MBrockway Posted 10 July , 2018 Share Posted 10 July , 2018 Remembering today the men of 38th (Welsh) Division on the anniversary of the bitter fighting in Mametz Wood in 1916. The losses cast a long shadow over North Wales. They are not forgotten Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 10 July , 2018 Share Posted 10 July , 2018 Indeed, and throughout Wales. The old Cardiff Royal Infirmary had a ward named Mametz, to remember the sacrifice of Cardiffians and South Walians. Known in Welsh merely as 'Brwydr y Coed' (the Battle of the Woods). Wonderful painting. 'The Welsh at Mametz Wood' by Christopher Williams. The 38th were so mangled, they weren't in fighting action again until July 31st 1917. Another important date in Welsh history and literature. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clive_hughes Posted 11 July , 2018 Share Posted 11 July , 2018 I was there, briefly, several weeks ago. Never fails to move me, as I envisage those men from towns and villages all over Wales (and beyond) walking down the slopes and across those deadly fields towards the forest. As regards the singing of hymns by 16th RWF in the hours before the attack, I've only recently realised that the Welsh Territorials of 53rd Division did exactly the same the night before they moved out to begin the First Battle of Gaza in March 1917. Cofiwn hwy - we will remember them. Clive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MBrockway Posted 11 July , 2018 Author Share Posted 11 July , 2018 Remembering Pte Charles Williams of Sawmill Cottage, Llanferres, Denbighshire, who fell with 16/RWF aged 19 years on 11th July 1916 - 102 years ago today. The topic includes Graves' famous description searching Mametz Wood on 16 July 1916 for blankets and coats for his men, and his poem A Dead Boche. Graves' Sospan Fach is quoted in full in this detailed topic about the Mametz Wood actions Sospan Fach repeated here ... Mark Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 11 July , 2018 Share Posted 11 July , 2018 Very good. Just a small gripe- and to inform our friends from over the dyke though, that "Aberystwyth" doesn't actually rhyme with "hissed with". It would however rhyme with "Rust Pith". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bernard_Lewis Posted 11 July , 2018 Share Posted 11 July , 2018 A dark day for Swansea and, indeed, most of Wales. Not forgotten. Bernard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ron Clifton Posted 16 July , 2018 Share Posted 16 July , 2018 On 11/07/2018 at 15:49, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said: Very good. Just a small gripe- and to inform our friends from over the dyke though, that "Aberystwyth" doesn't actually rhyme with "hissed with". It does in English, and the poem (as quoted) is in English. On 11/07/2018 at 15:49, Dai Bach y Sowldiwr said: It would however rhyme with "Rust Pith". It still doesn't. In Welsh it would rhyme with "Rust Puth." Ron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 16 July , 2018 Share Posted 16 July , 2018 1 hour ago, Ron Clifton said: It does in English, and the poem (as quoted) is in English. It still doesn't. In Welsh it would rhyme with "Rust Puth." Ron See Post #8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 16 July , 2018 Share Posted 16 July , 2018 and how was/is Mametz pronounced? I must ask a local when I next visit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dai Bach y Sowldiwr Posted 19 July , 2018 Share Posted 19 July , 2018 On 16/07/2018 at 23:09, Don Regiano said: and how was/is Mametz pronounced? I must ask a local when I next visit. ...and could you also ask him the meaning of the 'metz' part. Quite common in French place names- Metz, Beaumetz, Mametz. I assume it meand a dwelling place, or a hamlet or village or similar? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Regiano Posted 2 August , 2018 Share Posted 2 August , 2018 Sorry, I forgot to ask about the "metz" bit but he was insistent that the pronunciation was "Mammay" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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