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Chepstow Matters Telephone 01291 606 900 January 2019 Community Chepstow^ Matters Hand delivered FREE to c10,000 homes per quarter across Chepstow & the surrounding villages • FCA ACCREDITED • NO FEES PAYABLE • BANK TRANSFER OR CASH • LOCAL LIFT HOME • OUTSTANDING FINANCE SETTLED • ESTABLISHED 1953 • NO APPOINTMENT NEEDED 01291 424500 No need to travel far... to sell your car! CRICK GARAGE, CRICK, Nr. CHEPSTOW NP26 5UW www.thompson-thompson.co.uk INSIDE: • Local People • Local Businesses • Local Community Groups & Events Dear Readers... Wishing you all a very happy New Year, I hope 2019 is a Contact Us : great one for us all. After all the indulgences of Christmas and the craziness 01291 606 900 in the run up to it, in this issue we encourage you to [email protected] take some time for yourself this year. Whether this be [email protected] joining a local gym, signing up to the local slimming www.mattersmagazines.co.uk club, deciding to dance or may be learning French, Chepstow Matters expanding your knowledge on the wines that you drink, Editor: Jaci Crocombe or trying something new like hypnotherapy – we have a c/o Batwell Farm, Shirenewton NP16 6RX resource of local business/groups in our pages this issue Reg Office: Matters Magazines Ltd, 130 Aztec West, Almondsbury BS32 4UB that are ready to assist you get into great shape - body Co Regn No: 8490434 and mind! Follow us on Twitter The big event this month is the annual Chepstow Wassail @ChepstowMatters and Mari Lwyd. You can read all about this brilliant, fun for all the family event on pages 18-19. /ChepstowMatters We couldn’t bring you all the community news and Chepstow Matters is independently published every month and events without the support of our fantastic advertisers, delivered FREE to approximately 10,000 homes across NP16 5, 6 and 7 on a rotational basis so that every home receives one so a big shout out of thanks to them. Please do return through their door once per quarter. their support by utilising their services where you can - The views and opinions expressed are not necessarily those of and don’t forget to mention Chepstow Matters too so the editor (unless it is a personal review of a service that we have participated in). We cannot vouch for every advertiser personally they know where you found them. Keep it Local in 2019 (although we endeavour to use as many of our advertisers’ and help our local community thrive! services ourselves as we can). Any feedback or experience is welcomed. If you are a business looking to promote your services We would like to thank all the advertisers who support this publication and therefore make it possible. Please return in 2019 do get in touch with us and we will be happy their support by utilising their services when and where you to help. Deadline for the next issue is 15th January. can. It is the advertiser’s responsibility to ensure conformity with the Trade Descriptions Act 1975, Business Advertisements Don’t forget you can keep up with x Disclosure Order 1977, Sex Discriminations Act 1975 and the Jaci Consumer Credit Act 1974. We cannot be held responsible for each monthly edition of your favourite misrepresentations in the adverts included. All artwork created community magazine via by us must not be published in any other media without our permission. © Matters Magazines Ltd 2005-2018 www.mattersmagazines.co.uk/chepstow Perfect Dog Grooming Perfect Doggy Daycare & Grooming Centre Affordable Prices - Reliable Service Perfect pet services for pets and their owners …. 01633 400993 Collection & Return service available. 01291 618 013 07818 413 451 www.perfectpetservices.com www.theaerialman.co.uk A48 Penhow, rear of Rock & Fountain Inn 2 To advertise Your Business email [email protected] or call 01291 606 900 Let people know you saw them in Chepstow Matters! 3 Actual Photograph of the River Clyde at Rembering our brave local soldiers on Anzac Day - April 25th V Beach Gallipoli Wreath Laying Ceremony at The day came with the invasion all along the coast Malleson; George Samson and Sub Lt. Tisdall RN Chepstow’s Unique War Memorial of The Dardanelles. It was suicide. The troops were were assisting the Commander Edward Unwin of mown down by the murderous machine gun fire the HMS River Clyde in securing the lighters. All and many who survived were killed or injured by the were awarded Victoria Crosses. Turkish Howitzers, which fired a 7lb explosive shell. Large holes were cut in the ship’s side level with the Mr Brian Winfield from Coleford has told me that decks, and sloping gangways suspended by wire his grandfather was a naval man who was ferrying hawsers were run out so that the men could rush troops to the beaches. A shell came down and went down them as soon as the ship touched the ground. straight through the wooden boat. He survived the Barges were made fast to the sides of the steamer make the lighter fast, and then the troops began to conflict, but had the shell defused, and it was now a so that a floating bridge might be formed from them pour across the shot-swept bridge. proud relic in his home. Poppy for Great, Great Nephew of if she grounded too far from the beach. Alongside Commander Unwin said that William Charles Many years ago I interviewed an old gentleman - William Charles Williams VC - were ‘tows’ of five boats each, packed with men of Williams was the bravest man that he had ever Mr Bert Haffeden, he joined up at 15 years of age, an extract from an article first published in Chepstow Matters in 2015 and provided by Bryan Rendell Chepstow fallen serviceman the Dublin Fusiliers, who were to land first and cover known. The citation reads: telling the Recruiting Sergeant at Lydney that he TheOn great,the Hundred great Nephew Years Anniversary of one of the of men Gallipoli who Ablethe disembarkation Seaman William of Charles the troops. were assisting the Commander was 18 years of age. After a short period of training He held on to the rope for over an gavein 2015 their we life should during remember world war theone brave has been men, on WilliamsThe open was boats awarded and River a Victoria Clyde Edward Unwin of the HMS River and kitted out with shorts and a pith helmet, he hour, standing chest deep in the both sides of the conflict, who lost their lives in Cross,touched posthumously almost at the at same the age moment of Clyde in securing the lighters. All presented with a poppy bearing his great, great thought he was on his way to Egypt. He was only sea, under continuous fire. He was a futile landings at Gallipoli in 1915. 34,and for no his sooner bravery had at the V beachfirst of on them were awarded Victoria Crosses. uncle’s name. told they were going to land at Gallipoli the day eventually dangerously wounded The Turkish forces lost 87,000 men; the British, thegrated 25th on April the 1915. bottom, He than was terrificone of Large holes were cut in the ship’s before the landings. He somehow managed to get and later killed by a shell whilst his TheBritish poppies Empire were and part French of a lost display 44,000 put men; together onlymachine 39 people gun fire to receivewas opened the VCup in side level with the decks, and ashore, but a shell exploded near him and shrapnel rescue was being affected by the byAustralia Chepstow lost and8,500 District men and Round New Table Zealand to mark lost the from the whole of the surrounding sloping gangways suspended by tore half his face away. He lay under the cliffs for the Gallipoli campaign, which saw Commander, who described him as 100th2,779 anniversary men, with over of the17,260 end menof the being first wounded. world. hills that dominated the beach. wire hawsers were run out so that three days, in the extreme heat before he was 100,000 allied lives lost. the bravest sailor he had ever met. One in four of the New Zealanders who landed For a considerable distance to the men could rush down them Gordon Pidsley and his daughter Emma Gudgeon rescued - drinking his urine to quench his thirst William Charles Williams was a crew In remembrance of their comrades, were killed. Only six men from the 1,000 men of the seaward, the bottom had been as soon as the ship touched the spotted the name of his great, great uncle W C In Chepstow there is a German Submarine Gun as member on the River Clyde, a collier and of all those men and women who Dublin Fusiliers survived the conflict. Photo shows Gordon Pidsley with Round Table strewn with barbed wire and as the ground. Williams and asked if he could have the poppy so a War Memorial to the memory of all those men who converted by the addition of ports in gave their lives for this Country, the All for what? – The conflict started before the troops Chairman, Simon Hicks Dublin Fusiliers leapt into the water Round Table Chairman, Simon Hicks, presented him lost their lives at Gallipoli, but especially a Chepstow her side and ramps, into an assault membersBarges were of Chepstow made fast Branch to the ofsides the were sent into battle. The Royal Navy bombarded the they found themselves entangled in with the framed poppy. man - William Charles Williams, who was awarded ship for the landings at V beach.
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