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Kenfig - The Complete History (e-Resource)The War Years around Kenfig
Explore Kenfig and surrounding areas during and throughout the War Years especially the 1939-45 World War.
Porthcawl and surrounding area welcomed British, French, Dutch, Canadian, Polish and American servicemen and women
during WWII. They stayed in hotels, guest houses, nissen huts and tents and trained at nearby RAF Stormy Down and Kenfig
and at the Air Sea Rescue Unit at The Jennings Building in Porthcawl habour.
Mission StatementHere on Kenfig.org we share in the passion, courage and admiration of both civilian and military servicemen
and women throughout the immediate Kenfig areas and beyond who witnessed some of the most
desperate times in Britain's history.
German Gun c.1925Captured German Gun near original Coastguard Station, Porthcawl - this was captured during the First
World War and was displayed close to the coastguard station.
During WWII the country was short of iron & steel - the Government held a 'scrap drive'
where all iron gates & railings were requisitioned including this field gun.
Porthcawl Harbour 1954Two RAF Air Sea Rescue launches at their moorings.
From the outbreak of WWII they saved many airmen who had ditched in the Bristol Channel
together with rescuing many holiday makers.
On 31 March 1959 the RAF Marine base ceased as an operational unit.
RAF Stormy Down Aerial View 1946 - Image © Crown CopyrightThe Royal Air Force aerodrome on Stormy Down served a very important role in the training of both air
and ground crews during the 1939-45 War.
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Porthcawl during and after WWII
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Around the Kenfig Area
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World War I (The Great War)Ninety Year Rememberence Special 2008
World War I (1914 - 1918)A Special Ninety Year Rememberence of the Great War in memory of those who sacrificed their lives around
the Kenfig area has been created on this website for rememberence day, November 11, 2008.
World War I - A Special Rememberence Serice in memory of the peoples of the Kenfig area who sacrificed their lives.
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RAF Stormy DownThe History of a Training Aerodrome 1934-47
The Royal Air Force aerodrome on Stormy Down served a very important role in the training
of both air and ground crews during the 1939-45 War.
Coming soon...
Home GuardLocal Defence Volunteers
In May 1940 a decision was taken by the War Cabinet to strengthen the Regular and Territorial Army by recruiting
men between the ages of 17 and 65 who were not already engaged in civil defence activities.
The new force was called the Local Defence Volunteers and by July 1940 it had grown to around 1.5 million men;
in that month it was renamed the Home Guard.
The Royal Observer Corps
Hidden in a field next to Locks Lane, Porthcawl until April 1994 was an underground operations room.
Built in 1961 on the site of a wartime surface observation post - the original wooden structure was built in 1938
for what was the Observer Corps.
The observation post at Porthcawl commissioned in 1938 consisted of a wooden shed topped by a tower giving
excellent views over the Bristol Channel.
The Royal Dutch Troops - Dutch LegionDan-y-Graig Camp, Porthcawl
First billeted in Haverfordwest then moved to Dan-y-Graig, Porthcawl the Dutch soldiers were accommodated in tents.
Out of 1460 who arrived, 120 were officiers, 360 were senior NCO's and 980 corporals and privates.
Collectively they were known as the 'Royal Dutch Troops' and also as the Dutch Legion until 27 August 1941
when Queen Wilhelmina presented them with a standard in the name of 'Prinses Irene Brigade'.
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Kenfig - The Complete History (e-Resource) || An important part of Wales' documentary heritage, identified by the National Library of Wales || www.kenfig.org.uk |
Associated Website Links || War Years
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Acknowledgements ||Bibliography(1) Bridgend County Borough Council Library & Information Services
(2) Bridgend County Borough Council
(3) 3rd party copyright © Mike Mansley (Porthcawl at War 1939-1945)
(4) Porthcawl Museum & History Society
(5) 3rd party copyright © JDV Ludlow (Royal Ordnance Factory, Bridgend)
(6) 3rd party copyright © Brett Exton & Shawn Bohannon (Island Farm POW Camp, Bridgend)
(7) Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council Library Services
(8) West Glamorgan Archive Services, County Hall, Swansea
(9) South Wales Police
(10) South Wales Fire & Rescue Service
(11) Ray Cottrell; Semper Alacer (History of a Training Aerodrome 1934-47);
Webpage Author(1) Mr Rob Bowen - Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2009.
3rd Party Copyright:Home Guard (Porthcawl); Royal Observer Corps (Porthcawl); Royal Dutch Troops (Porthcawl); 15th Battalion The Welch Regiment (Porthcawl); 49th West Riding Reconnaisance Regiment; 5th Battalion The West Yorkshire Regiment; 4th Monmouthshire Battalion; RAF Air Sea Rescue Marine Craft Unit (Porthcawl); Auxillary AFS & National Fire Services; Glamorgan Constabulary; Search Light & Anti Aircraft Batteries; Air Raid Precautions (ARP); The Red Cross (Joint War Organisation); St John Ambulance (Joint War Organisation); RAF Stormy Down; Porthcawl at War.Information & photos originally researched by Mike Mansley (Porthcawl at War 1939-1945)
and part re-published online strictly for educational purposes only - 3rd party copyright © Mike Mansley
(Porthcawl at War 1939-1945) - (First Printed 1994 - ISBN 0 9523152 0 3)
Information edited & sub-edited for online purposes || Rob Bowen - Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2009
3rd Party Copyright:Royal Ordnance Factory, BridgendInformation & photos originally researched by JDV Ludlow (The Royal Ordnance Factory - A brief history 1936-1946)
and part re-published online strictly for educational purposes only - 3rd party copyright © JDV Ludlow 2004.
Information edited & sub-edited for online purposes || Rob Bowen - Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2009
3rd Party Copyright:Island Farm POW Camp, BridgendInformation & photos originally researched by Brett Exton & Shawn Bohannon
(Island Farm Prisoner of War Camp: 198/Special Camp: XI, Bridgend, South Wales - 1944-48)
and part re-published online strictly for educational purposes only - 3rd party copyright © Brett Exton & Shawn Bohannon.
Information edited & sub-edited for online purposes || Rob Bowen - Kenfig.org Local Community Group, 2009
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copyright © 2003-2009 www.kenfig.org.uk / www.cynffig.org.uk - All rights reserved
The Kenfig.org website is operated as a not for profit making organisation known as
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This website project is funded by the
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