Written by Cyril Reynolds CS905018 Gunner Field Artillery from Llandrindod Wells:
"We were mobilized on the 1st Sep 1939 and war was declared 2 days later on 3rd September 1939. I was 20 at the time.
The photo consists 
of the Radnor Battery leaving Llandrindod to go to its first camp at Clytha Park outside Abergavenny for military training. The Radnor Battery consisted of three troops, D-Troop came from Llandrindod Wells, E Troop came from Knighton and F Troop came from Presteigne, which also included the surrounding areas. The commander was Major Anderson and he was the headmaster at the Llandrindod Wells County School.
On outbreak of war, they gave us a new battle dress. I was the last one to be issued with a battle dress - there were more chaps my size so they ran out quickly.
After a few months of being stationed at Tenby and Haverfordwest, the 53rd Welsh division was moved to Northern Ireland to commence military training where we were equipped with modern equipment and attended fire rangers and all military training.
After two years in Northern Ireland, we returned to Kent, England, waiting for the Second Front - the invasion of Europe, which was Normandy on the 6th of June 1944. Prior to the invasion of Europe, I was posted to a unit as First line Reinforcements for the casualties they expected to receive on the beaches of Normandy.
Eventually I was posted to the 49th Polar Bear Division which originally came from Yorkshire and had been trained in Iceland. This is why when they were looking for a divisional badge, they adopted from the time they spent in Iceland the polar bear divisional badge.
I fought with the Polar Bear division on the beaches from France to Holland, Belgium and into Germany until the end of the war in Europe on 8th May 1945. I eventually got demobbed on 26th January 1946.
There is no glory in war. It is a disaster from start to finish. When I returned to Normandy for the 60th anniversary commemorations in 2004, I was going around the cemeteries and looking at the headstones.
Many had died at 17, 18 years old. Their life was taken away from them. They didn't get a chance to live."
Written by Cyril Reynolds from Llandrindod Wells
Llandrindod Wells town site...
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Ruth Howells from Johannesburg, South Africa
My late father, William Henry Howells from Howey, was a friend of Cyril Reynolds, so it was lovely to recognise a familiar name! (and an interesting story!)
Fri Aug 15 08:09:00 2008
Alan Cartwright
I found the article submitted by Cyril Reynolds to be very interesting because it gave me information about my fathers war which I had not known before. However, it also raised questions which perhaps Cyril Reynolds would be kind enough to answer.
I should say at this point that my father came from Leintwardine and had been in the Territorial Army serving with the Radnor Battery. His name was Alfred Henry Cartwright and probably served with the Knighton E Troop. I do not know his rank when the war broke out but subsequently he did become a Battery Sergeant Major. I can well recall as a 6 year old ! visiting him with my mother at his location in Tenby and being very concerned that he was sleeping on the floor in the hotel he was billeted in. I also know that he later went for training in Northern Ireland and later on to a location in Kent. However, from this location he went to North Africa and subsequently on to fight up through Italy. This is where my knowledge ends. Perhaps Mr Reynolds knows something of the circumstances where my fathers war service split away from his own? - I would be most interested to learn more and I cannot ask my father because he died some years ago.
Tue Dec 19 12:49:47 2006
Brittney, Ohio
I really enjoyed reading about you during your war time. To tell you the truth I really never cared about the war but I am doing a family tree project and my grandpa was in the war, Roy Morris. But now that I think about it, it is really important to know. About all the soldiers who have fought for our country. I really enjoyed reading your information.
Mon Jan 30 17:45:30 2006
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