大象传媒

An attempt to show the Sacrifice, Welcome & Kindness of local people in my area
Pontshan, Capel Dewi & Llandysul

To a returned soldier from the war zone, 2nd World War. It was achieved through very difficult conditions, food & petrol rationing, lack of communication 鈥� no telephones, not many private cars, etc.
This is a very brief note on my service 鈥� Called up for 6 yrs Army Service 1941 鈥� 47, which included landing on Normandy Beaches ( Juno Beach ) in 1944 and following through to Germany in 1945.

After serving 2 years+ away, I was fortunate to be allowed a 7 day home leave, just before the German surrender and assembled at NIMEGEN, Holland with a crowd of mixed regiments and marched to station, lead by military band. Spent 3 days in different uncomfortable trains to Calais for crossing to Folkestone and arrived at Paddington on a Saturday afternoon. On enquiring at the military office, I was told I would not be home until the morning as there was no Sunday train on Aberystwyth line. I continued regardless and arrived at Camarthen at around midnight with no idea how continue the remaining 15 miles with full army pack. But outside station 3 men enquired if I had come from the war zone and asked me where I was heading. I was joined by 2 others going in the same direction and told to get into a car. Our first stop was YMCA canteen near the Guildhall where we were given fish and chips. From there, driven to our respective homes with no mention of any payment.

During the brief few days at home, a Welcome concert was arranged at my local chapel with local artists. I鈥檓 still at a loss as to how they arranged all this in such a short time and under very difficult conditions.
I had to sit on the stage during the concert and presented with a donation collected at the Faith gathering. WHAT A WELCOME.
Some of the verses for the songs were composed locally and one in particular highlights the governments drive to collect old scrap iron for the War effort and mentions Evan is on a bombing raid over Brennen, Germany but accompanied by the old aluminum kettle and teapot of Aunty Jane as part of his plane. This song is included on a tape made last year 鈥淭riawd Dyffryn Clettwr鈥� The Triawd are three men who sang at my concert and many other concerts and now in their 80鈥檚.

I was surprised we were sent on leave before Final Surrender, but it became clear when we returned to unit. We were being prepared to be drafted out to Japan for the war there. But after the Atom bomb fell on Hiroshima, all preparations stopped. Relief all round. It was realized that the Atom bomb was a cruel act but to us it could have been another long period of conflict in difficult conditions and quite possibly a non return mission after just completing the long period in Europe.

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