The Aberdare Leader

The War. .^ovgt. Sydney J. Thoniiis, Church St., I enrhiwccibcr, Wounded in Gaza. LallCP Corporal Benjamin Koper, Peri- rhiwceiber, killed in (<az;i.

Fight with Turks. Aberaman Soldier's Vivid Narrative. Councillor Evan Jones, Aberaman, has received from his son, Private Glyn Jones, l/4th Batt. 'Welsh Regt., Egyptian Expeditionary Force, a letter containing a very interesting account of the motion fought recently in Pales- tine. He states:— "I am sure you have been very anxious as to my fate because by the time you receive this you will have heard that we have been in action Ï1\ Palestine, and that we have suffered heavily. Now that it is past I think the censor will have no objection to me giving you a few details. They are all very vividly impressed on my mind, so that I think I can give a rather good account. We had been 17, advancing a': a pretty fast pace for the last few months. We had been very fortunate and had suffered practically no opposition. On Saturday last (March 24th) all our troops concentrat- ed for the big attack just on the fron- tier, our division being chosen to oper- ate with the Anzacs. On the evening of the aforementioned day we marched about 12 miles. We bivouacked for the night under cover of a* large orchard. Eventually we were brought within seven miles of our objective—the time being a little after dawn. After a few hours rest we moved across to the attack. We moved up for a few miles behind small hills, the idea being of course to cover us from the enemy's artillery fire. We here got behind our own artillery, who were bombarding without stop. To see the gunners stripped to the waist, working like tro- jans, was a sight I shall never forget. This was one of the warmest davs we have experienced, this year. Well. after crossing one or two more hills we eventually came to a long open plain with no cover whatsoever. At the ex- treme end we found out the Turkish positions. Our shells were bursting all over them—lyddite shells, blowing everything to atoms. The battalion now started the advance, not a man shirking. Of course we were now being peppered by both the enemv's ntle and machine gun fire. Bullets were dropping here, there and every- where, but not a. man wavered. When eventually we got under their positions their lire was fearful and our line had become very thinned. Yet we charged. and those Turks and Germans ran for their lives. They would not face the British b ayonet. This evening we got the first smoke for a few days—a wounded prisoner giving me a few cigarettes for bandaging him. I got a Hungarian's holdall, containing his razor, hair brush, etc. I never once felt nervous, although the man carry- ing a reel of wire with me was wound- ed. Of course I have lost again several of my friends, one or two very close ones, but we all console ourselves with the fact that they gave all for their country, and in a country where sacri- fices have been made before."

Back to France. Staff Sergt. Charlie Rees, R.A.M.C.. returned to France on Saturday after a few davs' leave. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Rees, Dean St.. and before joining the Army was a teacher at the Aberdare National Schools.

Aberdare Sergeant Killed. Oil Tuesday. April 10. Mr and Mrs. D. J. Williams, 5 John Street, Aber- dare, received a telegram from the 17th Hospital, Alexandria, stating that their son, Sergt. D. J. Williams, 5th Welsh Regt., had received a gun- shot wound in the head at the great battle of Gaza. On Saturday last they were officially informed by Captain C. F. Hill, Shrewsbury, that their son, Sergt. Williams, had died of wounds. The gallant young soldier would have been 25 years old next month. He was a faithful member of Siloa, Aberdare, and a Sunday School teacher. He joined up in October, 1914, and was rapidly promoted. Sergt. Williams I saw service in the Dardanelles at SUylh Bay before being drafted to Egypt, where he fell for his King and Country. His officer, Major j I. Southey, Merthyr, fell the same day. At Siloa on Sunday afternoon the Hey. D. Silyn Evans made a touching refer- ence to the sad news.

Why Not Barley Bread? Arising from an application by a grocer for the exemption of a bread- baker, Mr. T. Walter Williams said it seemed to him that in the interest ot economy it was essential to impose a condition that all bakers should manu- facture some kind of bread other than bread made with wheat. His object was to conserve the wheat supply. He (Mr illiams) could eat other kinds of bread, and there were hundreds like him—bread and cakes made ot rye, barley and oats. :Jj'he system of volun- tary rationing could not be carried out in practice, and one reason was that they could not secure the co-operation ir' of tradesmen, especially bread-bakers. This Tribunal could assist by making) certain conditions as he suggested. Chairman: Why do you say that voluntary rationing cannot be carried out? Mr. T. W. Williams: We cannot ob- tain bread substitutes which we re- quire. I could live on less than halt the 41bs. of bread allowed if I could obtain the other things 1 mention. The Chairman remarked that it was quite true it was difficult to carry out rationing, because whereas miners and other manual workers required more than 41bs. of bread, others in sedentary occupations could do with less provided they obtained a little extra of other foodstuffs. Mr. T. W. 'Williams said lie had made enquiries why bakers did not make bread and cakes made of rye, barley and oats, and what they said was: "It does not pay us as weli. We do not run our business on philanthropic principles." He thought they should I be asked to do something in order to extend the wheat supply. Chairman: Do you think the public will buy those substitutes? Mr. Williams: Yes, people like my ¡ self. I am quite prepared to do so in the interest of the food supply. Chairman: What. if the bakers say they cannot get purchasers for them? Mr. Williams: They should expose the substitutes for sale and give them a trial. Mr. Evan Jones said that the diffi culty in the case of the Cwmbach Co- op. Society would be to provide sum cient room to store the various corn— barley, oats, etc., as well as wheat. Mr. George Powell said that rye was unobtainable. Barley and oats were I the only alternatives. The Chairman thought that regula- tions of this kind should come from the Food Controller. I Mr. Williams: There is no reason whv a reform should not begin locally. 1 Ml. G eo. Powell said that he agreed with Mr. Williams there was need of conserving the wheat supply. It had been stated that the present consump- tion of wheat was 50 per cent. in excess of present and prospective supplies, j Voluntary rationing was a failure, and when rationing had got to be done the Government would have to impose com- pulsion. We shall eat barley bread when w e are bound to do it and not be- fore." added Mr Powell. Mr. T. W. Williams: Compulsory I rationing would mean great hardship to the manual workers, and they should seriously consider some substitutes j now. :\1r, E. Stonelake When it comes to black bread we shall know how far our principles will carry us. 1 Chairman We can keep the subject before our minds, at any rate. [

Cwmaman Soldier Killed in Action. Thfln? is, :l pl>«)to of the late Pte. Butler, the 30 vear old p l° ;l"d Mrs .lohn Butler, If, "J,11 Kow, Cwmaman. He enlist- ?u ~IU' -n<1' li)14- iU1(i «"as «ttaehed to the 9th Welsh Kejrt. He had been th a^c,> f' months. He had been (j rough several engagements in Flan- rs> and had'heen wounded tliree times P to being mortally wounded on t|" ^h inst. he sustained wounds {.t -Battles of Loos and the Sunniic. Vn. Was' f'ivil life, employed in the Hainan Collieries. and wis a very font! Sl)<>rtsm:,n aIU' especially good <1 il^ei' 's l'omnuk's iUK' °ftk't'rs ]]is as the Uovvipg letter from his Commanding U ulcer shows: — 9th Welsh Regiment, B.K.F., France, 16th April, 1917. Gear Mrs. Butler,—It is with much that I have to inform you of the 7th °' your son from wounds on the inst. He was wounded on the night April 5th, having been hit in the lIolDach by a bit ot a shrapnel shell. rre was taken out of the trenches with least possible delay, but in spite of ery attention he died in the Field ^Qibulance, and was buried in the ^etnetery at Bailleul. Your son was of the best conducted and bravest soldiers in the company. He cont- ended the respect of the men and the a(imiration of his officers. 1 knew him Well, and he was the last man I should are to lose. Indeed, I feel a personal "?rrow in his loss. Please accept my _^Jcere sympathy in your bereavement. jT^our sincerely, T. Sugrue, 2nd Lieut., Company. je^PPended arc extracts from other Dear Mrs Butler.—I write with real ^topathv to tell vou of the death from rounds of vour son. Private Butler, m f !s >r»3rd C'C.S. He passed away peace- Iully on Saturday afternoon. I buried •f°Ur son this morning with a comrade ^0lo his own regiment, in the presence v c'np of his sergeants who was woundedpj j'"1 .Vour son. He is decently buried f„the English Cemeterv here.—Yours aithful]v, (Rev.) J. R. Beresford, C.T.F. North Midlands C.C.S. Sv^ear Madam—Accept my deepest v. apathy with you in your great sorrow. 5'Verything possible was done for your *°n' but all in vain, and he passed lH>.aeefu]|v in-av vesterdny afternoon. e was too ill to send any message by Inc", but T thought it might comfort you Vlltfle to know that we looked after for the last few hours.—A ours laithfully, Sister J. H. Gandtris.

Col. Powell in Command. Lieutenant Colonel G. R. Powell. J.P., of Tynewydd. Hirwain, has taken over the command of a battalion ot the Welsh Regiment in succession to Lieutenant-colonel W. Marwood-Klton, who has retired.

Former Aberamanite Killed. Lieut. D. Melfyn Bees, of the Dur- ham Light Infantry, was wounded while leading a raid oil the 9th inst., and died in hospital three days later. The only son of the Rev. J. Solon Rees, an ex- pastor of Bethany English Congrega- tional Church, Aberaman, he had a bril- liant academic career at University Col- lege, London, prior to entering Sand- hurst in September. 1914.

Photos Found cn the Battlefield. Private T. Jones, No. 2242, of the 1st 5th Royal Welsh Fusiliers,, serving in Egypt, has sent to the Aberdare leader Office three photographs found in the battlefield, with the request that they be returned to. the relatives of those who lost them. Fortunately the addresses were written on the backa of the photos, and they have now been delivered to Mrs. Allen, 10 Banks St.. Aberdare. They were lost by her brother, Private Trevor Roberts, 5til Batt. Royal Fusiliers attached to oth Welsh. The photos were of (1) Mrs. Allen and two children; (2) Mr. Bert Jones, Tonllwyd Farm, Aberaman; and (3) N)i-. Leni Harries, 32 Hill Street, Al>er:\nian. The last two named are friends of Private Roberts. Mrs. Allen's husband, Sergt. John Allen, o Glamorgan Yeomanry, is also out in Egypt.

Aberdare Officer's Callantry. Lieutenant John Eric Trevor-Jones, Rifle Brigade, who has won the Militaiy Cross, is^the son of Major Trevor Cory, and a grandson of Dr. Evan Jones, Ty- mawr, Aberdare. The honour is award- ed for several acts of gallantry. Ac companied by two men, he cut a lane through wire under very heavy fire; later he organised a bombing party and drove off an enemy attack; and on another occasion he established a block under heavy shell fire, thereby saving a critical situation. Lieutenant John Eric Trevor Jones, M.C., is under 20 years of age. He was educated at Downside, near Bath, and Clare Col- lege, Cambridge. ETis elder brother, Lieutenant Edward Evan Trevor Jones, also of the Rifle Brigade, was killed in July of last year whilst giving assist- ance to a wounded comrade.

A Llwydcoed Officer Wounded. Llwydeoed was represented at the re- cent engagement at Gaza by that gal- lant young officer, Sec. Lieut. W. J. Hodges, the son of Mr. and Mrs. J. E. F. Hodges. Nant Goch, Llwydcoed. As a private he joined the Sportsmen Battalion at the commencement of the war; was then transferred to the 5th Welsh, where he gained his Lieutenant- cy. Later lie was drafted with his regiment to Gallipoli, and there served for three months, at the end of which time he contracted fever. When re- turning aftei* the engagement at Gaza, carrying a report to Headquarters, a bullet from the enemy penetrated his leg. He was then transferred to the hospital at Cairo; the bullet was ex- tracted and now he is progressing very favourably. In a letter received" from him by his parents at the end of last week he gives a short but a very vivid account of the engagement, whence his platoon captured several prisoners, in- cluding a few Germans. At this en- gagement the toll of casualties among the officers of his Regiment was heavy, fourteen being wounded and two were killed. The villagers of Llwydcoed feel thankful and happy that their young officer escaped so well, and their hearts pour out their best wishes for his future military welfare. When he returns home a royal welcome awaits him.

Stale v. Fresh. Is More Bread Wasted? Later in the evening, during the hearing of appeals bv -\It F. NN'. Caunt, master baker, Aberdare, appli- cant dropped a remark that there was more waste of bread since the Govern- nient Order prohibiting sale of fresh bread had been introduced. Mr. E. Stonelake challenged tllHt i statement, and Mr. Caunt said that in scores of instances bread was 30 hours old when sold to the customer. The result was that the customer at once "tackled" the new loaf, leaving the, stale bread already left in the pan to. waste. Chairman: That is because you can- not sell brtnid which is not 12 hours old ? Mr. Caunt: Yes, on Mondays it is two days old. Mr. Geo. Powell: Do you say that the people will eat bread in 12 hours after baked?—Yes. Mr. /Pow ell: It would be much better if allowed to remain 12 days. Mr. Caunt: The public don't know that. Mr. Poweli They ought to knew- it. Mrs. Davies protested against the

I King Tailors I ■ j Be Sure of Quality." j I "Wfw' f __n_ CASHIONS COME AND GO. But the certain characteristic of the King-Tailored man is that he is well dressed always. Our guarantee of satisfaction does not mean only hard wear. It means lasting freshress and certain shapeliness as well as long service. Value tells—all the time. Test us! TO ORDER 35/6 12/- 50/- Special Blue Serges 39/6 45/= 501. Boys, Suits 19 6 22 6 25 6 Ladies' Costumes 45/" 50/= 55/= ;1 To Measure and to Fit. STEWARTS I 6 CANON STREET, AB.:RDAR«E I I" OXFORD ST., MOUNTAIN I 1 Stewarts Clothiers I.til. I X X (,1:( II.J), I Scarcity of High Class Seeds. True to Name. A 38 Years' Record in Prizes. 800 Firsts, 983 Seconds, innumerable Thirds, and Highly Commended. THE GIANT YELLOW ONION Handsome Globular-formed Bulb of fine Yellow Colour of Finest Flavour; an excellent keeper, remains sound until June, attains an unusual size, and was awarded a First Class Certificate by the Royal Horticultural Society, London. To be obtained only at- TUDOR WILLIAMS, F.R.H.S., F.S.C.I., Agricultural Chemist, Aberdare. Only the Best Seeds give the best results. We give what you ask for. NEW SEEDS direct from Messrs. Carter & Co., London. Seed Merchants to the late Kiog Edward. Seeds grown specially for Tudor Williams, Chemist, Aberda e, and TRUE TO NAME. Please call and see ttem. TUDOR WILLIAMS' List of Peas & Beans will appear shortly.

DON'T WASTE YOUR WASTE PAPER! Work of considerable value can be done in aid of charities—such as the Red Cross Society, Prisoners of War Funds, Dr. Barnardo's Homes, Heroes' Funds, etc., by the collection of waste paper, which householders can save and hand over to volunteer workers like members of the Church Lads' Brigade, the Boy Scouts, the Girl Guides, etc. Messrs. Thomas Owen and Co., Ely Paper Mills, Cardiff, are willing to pay at the rate of M3 10s. per ton for all grades mixed —printed, crumpled, brown, cardboard, old books, etc.; and they will also pay carriage. All over the district by organisation of school children and others vast quantities of paper, etc., could be gathered, and substantial sums ob- tained for different charities, and we would urge upon the leaders in the different brigades and other bodies, as well as school teachers, to initiate and further schemes of collection of this de- scription. Hundreds of pounds' worth of paper are going to waste, whereas by delivery to Messrs. Thomas Owen and* Co. large contributions might be se- cured for the different charities. Papers ruust be firmly packed and safely tied.

"Sure. I am no partisan, Oi vote fer ihe man." "And how o'n Z tell th' best man till after th' votem are counted?"

statement that more bread was wasted now. The f&ct that Mr. Caunt sold more bread did not prove waste at all. If bread was stale when delivered it did not follow that the still staler bread at home was thrown away. Chairman: All women ar^ not as economical as you, Mrs. Davies. Mr. Geo. Powell: On what do you base your remarks that there is more waste ? Mr. Caunt: On my increased output. Mr. Powell: But you are not the, whole country. The Food Controller has said that under voluntary ration- ing we are doing fairly well. Mr. Evan Jones said that the C wm- bach Co-op. Society were baking less. Mr. Caunt: The waste is enormous, at any rate. Major Gray: But it always has been. It is no more if as much now than in pre-war days. Mr. Joseph Martin There is not so much bread wasted by miners coming home from work as there used to be. Mr. Lawrence agreed. Heferring to the respective virtues of fresh and stale bread, All. Pol% said lie never touched a loaf until it w, a days old. Air. Lawrence No !1J;lf would sur- vive o days in our house. (Laughter.) The Chairman and Sergt. Major Johns expressed their partiality to tin fresh loaf, which memhers considered i very good tc.-riui.Taii; m iJP virtue- of the fresh.