Barry at War
Barry Docks 1943
The South Wales town of Barry has a rich and varied heritage that stems back to Roman times and beyond; certainly, the first evidence of Barry`s wartime history is the Roman ’mansio’, a sort of latter day inn or hotel for Roman officials at the Knapp.
Barry`s war heritage spans to modern times, with the docks being used during the Middle East conflicts of the late 50s and early 60s.
It is believed that during WW1 the first American troops to land in Britain, embarked at Barry, and during WW2 the port became an important staging post for US Forces in preparation for the D-Day landings in Normandy………….such is the history of Barry at War.
Barry at War Group
Barry at War group aims to research, preserve and promote the wartime history of the town.
We aim to support schools and groups researching the local war history of Barry, by exhibiting at heritage events and holding exhibitions about the topic, with the aim of educating the public.
We also seek to learn more about this facinating subject from those who lived through the town`s wartime history.
We hold living history events and exhibitions around Barry and the surrounding area.
Barry at War Group are one of the many groups that support the Vale Heritage Centre Coalition’s drive to have a museum established in Barry.
You can contact us by emailing, enquiries@barryatwar.info and see more of what we do at our Flickr photosite.
9 comments
lynda marl says:
August 27, 2011 at 6:51 pm (UTC 0)
This is a message from my mother, Mrs Blanche Marl nee Hawketts, who would like to ask anyone if they remember ” thet barrage balloon that came down into the street at Gwenllian St, Cadoxton Moors.” She says that she was about 11 and after the barrage balloon floated away to Ton Edge, it burst into flames. She also asks if anybody remembers the smoke screens at the end of the streets over the Moors, hopefully to mask the docks from enemy aircraft, and which left people with blackened nostrils the next morning after inhaling the fumes! My mother is now 83 and lives with me in Lincolnshire but has fond memories of her birthplace, Barry.
Terry says:
September 2, 2011 at 2:09 pm (UTC 0)
The “Barry at War” Group know of many occasions when Barrage Balloons “escaped” their moorings and drifted over the town or out to sea. Lightning storms also caused a fair number to catch fire and escape. The local A.R.P records do not identify a balloon on fire near Gwenllian Street, but there were balloons located close to the southern portal of the Weston Square railway bridge and another at Laura Street, so it was probably one of those.
It is known that “those first on the scene” found crashed balloons and salvaged parachutes a source of much valued clothing material. It would be interesting to know whether any of that material or the clothes into which they were converted still exist. They would represent real pieces of Barry history and great display items.
Trevor Morris says:
October 20, 2011 at 2:57 am (UTC 0)
Hi Lynda I do remember all those things you mentioned about the Moors in Wartime apart from the Barrage Balloon crshing into Gwenllian St. I lived in 19 Cardiff Rd (next door to Bill Read the CoalMerchant) opposite the then Station hotel later Morlias Court, I was there from 1939 to 1952. I knew the Marl family. Joe Marl was the Dad who was a railwayman as were many living in that area. There was a couple of boys and girls all around my age. They would be well into their 80s now. In Gwenllian St there was the Mace Family the Sutton’s and the White Sisters (all three). We all went to Cadoxton School which in those days had a Boys and Girls School which was separated.
I can think of many tales of the “Moors at War. Trev
admin says:
October 21, 2011 at 10:42 am (UTC 0)
The “Barry at War” history group is keen to capture this type of “history” to ensure that the form a collective memory archive for the town of Barry for the education and benefit of those too young to be able to fully appreciate the trauma, humour or plain mundane incidents that ordinary Barrians experienced and lived to tell, but that were not recorded at the time.
There were many “un-official” and sometimes clandestine photographs taken by local amateur photographers during WW2 until film was used up, some of which have surfaced from family albums. These could form an important “snap-shot” of events, places and people and need to be catalogued, copied and documented for the cultural enhancement of the next generation.
Paul Jones says:
May 21, 2011 at 6:33 pm (UTC 0)
Hi
Hope today went well for you, thought you might be interested in some of the photos I took…
http://www.valeevents.co.uk/intergenerational/
Kind Regards
Paul Jones
http://www.llantwitmajorvale.co.uk
http://www.cowbridgetown.co.uk
admin says:
May 22, 2011 at 9:58 am (UTC 0)
Thnx Paul
Great shots.
I hope you enjoyed the day. We`re looking forward to doing many more of these kind of things when we get a Heritage Centre in Barry.
Mary at Blaenavon Heritage Railway says:
April 19, 2011 at 7:06 pm (UTC 0)
An open invitation to your Barry group to come to our 1940′s weekend at Blaenavon Heritage Railway on July 9th and 10th. Our theme is Railways at War but with a special emphasis on American troops this year. We’re situated on the edge of the Brecon Beacons (NP4 9SF). Please contact me via my e-mail if you’re interested.
Thanks.
mike & liz denton (currie) says:
March 7, 2011 at 12:00 pm (UTC 0)
love the show at the park. info on H.D.M.L 1001 (harbour defence motor launch) built 1941 at the Lady Bee boatyard Sussex, used from Scotland to the English channel D-day as well as the cleanup of the rivers etc (mines) name changed to S.D.M.L seaward defence motor launch. 1949 sold on and became PEGGY DOREEN. 1969 towed to Belsize Boatyard Southamton. 1971 sold to Anthony (with 3 pals) . 1977 at Barry Docks Anthony now sole owner named her WELSHMAN. 1987 chat with seaman from Geest ships trip to Grenada, (did this with three friends) then till 1996 tourist trade in Grenada, sold her in 1996, new owners used her till 2006 scrapped and sunk on a coral reef ( repairs to expensive). tel 01446 408312 if you want more info. Look foward to meeting up with you both at your next event .
Terry Spierling says:
March 7, 2011 at 4:46 pm (UTC 0)
Good to meet you and Liz (a long time !). Thanks for identifying the boat as a H.D.M.L and how she met her subsequent fate.
We are please you enjoyed the “Barry at War” exhibition – it was designed to provide a “snap shot” of the range of WW2 related features that the Group are currently documenting – the potential wealth of information out there is trully astounding – evidenced by the number of personal and family related incidents relayed in the many (but too few if truth be told) conversations we were able take part in.
At the next “Barry at War” exhibition we will hope to expand on those aspects of the period that produced most feedback and discussion on Sunday and from the written feedback (thanks to all who did). Dates and venue are currently being sort.