Swansea in the Great War (Your towns and cities in the great war) by Lewis Bernard

Author:Lewis, Bernard [Lewis, Bernard]
Language: eng
Format: azw3
Tags: HISTORY / Military / World War I, Bisac Code 1: HIS027090, Bic Code 1: HBWN
ISBN: 9781473841413
Publisher: Pen and Sword
Published: 2014-10-29T16:00:00+00:00

A fund-raising carnival in aid of those held as prisoners of war in Germany. (Cambrian)

Though there had been an understandable flurry of relief-based activity in the early days of the war it seems that, very commendably, there was little abatement of this during the entire course of the war as the citizens of Swansea continued to ‘do their bit’ for the men at the front as well as those who had returned home with wounds. Towards the end of 1914 use had been made of a minor hall at the Albert Hall for the establishment of a soldiers’ and sailors’ free club. Entry to the club was free of charge to all soldiers and sailors and it was open six days a week, from 10 am to 10 pm. There were newspapers, games, a piano, a gramophone and writing materials, as well as the provision of refreshments for which a small charge was made.12

In a similar vein the Swansea YMCA opened a free canteen in the guards’ waiting room at High Street train station for the benefit of travelling soldiers and sailors. The Great Western Railway Company had provided the room free of charge, while heating was similarly provided gratis by the Swansea Gas and Light Company. Volunteer ladies provided the staffing during the day, while during the night men of the Volunteer Training Corps stepped in.13 By November 1916 some 20,000 men had availed themselves of the facility by day, with another 10,000 doing so by night. The enterprise had cost the YMCAnothing as all the supplies consumed had been generously donated by the businesses and people of Swansea.14

There were also plans, led by Mrs Lloyd George, to mark St David’s Day in 1915 by selling Welsh flags; the proceeds of this would go towards helping to provide comforts for Welsh soldiers at the front. Over 90,000 flags had been ordered. Although Swansea servicemen were already well provided for, there were many at the front from the more rural parts of Wales who did not have the benefit of an efficient support mechanism back home and this initiative would help them greatly.15 Similarly, an Irish flag day was held in March 1916; both to raise funds and to recognize the sacrifices of Swansea’s Irish contingent, a list of the fallen being pinned to the door of St Joseph’s Church. On sale were 80,000 flags, 6,000 rosettes and 2,400 sprigs of shamrock.16

Fund-raising concerts, fêtes, whist drives and bazaars were regularly held with a view to raising funds to assist those at the front or the needy at home. The Swansea Chamber of Commerce sent almost 600,000 cigarettes to the front in 1916, a popular move that must have received a rather wheezy three cheers from the happy recipients.17 The Theatre Royal proposed holding charity concerts on Sundays: a move that, notwithstanding the war, was bound to raise the hackles of Swansea’s religious community. Despite that fact, the Swansea Watch Committee agreed to the request, subject to the accounts being subsequently submitted for examination.

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