MILITARY
bullets to small shells, as well as creating a nauseating smell which reached the village and was produced by the decomposing fish.
These munitions were considered to be prize items for trade and I recall the Head Master of Bargoed Grammar School announcing, during a morning assembly, that this trade was to cease immediately on pain of detention and/or police action, should the perpetrators be caught. I was one of them.
The army camp at Cwm Bargoed ( see photo opposite which was taken by the RAF on 3 August 1945) comprised 20 Nissen huts together with a “toughening–up” course and during 1939 a group of Marines was posted there but they did not stay for long.
The camp was used by the Treharris Home Guard for week-end training and it was reported in the 12 August 1944 issue of the Merthyr Express that members of the Girls Training Corp, who were stationed at Cwm Bargoed, attended a Sunday morning service at St Mary’s Church in Fochriw.
The only local bombing of the war occurred on the night of 30 July 1940 when 13 bombs fell in a straight line from the Mountain Hare pub south east of Dowlais across the mountainside to Incline Top and the last hit the railway line just below Cwm Bargoed. The only casualties were two dead sheep.
There was an RAF Observation Post located above the Fox and Hounds pub on the Fochriw road above Bedlinog as the aerial photograph taken by the RAF on 3 August 1945 shows.
During the 1950’s the army set up a bridging camp by the side of the feeder pond (Pond Feeder) and this facility was used to train soldiers in the art of constructing bridges across water with metal pontoons.
The soldiers were billeted under canvas, the only permanent buildings being a mess hall and canteen.
Penybanc
A small army detachment with a searchlight and gun-pit was stationed in the field below Penybanc school.as the photograph opposite shows which was taken by the RAF on 3 August 1945
