The War Years around Kenfig 1939-45

[Rob]

Ladies & Gentlemen,

The War Years around Kenfig 1939-45

At this point in time we are not only concentrating on documenting a
vey important and symbolic part of the history of Kenfig and its
surrounding areas but also attempting to encourage a new world order
of peace and prosperity across the
wider world by providing this information online. It is paramount that
both today's and future generations learn of the mistakes that were
made before them in order for the human race to both survive and
prosper in generations to come.

The War Years around Kenfig
The writer of this was too young to understand the complexity and more
so the stupidity of going to War with
another Nation, yet alone, being involved in a World War where not one
Nation comes out the so called
'Winner'... 70 years on after the start of World War II - we are now
documenting in depth this information about Kenfig, Porthcawl, Margam
and surrounding areas that all can learn from.

Please learn from all this information being documented within this
website.


************* Kenfig / Cynffig - The Complete History (A Welsh
Heritage Project) ***********************************

The War Years`

************ www.kenfig.org.uk/waryears/

***********************************************************************************************************************************

Kenfig.org Local Community Group
w: www.kenfig.org.uk / www.cynffig.org.uk
e: ad...@kenfig.org.uk

[Pete Gasson]

Rob,
Unfortunately there are a number of non working links on the The War Years
around Kenfig 1939-45 page.
In particular that relating to the Porthcawl RAF Marine Craft section which
is of particular interest to me as my father was stationed there for a time
around 1940 and during that time he met my mother. They married after the
war in 1945 and settled with my mums parents in Pyle. She's still there
(same road but different house number) and at 87 yours old is still going
strong. My Dad passed away in 2007.
I have some war years memorabilia and letters/photos etc but not much from
around the Porthcawl area .
He was stationed at Lowestoft, Newhaven, Porthcawl, Shetland Isles and
Iceland and was a member of 63 ASR group(I think) of which I can find
little information.

I know you have other info re the Porthcawl ASR (I saw it on the previous
website)but after 2 years waiting am wondering whether it will eventually
make its way onto this new one. If so what is the timescale.

Best Regards
Pete Gasson

[Shirley Collier]

Hi

I was an evacuee in Kenfig Hill, from around 1940 to 1942 and funnily enough
I went two weeks go to visit my friend who lives in 37 Pwyllgath Street and
also popped in to No.37 where I actually stayed.

Shirley

-----Original Message-----
From: kenf...@googlegroups.com [mailto:kenf...@googlegroups.com] On
Behalf Of Rob
Sent: 17 September 2009 02:26

[Pete Gasson]

Hi Shirley,
My mother was born in Pwllygarth Street can't remember the number but I'll
Find out when I go back to Pyle to see her this Weekend
Her Maiden Name was Phyllis Bird
Pete Gasson

[Shirley Collier]

Hi Pete

At No.23 lived Ginny and her husband and their son Den and daughter Ceri.

Between No.23 and 47 lived a girl named Sylvie with red hair.

I stayed at No.37 with Mrs Edwards and her sister Miss Roberts and
occasionally her daughter Muriel came to stay while her husband was in the
forces. Muriel had a boy called John and her husband was named Bill.

At No. 47 lived Mr and Mrs Evans with their daughters Pam and Ann (who is
still my friend).

At No.75 was Joe Evans the tailor and his wife Al. Their workshop was in
the back garden.

About No.56 lived Dilla Lane and her husband and their son John and daughter
Corinne who is still my friend and who now lives in Wrexham.

We went to a school at the back of Pwllygath Street but this later got burnt
down. A little way along from the school was the British Restaurant where
you could get lovely dinners, either to eat in or take away. (Was this the
first takeaway?).

Down the end of Pwllygath Street was the Gaiety cinema and next to that was
a hall were the home guard used to meet. And next to that, if my memory
serves me right was a church where we went to Band of Hope.

We used to go down to Pyle to the Welfare which I think was a working mans'
club and they used to put on shows and also we went to a Christmas party
there.

I don't know how old your mother is but I am 77 and was there as a child of
about 9 but it still seems real to me.

I would be interested to know your mother's memories of Kenfig Hill.

Apart from the fact that I was away from my parents and worried about what
was happening to them back in London, I really loved my stay in Kenfig Hill.

Shirley.

Shirley -----Original Message-----
From: kenf...@googlegroups.com [mailto:kenf...@googlegroups.com] On

Behalf Of Pete Gasson
Sent: 17 September 2009 12:55

[Rob Vaughan]

Hello Pete,

 

I have been research my fathers Lt Islwyn Vaughan RNVR. war record and been in touch with with a friend of his and told me about how came to porthcawl.

 

He signed up and 1941 and after serving on the Malta convey he became an offer in the Navy.  He then was on the disastrous Dieppe raid in aug 1942

 

After that it he was then stationed in Cardiff to move the Landing craft around the UK until D-day where he went on to land the US rangers near omaha and then finally to transport troops across the Rhine.

 

The reason he was based in porthcawl from 1942 - 1943 was it seems that the Squadron commander of the Landing Craft flotilla was from Porthcawl and he had no desire to be based in Cardiff.

 

On coming to porthcawl he and his pal "Jimmy Green"  use to frequented "Comlies Cafe" next to The Porthcawl Hotel.  It seems that he meet my Mother Dilys Evans who lived in West Road.  The flotilla was based in The Old Jennings Buildings fro a short while

 

They married in Dasrtmouth  in 1943 and then  after the war the lived in Porthcawl where he became a teacher and headmaster of Nottage Primary.

 

Photo of Lt Islywn Vaughan

 

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/j9-m2H4V33LSIrAxtw8F1Q?feat=directlink

 

Photo of Dilys Evans of West Road Porthcawl while serving as a WERN

 

http://picasaweb.google.co.uk/lh/photo/93JYGSoL6bU7gO0raZSwfg?feat=directlink

 

If any one remembers anything regarding a naval commander living in Porthcawl would be interested.

 

 

2009/9/17 Pete Gasson <peter...@gofast.co.uk>

[Pete Gasson]

Hi Shirley,
Just A further update.
My 87 year old mother was born in no 61 Pwllygarth street and her uncle and
aunt lived in no.1 for many years Cyril and Ethel Waite.
My mum didn't stay too long at number 61 before moving to No.8 Green Circle
Pyle .
She then moved to number 11 Green Circle(where I was born in 1948) to be
next to Her Grandmother and Grandfather who lived in No. 12.
She Still lives in the Circle
There was a bit of a Waite dynasty there for a while as her Aunty Nell and
Uncle Harry lived in no 23.

I can remember the Gaiety and Welfare very Well Fancy having Two Cinemas in
a small place like that.
The Gaiety had a balcony and sometimes kids used to sprinkle itching powder
or pepper over the people underneath during the film.
Strange what you remember after all these years.
The Welfare is still there but not as it used to be i.e. the Miners Welfare.
I always remember the Old library there and Margaret the Lovely Librarian
who seemed to be there forever. And also the Billiard Hall and Tennis Courts
and Bowling Greens. It was a great Place.
From what I remember it also had a fantastic Sprung Dance floor and Saturday
Kids Cinema watching the Lone Ranger and Robin Hood was something we kids
really looked forward to.

Pete

[Pete Gasson]

Hi Rob,

My Father was also stationed in the Jennings Building in Porthcawl but somewhat earlier than yours around 1940-41

Always remembered Comlies Café when I was growing up as it was an “institution”

 

Pete

 

---

[Shirley Collier]

Hi Pete and Rob

Memories, memories.

They used to put on lovely shows in the Welfare and I specially remember one
Christmas party when we had a great time. As evacuees we were made so
welcome by all the local people that I have such good memories. I know
that lots of evacuees weren't quite so lucky and one of my brothers had a
few nasty experiences until he finally found a good home near us in
Pwllygath Street.

Remembering Porthcawl, there used to be a lovely chip shop on the front, and
also when my father was on leave from the army he came to see us and took as
to the Blue Bird café for tea. Impossible to believe it was almost seventy
years ago.

Best wishes

[Emma Bold]

Hello everyone,

 

I know this is 4 years on from the original forum but I am doing some basic research for my dissertation for my degree in History and I came across this.

 

If any one can help me - I am looking for people who were in and around the Porthcawl area in World War Two and who would be willing to talk to me about their experiences.

 

I am hoping to use oral testimonies as my primary source for my dissertation and would be grateful to listen to any memories anyone has of the area in this period - whether you were a child, adult, from Porthcawl or just visiting.

 

If you would like to ask me anything further about this please contact me at my email address : emmm...@hotmail.co.uk or at my student email Emma...@students.newport.ac.uk 

 

Best,

 

Emma Bold.

[Len Cooke]

Hi Emma

 

I was a very young resident of 19 Pwllygath Street, Kenfig Hill during the war.

A few things I can remember;

- Just about every family kept chickens as a source of eggs, and meat. Coming up to Christmas a few chickens ( mainly cockerels) were well fed to 'fatten' - there was some competition as to whose Christmass chicken was the heaviest-

 Just about every family garden was used for vegetable production. Also many families had an allotment to produce bulk vegetables such as potatoes, onions, peas, cabbages, carrots etc.

-  My father was a miner at Pentre Slant, Cwm Kenfig, north of Kenfig Hill.  Generally he was bussed to & from work; but occasionally he walked home over Bryndu Farm & somehow acquired a rabbit to add to the meat supplies.

Less often a game bird such as snipe was acquired - no questions asked.

-  One occasion I can remember:  One evening in late May, 1944 a young Canadian soldier knocked on our front door. Introduced himself & said his regiment were based nearby (Stormy Down or Kenfig Burrows) and that he and his mates  would like to meet the locals. We could see that other soldiers were doing the same further down the street.

He came in, shared a cup of tea etc After which he suggested that he was missing a family meal, with decent vegetables and would like to have a family meal with us at the weekend.  This was agreed .                                   My mother managed to put together a reasonable meal ( roast chicken (obviously), vegetables, bread  sauce etc - as real a Christmas feast as possible under rationing.   He turned up with arms full of groceries (which had fallen out of the mess kitchen?)

My parents though them to be better food than they had laid out & were embarassed.  He wasn't, saying that the company was moving on in a couple of weeks, and that the supplies would probably be dumped.

After the meal, the young man gave me his Marksman Medals - to keep until he came back again.

.He did not come back. I kept the medals for many years &  I've often wondered "did he make it ? "

 

Len Cooke

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[Shirley Collier]

Hi Emma

I was back in London by 1943 having lived at No.37 Pwllygath Street for just over two years.  Len's memories brought back some more of my own.  I remember the chickens kept in my friend's garden,  and her father just picking one up and doing the necessary to prepare it for dinner.  There were carrots and  all sort of other vegetables growing in the garden and the allotments where we used to pinch the rhubarb.

I remember the miners covered in coal  dust coming back from their shifts, walking in a procession down the centre of the road.  Their helmets on their heads with the lamps that we used to get lime for. And the tin bath in the kitchen all ready for them.   And the sadness when there were miners who didn't come home due to accidents in the mines. I can't remember exactly what happened but I know a German was captured after parachuting from his plane.  One day we had to leave our homes because they had found some unexploded bombs in the churchard.   Dropped probably as enemy planes were returning to base after bombing the docks.

Hope am not  repeating myself from my earlier emails.

Shiley