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HEROES OF WORLD WAR ONE
Stories of courage
The heroic efforts of Abertillery men in the First World War
should never be overlooked. As throughout the land, many of the young men of the
area volunteered for what they were led to believe would be the war to end all
wars. By its conclusion, hundreds of them had died. This Tyleri Tale tells the
story of three of them that highlights the bravery and courage of all who served.
Thomas Percival Hughes
was born in Cardiff in 1895, but his family had moved to Abertillery where Tom
became a clerk at Cwmtillery Colliery. Tom was a talented sportsman playing
football for Abertillery Town, then in the Southern League. However, his real
prowess was running and at the age of 19, he became feted for winning what was
one of great foot races of its day, the Cambria Dash.
The Cambria Dash, held until
1930 at the Mid-Rhondda Athletic Grounds, Tonypandy, was run over 80 yards with entrants allocated
different handicap marks. It attracted professional sprinters from all over the
world and many bets were laid on its outcome.
For the 1914 race, Hughes was
given a 11 and quarter yards handicap but was not among the favourites, being
rated as 10-1 shot. Nevertheless he came home in first spot receiving the then
princely sum of £50 and a gold medal.
Three months later he
enlisted in the 2/3rd Mons Regiment rising through the ranks to become a
quartermaster sergeant. But sadly in 1917, he was killed in action in East Africa
whilst serving with the King's African Rifles and Monmouthshire Regiment.
The Powderhall Sprint held at Taff Vale Park.
This was another big race of those days and shows what the Cambria Dash would
have looked like - picture from
Pontypridd Museum
Another talented sportsman
from the town sadly also suffered the same fate. Like Hughes, Arthur Llewellyn
from Blaenau Gwent Rows was a good sprinter and had similarly featured in many
well-known footraces. He played for Abertillery RFC but joined the professional
Leeds Rugby League side before returning to the area and enlisting in the
Lancers. Seemingly though he craved more intense action in the war and so
changed to the Rifle Brigade.
Whilst in Salonika, he was
injured and suffered enteric fever and was hospitalised in Manchester. He
returned to the fray fighting in the bloody battles near Arras in 1917. where on
June 1st, he was shot and killed.
Another more fortunate local
man was George Jones. He too had worked in the local pits. Private Jones of
2nd Royal Inniskillen Fusiliers
was badly wounded at Ballieul in France in 1918 just before the end of the war.
He was sent to Tooting Hospital in London where his chances of survival were
slim.
Luckily for him though there
was another patient, Private Reuben Dickenson of the Machine Gun Corps from Hetton-le
Hole, Co. Durham. Despite his own problems, Dickenson volunteered to donate
blood, a very risky task in those days, and in doing so saved Jones life.
Dickenson's
selfless, courageous act was recognised by the people of Abertillery.
In August 1919, the staff of
Powell's Tillery Steam Coal Company wrote to him and gave him seven guineas
which they had collected.
The letter written by
Staff at Powell's Tillery Steam Coal Company
Click on
picture to view larger image and also the letter from Jones' friends.
Other colleagues and friends
of Jones, Edward Parry, Frederick Harvard and Frank Bevan also wrote and gave
gifts of appreciation to Dickenson.
As a result, Dickenson was
invited to Abertillery where he was met by Jones' father and friends and local
dignitaries and given a hero's welcome.
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I am very grateful
to Peter Terry from Swindon, great-nephew of Tom Hughes, for his
correspondence. Some details for the story have been obtained from Brian
Lee's article in the Cardiff Post. His book - The Great Welsh Sprint:
The story of the Welsh Powderhall Handicap 1903-1934 is published by
Gwyn Thomas, Hopkinstown, Pontypridd CF37, 2SQ
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I am also very
indebted to Ian Dickenson, whose grandfather was Rueben
Dickenson, for all his information. Ian is keen to contact any living relatives of
George Jones. Please contact Abertillery Online if you are such a
relative.
TYLERI TALES
Contents:
 THE
HORROR OF 1921 - THE HAROLD JONES MURDERS
THE
FOUNDING FATHER OF DRUG METABOLISM - the story of Professor RT
Williams, FRS
THE
BLAINA RIOTS OF 1935 - Desperation and unrest in the Ebbw Fach
valley (by Martyn Thomas)
THE
MODEST, HARD MAN - Jim Webb, Wales rugby star of the Golden era
THE
MAN WHO BOWLED W. G. GRACE FOR A DUCK - Abertillery cricket
memories of the 1890s
THE
WAR HERO WHO TESTED THE BRITISH H-BOMB - Air Vice Marshall
Wilfred Oulton
THE
MARIE STOPES CONNECTION - Britain's first-ever hospital birth
control clinic opens at Abertillery
THE
REDOUBTABLE DAGGARS - A remarkable tale of an extraordinary
Abertillery family (by David Daggar)
THE
ABERBEEG GHOST
HEROES
OF WORLD WAR ONE
THE
"LIB" CLUB - BRITAIN'S BEST SNOOKER TEAM
(by Graham Bennett)
CAMERA'S
GREATEST MAGICIAN - the humble beginnings of Angus McBean
Coming
soon:
THE
TRAGEDY OF SIX BELLS - the terrible pit disaster of 1960
A
CHARITABLE ACCIDENT - Eddie Price, founder of the Tenovus
charity
THREE
LIONS IN THE SHIRT - Pask, Morgan, and Lewis, stars of the Green
& Whites
THE
MEN WHO BECAME SAINTS
THE
MAN IN THE MIDDLE
AHEAD
OF HER TIME - The extraordinary story of Beatrice Green
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