Cylchgronau Cymru

Forestry Work in Clyne Valley during the Second World War by Peter W. Matthews Clyne Valley has been the scene of considerable industrial activity in the past and the story of this is of particular interest to me as I had worked there myself during the second World War. I can recall remains of drifts, air ventilation shafts with danger notices, the bell pits which had fallen in, the brickworks still in operation, and a slag heap still burning from some previous era. There was a story circulating at the time that a plane had crashed into the slag waste, but I don't know whether there was any truth in it. During the War I took part in the forestry operations in the Valley and the following account is based on my recollections of that time. I hope they will be of interest. Leaving school in the summer of 1943, at the age of 17 years, I started work at Clyne in the October of the same year. A friend, John Dolby, whose father was a sergeant in the Z Battery of the Royal Artillery based at Ashleigh Road, put me on to the job. The work was under the Ministry of Supply, run principally by the Women's Land Army with a number of men and youths to augment the strength. A forewoman of the Land Army was in charge of the site and the girls were referred to as "Lumberjills", a title of which they were justly proud. There were approximately 30 Land Army girls and approximately 14 men and youths on the site, their duties roughly as follows. Women's Land Army Office: Forewoman and two measurers. Charcoal Burners: 2 girls. Felling: 20-24 girls working in pairs. Sawmill: 2 girls on saw benches (9 cross cutting). Skids: 2 girls rolling timber into saw bench. The majority of the girls were from away and of their names I can recall a Ruby and Audrey from Bradford, Rose from Margam, Tussan Hughes (I think) from Port Talbot, Jimmy (her nickname) engaged to a captain in the Army, Paddy an Irish girl and Glenys who lives in Swansea. The girls lived in digs in and around the area and two