Commonwealth War Graves
I have previously posted about the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and Foundation. The Commission and Foundation work together to tend to tend the graves and memorials of the men and women who died whilst fighting in the two World Wars - and engage and educate people (especially the young) with the inspiring stories behind those headstones. These graveyards are all over the world and range from tiny sites to those with up to 11,000 burials. Although they are all very different, they share aspects and themes; the most distinctive being the CWGC headstone.
I am sure you will have seen these headstones in our local church graveyards and cemeteries. This year, between 21-28 May 2021, CWGC organised a War Graves Week. The week was designed to shine a light on their work with a digital festival and walking tours. One of those tours was held here in Llandudno and I was delighted to be able to book a place.
Great Orme’s Head Cemetery
It was beautiful weather with a warm sun but cold wind so we wrapped up and headed off to meet Adrian (of Llandudno's own, excellent #HomeFrontMuseum) who was giving the tour.
I'd been past the cemetery many times but never stopped to take a look around. Once the distinctive head stone shape was pointed out it was clear that there were several lying here who had fallen during the two world wars.
Hap, our dog, took more interest in the many rabbit holes but this was a fascinating hour for the twenty or so people who joined the two tours.
This was just one of the stories Adrian told us...
A LLANDUDNO HERO
Pilot Officer Wyn Williams, from Llandudno, was awarded his Conspicuous Gallantry Medal medal for skill and bravery in a bombing mission over Milan on 14th February 1943. His Lancaster was engaged and badly damaged by a Fiat biplane - setting an incendiary bomb on fire in their bomb bay, damaging an engine and destroying the navigational equipment.
While he and the crew put out the fire, the pilot put the plane onto a steep dive, successfully extinguishing the fire in the damaged engine. Williams was badly burned but was still able to use the stars and a compass to guide the plane successfully back to England (skirting neutral Switzerland) where it was remarked that it was "the worst damaged Lancaster ever to make it back home".
He was sent home to his wife Ruby but such was the shortage of crew, was recalled a few weeks later, only to tragically die in a training crash. He was returned to Llandudno where he was laid to rest. His wife Ruby, years later, was laid to rest alongside him.
Many of the people here are from our communities, who played their part in the biggest challenges we have faced as a nation.
There are also Canadian and others who fought with us - and some against us. So it was moving to hear of Italian and German troops who had fallen and are buried here in the UK. Their graves are also tended here by #CWGC volunteers and there is a reciprocal arrangement with countries to look after all war graves in their own land - an important statement of unity after such terrible conflict.
Well done Adrian, the CWGF and those who make sure "We will remember them".
More information at:
Beddau Rhyfel y Gymanwlad
Rydw i eisoes wedi postio gwybodaeth am Sefydliad a Chomisiwn Beddau Rhyfel y Gymanwlad. Mae’r Sefydliad a’r Comisiwn yn gweithio gyda’i gilydd i ofalu am feddau a chofebion y dynion a’r menywod a fu farw tra’n ymladd yn y ddau Ryfel Byd – a chynnwys ac addysgu pobl (yn enwedig pobl ifanc) am y straeon ysbrydoledig y tu ôl i’r cerrig beddau hynny. Mae’r mynwentydd hyn ym mhob cwr o’r byd ac yn amrywio o safleoedd bach iawn i rai gyda hyd at 11,000 o feddau. Er eu bod i gyd yn wahanol iawn, maent yn rhannu agweddau a themâu; y mwyaf nodedig yw carreg fedd Comisiwn Beddau Rhyfel y Gymanwlad.
Rwy’n siŵr y byddwch wedi gweld y cerrig beddau hyn ym mynwentydd ein heglwysi lleol. Eleni, rhwng 21 a 28 Mai 2021, trefnodd y Comisiwn Wythnos Beddau’r Rhyfel. Bwriad yr wythnos oedd tynnu sylw at waith y Comisiwn drwy gynnal gwyliau digidol a theithiau cerdded. Cynhaliwyd un o’r teithiau hynny yma yn Llandudno ac roeddwn i wrth fy modd o allu archebu lle.
Mynwent Pen y Gogarth
Roedd y tywydd yn braf a’r haul yn tywynnu ond roedd y gwynt yn fain felly gwisgom ddillad cynnes a mynd i gwrdd ag Adrian (o #AmgueddfaHomeFront Llandudno) a oedd yn arwain y daith.
Roeddwn i wedi bod heibio i’r fynwent nifer o weithiau ond doeddwn i erioed wedi stopio i edrych o gwmpas. Ar ôl i rywun dynnu sylw at siâp nodedig y garreg fedd, roedd hi’n amlwg bod nifer o bobl a fu farw yn ystod y ddau ryfel byd wedi’u claddu yma.
Roedd gan Hap, ein ci, fwy o ddiddordeb yn yr holl dyllau cwningod oedd yno, ond roedd hon yn awr ddiddorol iawn i’r ugain neu fwy o bobl a ymunodd â’r ddwy daith.
Dyma un o’r straeon lu y rhannodd Adrian gyda ni...
ARWR LLANDUDNO
Dyfarnwyd Medal Dewrder Nodedig i’r Swyddog Peilot Wyn Williams, o Landudno, am ei fedrusrwydd a’i ddewrder mewn cyrch fomio dros Milan ar 14 Chwefror 1943. Cafodd ei awyren Lancaster ei thargedu a’i difrodi’n wael gan awyren ddwbl Fiat - gan roi bom llosgi ar dân yn y storfa bomiau, difrodi injan a dinistrio’r offer mordwyo.
Tra aeth ef a’r criw ati i ddiffodd y tân, anelodd y peilot yr awyren i blymio’n serth, a llwyddwyd i ddiffodd y tân yn yr injan a ddifrodwyd. Cafodd Williams ei losgi’n wael ond roedd yn gallu defnyddio’r sêr a’r cwmpawd o hyd i lywio’r awyren yn llwyddiannus yn ôl i Loegr (gan fynd heibio i wlad niwtral y Swistir), lle dywedwyd mai hon oedd “yr awyren Lancaster fwyaf difrodedig i erioed ddychwelyd adref”.
Cafodd ei anfon adref at ei wraig Ruby, ond oherwydd prinder criw, cafodd ei alw’n ôl ychydig wythnosau’n ddiweddarach, a bu farw’n drasig mewn damwain hyfforddi. Dychwelwyd ei gorff i Landudno lle cafodd ei gladdu. Claddwyd ei wraig Ruby ochr yn ochr ag ef, flynyddoedd yn ddiweddarach.
Mae llawer o’r bobl yma, a chwaraeodd eu rhan yn yr heriau mwyaf rydym ni wedi’u hwynebu fel cenedl, yn dod o’n cymunedau ni.
Mae yma hefyd bobl o Ganada ac eraill a frwydrodd gyda ni – a rhai yn ein herbyn. Felly roedd clywed am filwyr o’r Eidal a’r Almaen a fu farw a’u claddu yma yn y DU, yn ingol iawn. Mae gwirfoddolwyr y Comisiwn #CWGC yn gofalu am eu beddau nhw hefyd ac mae trefniant rhwng y gwledydd i ofalu am bob bedd rhyfel yn eu gwlad eu hunain – arwydd pwysig o undod ar ôl gwrthdaro mor erchyll.
Da iawn Adrian, y Comisiwn a’r rheini sy’n gwneud yn siŵr y “Byddwn yn eu cofio”.
Mae rhagor o wybodaeth ar gael yn: