North Wales Heroes’ Memorial Arch

08/11/2025

Battle of Passchendaele

Rhyfel gan Hedd Wyn

Gwae fi fy myw mewn oes mor ddreng,
A Duw ar drai ar orwel pell;
O’i ôl mae dyn, yn deyrn a gwreng,
Yn codi ei awdurdod hell.

Pan deimlodd fyned ymaith Dduw
Cyfododd gledd i ladd ei frawd;
Mae sŵn yr ymladd ar ein clyw,
A’i gysgod ar fythynnod tlawd.

Mae’r hen delynau genid gynt,
Ynghrog ar gangau’r helyg draw,
A gwaedd y bechgyn lond y gwynt,
A’u gwaed yn gymysg efo’r glaw.

War by Hedd Wyn

Bitter to live in times like these.
While God declines beyond the seas;
Instead, man, king or peasantry,
Raises his gross authority.

When he thinks God has gone away
Man takes up his sword to slay
His brother; we can hear death’s roar.
It shadows the hovels of the poor.

Like the old songs they left behind,
We hung our harps in the willows again.
Ballads of boys blow on the wind,
Their blood is mingled with the rain.

07/11/2025

06/11/2025

I am not a badge of honour,
I am not a racist smear,
I am not a fashion statement,
To be worn but once a year,
I am not glorification
Of conflict or of war.
I am not a paper ornament
A token,
I am more.

I am a loving memory,
Of a father or a son,
A permanent reminder
Of each and every one.

I’m paper or enamel
I’m old or shining new,
I’m a way of saying thank you,
To every one of you.

I am a simple poppy
A Reminder to you all,
That courage faith and honour,
Will stand where heroes fall.

09/11/2024

The taking of Mametz Woods on July 10th 1916

1

You wonder why I’m grey headed?

Grey headed at forty five

Well marvel not at all Sir

It’s a wonder that I am alive

2

After all that happened that day friend,

Ah Sir! When I see it again

As I sometimes do in my dreams

I’ts enough to turn ones brains

3

Nigh five thousand fine fellows in all Sir

Caught, like a Rat in a snare

Would you like to hear the story?

Alright if you the time can share


4

We were only a simple Division

That answered the call from all Wales

We are not thought a great deal of in England

Until over the water we sails

5

We are always classed rough by the Gentry

Most men are worth that down a mine

The French once looked down upon us

But soon for our help they did pine.

6

T’was not long we stopped down the suburbs.

But to a camp we soon went

First for a course of Instructions

Four solid hard days we there spent.

7

Very well! I’ll get on with my story,

It would be about the middle of June

When we left the North for the South Sir,

Just to give old Fritzy a tune



8

We came out of the trenches at daybreak

After six weary months in the line

We had dribbled away one by one Sir!

And were far from full strength at the time



9

We were told we were going for a rest Sir

After spending the Winter in France

And it was a hard one I tell you

But we heard we had to Advance.



10

We marched from North to South Sir

Not a mile did we ride on the way

It took us quite six solid weeks

To help in the Big Push away



11

Twas not long before we were in action

The Welsh division at last

Had a chance to show what they were made of

In one of the hardest tasks



12

We were over the top in a jiffy

And met them like all soldier should

That’s how Sir the Welsh Division

Started to take the Woods.



13

We fought night @ day to the end, Sir

And we kept the Germans at bay.

Not a German was left within sight Sir

Twas awfull to stick in the Dim.



14

It lasted forty eight hours

“Not so long”? Did I hear you say?

But 6h Sir”, what we endured

In that most awful fray.



15

All we had was a biscuit to fight on

No water anywhere to be found

My comrades were dropping like rabbits

Twas dreadful to be Gaying around



16

They sent everything they had at us

But in spite our fellows kept on

Until only we were a handfull

And most of our leaders had gone



16

Our Boys they stuck it like Britons,

Through the terrible shrapnel, shot @ shell

Until we had gained what we Wanted

We fought all bravely @ well.



17

But at last; come welcome daybreak

A pity full sight to see,

What was left of the Welsh Division

Not half that came over the Sea.



18

We took it at a terrible cost Sir

The Wonderfull Woods of Mametz

Every man that went down was a soldier Sound

And deserve what a Soldier gets



19

And now a word for the Survivors

You would think we were entitled to rest?

But we all are still in the War Sir

Fighting that strange German pest



20

In a well known place called Ypres

Again we are holding the line,

In one of the saddest places

Where over the sun did shine



21

So now I have finished my story

Give credit @ honour where due

To the 38th Division Welsh

Once collier, now Soldier (true?)



22

So if the War was finished tomorrow

And all back to England were sent

You would hear about the wonderfull Victory

Where the Welsh Division were sent

06/06/2024

Ni heneiddiant hwy,

Fel ni, a adawyd.

Ni ddwg oed iddynt ludded

Na’r blynyddoedd gollfarn mwy.

Pan elo’r haul i lawr

Ac ar wawr y bore,

Ni â’u cofiwn hwy,

Ni â’u cofiwn hwy.

13/11/2023

People need to be educated on the wearing of medals, people don't realise that there is a way to wear the medals, noticed over the Armistice a lot of people wearing their next of kin medals on the left breast, please not you only wear your own medals on the left breast if you wear someone else's medals (next of kin) you wear them on the right breast.

10/11/2023

I do not know your name
​

I do not know your name, but I know you died
I do not know from where you came, but I know you died

Your uniform, branch of service, it matters not to me
Whether Volunteer or Conscript, or how it came to be
That politicians' failures, or some power-mad ambition
Brought you too soon to your death, in the name of any nation

You saw, you felt, you knew full well, as friend and foe were taken
By bloody death, that your life too, was forfeit and forsaken
Yet on you went and fought and died, in your close and private hell
For Mate or Pal or Regiment and memories never to tell

It was for each other, through shot and shell, the madness you endured
Side by side, through wound and pain, and comradeship assured
No family ties, or bloodline link, could match that bond of friend
Who shared the horror and kept on going, at last until the end

We cannot know, we were not there, it's beyond our comprehension
To know the toll that battle brings, of resolute intention
To carry on, day by day, for all you loved and hoped for
To live in peace a happy life, away from bloody war

For far too many, no long life ahead, free of struggle and pain and the gun
And we must remember the price that was paid, by each and every one
Regardless of views, opinions aside, no matter how each of us sees it
They were there and I cannot forget, even though I did not live it

I do not know your name, but I know you died
I do not know from where you came, but I know you died.

09/11/2023

Grant peace, O Lord, across our strife-torn world,
Where war divides and greed and dogma drive.
Help us to learn the lessons from the past,
That all are human and all pay the price.
All life is dear and should be treated so;
Joined, not divided, is the way to go.

Protect, dear Lord, all who, on our behalf,
Now take the steps that place them in harm's way.
May they find courage for each task they face
By knowing they are in our thoughts always.
Then, duty done and missions at an end,
Return them safe to family and friends.

Grant rest, O Lord, to those no longer with us;
Who died protecting us and this their land.
Bring healing, Lord, to those who, through their service,
Bear conflict’s scars on body or in mind.
With those who mourn support and comfort share.
Give strength to those who for hurt loved-ones care.

And some there be who no memorial have;
Who perished are as though they’d never been.
For our tomorrows their today they gave,
And simply asked that in our hearts they'd live.
We heed their call and pledge ourselves again,
At dusk and dawn - we will remember them!

08/11/2023

Hedd Wyn

RHYFEL

Gwae fi fy myw mewn oes mor ddreng,
A Duw ar drai ar orwel pell;
O'i ôl mae dyn, yn deyrn a gwreng,
Yn codi ei awdurdod hell.

Pan deimlodd fyned ymaith Dduw
Cyfododd gledd i ladd ei frawd;
Mae swn yr ymladd ar ein clyw,
A'i gysgod ar fythynnod tlawd.

Mae'r hen delynau genid gynt,
Ynghrog ar gangau'r helyg draw,
A gwaedd y bechgyn lond y gwynt,
A'u gwaed yn gymysg efo'r glaw.