GALLERIES

BEACH COMBING

ENGINES AND BOILER FROM THE

SS SAMTAMPA LOST SKER POINT PORTHCAWL APRIL 1947

WRECK OF AN ABANDONED CHURCHILL TANK LOST DURING THE FILMING OF 

"NINE MEN" A WARTIME PROPAGANDA FILM. MORFA BEACH PORT TALBOT.

STEAM UP AT CYFARTHFA

RND/GAVRELLE
MEMORIAL PROJECT
1987-1991

The 63rd Royal Naval Division attacked the village of Gavrelle, near Arras between the 23-28 April 1917 and took 4000 casualties. Men that had expected to be on ships had found themselves fighting as soldiers from 1914 onwards. At Gavrelle, they had swapped the trenches of the Somme for street fighting.

Two members of the Honourable Artillery Company that was part of an included army brigade, received the VC for their actions at Gavrelle. The Royal Marines attacked Gavrelle windmill and suffered their heaviest casualties to date and had more men taken as prisoners than they had ever had before or would ever afterwards. The project was Swansea based the brainchild of Trevor Tasker a member of the RNXS at HMS Dragon, in Swansea.

The centrepiece of the memorial, donated the the RN Mooring and Marine Salvage Depot at Pembroke Dock. 

The Anchor was the divisional badge.

The anchor prepared for its journey and ready to be transported by the Royal Marines.

The memorial after the dedication ceremony. The red brick base represents the ruins of the village. It was constructed to a specific height which symbolised the highest feature of the village, that survived above ground ground level after the battle.

Joe Yarwood a Cockney living in Pennard, survived the Battle of the Somme as part of the 31st Division's RAMC units, being a stretcher bearer to the Bradford Pals on the first day.

His unit relieved the RND after Gavrelle and he said that the sight that greeted them was worse than the Somme as the road to Gavrelle was paved with dead. 

As a gift to the church at Gavrelle he made this copper offertory plate from the base of a hot water tank aged 89.