"The drawings first came to my notice last year when we were carrying out a survey for an air display and a town show. The hotel staff were keen to show us the drawings that had come to light during renovations.
We were hopeful that the "evidence" could be preserved but as a precaution we asked the local RAFA and Air Cadets to take pictures.
We then made sure that news of the find was spread across the Services. Interest has waxed and waned and we were always worried that the Hotel Management might need to press on with redecorations.
However, I'm glad to say that, so far, this has been put off. On a recent BBC Radio Interview the Manager advised that he was hoping to find a way to preserve the "art-work" and bring the room back into use.
There is always the chance, of course, that more, similar pictures might be discovered in other rooms.
The story has recently attracted a great deal of interest; perhaps it is just a case of the story rising to the top of the "interesting items" pile or, more likely, it is a resurgence of interest due to the high profile the Veterans' Days that we are planning in Wales this year.
We know that during the war years, a number of units may have been based in Aberystwyth.
No.6 Initial Training Wing was based there from the middle of 1940 and there was a WAAF Recruiting Depot in the Town.
There was also a University Air Squadron in the area and later in the War an Air/Sea Rescue Marine Craft Unit was also located in Aberystwyth.
Since the news story about the drawings has been published we have had enquiries from a number of organisations and one lady has written in to say that her father had been based in Aberystwyth during the War and that he was a well known artist; so we may be some way to finding out who one of the artists was.
This is graffiti in its purest form and the drawings include both cartoons and technical information - best described as "Learning Aids".
It is highly probable that the hotel was used as billeting during the War and may even have served as a training facility with classrooms, or perhaps an aircrew mess.
There is certainly anecdotal evidence of airmen training in the town. One thing is certain - interest is growing and perhaps we will be able to put all the jigsaw pieces together soon.
Veterans' Days in Wales are planned in 2007 for:
Cardiff - Sat 16 June and Caernarfon - Sat 14 July.
Falklands 25 will be Commemorated in Cardiff on Sun 30 Sept.
We are grateful to the RAF's Air Historical Branch for assistance in researching information about No.6 ITW and other RAF Units."
Article written by Sqn Leader Peter Sinclair.
Dad's War Diary...
your comments
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We try to publish as many comments as we can but unfortunately, due to the volume of comments we receive every day, we cannot guarantee that all comments submitted will be published
Robert Warrick , Bristol
My father was stationed in Aberystwyth with RAF Number 4 Squadron D Flight. I have a group photograph taken outside one of the churches in July 1941. The photo was taken by Pickfords who were still running their shop in the late 60's when I was at the University.What became of their archive? My father remembered lectures given by the late Prof EG Bowen who later lectured me.
Thu Aug 13 11:03:03 2009
Jack Lawford whaley Bridge Derbyshire.
Following my comments in 2007 when I was at no 6 ITW I can confirm thaT there were no classrooms in the Belle Vue Royal Hotel.I was a pianist in the Station Dance band and also had to accompany artists at a concert in the Kings hall. If anyone was billeted in the Belle Vue Royal from nov 1943 to Jan 1944 please get in touch.
Tue Mar 17 14:15:44 2009
Alfred Eves from Wahington, Tyne & Wear
Bit late, but I was stationed at the Lion Royal in 1941. We did most of our swatting in the little cafe on the pier which was always friendly. Last time I saw the town, the hotel was only a front. No drawings in my time.
Fri Jan 23 09:59:08 2009
Ross Johnson from Youlgrave
I have only come across this site searching (too late) for information on my father Eric's pilot training in Moose Jaw, Canada. He was billeted there with a Canadian family. My father, who was from Nottingham, unfortunately died in 1993 but my family still has contact with an RAF buddie of my father called Phil who now lives in Canada.I know that both of them were stationed originally in Aberystwyth during World war 2. I can remember them talking about it and how Phil, being a strong swimmer, swam across the curved harbour each morning and was always chasing the local ladies.I am go! ing to contact Phil in Toronto to get the dates and some info off him. he must be over 90 by now so I hope that he is still corpus mentis.
Sun Dec 21 11:32:58 2008
Harry Brown. Penzance
In the autumn of 1943 I was stationed at N0.6 ITW and billited in the LION ROYAL HOTEL on the corner of Great Darkgate Street and Bridge Street. This answers the question of the LION PUB by Geraldine King of Powys.Regarding the photograph owned by James Gilchrist of Perth this, I think must be the favourite of all Flights at the end of their course outside the entrance to the University of Wales in King Street. I have many happy memories of the 3 months spent in Aberystwyth as an 18 year old new to the outide world. My best memory is the view of the Clock Tower%2! 0from my bedroom in the Lion Royal Hotel which, sadly, the tower no longer exists and the hotel which I saw few years ago is now a bucket & spade shop but I did see the name of the hotel on the step at the entrance.
Fri May 23 17:20:29 2008
Jack Lawford, Whaley Bridge
I was stationed in the Belle Vue Royal Hotel from September 1943 until December 1943.
Sat Jan 26 16:48:28 2008
James Gilchrist. Perth West Australia
I have just returned from a very quick trip to Aberystwth. I have a photograph which has hung on our wall for as long as I remember of no 2 squadron 6 ITW with names of the cadets (including my father) taken March 1943. I had always wondered where this photo was taken and through the photographer's name tracked it to Aberystwyth. I tried to find the building which has distinctive Roman columns at the door and a monkey puzzle tree outside! People I asked were very helpful but I wasn't successful particularly when I approached them asking if they knew where the monkey puzzle trees were in Aberyswyth. Wish I had read this site before going. My father was from Kirkcaldy and a navigator and I have been trying to track his war history. My understanding being that Aberystwyth was one of the first training centres before the cadets went off via Halifax to Alberta for flight training. They mustered in Edinburgh before going down to Aberystwyth and after training went by ship from Liverpool and Greenock to Canada which in itself must have been truly frightening. Two officers in the photograph are Squadron leader RH Truman and FO GD Blackmore with around 50 named cadets. The graffiti find and the billeting in the Bell Vue hotel is fascinating. Jack, I would be interested to hear your stories of these times.
Sun Nov 4 19:36:22 2007
Jack Lawford
I was stationed in the Belle Vue Royal Hotel from september 1943 untiljanuary 1944 and can confirm that cadets were billeted here and I can give much information about this.
Fri Oct 19 09:15:47 2007
Geraldine King from Powys
My late father, Gilbert (Gil) King, was stationed in Aberystwyth during his initial training in the autumn of 1941. He said he was billeted at The Lion pub but I'm having difficulty tracing this. He said the trainees used to run up and down Constitution Hill as part of their physical training. He also said they worked hard, having up to 14 subjects to cover. He was due to marry in early November, but because they hadn't had their exams he had to put off the wedding until late November. Then some of the chaps plied him with bromide as a joke! Dad went over to Canada to complete his training as a pilot and ended up flying Wellingtons in North Africa and Italy.
Mon May 14 13:38:41 2007
Geoff Powell from London
My father's brother Dilwyn, aged ninety this year, served in the R.A.F during the war and was stationed in Aberystwyth c1940-1941. He attained the rank of Sergeant, operating as a gas warfare training instructor in the number 6 air training wing. Whilst he was there Gwynne Powell, a brother, flew over Aber in a Wellington bomber, on a training mission. The idea apparently, to ‘bomb’ the pier! Presumably they succeeded! A favourite watering hole with the airmen stationed in Aber during the war was the Nags head pub which is still there! It was here that my uncle Dilwyn won a News of the World darts match trophy, the Nags head being renowned then for its darts team. The irony of Dilwyn being sent to Aberystwyth was that all our family on my fathers side came from that area. My grandfather from the Rheidol, my grandmother from the Trefenter area, from a farm called Morfa Du, which some of you will know of from Prosser Rhys fame. The family had all been living in London for many years at the outset of world war two, and when Dilwyn was posted to Aber he went to my Grandmother with a mock shock expression on his face and informed her (in Welsh, of course) ’Mum, I’ve been posted...ABROAD! During his time in Aber, Dilwyn was stationed, I believe, in the hotel called The Diva.
Mon Apr 30 11:00:37 2007
Ann McHardie nee Brooks from Dunfermline, Fife, Sc
I was so pleased to find this article. I'm doing family research and I've only recently found a half brother, James Brooks, who was a pilot in WWII and married to Jacqueline Gladstone from Aberystwth. I'm wondering how a young boy from Edinburgh found himself married to a young girl from Aberystwth in 1944. He was killed not long after they married.
Wed Apr 25 15:16:17 2007
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