National Screen and Sound Archive of Wales preserves and celebrates the sound and moving image heritage of Wales, making it accessible to a wide range of users for enjoyment and learning. Its film collection reflects every aspect of the nation’s social, cultural and working life across the 20th century, giving a fascinating insight into Welsh filmmaking, both amateur and professional.
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Empire Sunday at Rhyl 1919
With Empire on the wane, Rhyl still turns out proud and patriotic, to salute her fallen sons
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Overview
It’s a big day for Rhyl, where hundreds turn out to remember the townsmen who have fallen in the service of country and empire. There’s a prom parade, then the placing of a wreath on the war memorial. Despite the organised nature of the event, with its serried marching, there’s also an informality – smiles, youngsters jostling, a latecomer nipping over the fence to join in the wreath laying.
The Shannon brothers, who made this film, knew that local footage such as this would help attract an audience to their Market Street cinema in Rhyl. It’s possible that the family and friends of the smiling Sgt. W Roberts, here seen receivig the DCM (Distinguished Conduct Medal), made sure of their seats for the screening of the film, along with the many other participants including the ‘Red Cross Boys’ and hospital staff, whose many uniformed nurses are seen proudly bearing the red cross flag to St Thomas’s church.
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