Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda oddiwrth pawb yn yr Amgueddfa.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at the RWF Museum.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year from all at the RWF Museum.
#OTD 28th November 1834
The wearing of the ‘Flash’ first sanctioned
In 1808 the pigtail was abolished in the army. Its implementation in the
Regiment was very unpopular. The officers, as a mark of protest, took to
wearing the ribbons from the queue bag and formed them into a ‘flash’ slang for a wig & attached it to the collar of their coats.
In 1834, when the Regiment returned from abroad, they were ordered to be
removed. An appeal was made to William IV who gave his approval ‘as a
peculiarity to mark the Dress of that distinguished Regiment’.
#MuseumsUnlocked #Wintertime
Men of the 15th (Service) Battalion (1st London Welsh), Royal Welsh Fusiliers
in the snow-covered
front line trenches at Fleurbaix, 28 December 1917.
Cecil André Mesritz was born in London on 20th August 1909. Initially trained as a mechanic, he acted in amateur dramatic productions before turning professional in 1934. Considering his name to be a disadvantage to furtherment in the British film industry, he anglicised it to Morell in 1936 and changed his name by deed poll two years later. Joining the Old Vic Company, he appeared on stage alongside Alec Guinness and John Gielgud, in films in the late 1930s and in early BBC drama productions.
Enlisting early in World War Two, he served initially as a junior NCO in 2nd Hampshire Regiment before being selected for Officer Training and commissioning from Sandhurst in May 1941. Serving with the Royal Welsh Fusiliers he was promoted to temporary Major in 1943 and demobbed in 1946. Returning to the stage, he established a reputation as a reliable and conscientious actor dividing his time between theatre, television and screen appearing in almost 30 films between 1948 and 1958 including some of the early Hammer horror films.
After appearing in Bridge Over The River Kwai, he was chosen for the starring role in the television science fiction series Quatermass and The Pit, still regarded as one of the best of its genre. By now an established leading man, Morrell appeared as Dr Watson in Hound of The Baskervilles alongside Peter Cushing as Sherlock Holmes and also in the Oscar-winning Hollywood epic, Ben Hur. Appearing in a further 23 films between 1959 and 1979 he was the top billing in Hammer’s Plague of The Zombies (1966) and The Mummy’s Shroud of the following year. Much in demand on television, his credits include episodes of The Avengers, The Saint, Dr Who and The Professionals.
After four years as Vice President of the British actors and performers trade union, Equity, Morell was President 1973-74. A 60-a-day smoker, André Morell died of lung cancer on 28th November 1978 with his last screen appearance as a judge in The Sean Connery and Donald Sutherland caper, The First Great Train Robbery, released after his death. #famousfriday
ON THIS DAY IN ROYAL WELCH HISTORY
Kensington Lord H.E. Lt Col CMG DSO TD
Hugh Edwardes, Lord Kensington was born 3rd Sept 1873, son of the 4th Baron and his wife Grace, an old Etonian (1891) he entered the army as 2/Lt with the 15th Hussars and later served in the Boer War as ADC to Lt Gen. H.M.L. Rundle, for which he was Mentioned in Despatches and awarded the DSO, (27/9/01) “In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa”. He had succeeded his brother to the title in 1900 as the 6th Baron Kensington. On the outbreak of war, he was gazetted Adjutant to the Welsh Horse Yeo in Aug 1914 and was promoted Lt Col (18/8/14) to command the regiment. He took them to Gallipoli, landing at Anzac, where he saw action from 10th Oct 1915 to Dec 1915 and commanded the rear guard action with 100 men on "Hill 60" for the withdrawal from the peninsula, was Mentioned in Despatches. He then took the regiment to Egypt and saw action in Palestine, where on the amalgamation with the Montgomery Yeo, to form the new 25th Bn RWF, he commanded the battalion. Was in the fighting in the attacks on both the Wadi Zait and Wadi Shebab during November 1917. Then in May 1918 he took the battalion to France where he saw action until the end of hostilities. Was appointed a CMG and was Mentioned in Despatches again. He was Hon Col. Pembroke Heavy Brigade R.A. in 1924. And awarded the TD (31/10/24).
CMG (LG 3/6/19).
MiD (LG 10/9/01 13/7/16 5/7/19).