New book commemorates brave Torfaen
ancestors
'Tell Them of Us' is a new book by author Carol Ann
Lewis.
2014 will see events taking place around the world
to commemorate the start of World War One. 'Tell Them of Us' is the story of
seven men from Torfaen who left their families to fight in France.
Gripped by the patriotism that swept the land in
1914 in face of the German threat, along with millions of others, they signed up
to fight. They were mostly volunteers - miners, shopkeepers - ordinary people
and with the minimum of training they were sent to the trenches of the Western
Front. Instead of being home by Christmas, the war dragged on for four long
years and as a result they experienced horrors we can never imagine. For many,
their first experience of battle would be their last.
But from the carnage also stepped heroes - Richard
Jones from Pontypool who fought with the South Wales Borderers at the Battle of
Gheluvelt, where the battalion stood alone to face the German army and protect
the village until reinforcements arrived. Had the Germans got through, the
French ports would have been next. William Jones, also of Pontypool who tied
a page of the Pontypool Free Press to his rifle and stepped out into no mans
land on Christmas Day 1914 to try and instigate peace with the Germans and John
Hancock of Abersychan who fought at the Somme and was awarded the Military Medal
for bravery.
'Tell Them of Us' is a history book of local
interest on a subject that was shared by millions.
Carol Ann Lewis is the author of four local history
books and is the secretary of Cwmbran Writers Group. She can be contacted on
07722300002 or emailed at carolannlewis@ntlworld.com
Her books are available from www.amazon.co.uk or as a download to
Kindle.
