooting range and the Home Guard would also practice in the surrounding area and learn how to set up elaborate tank traps.

One of the main purposes of these camps was to ensure that the men of the Home Guard were as active as possible. This was also done through competitions and the Cardiganshire Home Guard held numerous competitions where the prizes were in the form of cups. Towards the end of the war, the Home Guard even presented money prizes for the winners of these competitions. They would hold the competitions in different areas across the county, namely Devil’s Bridge, Rhiw-shon-saer, TynyGraig and Llancynfelin. They also held bombing competitions which, according to Philpott, helped them develop their respect for the weapons after experiencing some close calls.

The most important and popular of the competitions was the fighting patrol, a competition for Aberystwyth held in Morfa Bychan. This competition managed to keep the soldiers on their toes as sometimes the bullets would  be fired a little too close to the  opposing team "to the great consternation of the defending platoon." Sometimes competitions were held between towns throughout Wales as well, for example the Cambrian News stated: "Home Guard News. A fighting patrol representing 1st Battalion of Aberystwyth Home Guard competed in a Fighting Patrol Competition at Carmarthen recently, and were successful in gaining third place out of six competitors in the area competition. The local patrol was represented by No. 4 Platoon of B. Company."

The Cardiganshire Home Guard did not spend much of the war on any form of active duty. However, the 1st Cards. Battalion based in Aberystwyth did see action one night. Philpott describes it as their “only night of what might be called active service”. This service came on night in late September in 1940 during the Battle of Britain. The South Wales Borderers (S.W.B.) were in Aberystwyth and had just completed the construction of a breastworks ( a temporary fortification, usually made from the earth to around breast height.) They were also constructing more defences inland but before these were completed the night alarm was set off and the S.W.B. ordered the men of the Home Guard to man the front. In the pitch black, men rushed to the boardroom, many of them half asleep, armed themselves and rushed out with their squads without much delay. Some of the older men took the few bayonets that were remaining, still in their grease, and some even constructed a string belt to hold them. This was the first time the Home Guard had defended these breastworks, staying out all night until the sun rose in the morning, with some of the lucky posts receiving buckets of tea.  After the sun rose the Colonel of the S.W.B. went and thanked every man for their service during in the night, and sent them off to get cleaned up and rest before their work the next day.

 

Photo Courtesy of LLGC/NLW

As the Cardiganshire Home Guard’s work was supposed to be carried out in secret, there were only two occasions when the public were permitted to see them. The first occasion was the “Salute the Soldier '' week where demonstrations were held in the Aberystwyth area. As part of these demonstrations, a “Defence from Aberystwyth” from sea invasion event was held. In this demonstration, the public was allowed to watch the Home Guard shoot at targets that they had floated off the castle point. They used a variety of different weapons including a rifle, an L.M.G., a Browning, a Smith gun and Blacker Bombard detachments with live ammunition. Philpott described it thus: "The massed fire which was directed so accurately upon these targets created a most impressive spectacle for thousands of onlookers on the Castle Grounds.” The second and final time the public had permission to watch the Home Guard was the Stand-Down Parade where over 800 men took part. This ended with a finale in the Kings Hall and was a very important event in the town which, said Phillpot, “will be remembered for many a long day for its never ending column of stalwart Home Guardsmen.”

The actual purpose of the Cardiganshire Home Guard itself changed towards the end of the war.  According to Philpott the purpose became to “protect Aberystwyth at all costs, due to it being the largest town and the assumption was if the enemy would attack they would want to seize the key area of communication.” Aberystwyth was considered the most important area in the county and all companies who would be protecting the outskirts of the area would have to work their way back to Aberystwyth. There were four companies.  Company A had the responsibility of defending the east of the town; Company B was the local company and therefore it was responsible for holding a “keep” in the centre of the town and was the last wall of defence; Company C was positioned at Southgate and was responsible for holding the enemy there and blocking all attempts at approaching Aberystwyth from the South; and finally Company D was responsible for holding the hills to the north of the town. There was concern that some of the more outlying troops would not be able to make it back to the town in time however most of the Battalions were sufficiently mobile enough for this to not have been a significant issue.

Map showing how each of the Cardiganshire Companies were set up

Blog by Ieuan James

Footnotes:

[1] Handwritten transcripts of speeches by E R D Prosser, Emrys R D Prosser Collection, Accession 1322 and 1447, Ref: PRO/C/1, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives, 1943

^[2] Schedule of Reserved Occupations (Provisional), Presented by the Minister of Labour to Parliament by Command of His Majesty January, 1939 LONDON

Sources:

 WWII miscellaneous collection ADX/404 Archify Ceredigion Archives

Home Guard Commemorative Books, Archifdy Ceredigion Archives  

Author's family memorabilia

Cardiganshire Police Force and the approach of World War Two - changes are coming!

The approach of war in 1939 was felt across all parts of the country, including among the police force, within which preparations were taking place.  Stations were beginning to anticipate that, with the changes brought by war, their role was soon to become more demanding and more would be needed from them than ever before.

The stations and officers that were already in place before the war had limited resources and were few in number. As a result, as war became more likely, the requests began to flow.  With Cardiganshire being such a rural area, many of the requests for improvements to stations were things like requests for wiring electric lights or connecting to a water supply. To a 21st century individual, this may seem ridiculous. In 1939, could people still be living without electricity or running water? But these amenities, that we are so accustomed to now, would often have felt like a dream to those living in rural areas in the first half of the 20th century.

In Cardiganshire, it seems that the uncertainty the war brought meant that the police force was determined to take every precaution possible, whether that was recruiting new constables at a specific station or increasing attempts to recruit individuals to newer groups that were being formed to assist war efforts, such as the Women’s Auxiliary Force and the Police War Reserve. These new precautions also included increasing the amount of equipment available and approving the purchase of equipment required for the war effort.

These new pieces of equipment included things like air raid shelters, the cost of which was provided by the Home Office. Further approved expenditure was the renting of two rooms for the Women’s Auxiliary Police Force to use.  Although these improvements were being made during 1939 in the area, there were still issues, for example a request was made for fifty electric hand lamps but this request was denied, evidence of how budgeting constraints restricted the abilities of the force, as they had before 1939, but also how the war did not mean that every extra precaution was taken straight away.

With the advance of war, more and more men were drafted into the military from all walks of life, even from within the police force. Various recommendations were put forward in order to support those called up to war and the loved ones they left behind. One such recommendation, made in 1939, was that every police officer who undertook war service was to be paid enough on top of their war service pay to equal what they would have received if they had continued in the police force.  Another recommendation made was that the wives of those that went to fight were allowed to remain in the properties they currently resided in or, if properties were required, that a housing allowance would be provided. However, this would not be given if the wife chose to leave a current premises of her own volition. This is a striking generosity that displays sympathy towards the loved ones of those who went to war and it’s also a demonstration of how loyalty within the police force was valued.

Resources throughout the war were limited for all. One such resource was petrol. While in the 21st century, petrol is readily available and almost every household has access to a car, in the 1940’s the world looked very different. Very few people in the period had access to a car and those that did often had to make sure they stored extra petrol just in case. The scarcity of petrol made it extremely important for the police force to have reserves available. In such a rural area as Cardiganshire, it made it doubly important to make sure supply reserves were maintained, as opportunities to restock were  few and far between.

The remoteness of  Cardiganshire created many problems for the police. They had a large geographical area to cover with few constables available within it, as well as limited resources. Urban and more populated areas had much easier and more frequent access to commodities such as telephone connections and petrol pumps, while in the Aberystwyth area these were still a point of contention. Although some areas were being approved for these newer and more modern commodities -  the approval of the purchase of a petrol pump and its erection at a cost of £58 and the installation of a telephone line - some areas still lagged behind in many ways. 

For example in places like Brynhoffant, the entire village still lacked access to water, a basic necessity. It seems that the correction of this fell onto the local police force, if only because they wished to have access to water in the police station and its accommodation. The war brought opportunities to enhance many things in rural areas, not just defence systems and upgrading services - like the police force - that already existed. However it did also cause additional problems: How would water access be put in place with workers and provisions being sent to the front lines? It is doubtful that this kind of work would be given any sort of priority, considering the inhabitants of this village had lasted so this long without access to water. In such a time of need among the general population elsewhere, work like this would have been placed on a back burner.

Although many men and women chose to volunteer and fight, it seems that applications to join the police force continued with 1,418 applicants as of January 1940, and 528 of those completing the necessary study and lectures. There were however still those who objected to women within the force which led to the Chief Constable having to explain to the local committee that women were indeed necessary especially considering the amount of juveniles that were remanded and how women were best suited in those situations. These views are antiquated by modern standards but considering the levels of opposition in general towards women and the war effort, the fact that someone in such a high positions is actively fighting for hiring women is a big step, especially so early in the war.

In a committee meeting during January 1940, the Chief Constable briefly discussed how the number of juveniles on remand was rising and he also mentions how there was, at the time, no remand home for the children to go to. Once remanded, large numbers of juveniles were being sent to Bronglais Workhouse (now the site of the Bronglais Hospital). The workhouse was poorly equipped to deal with these extra inmates, as the workhouse was already in decline, as were most workhouses around the country if they hadn’t already been closed. The existence of such a place is most often associated with the poverty of the Victorian era but for such a place to exist in the 1940’s really sheds light on the kind of poverty and social issues that befell the Aberystwyth area. In an effort to prevent more juveniles having to be sent to the workhouse, the Chief Constable proposed that a new remand house be found or built and that it cover four counties as opposed to just one.

The approach of war, therefore, saw changes and preparations throughout the country in every sector and every different social structure, and the Police were no different. Whether the preparatory steps were to hire new constables, or to stock pile petrol, or even prevent purchases of equipment, it is clear that war meant sacrifices and changes for everyone. Anxiety and fear affected everybody, and with no idea of what the coming years would look like, it was difficult for those in positions of power to assess what steps would be needed to protect the country. In the Aberystwyth area, the police faced struggles in trying to provide the area and its constables with the basic amenities that the rest of the country were becoming accustomed to, during a time of crisis when these amenities were sorely needed.

Studying the Second World War often leads to more popular topics, such as the role that women played or the Army and the like. However, other infrastructures within the country, such as the Police force, also played a very important role and kept the country as functional as possible during such uncertain times as war.

Blog by Naome Wrightson

Sources:  Police Standing Committee Minutes Aberystwyth Area 1939-1940, with thanks to Archifdy Ceredigion Archives for making this resource available.