Plas Pencraig Story

by Allan Ginnelly
(Santiago, Chile)

Syt mae Wil?

I read the Plas Pencraig Story with great interest, I was surprised because of two connections I have with the place.

Firstly, my sister now lives in one of the Flats in Plas Pencraig and, secondly, because you have a school photo of my Brother Hugh Ginnelly in there as well.

I'm Ex-Army and the Military connection interested me, so I looked up the Late Brigadier Robert Bramston Thesiger Daniell - Quite a character.

I found a brief summary of his military career on King's College London's Archives.

"Born in 1901; passed out of the Royal Military Academy, 1920; joined 1st Battery, Royal Artillery, served in India, 1920-1928; posted to 3rd Regiment Royal Horse Artillery and, as a jockey, twice won the Gunner Gold Cup at Sandown; rejoined regiment in 1937 and served in Palestine; Battle of Sidi Barrani, 1940; second in command of South Nottinghamshire Hussars, 1940, and served in North Africa; sole survivor of Battle of the Cauldron, Gazala Bir Hachem, Libya, 1942; command of 3rd Royal Horse Artillery, 1942; command of 13th Honourable Artillery C, Royal Horse Artillery, 1943; served in Normandy landings, France, Belgium, Holland and northern Germany, 1943-1945;

"He helped liberate Belsen Concentration Camp, 1945; held commands with Norfolk and Kent regiments, 1945-51; appointed to the Sovereign's Body Guard as a Gentleman at Arms, 1951-1971; died 1996."

The Imperial War Museum holds typescript accounts of Daniell's experiences as Second-in-Command of South Nottinghamshire Hussars during the Siege of Tobruk, February 1941; the Battle of Cauldron in the Western Desert, June 1943; and his entry into the Belsen Concentration Camp while serving in 29th Armoured Brigade HQ.

There are also two large volumes containing official documents, photographs, sketch maps, newspaper cuttings, and diary entries relating to his career.

Please feel free to publish this information and give credit to the King's College Archive, I hope this puts a few more pieces in the Jigsaw.

Regards
Al Ginnelly
Santiago, Chile
alginnelly@yahoo.com

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Annwyl Al

I'll let Gordon and Andrew Weare (The Terrible Twins) know about your contribution.

A few weeks ago I was with my Mum in the Llangefni cemetry and decided to pay attention to small monolithic gravestones nearby (the bottom of the old path, last left path at the bottom).

They belonged to the Thesiger-Daniell family. One of whom died of wounds in the First World War at the age (I think) of 42. Bit of an age. There again, it was an age of instinctive duty and indisputable personal honour.

Diolch am gysylltu ac am dy gyfraniad.

Bydda' iach a llon

Wil