Mumbles welcomed the Sussex Regiment:
a collection of memories
Betty Sivertsen wrote-
One day, The Sussex Regiment arrived. They marched down to Mumbles and Newton to the tune of ‘Sussex by the Sea’, and arrived at Saint Peter's Church Hall at Newton, where there was a whist drive going on, run by my Mother. These Ladies much to their disgust were ushered out of the Hall, and from then on all Church & local activities were held in the two top rooms of Newton Church School, now private houses.Mother organised the Church and Mother's Union, to buy wool to knit for the Missions to Seamen. Their output was prolific—socks jumpers, mittens, long sea boot stockings, balaclavas and so on. Our front room was full of oily smelling wool.
Saint Peter's Church Hall, Newton
The Sussex manned the guns at the lighthouse and Mumbles Head, and when they went off, one knew there was a war on.A causeway was built out to the Light House to get out there, sadly due to the tides, there were some casualties. Remnants of the path are still there.
Mumbles Lighthouse
Percy Davidson, who was living in the gardener's cottage at Summerland House, was an Air Raid Precaution Warden when, on 25 September 1940, nine hundred men of the 9th Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment arrived. It is thought that the Officers' Mess was at Summerland House while the other ranks lived around the area. Several weeks later on 11 February 1941, they left Newton, marching down through Mumbles with their band playing 'Sussex by the Sea,' on their way to serve in abroad.
Percy was informed at the time that they had left for service in North Africa, but new information from a diary, kept secretly by an NCO, records that they were originally meant to be going there, but were then sent off to India and eventually to Burma to fight the Japs.
These diaries have now been published by Time Box Press, entitled, Not Forgetting The 9th: The War Diary of Sgt Cyril Grimes 1944-45 edited by Sylvia Fox.
Grafton Maggs remembers-
Out of the blue came an injection of magnificent, military might. A real morale booster, when it was needed most! It came in the shape of the 9th Battalion the Royal Sussex Regiment under the command of Lt. Col Gerald Templar (Later to become Sir Gerald Templar, H.C. for Malaya). This Unit was basically composed of regular, time serving soldiers, made up to strength with conscripts. The Summerlands area of Caswell was to be their home for six months.
They soon won the hearts of the Mumbles residents. In appearance, they were everything that the schoolboy’s books described the British soldier as being. Immaculately blancoed webbing set off the brasses that glittered like gold, “boned” boots shone like a gigolo’s dancing pumps, battle dress sported razor like creases that could sharpen a pencil. NCOs stripes were whitened to a brilliance that was unequalled by a Persil wash.
However, important as a soldier’s appearance is, this is secondary to the conduct of each individual member of a crack regiment. Every soldier wore the single-plumed badge of the Royal Sussex with great pride and this was reflected in their exemplary behaviour in the village, throughout their stay.
Like all soldiers everywhere, they picked their favourite pubs and became regulars. The Vic had its fair share and amongst them, was a small group of NCOs, each one being a professional time serving man. They were delightful chaps and soon made many friends. One was a full corporal, name of Legg, a man of Sussex soon to be known simply as, “Leggy”! After a spell of intensive training, the Regiment had been “fined off” and was fit for active service. It was time to move on. Within days everyone in Mumbles, and presumably the Reichstag, knew exactly where their top secret destination was to be- a small village in Norfolk, a holding camp before posting overseas.
On the eve of departure from Mumbles, the Sussex boys came to the Vic for a farewell do. They were given a grand time, especially by old soldiers such as George (Bull) Turnbull, Ned Way, Albert Jenkins, and the like. At ten o’clock sharp, time was called by Glyn Maggs, drinks were downed and soldier turned to civilian friend to bid farewell. Again, farewell embraces, handshakes, kisses and hugs, were the order of the day and the multitude, sentimental with ale, began to spill out into Gloucester Place.
But Leggie had one more thing to do. He picked up a piece of chalk and walked to the wall,
“I’m doing this so that you will remember us boys from the 9th Royal Sussex, and me in particular! We’ve had a great time here in Mumbles. We’re sad to leave. We’ll always remember the welcome you gave us!
Neatly, in block capitals, he wrote on the wall, directly underneath Alex’s name “Cpl. H. Legg. 9th Bn.The Royal Sussex Regiment” Legg was never to know the implications of this act.
The following evening just as night was falling, the 9th Battalion marched from their camps in Summerlands, through the village and on to Swansea, to board a troop train for transport to that secret destination in Norfolk.
As the boots crunched down Newton Road, so they sang,
“We’re the Men of Sussex, Sussex by the Sea…” They did us the honour of playing the full band and drums, in farewell. It was stirring and it was emotional. They left a lasting feeling of good will, a few potential marriages and a number of broken hearts.
Little was heard of the Regiment for several months. Those in touch came in with the odd titbit of news. Then, surprisingly, one soldier from the 9th returned to our midst! A private in rank, he was six foot plus and known as “Tich”. He chose to spend his embarkation leave here in Mumbles because of a feminine attachment! As a result, we knew the exact date that the unit was scheduled to sail to an overseas destination in the Middle East. Top Secret, of course.
Within a month, news reached us that the Battalion was in action in the North African desert. Shortly after came the shattering news: Cpl Legg had been killed in action! Immediately, the sages of the Vic (no shortage, ever, of those)) pointed out the fact that the two men who had put their names on the Vic Wall had been killed! Cpl. Legg’s name was preserved.