Canmlwyddiant y Cwt Nissen

Ffotograff: Dau Gwt Nissen yn Nepo Arfau’r Llynges Frenhinol (RNAD), Trecŵn, Sir Benfro, NPRN 96059

Un o adeiladweithiau milwrol mwyaf adnabyddus y byd yw’r Cwt Nissen. Cafodd y dyluniad syml ar siâp hanner silindr ei ddatblygu gan ŵr o dras Ganadaidd-Americanaidd, y Capten Peter Norman Nissen, o 29ain Cwmni y Peirianwyr Brenhinol, ym 1916.

Cafodd y cytiau eu defnyddio gyntaf yn nes ymlaen yn y flwyddyn honno yn Hesdin, Ffrainc. Byddai’r cytiau ysgafn, rhad a symudol yn cael eu cynhyrchu mewn tri lled – 16, 24 a 30 troedfedd – a châi’r adrannau mewnol eu gosod ar 6 throedfedd fel bod modd creu cwt o unrhyw hyd yn ôl y gofyn. Gallai un lori fyddin 3 tunnell gludo’r uned safonol gyfan. Roedd y llwyth yn cynnwys haen allanol o haearn rhychiog, leinin mewnol o bren, fframiau metel ar ffurf hanner cylch, drws pren, a ffenestri oelcloth. Gallai tîm arbenigol o chwe dyn godi cwt ar sylfaen goncrit barod mewn pedair awr. Yr amser byrraf ar gyfer codi cwt oedd 1 awr 27 munud. Amcangyfrifir i 100,000 o unedau gael eu cynhyrchu yn ystod y rhyfel.

Roedd y Cytiau Nissen yn cwrdd â’r galw am adeiladau dros dro i gartrefu’r miloedd ar filoedd o filwyr a oedd newydd ymuno â’r fyddin. Roedd y dyluniad hyblyg yn golygu y gallai’r cytiau gael eu defnyddio hefyd fel ceginau, ystafelloedd bwyta, storfeydd, gorsafoedd trin clwyfau, eglwysi ac ati.

Lluniad: O Gasgliad Medwyn Parry.

Roedd Nissen wedi codi patent am ei ddyluniad yn y DU, Awstralia, De Affrica, Canada a’r Unol Daleithiau. Ond gwrthododd unrhyw freindaliadau yn ystod y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, a gwnaeth y cwmni gweithgynhyrchu yr un peth eto yn ystod yr Ail Ryfel Byd.

Nid Capten Nissen oedd yr unig un a fu’n datblygu cytiau dros dro yn ystod y Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf. Enghreifftiau eraill oedd Cytiau Armstrong, Cytiau Aylwin, Cytiau Forest, Cytiau Cludadwy Tarrant, a Chytiau Weblee, yr oedd pob un ohonynt wedi’u henwi ar ôl swyddogion gyda’r Peirianwyr Brenhinol. Cafodd dyluniadau tebyg eu datblygu yn ystod yr Ail Ryfel Byd hefyd, er enghraifft, Cytiau Abbey, Cytiau Iris, Cytiau Romney, a Chytiau Tufton. Ond nid oedd yr un o’r rhain mor hollbresennol ag un o glasuron dylunio mwyaf yr ugeinfed ganrif, y “Cwt Nissen” eponymaidd. Mae’r cysyniad syml wedi parhau i gael ei ddefnyddio am ganrif bron, heb unrhyw newid i’w siâp sylfaenol.

Gan Medwyn Parry


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Awyren ar y traeth! Ynys-las, Mehefin 1940

Yn ystod haf 2012, recordiodd staff CBHC gyfres o gyfweliadau â phobl yr oedd ganddynt gysylltiad uniongyrchol â’r hen safle datblygu rocedi yn Ynys-las, Ceredigion (NPRN 408393). Cofiodd un o’r rheiny a holwyd, Mr David Williams, fel y bu’n rhaid i awyren lanio ar y traeth un diwrnod.

Dyma adysgrif o’r sgwrs:

DW: …. un o’n rhai ni diolch byth! Dim byd cyffrous iawn, dim ond awyren fyddai’n cael ei defnyddio i dynnu targedau yn yr awyr. Fe wnaeth yr awyren hedfan o Dywyn lle roedd safle milwrol a maes awyr. Daeth o’r safle hyfforddi gwrthawyrennol yn Nhonfannau ger Tywyn. Fe fydden nhw’n hedfan o hyd yn baralel â thraeth y Borth, ryw ddwy neu dair milltir allan, ychydig bach mwy efallai. A bydden nhw’n saethu’n dragywydd at y targedau. Felly dyna ni, fe fyddai’n mynd i fyny ac i lawr. Yn y fanno oedd y safle, wyddoch chi, ac yn y man roedd yn rhan o’r olygfa eto.

MP: Wyddoch chi pam glaniodd yr awyren ar y traeth?

DW: Gwn, doedd yr awyren laniodd ar y traeth ddim o Dywyn fel mae’n digwydd. Roedd hi’r un math o awyren, Hawker Henley. Hawker Henley oedd ar fenthyg gan gwmni Rolls Royce. Roedd yn cael ei defnyddio i brofi injan ‘vulture’ Rolls Royce oedd yn cael ei datblygu ar y pryd. Y gobaith oedd rhoi’r injan yn yr Avro Manchester - rhagflaenydd y Lancaster - a chafodd ei rhoi mewn Hawker Henley i hedfan o gwmpas y wlad i’w phrofi. Torrodd yr injan i lawr ac fe laniodd yn y Borth ac roedden nhw’n gorfod rhoi injan newydd i mewn iddi. A thorrodd honno hefyd. Mae’r holl ddogfennau gen i - daeth dyn yma i wneud ymchwil i’r cyfan ac yn garedig iawn fe roddodd gopïau o gofnodion Rolls Royce am y digwyddiad. Yn fuan wedi hynny cafodd cledrau rheilffordd eu gosod ar hyd y traeth. Dwn i ddim a oedd hynny’n gyd-ddigwyddiad neu beidio - neu oedden nhw’n meddwl os gallen ni lanio yno, gallai’r Almaenwyr wneud hefyd. Faint o bobl fyddai’n gwybod am hynny mewn gwirionedd? Byddai pobl yn meddwl dyna awyren ar y traeth a dim byd mwy na hynny, wyddoch chi.

Ar ôl i’r recordio ddod i ben dywedodd Mr Williams ei fod yn teimlo nad oedd pobl yn credu ei stori pan fyddai’n trafod y digwyddiad.

Wrth chwilio drwy gasgliad awyrluniau RAF Medmenham rywdro arall, daethom ar draws ffotograff a dynnwyd ar 14 Mehefin 1940. Roedd awyren hyfforddi a oedd yn dysgu technegau tynnu awyrluniau (Cyf. MWO7) wedi digwydd cofnodi llun o’r awyren ar y traeth (Ffrâm D 21), gan gadarnhau stori Mr Williams.

Gan Medwyn Parry

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Visitor to Ynyslas provides New Information about the former “Top Secret” Rocket Establishment

Seventy years ago today, on 17 February 1946, the wartime adventures of an 8 year-old girl whose father served at the Ministry of Supply Experimental Establishment Anti-Aircraft Ynyslas (MOS EE AA Ynyslas) came to a happy end.

According to his ‘Soldier’s Release Book’, on 17 February 1946 Sidney L. Arthur was demobilised by the Experimental Establishment Admin Office, Ynyslas.

Before the outbreak of WWII, he was employed in the Paint Shop of the Ford Motor Company in Dagenham, Essex. The factory was then converted to the manufacture of munitions, and Sidney continued to work there. In 1940 Mr Arthur moved his family to the relative safety of Fulbourn, Cambridgeshire. Then, in October the same year, he enlisted and joined the Royal Artillery, No1 Motorised Machine Gun Brigade, based in Brighton, serving as a dispatch rider.

Although the battalion went on to serve overseas, due to health issues, Sidney remained in the UK, and was posted to Borth, in all probability, assisting with the early experimental research into guided rocket technology. He was fortunate enough to be able to move his family to the area in November 1943.

His daughter, Colleen Stear (nee Arthur), was 6 years old at the time, and recently wrote to the Royal Commission after she had visited the site of the former MOS EE AA Ynyslas Research Establishment (NPRN 408392), and was delighted to hear that the Royal Commission had researched and surveyed the area.

The family did not know what was going on at the military camp at the time, but they understood it was vital to the war effort. It was noted by the local population that during the Borth village VE day celebrations, there were some very loud bangs coming from the rocket research facility just up the road at Ynyslas!

Later in February 1946, the family returned to Cambridgeshire, but they always looked back on their time in Borth with great fondness.

Mrs Stear’s wartime memories have been added to the collection of material placed on the People’s Collection Wales by the Royal Commission.

• Gunner Sidney Leopold’s Soldier’s Release Book
  http://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/495878

• Voice of Ynyslas Collection – more memories and oral testimonies from local people
  http://www.peoplescollection.wales/collections/377950

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Conflict Archaeology in Wales and the Wider World - 20 Tachwedd, 2015

Sefydliad Siartredig yr Archaeolegwyr a WelCAAP
Panel Ymgynghorol Archaeoleg Wrthdaro Cymru

Llyfrgell Genedlaethol Cymru (Siambr y Cyngor)
20 Tachwedd, 2015

Cost i gynadleddwyr: £15.00 (gan gynnwys te a choffi).
Gellir archebu cinio am: £8 wrth drefnu’ch lle neu dewch â’ch cinio eich hun.

Mae Panel Archaeoleg Wrthdaro Cymru (WelCAAP) wrthi’n trefnu seminar undydd mewn partneriaeth â CIfA Cymru / Grŵp Cymru i gyflwyno cysyniadau, themâu a phrosiectau cyfredol yn ymwneud ag archaeoleg wrthdaro yng Nghymru a’r byd ehangach.

Mae WelCAAP yn deillio o Weithgor Safleoedd Milwrol yr 20fed Ganrif Cadw ac mae’r panel yn cynnwys cynrychiolwyr o Cadw, y Comisiwn Brenhinol, pedair Ymddiriedolaeth Archaeolegol Cymru, Historic England, y Sefydliad Isadeiledd Amddiffyn ac asiantaethau a chyrff cenedlaethol eraill. Ei nod yw tynnu sylw at archaeoleg wrthdaro ddiweddar yng Nghymru a’r effeithiau ar gymunedau a thirweddau, yn ogystal â lledaenu’r arfer gorau mewn perthynas ag adnabod, ymchwilio, amddiffyn, diogelu, dehongli a chyflwyno safleoedd gwrthdaro o’r ddeunawfed ganrif, y bedwaredd ganrif ar bymtheg a’r ugeinfed ganrif ar draws yr amgylchedd hanesyddol yng Nghymru.

Bydd y seminar undydd hwn yn cyflwyno’r cynadleddwyr i themâu ymchwil, prosiectau a materion rheoli cyfredol yn y DU ac y tu hwnt, ac fe fydd papurau ar amrywiaeth o bynciau gan gynnwys archaeoleg filwrol, themâu Rhyfel Byd Cyntaf, y Ffrynt Cartref yng Nghymru, archaeoleg awyrennau ac archaeoleg gymunedol. Croesewir cynigion ar gyfer arddangosfeydd.

I gael mwy o wybodaeth cysylltwch â:

Toby Driver, toby.driver@cbhc.gov.uk +44 (0) 01970 621207 neu 

John Latham jernstlatham@gmail.com +44 (0) 7774 877834.


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One Hundred Years Ago Today…

During his first cruise in homes water, April–August 1915, Max Valentiner and U38 accounted for five trawlers, three sailing vessel and 22 merchant ships. Valentiner would go on to become the third most successful u-boat commander of the Great War (144 vessels sunk, six damaged and three taken as prizes).

… Max Valentiner, one of the ablest and most ruthless commanders in the German submarine service, brought U38 to the narrowing of the shipping lanes in St George’s Channel (between Cardigan Bay and the Tuskar Rock lighthouse, Ireland).

Over the next 24 hours, the submarine would sink 10 merchant ships and fishing vessels causing the loss of two lives.

The vessels were:

• BONNY, 2702 ton British steamship operated by the British & African Steam Navigation Co. Ltd (Elder Dempster Line);
• GEORGE BAKER, a British steam drifter owned by E. A. Baker of Great Yarmouth (NPRN 516131); http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/516131/details/UNNAMED+WRECK/
  
  
• GLENBY, 2196 ton British steamship owned by R. Ropner & Co, West Hartlepool, and carrying coal from Cardiff to Archangelsk (NPRN 274830); http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/274830/details/GLENBY/
  
  
• ISIDORO , 2044 ton Spanish-owned steamship carrying iron ore from Bilbao to Glasgow;
• KIRKBY, 3034 ton British steamship also owned by R. Ropner & Co, West Hartlepool, carrying coal from Barry (NPRN 274829); http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/274829/details/KIRKBY/
  
  
• MAGGIE, small British steamship, on passage from Youghal to Fleetwood;
• PAROS, 3596 ton British steamship requisitioned by the Admiralty and bringing wheat from Karachi to Manchester (NPRN 274828); http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/274828/details/PAROS/
  
  
• REPEAT, a British steam trawler owned by R. J. Tripp of Kessingland, Suffolk (NPRN 274831); http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/274831/details/REPEAT/
  
  
• THE QUEEN, 557 ton British steamship carrying coal from Ayr to Devonport (NPRN 274832); http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/274832/details/THE+QUEEN/
  
  
• THORNFIELD, 488 ton British steamship belonging to Liverpool and on passage from London to Peel, Isle of Man (NPRN 273139); http://www.coflein.gov.uk/en/site/273139/details/THORNFIELD/ . 

THE QUEEN - built on the Clyde in 1897 by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company and owned by John Hay & Sons, Glagsow. The steamship was sunk by the guns of U38.

The ISIDORO was the first Spanish-owned vessel sunk by a German submarine and the loss brought protest from the Spanish government. Germany had come under strong pressure from America, after the sinking of the LUSITANIA on 7 May 1915, to modify its whole submarine campaign, with a promise that liners would not be sunk if engaged in no hostile act. The sinking of the ISIDORO alienated another neutral nation.

With the whole political situation so delicate, the German Admiralty despatched secret orders for submarines to confine themselves to ‘cruiser warfare’; i.e. submarines were to surface to search for merchant ships and ensure that crews were in a place of safety before sinking the ship, unless the ship had shown ‘persistent refusal to stop ... or active resistance to visit or search’.

However, U38 continued southwards after the 17 August, to join U24 and U27 in the Western approaches. These three submarines continued to sink ships between southern Ireland and Ushant on the French coast, bringing the total losses for the year to a peak in this month (121 ships sunk and five damaged). Each event a tragedy for the crews and shipowners concerned.

Today, we commemorate the lives lost by the sinking of the GLENBY in Welsh waters:

C. Neilson, Boatswain, age 21

Ernest Hall, Donkeyman*.

Remembering those who gave their lives for their country and who have no grave but the sea.

• http://www.peoplescollection.wales/collections/415321
• http://www.peoplescollection.wales/items/468344

*Note: the duties performed by a Donkeyman could be different on every ship, but generally they were responsible for the operation and maintenance of assorted ship’s machinery, other than the main engines, particularly smaller steam boilers and donkey engines used on deck for anchor windlasses and bilge pumps.

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One Hundred Years Ago This Week …

Kapitänleutnant Waldemar Kophamel, commander of U-35 from 3 November 1914 to 12 November 1915.
 http://www.uboat.net/wwi/men/commanders/150.html

… the most successful German U-boat of the Great War had stealthily left Welsh waters and returned to base, leaving behind it a trail of sunken and damaged vessels circling the UK.

U-35 was commissioned on 3 November 1914 and given over to the command of Kapitänleutnant Waldemar Kophamel. During the Great War, the submarine undertook 17 patrols around the UK and in the Mediterranean, sinking 226 ships and damaging nine others.

Its first patrol, which caused the trail of destruction, appears to have begun in late April or early March 1915. On 9 March 1915, the BLACKWOOD, a British steamship owned by Tyneside Line Ltd. (J. Ridley & Son & Tully) of North Shields, became the U35’s first victim. The steamship was carrying coal from Blyth to Le Havre and was torpedoed off Dungeness, Kent, in the English Channel. The route of the submarine can then be followed into the North Sea (the sinking of steamship LAILIA on 30 April 1915), and on around the north of Scotland (sinking of CUBANO steamship off the Flannan Islands, Outer Hebrides, on 2 June), until U-35 was in the Western Approaches off southern Ireland. Between 6 &13 June 1915, it would sink 12 ships flying the flags of Britain, France, Norway and Russia.

The first losses in Welsh waters were on the 8 June 1915 – four in one day. The EXPRESS (NPRN 519183), a three-masted schooner, was captured and scuttled south-west of the Smalls. Next was the STRATH CARRON (NPRN 274643), a Glasgow steamship, torpedoed without warning, followed by the French schooner LA LIBERTÉ (NPRN 519181), which was shelled. Finally, the Falmouth schooner, SUSANNAH (NPRN 519182) was captured and scuttled.

A small feature in the ‘Mrs Grundy’s Jottings’ column of the Barry Dock News, 18 June 1915, notes that two of the crew members of the STRATH CARRON were residents of Barry.
http://newspapers.library.wales/view/4130135/4130140

U-35 moved westwards to sink three more vessels off southern Ireland, before returning to Welsh waters on 13 June 1915. Contemporary newspapers implied that the German U-boat captain had used a new infamous ‘tactic’ –- hiding behind a steamship to cover its approach to sink another vessel. The steamship was the HOPEMOUNT (NPRN 519188) of Newcastle, carrying Welsh coal from Cardiff to Alexandria. The HOPEMOUNT's crew, while in their lifeboat, saw the submarine attack and sink an unknown schooner. The submarine then returned and again shelled the HOPEMOUNT, because it was not sinking quickly enough. The master of the unknown schooner, which was the French-registered DIAMANT (NPRN 274645) of St Malo, stated that the submarine appeared from behind a steamer, which watched the operation, and that afterwards the submarine returned to the shelter of the ship.

With hindsight, from the above accounts, we can see that Kophamel was just making the most of the opportunity presented to him. Two days later, he was away to the west again, off southern Ireland, sinking the sailing barque FRANÇOIS and the full-rigged ship MORNA. From there, U-35 slipped away, back to its home base. Its next series of attacks on Allied shipping began in the Mediterranean in September 1915.

To read more of the STRATH CARRON and HOPEMOUNT stories, follow the links below:
http://www.peoplescollection.wales/node/465219
http://www.peoplescollection.wales/node/465183

Remembering those with who gave their lives for their country, and who have no grave but the sea.
http://www.peoplescollection.wales/collections/415321


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