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Project Updates

17

Aug
2016

In Project Updates

By Nicola Gauld

The Battle of Mametz Wood

On 17, Aug 2016 | In Project Updates | By Nicola Gauld

“It seemed quiet as we advanced up a slope towards the wood after the noise of the bombardment. The boys were steady, each taking courage from one another and the encouragement of our young officers. Suddenly all hell broke loose as machine guns opened up on us from the front and from the flank. We stood no chance and the boys were everywhere falling, but we kept moving forward”.

Private Albert Evans, 16th (Cardiff City) Battalion of The Welsh Regiment. Featured in The Welsh at Mametz Wood by Dr Jonathan Hicks.

2016 marks the centenary of the Battle of Mametz Wood, one of the most significant and bloody battles fought by Welsh soldiers during the First World War. Before I started my role as the First World War Coordinator for Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales I’m ashamed to say that I hadn’t heard of the battle. However now the horror of it is engrained in my mind forever. As part of our commemoration programme InterAct (Wales), a young, talented and enthusiastic company, performed their production of “Mametz Wood” for our visitors.

Written by Lyon Devereux the production was set at the Battle of Mametz Wood at the Somme 1916. It followed the stories of a small group of soldiers from the Welsh 38th Division and the moral dilemma of a nurse stationed behind the front line. The non-linear timeline highlighted the individual experiences of war and left the audience moved as they remembered the 4,000 casualties of the battle.

A review of the performances appears online in The Stage https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/2016/stage-critic-search-201 6-finalists-reviews/

For those who are interested in finding out more about the battle ‘War’s Hell!’: The Battle of Mametz Wood in Art runs at the museum until 4 September. The exhibition explores art, poetry and writing by those who witnessed the battle first-hand and others who have since responded to it.

We would like to thank the cast for bringing part of the story to life and Welsh Government (MALD), the Heritage Lottery Fund, the Armed Forces Community Covenant Fund and the Voices of War & Peace Cebtre for supporting our programme.

Emma Routely, Amgueddfa Cymru-National Museum Wales