YOU’VE got to take your hat off to the Llanelli Chamber Choir; they like taking on big and bold projects.

This month they will be staging Joseph Haydn’s The Creation at St Elli Parish Church, Llanelli.

The concert will be under the musical direction of Piet Zorn and will take place at 7pm on Saturday, September 28.

The choir will be supported by a 10-strong musical ensemble.

The soloists will be Kieran Rayner, baritone, Osian Wyn Bowen, tenor, Morgan Summers, soprano, and Jade Fouracre-Reynolds, alto.

Llanelli Chamber Choir was founded by Piet Zorn in October, 2021.

The aim of the choir is to bring a variety of classical and traditional music to Llanelli and add to the rich musical culture in south Wales.

The Llanelli Chamber Choir is about much more than just performance.

Piet hopes that by providing a space, where people are welcome to sing regularly, this will improve wellbeing and the mental health within our community.

He has ensured that joining the choir is accessible to everyone who has the desire to learn and sing, bringing joy to both the participants and the audience members.

Piet is a professional opera singer, vocal teacher, pianist, and composer.

He currently teaches music at a comprehensive school and has many of his private students go on to study singing, theatre and some who have become professional singers themselves.

He graduated with a master’s degree in music education from the Hamburg College of Music and Drama and went on to teach music teachers in Germany before moving to Wales eight years ago.

He has performed in many operas and oratorios both in Germany and Wales. Regular recitals and choral concerts round up his professional career.

Piet’s desire to start a chamber choir in Llanelli filled a gap within the community for this style of music.

You can find out more about the Llanelli Chamber Choir on their Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100090227216918

The Creation is an oratorio written in 1797 and 1798 by Joseph Haydn. It is considered by many to be one of his masterpieces. The oratorio celebrates the creation of the world as narrated in the Book of Genesis in The Bible.

The libretto was written by Gottfried van Swieten. The work is structured in three parts and scored for soprano, tenor and bass soloists, chorus and a symphonic orchestra.

In parts I and II, depicting the creation, the soloists represent the archangels Raphael (bass), Uriel (tenor) and Gabriel (soprano). In part III, the bass and soprano represent Adam and Eve.

The first public performance was held in Vienna at the old Burgtheater on March 19, 1799.

The featured ensemble members for the performance are – David Wheeler, Cellan Morgan, Gareth Hamlin, Imogen Holborn, Louise Baylis, Rachel Thomas, James McBeth, Mihai Stoican, Sian Davies and Aden Yip.

Tickets are £15 and are available from the email address chamberchoirllanelli@gmail.com or by phoning 07535 166956.

In other news, Côr Dyfed Choir is offering an exciting opportunity through its Youth Choral Scholarship Scheme to young people who want singing to be an important part of their lives, either as an amateur or professional.

The aims of the scheme are to encourage and mentor talented young singers and to provide opportunities for them to perform a wide range of musical works with the choir, often in concerts with professional orchestra and soloists. It enables young singers to help fulfil the choir’s core aim which is to foster and promote interest and appreciation of choral music among the general public.

The scheme offers regular free one-to-one tuition with qualified singing teachers and, at the end of the year, a certificate to add to scholars’ portfolios or CVs.

It also offers free annual membership of a high-quality choir, worth over £100, and the experience of rehearsing and performing a wide choral repertoire under the baton of professional music directors.

Any singer aged between 16 and 25 living in Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire or Ceredigion is eligible to apply for a choral scholarship. Applicants need to complete an application form and then attend an interview and audition with the choir’s Music Director. Auditions and interviews take place throughout the year. Scholars must attend regularly the rehearsals held every Tuesday evening during term-time at the Bloomfield Centre in Narberth. They will also sing in Côr Dyfed Choir concerts three or four times a year, often in St Davids Cathedral.

Any young person who is interested in these scholarships can find details on the choir’s website at www.dyfedchoir.co.uk/join and contact the secretary Hannah Jones for an application form.

Members of Llanelli Youth Theatre will be continuing their 40^th anniversary celebrations this week.

They will be staging Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

Cast members included members of the youth theatre from the past 40 years.

The role of Sweeney Todd will be played by Llanelli’s Simon Nehan.

Tickets for Sweeney Todd are £20 and performance dates are – 12 Sept, 19:30; 13 Sept, 19:30; 14 Sept, 14:30; 14 Sept, 19:30; 15 Sept, 14:30.

Tickets are available from the Ffwrnes Theatre box office and the Carmarthenshire Theatres – Theatrau Sir Gar website at – https://www.theatrausirgar.co.uk/en/shows/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street

Meanwhile, the Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen will see the arrival of the popular touring show called Celine – My Heart Will Go On.

After a sold-out tour across the UK and Europe in 2023, Celine – My Heart Will Go On is back for 2024, bigger and better than ever!

The September 12 concert in Carmarthen promises to be a stunning celebration of the music and one of one of the greatest singers of our time, Celine Dion.

Starring Alexandra Darby, as seen on ITV’s This Morning, and an outstanding live band, the audience are taken on a magical ride through four decades of hits that include: The Power Of Love, It’s All Coming Back To Me Now, I’m Alive, All By Myself, Because You Loved Me, My Heart Will Go On and many more.

Tickets are £25.50.

THE starting gun has been fired to find nominations for the 2024 Carmarthen Town Council Sports Awards.

Sporting clubs and individuals are being asked to submit their nominations in 11 categories.

The awards are hotly contested each year and the independent judging panel includes Llanelli, Wales and British and Irish Lions ruby hero Roy Bergiers.

Another judging panel member is former Carmarthen Journal editor Robert Lloyd.

He said: “There’s such sporting talent in Carmarthen that we get given a major headache every year trying to wrestle with such amazing nominations.

“One of the joys of judging the awards is that get to see successful youngsters pick up awards in their teens and then go on to greater achievements.

“For example, back in 2018, the cyclist Emma Finucane (pictured) was the winner of the category for under-16 females. This year, of course, we have been watching Emma take gold in the Paris Olympics.

“Who knows? Perhaps there are future Olympians in the 2024 crop of young sporting talent in Carmarthen?”

All category winners will be invited to attend to receive their awards at a presentation evening to be held on early next year at the Carmarthen Quins Rugby Football Club.

Nominations need to be submitted to Mrs Eleri James at the Carmarthen Town Council offices by no later than Friday, November 22, 2024 (by post or by email to gejames@carmarthentowncouncil.gov.uk)

The 11 award categories are:  Senior Male, Senior Female, U13s Junior Male, U13s Junior Female, U16s Intermediate Male, U16s Intermediate Female, U19s Youth Male, U19s Youth Female, Junior Team, Senior Team and Coach/Organiser/Volunteer, with two awards in each category, first and second, making a total of 22 winners.

Mrs James said: “We hope that clubs, sporting organisations and individuals are prepared to submit nominees. We look forward to receiving lists of names of individuals and teams that most deserve to receive an award as a small recognition of their commitment and efforts in their chosen sport.”

IT may be 80 years on, but the people of a Dutch city show no signs of ever forgetting the role Welsh soldiers played in their liberation during World War Two.

Back in 2011, I was privileged to join the old Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir at anniversary liberation celebrations in s’Hertogenbosch in the North Brabant Province in the Netherlands.

• Flashback to Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir visit to the Netherlands in 2011.

At the time, veterans of the 53^rd Welsh Division were still able to attend a weekend of liberation commemorations.

This year, there are unlikely to be any veterans present, but the actions of Welsh soldiers will still be remembered by people who call their home city ‘Den Bosch’.

Thanks to hard-working folk both here and in the Netherlands, the link between Wales and Den Bosch will still be remembered on the last full weekend in October.

One of the key figures in continuing the relationship with Den Bosch is Lieutenant Colonel David Mathias, Deputy Lord Lieutenant of Dyfed. In recent years, he has been instrumental in securing the services of Welsh choirs and musicians to visit Den Bosch to take part in liberation events.

This year, he has secured the services of a team of young singers from Loud Applause Rising Stars from west Wales and Llanelli’s Samuel Wyn-Morris, whose West End credits include performing in Les Miserables.

They will be joined by celebrated harpist Dylan Cernyw to fly the flag for Wales in a weekend of events which include services St Jan’s (St John’s) Cathedral, the Uden war cemetery, the 53^rd Welsh Division Memorial and concerts at the city’s theatre and at Rosmalen.

“It promises to be a very busy and emotional weekend,” said Cerith Owens, who is in charge of the Loud Applause Rising Stars team.

“I’ve attended the liberation weekend events before and the determination of the city of Den Bosch to never forget the role the Welsh played in the liberation of the city is there for all to see.

“The liberation events are very dignified and colourful occasions which show this is a city that will never forget. I know that the singers and musicians from Wales, who will be taking part in the concerts and services, feel very honoured to be invited to represent their country in the Netherlands.”

The Welsh flag is flown at Den Bosch city hall every year to remember the sacrifices of soldiers from the 53rd Welsh Division

The Royal Welsh Bridge in Den Bosch is named in honour of the Army unit that liberated the town from Nazi occupation in 1944, the 53rd Welsh Division – a division now constituted as the Royal Welsh in today’s British army.

The names and ages of each of the 146 Welsh soldiers who died for the town are displayed on the bridge in a very personal civic tribute.

Venture into Den Bosch and you’ll find a public space called the 53rd Welsh Division Square, home to the Welsh war memorial.

In the city hall you’ll find the Welsh Room, which houses the coat of arms of the 53rd Welsh Division, the names of the fallen soldiers, and old photographs.

Modern Den Bosch is a prosperous place, but back in 1944 the town had been occupied by the Germans for four-and-a-half years.

The 53rd Welsh Division had already seen bloody action in the battles of Normandy, and had later fought its way through Belgium.

The division took part in the drive into the occupied Netherlands in the aftermath of Operation Market Garden, the ambitious attempt to take a series of bridges over canals and rivers using paratroopers.

The Welshmen were given the job of liberating what was then the strategically important town of s’Hertogenbosch.

Perhaps because it was the liberation of a town (Den Bosch didn’t have city status back then), perhaps because it was self-contained battle, but the liberation took on a special significance for both the Dutch and the Welsh.

The liberation of Den Bosch became an iconic ‘Welsh’ battle, a Welsh story.

In the years that followed, there were ‘pilgrimages’ by Welsh veterans to Den Bosch, visits which helped reinforce the sense of pride that it was Welsh troops who routed the Nazis.

The attack by the 53rd began at 2am on October 22, 1944.

With firepower from the tanks of 7th Armoured Division – the famous Desert Rats – and support from the 1st East Lancs, the Welshmen attacked the medieval town.

The battle raged for four days, with Den Bosch having to be taken street-by-street. The fighting was brutal, with large numbers of casualties on both sides.

But with invaluable help from brave citizens from the Dutch resistance, the enemy was gradually pushed out.

On the morning of the 27^th, the Germans launched a last-ditch counter-attack to try to recapture the ground they had lost, but the Welsh pushed them back, and the Nazis subsequently withdrew from the town.

Den Bosch had been liberated – but the cost was high.

Some 146 officers and men from the 53rd were killed, and hundreds were injured. The battle cost the lives of 253 residents, and injured more than 2,000 more. More than 700 of Den Bosch’s buildings were destroyed or smashed beyond repair.

In the years that followed, Den Bosch was rebuilt, but the sacrifices of the Welshmen have never been forgotten.

Cerith Owens said: “When you think that the liberation happened 80 years ago, a time outside of the life experience of most of us, then it is remarkable that Den Bosch still continues to commemorate the liberation.

“It just shows how much importance the people of the city still attach to the events of 1944 and the sacrifices made by those brave Welshmen. We will do our best to honour their memory when we visit Den Bosch at the end of October.”

Twitter: @rlloydpr

Email: robertlloydpr@rlloydpr.co.uk

MEMBERS of Llanelli Youth Theatre will be continuing their 40^th anniversary celebrations next week.

Back in June, former members of the youth theatre and current members teamed up for a memorable anniversary concert at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli.

Now, the youth theatre team are finishing rehearsals for a special production of Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

The show promises to be a theatrical treat for Llanelli, with an immersive production being staged at Ffwrnes.

Sweeney Todd is a 1979 musical with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It is based on a 1970 play Sweeney Todd by Christopher Bond.

The character of Sweeney Todd first appeared in a Victorian penny dreadful (newspaper/magazine) titled The String of Pearls.

Sweeney Todd opened on Broadway in 1979 and in the West End in 1980.

It won the Tony Award for Best Musical and an Olivier Award for Best New Musical. It has been revived in many productions and has inspired a film adaptation.

The youth theatre’s publicity blurb says, ‘Join us for the dark, witty, multi-Tony Award-Winning tale of love, murder and revenge, set against the backdrop of 19th century London.

‘Sweeney Todd, based on the Christopher Bond melodrama, has become a bloody, worldwide success, and is widely regarded as Sondheim’s masterpiece.

‘For the complete experience the immersive standing area is highly recommended. Limited seating is available.’

Cast members included members of the youth theatre from the past 40 years.

The role of Sweeney Todd will be played by Llanelli’s Simon Nehan.

Simon started his stage career with Llanelli Youth Theatre (LYT) before going on to train at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama (RWCMD) in Cardiff.

His most recent professional role was touring Wales and the US with the much-acclaimed one-man-play based on the life of rugby icon Carwyn James, the world famous coach of Llanelli and the British and Irish Lions.

A spokesman for LYT said: “Please join us for our upcoming immersive production at Ffwrnes Theatre. Explore the dark underbelly of Victorian London where this company of curious characters will guide you around the space and into famed institutions like Mrs Lovett’s Pie Shop and, of course, Sweeney Todd’s barbershop.

“Get your tickets now for what is sure to be a real theatrical treat right here in Llanelli.”

Tickets for Sweeney Todd are £20 and performance dates are – 12 Sept, 19:30; 13 Sept, 19:30; 14 Sept, 14:30; 14 Sept, 19:30; 15 Sept, 14:30.

Photo: Llanelli Youth Theatre

Tickets are available from the Ffwrnes Theatre box office and the Carmarthenshire Theatres – Theatrau Sir Gar website at – https://www.theatrausirgar.co.uk/en/shows/sweeney-todd-the-demon-barber-of-fleet-street

Meanwhile, the Lyric Theatre in Carmarthen will next week see the arrival of the popular touring show called Celine – My Heart Will Go On.

After a sold-out tour across the UK and Europe in 2023, Celine – My Heart Will Go On is back for 2024, bigger and better than ever!

The September 12 concert in Carmarthen promises to be a stunning celebration of the music and one of one of the greatest singers of our time, Celine Dion.

Starring Alexandra Darby, as seen on ITV’s This Morning, and an outstanding live band, the audience are taken on a magical ride through four decades of hits that include: The Power Of Love, It’s All Coming Back To Me Now, I’m Alive, All By Myself, Because You Loved Me, My Heart Will Go On and many more.

Tickets are £25.50.

In other news, there’s a special concert coming up at Pontyberem Memorial Hall in the heart of the Gwendraeth Valley.

You are promised a fun evening of folk singing (and more!) in the company of Pedair and Cór Merched Lleisiau’r Cwm.

The concert is on Friday, September 20 (7pm) and will feature a secret auction and raffle, with the proceeds going to Prostate Cancer.

Tickets, at £12 a head, are available through the Ticket Source website – https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/cor-lleisiaur-cwm/t-krxlkpe

Broadcaster Heddyr Gregory will compere the evening.

For those unfamiliar with the work of Pedair, here is a short biography –

Pedair, the feminine form of ‘pedwar’ (‘four’ in Welsh) draws on the talents of four of Wales’s most prominent and award-winning folk artists – Gwenan Gibbard, Gwyneth Glyn, Meinir Gwilym and Siân James.

Groundbreaking international artists in their own right, all four thrive on collaboration and the thrill of live performance.

Together, they bring to life traditional material with new arrangements on harps, guitars, piano and accordion.

Their live performances have captured the imaginations and hearts of audiences with their sweeping harmonies, fresh interpretations of the Welsh folk tradition, and the intimacy of their songwriting.

Bringing together their unique gifts as song-tellers, the source material relies on inspiration from the poetic, oral and folk traditions of Wales and beyond.

Their first recordings emerged during the Covid lockdown and gained instant popularity, unexpectedly becoming a source of comfort and hope to many (including Pedair themselves!).

On September 20 and 21, SA15 Stage School will present ‘An Evening of ABBA, The Beatles and Elton John’ at Ffwrnes Theatre.

A spokesman for the stage school said: “You can join us for a night of ABBA, The Beatles and Elton John songs performed by the ‘teens’ and ‘seniors’ of SA15 Stage School.”

Tickets are Cabaret seating £12, Circle seating £10.

Tables of 10 are available at £120 or £160, including a drinks package (5 x bottles of beer / cider plus 3 bottles of wine).

September 26 sees Sarah McQuaid visiting Ffwrnes to perform in the intimate Stiwdio Stepni space.

Sarah McQuaid’s lush, chocolatey voice combines with her engaging personality and brilliant musicianship on acoustic and electric guitars, piano and drum to create a truly immersive experience.

Born in Spain, raised in Chicago, holding dual Irish and American citizenship and now settled in rural England, Sarah brings the eclecticism of her background to her captivating and unorthodox songwriting.

She has been described in the music press as “one of the most instantly recognisable voices in current music.”

AS I steadily make my way to 50 years in journalism, I’m entitled to grow old disgracefully and have a pop at the way the media world works these days.

Of course, much has changed since I embarked on a career in print in the heady days of hot metal printing (look it up; you’ll be amazed how the ‘technology’ worked back then!).

When I started work, we shared a dark and dusty office and a very clunky Remington typewriter . . . between three hack reporters! Over the years, I saw the introduction of computer technology and the rise of email and the internet.

Not all of the changes have been for the better. Time was when, in the bid to provide fair and accurate news, we strived to get to the source of the story and talk to the people involved.

Sadly, it isn’t always the case today *.

Sat in my attic office, I play a game of classifying some (alleged) stories into two categories – ‘newspaper fluff’ and ‘viral nonsense’.

Let’s start with the fluff. As those of you who carry out household chores will appreciate, fluff tends to gather and increase in volume.

Take this story, which was published in several national newspapers under headlines which broadly declared – ‘Colourful seaside spot is one of ‘least visited’ towns in UK with hardly any train travellers’.

The story referred to Aberaeron (one of my favourite spots on Cardigan Bay).

The ‘source’ of the ‘story’ could be quickly traced back to a press release from Trainline, which declared that ‘two of the least visited towns (by train) in the UK are Aberaeron in Wales and Melrose in Scotland’.

Most of the national newspapers operated a simple ‘cut and paste’ of the original press release, with no attempt at fact-checking.

And, in fact, one national newspaper reporter couldn’t even do the cut and paste properly, referring to the eighth century (sic) Georgian villa on Aberaeron’s Llanerchaeron Estate.

As I was about to respond by email to the national journalists concerned, I spotted a response, better than anything I could compose, by Elin Jones, Llywydd (Speaker) of The Senedd.

She responded to the stories in postcard style –

‘Dear ———–,

‘Sometimes facts just aren’t what they seem. That’s why good journalists check their facts before writing the headline.

‘Yes , Fact 1, Aberaeron may have low visitor numbers by train.

‘But Fact 2 explains why – it has no train station! Closest is 20 miles away.

‘You’ll no doubt be slightly embarrassed to find this out now, but hope the embarrassment serves you well for future, slightly better-researched work.

‘Best wishes, Elin’.

Next, let’s examine viral nonsense.

On Wednesday morning, I was puzzled to see a YouTube account launch a video clip from a House of Commons Select Committee, entitled ‘MPs ASTOUNDED at 5,000 hotels rooms ‘on stand-by’ for new migrants’.

Something didn’t seem right, but I decided not to get involved.

Until, that is, I could see the video suddenly gaining traction and views and shares on the X platform formerly known as Twitter.

The views and comments ramped up at a rate of knots, with many choosing to make political capital for their own anti-immigration views.

By 1pm the controversial Tommy Robinson was adding to the X-storm, reposting the video with the following comment –

‘5000 hotel beds on ‘standby’ for fighting age foreign men crossing the channel. That’s 5000 beds being paid for by the UK taxpayer . . . that are not even being used, but paid for in advance.’

That was enough to tip me over the edge to explain this wasn’t a story at all.

The first clue was provided by the fact that Parliament is in recess (on holiday) so there are no Commons committee meetings currently being held.

With a minimum of effort on the internet, it was easy to establish that the video in question was from a Commons Public Accounts Committee of July 10 . . . 2023!

The statement by the Home Office’s Simon Ridley was overtaken by changes in Government policy in October, 2023, when a gradual halt to using hotels for asylum seeker accommodation was announced.

The X viral spread of the ‘5000 beds on standby’ is a decent example of how quickly nonsense gets accepted as ‘fact’ by those who use social media.

Just sayin’

*Note here: I am referring, in the main, to national newspapers and some social media platforms. Your Evening Post still continues to strive to be fair and accurate in its reporting.

——————————–

TALK about being caught with your trousers down! Thankfully, there was no reason to summon the local constabulary.

Yes, two people received quite a fright, but no-one was injured.

Picture the scene, it had been a typical summer’s morning – ie we had enjoyed Biblical quantities of rain.

I’d picked the day for a walk along the Wales coastal path from Saundersfoot to Pendine. Setting out early, I saw very few hardy souls out on the remote stretches of the path.

The rain eased from torrential to just drizzle as I approached Telpyn Point and Marros Beach.

I picked a quiet spot in a clearing of gorse bushes to begin discarding the wet weather gear.

Shoes off, I was in the middle of dropping my wet-weather over-trousers when I heard a shriek. A young lady jogger had emerged from a gap in the gorse bushes.

Plainly, she had mistaken the adjustments in my clothing for something more sinister.

She had a fright. I had a fright at the fact that she was having a fright.

Thankfully, she quickly realised I was only removing an outer layer of wet weather gear and was still decently attired in chinos.

We both saw the funny side of it – and proceeded to have a splendid chat about walking challenges in south Wales. I brought her up to speed on some of the best of Bannau Brycheiniog. She provided some education on the best of coastal Pembrokeshire.

We both found a common goal with the aim to take part in next month’s Gower Walking Festival.

I promised I’d be more careful about where and when I discard clothing in future!

The website for the Gower Walking Festival is at https://gowerwalkingfestival.uk

Twitter: @rlloydpr

Email: robertlloydpr@rlloydpr.co.uk

IT’S called falling down a rabbit hole. Trust me, it’s not a painful experience. In fact, it can be very educational.

Of course, I’ve not fallen down an actual rabbit hole. I’ve just tripped into a virtual one, courtesy of the internet.

The latest tumble followed a friendly push by Kidwelly historian Graham Emmanuel.

It all started when I stumbled across a web page called ‘World War Two and Other Aircraft Crash Sites South Wales’.

The rest, as they say, is history . . . lots of it!

Thanks to Graham, I discovered a website called People’s Collection Wales.

Look it up online, but make yourself a cup of tea first and tell the family you may be gone for an hour or two, as it’s a gigantic rabbit hole.

People’s Collection Wales is a free website dedicated to bringing together Welsh heritage. It is full of fascinating photographs, documents, audio and video recordings and stories that link to the history, culture and people of Wales.

The items on the site have been contributed by national institutions and individuals, local community groups and small museums, archives and libraries.

The site’s mission statement is simple – ‘We’re passionate about celebrating Wales’s culture and heritage and believe everyone has a piece of the jigsaw that tells the story of Wales, be it a memory, a letter, an old photograph or recording.

‘We want to capture and share these often untold stories on our website for future generations to enjoy.’

Established in 2010, People’s Collection Wales is funded by the Welsh Government, with the three leading partners organisations – Amgueddfa Cymru National Museum Wales, National Library of Wales and the Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Wales.

Graham Emmanuel is a major contributor to the website and you can find his stories, photos and research simply by searching his name on People’s Collection Wales.

Graham’s research journey started from a personal tragedy.

In June, 2015, his wife Linda visited her doctor complaining of a headache. She was diagnosed with a terminal brain tumour. Four weeks later, Linda died, aged 52.

Before she died, she instructed Graham live a full life and to travel. Still grieving, Graham took up the challenge.

Graham recalled: “From travelling, I got to be proficient at map-making and then I got into research into my family history and history in general.”

His interactive map of ‘World War Two and Other Aircraft Crash Sites South Wales’ started by researching a plane crash at Penrhyn Farm near Pwll, Llanelli.

Graham documented the fatal Martin B-26 Marauder crash on June 4, 1943. At the time, the weather ceiling and visibility were both zero.

The aircraft, named Mi Laine, flew into a hay barn at Penrhyn Farm and exploded.

The crew members who perished were – Lt John Reiss, pilot; Lt Eugene Carby, navigator, Sgt Raymond Shoemaker, engineer, and Lt William Shoop, passenger.

That initial research led Graham into producing his interactive map detailing other crash sites in south Wales. It also led to an essay on People’s Collection Wales, called ‘Wings of War: Exploring the Legacy of Aircraft Crashes in Wales’.

Graham explained: “It delves into the poignant history of aircraft crashes across Wales, offering a detailed examination of the events and the aircraft involved.

“The article provides a thorough account of each crash, including the circumstances, outcomes, and the technical details of the aircraft that met their tragic end.

“The document not only recounts the history of these crashes but also includes comprehensive technical profiles of the involved aircraft.

“For those interested in a more interactive experience, the front-page features links to an interactive Google My Map, which visually represents the crash sites. This map allows readers to explore the locations and understand the geographical context of each event.

“Additionally, the article provides links to memorials dedicated to the service members who lost their lives, honouring their memory and service.

“As part of the People’s Collection of Wales, this article serves as both a historical resource and a tribute, ensuring that the legacy of these aircraft and the stories of their crews are preserved and remembered.”

Graham has also created a Virtual Cemetery to honour the servicemen who died in crashes.

Graham added: “I’ve been on one hell of a journey since Linda died. I think she has been keeping me busy!

“I have written a book about her, called One Special Woman, which is in the People’s Collection. Along the way, I’ve met grief counsellors, and I let them share it with those who are struggling.”

Thanks to Graham, I now know a lot more about World War Two history – and I’ve enjoyed many a happy hour on other diversions down the People’s Collection Wales website.

For example, a little burrowing has allowed me to find out more about The Blind Fisherman of Mumbles, experience the ‘soundscape’ of life on Western Slade Farm Gower, discover a Hampshire folk song called Swansea Town, check out old photos of Gnoll House, Neath, and view the archive of vessels visiting Port Talbot Docks.

As internet rabbit holes go, the People’s Collection Wales may have to come with a health warning: this site is seriously addictive!

You can find People’s Collection Wales at – https://www.peoplescollection.wales

Twitter: @rlloydpr

Email: robertlloydpr@rlloydpr.co.uk