The Sons of Liberty/ Meibion Rhyddid

Yn y blwyddyn 1763, roedd y trefedigaethau (Colonies) gwreiddiol Americanaidd o dan reolaeth gormesol yr Ymerodraeth Prydeinig. Gan ymateb i’r niferoedd o drethi yn codi, a’r ffaith nad oedd gan unrhyw person Prydeinig-Americanaidd unrhyw llais yn y Senedd Prydeinig, Dechreuodd tyngdra cynyddu. Erbyn 1773, dechreuodd y pobl ymateb nôl i Brydain trwy rym arfau. Ar y 16fed o Rhagfyr 1773, digwyddodd y weithred swyddogol cyntaf o wrthryfela yn erbyn yr Ymerodraeth. O dan swyddogaeth yr “Sons of Liberty”, o dan prif arweiniad Samuel Adams a Paul Revere, roedd pobl Boston (un o’r dinasoedd mwyaf  poblogaidd trefedigaethol ar y pryd) roeddyn nhw wedi torri mewn i’r harbwr llongau Prydeinig, ac wedyn aeth ymlaen i taflu dros 340 o bocses o dail tê. Roedd hyn yn ffordd symbolaidd o ddweud na byddai Prydain byth eto yn rheoli America.

O ganlyniad i’r digwyddiad, roedd yr “Sons of Liberty” yn parhau i dinistrio rheol yr Prydeinwyr o dan rheolaeth Adams. Hefyd, o ganlyniad i’r weithredoedd, roedd Pedwar o’r prif gytrefi wedi uno yn arfau yn erbyn y Prydeinwyr. Ar y 17fed o Mehefin 1775, digwyddodd y frwydr a oeddd wedi ffurfio America. Hyn oedd y Brwydr am Bunker Hill. O dan rheolaeth Israel Putnam a Doctor Joseph Warren ac eraill, rheolodd dros 2,000 o gwladychwyr Americanaidd yn erbyn dros 3,000 o filwyr Prydeinig. Roedd yr Sons of Liberty wedi creu byncr tu allan i waliau Charesltown, Massachusettes. O ganlyniad, hyn oedd blw cafodd y brwydr ei enw haeddiannol. Collodd yr Americanwyr lot fawr o filwyr, er collodd dros 450 o ddynion. Ond ar y llaw arall, er cafodd yr Americanwyr y tir uwchaf, cafodd yr Prydeinwyr anafusion enfawr. Er collodd dros 1,000 o filwyr a cafodd ei ladd. Roedd y frwydr hefyd yn stondin terfynol John Pitcairn. Cafodd pistolau Pitcairn ei rhoi i Putnam.  

Mae hanes y Sons of Liberty dal i fyw yn lle angenrheidiol hanes yr Unol Daleithiau, gan ei fod yn rhoi ffordd i'r Fyddin Gyfandirol, a ffurfiwyd gan y tadau sefydlu (John Hancock, Samuel Adams, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Eraill) yn y Datganiad Annibyniaeth ar 4ydd Gorffennaf 1776. Felly, cafodd genedl newydd ei eni.

The year was 1765, and the thirteen original American colonies were under the grip of the oppressive British Colonial Empire. Outraged at the rises in taxation, and the fact that no British-American citizen had a say in Parliament, tensions began to grow, and by 1773, the masses began their march. On the 16^th of December 1773, the first official act of rebellion occurred. Under the leadership of the Sons of Liberty, led by Samuel Adams and Paul Revere, the men of Boston (one of the most populated colonial cities at the time) infiltrated the British shipping harbour, and proceeded to dump over 340 crates of tea leaves. This symbolically marked that the British would never again rule America.

In response to the Incident, The Sons of Liberty continued to plague British America under the command of Adams, though his actions soon united four of the main colonies in arms against the British. On the 17^th of June 1775, the battle that formed America occurred. This was the Battle of Bunker Hill. Under the command of Israel Putnam and Doctor Joseph Warren among others, a force of over 2,000 American Colonists united against a force of over 3,000 fully armed British soldiers. The Sons of Liberty held a makeshift bunker outside the walls of Charlestown, Massachusetts. Thus, the battle obtained its well-deserved name. The Sons suffered heavy losses, as over 450 men were killed during the battle. But as the Sons obtained the higher ground, the British suffered immense casualties, as over 1,000 soldiers were shot and killed at the summit. The battle was also the final stand of one John Pitcairn. Pitcairn’s pistols were presented to General Putnam.

The story of the Sons of Liberty still holds a well-deserved place in American history, as it gave way to the Continental Army, which was formed by the founding fathers (John Hancock, Samuel Adams, George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Others) at the Declaration of Independence on the 4^th of July 1776. Thus, a new nation was born.

Luke Walters 13G

Ffarwel!

Hoffwn diolch i bawb dwi wedi dysgu dros y blynyddoedd dwi wedi bod yng Ngartholwg - dwi wedi dysgu cymaint oddiwrthoch chi a dwi'n gobeithio eich bod chi wedi dysgu rhybeth gennyf fi am Hanes. pob lwc i bob un ohonoch chi yn y dyfodol a chofiwch beth dywedodd Henry Ford ' History is just one damn thing after another'!
Hwyl am y tro
CBJ

Menywod yn ystod y Rhyfel - Women During the War

Fel mae’r menywod heddiw yn brwydro am hawliau, roedd y menywod ddoe yn brwydro am eu dyfodol. Fel wreigiau o milwyr, nid oedd y menywod yma yn barod I gadael eu wlad I lawr heb brwydr. Yn 1914, pryd wnaeth y swyddfa Rhyfel gwrthod help llawer o menyod, roedd yna dicter trwy gydol y wlad! Wnaeth doctor enwog, Elsie Inglis cael eu wrthod efo’r geiriau syml “Fy menyw annwyl, cer gartref a eisteddwch yn llonydd”, wnaeth Elsie creu ysbyty o’r enw: Ysbyty Menywod yr Alban a wnaeth teithio I Serbia I helpu’r marw a’r glwyfo. Wnaeth nifer arall ei ddilyn.

Sefydlodd y Fyddin tir, y Sefydliad y Merched a nifer arall o symudiadau gwirfoddol a bydd yn helpu ni ennill y Rhyfel. Symudiadau fel: y rheilffordd. Un o’r meysydd fwyaf o gyflogaeth a chyfleoedd newydd oedd mewn trafnidiaeth. Fel mae’r niferoedd o weithwyr trafnidiaeth menywod wedi marw lawr erbyn heddiw, nol yn y diwrnod roedd conductresses, casglwyr ticedi a nifer o swyddi arall yn cael eu rhedeg gan fenywod. Wnaeth y nifer o fenywod yn gweithio mewn trafnidiaeth codi o 9,000 i 50,000 yn ystod y Rhyfel! Ond y nyrsau o’r Rhyfel dychrynllyd a chafwyd y menywod eu cofio. Fel mae hanes yn eu cofio nhw heddiw roedden yn ddewr ac yn gryf fel haearn.  Ond doedd dim pob nyrs yn gyfartal. Roedd yna nyrsau milwrol yn y gwasanaeth nyrsio imperialaidd  Brenhines Alexander. Roedd y rôl yma i baratoi gofal nyrsio yn ysbystaidd milwrol yn y wlad ac i ffwrdd o’r wlad.  Wedyn roedd yna'r gwasanaeth nyrsio diriogaethol a oedd wedi cael ei sefydlu yn 1908 i daprau byddin nyrsio i’r fyddin diriogaethol. Roedd y fyddin yma wedi ei gwneud o wirfoddolwyr a ymgymerodd hyfforddiant milwrol yn ychwanegol at eu swyddi rheolaidd. Roedd y fyddin yma’n cael ei alw i fyny ar adegau o argyfwng cenedlaethol. Yn ogystal â hyn, roedd y didoliadau Gwirfoddol. Cafodd y rhain eu staffio gan wirfoddolwyr. Mae yna lawer ohonynt ferched nad oedd wedi gweithio y tu allan i'r cartref cyn, ac wedi eu hyfforddi i fyny gan y Groes Goch a sefydliadau Ambiwlans Sant Ioan. Tua 1,500 gollodd eu bywydau yn ystod ac ar ôl WW 1; roedd llawer fwy wedi marw ar ôl y rhyfel o salwch megis y Ffliw Sbaeneg a twbercwlosis. Mae llawer o fenywod cydgysylltiedig wedi dianc rhag y bywyd bob dydd ac yn gobeithio i gael eu lleoli dramor, yn yr haul. Mae llawer o fenywod yng Nghymru, er mwyn eu siom, yn cael eu lleoli yng Nghaerdydd!

Mae’r menywod yma’n cael ei gofio ar rhai o’r cofebau, dim ond ychydig o nhw sy’n cael ei cofio. Ar ol WW1 roedd ffenest y pump chwaer yn York wedi cael ei ail-arddurno i nyrsiau o WW1. Roedd capel Islip yn Westminster Abbey hefyd wedi cael ei greu’n lle coffa ar gyfer nyrsiau y rhyfel byd gyntaf yn 1950. Yn y cofeb cenedlaethol yn Castell Edingburugh yn yr Alban, mae’r Western Transept yn dathlu gwasanaethau menywod oherwydd roedd rhyddhad efydd o’r nyrsiau wedi helpu ddyn wedi’i weindio. O fewn y Cysegr y SNWM mae efydd yn cynnwys cynrychiolydd o'r ddidoliadau Gwirfoddol. Yng Nghymru yn Eglwys Gadeiriol Llanelwy mae cofeb ymroddedig i bum nyrs o Gymru a fu farw yn WW1. Gall cofebion rhyfel mewn trefi a phentrefi yn cynnwys enwau nyrsys a fu farw, ac yn sicr mae gan y Comisiwn Beddau Rhyfel y Gymanwlad enwau nyrsys o QAIMNS, a FTNS ac unedau nyrsio Gymanwlad arall, o'r ddau ryfel byd, ar ei cerrig beddau a chofebion.

Yn 2012 roedd yr Apêl Coffa Nyrsio wedi ei lansio er mwyn codi arian ar gyfer cofeb barhaol a fydd yn rhestru enw pob nyrs a fu farw yn ystod y ddau ryfel byd. Bydd yn cael eu lleoli o fewn y Ardd Goed Genedlaethol. Y dyddiad dadorchuddio arfaethedig yw Tachwedd 2018. Yn ogystal â chodi arian, mae'r trefnwyr yn ymchwilio enwau nyrsys er mwyn llunio rhestr derfynol o anafiadau.

Yydych yn gofyn pam nad yw nyrsys yn cael eu cydnabod fel arwyr fel milwyr? Mae llawer mwy o filwyr yn cymryd rhan yn y ddau ryfel byd na nyrsys. Mae llawer mwy o filwyr nag nyrsys wedi cael  eu lladd, ac roedd effaith eu marwolaethau ar ymwybyddiaeth y cyhoedd yn llawer mwy na'r o farwolaethau o nyrsys. Yn WW1 y nyrsys yn y VADs yn wirfoddolwyr, ni fyddai cymaint o gofnodion a oedd wedi gwirfoddoli, ac yn sicr ar ddechrau'r rhyfel, VADs Croesawyd naill gan y fyddin neu gan nyrsys proffesiynol. Ar ôl y rhyfel, dychwelodd llawer o nyrsys i fywyd sifil ac nid oedd yn siarad llawer o'u profiadau. Yn ogystal, mae llawer cofnodion sy'n ymwneud â gwasanaethau nyrsio yn ystod WW1 mwyach goroesi, felly mae yna brinder gwybodaeth am, a diffyg ymwybyddiaeth o'r profiadau rhyfel-amser nyrsys. Dim ond yn ystod y blynyddoedd diwethaf wedi dechrau haneswyr i ymchwilio i hanes nyrsys milwrol yn y ddau ryfel byd.

Nid oedd nyrsio yr unig swydd cyffredin. Roedd Dame Laura Knight, artist enwog o’r rhyfel wedi dechrau peintio ar ol aros am 4 wythnos yn arsylwi Ruby Loftus – gweithwyr yn ffatri yn Caesnewydd. Roedd yna llawer iawn o swyddi a wnaeth menywod dilyn yn y Rhyfel ac ar ol iddo gorffen a cafodd effaith enfawr ar menywod heddiw.

Ni all nifer o’r menywod heddiw gwneud beth wnaeth y menywod ddoe i medru cael ni yma heddiw ac am hynny rydym mewn dyled mawr am setio’r safonau i ni cael ddilyn yn eich olion traed.

As the women of today fight for rights, the women of yesterday were fighting for the future. As the wives of soldiers, these women were not prepared to let their country down without a fight. In 1914, when the war office refused the help of many female doctors, there was outrage throughout the country! A famous doctor, Elsie Inglis was turned away with the simple words‘My good lady, go home and sit still’, she set up the Scottish Women’s Hospitals on the fighting fronts. Inglis herself went to Serbia to treat the sick and wounded. And many others followed.

They established the Land Army, the Women’s Institute (first established in Canada and then in Anglesey) and many other voluntary movements that would help win us the war. Movements such as: the railway. One of the areas of employment where new opportunities that were established for women was in transport. If the number of female transport workers has died down today, back in the hay-day conductresses, ticket collectors and many other jobs were run by women. The number of women working on the railway in the War rose from 9,000 to 50,000! But it is the Nurses of the horrific World War that would get these women commemorated. As history remembers them today they were as strong as steel and were all in the War together. But not all nurses were equal .  There were the military nurses in the Queen Alexandra’s Imperial Nursing Service (QAIMNS) whose role was to provide nursing care in military hospitals at home and abroad.  Then there was the Territorial Force Nursing Service, founded in 1908 to provide a nursing service to the Territorial Force ( the equivalent of today’s Territorial Army, and made up of volunteers who undertook military training in addition to their regular jobs, and who would be called up in times of national emergency).   In addition, there were the  Voluntary Aid Detachments (VADs). These were staffed by volunteers, many of them women who had not worked outside the home before, and  were trained up by the Red Cross and St John’s Ambulance organisations.  About 1,500 lost their lives during and after WW 1; many died after the war from illness such as the Spanish Flu and tuberculosis.  Many women joined up to escape the normality of everyday life and were hoping to be stationed abroad, in the sun. Many Welsh women, to their disappointment, were stationed in Cardiff!

These women are remembered on some memorials, although there appear to be very few which are dedicated solely to nurses.   After WW1, the Five Sisters’ Window in York Minster was  re-dedicated to nurses.  the Islip Chapel in Westminster Abbey  was dedicated as the Nurses Memorial Chapel in 1950.  In The Scottish National War Memorial within Edinburgh Castle, the Western Transept commemorates Women’s Services with a bronze relief of nurses and orderlies gathered round a wounded man on a stretcher.  Within the Shrine of the SNWM is a bronze frieze which includes a representative of the Voluntary Aid Detachments.   In Wales in St Asaph Cathedral there is a memorial dedicated to five Welsh nurses who died in WW1.  War memorials in towns and villages may include the names of nurses who died, and certainly the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has the names of nurses from QAIMNS, and FTNS and other commonwealth nursing units, from both world wars,  on its gravestones and memorials

In 2012 the Nursing Memorial Appeal was launched to raise money for a permanent memorial that will list the name of every nurse that died during the world wars and which will be situated within the National Arboretum.  The planned unveiling date is November 2018.  As well as fund-raising, the organisers are researching the names of nurses in order to draw up a definitive list of casualties. 

You ask why nurses are not recognised as heroes like soldiers.  Far more servicemen were involved in the world wars than nurses.  Far  more soldiers than nurses were killed, and the impact of their deaths on public awareness was far greater than of the deaths of nurses.  In WW1 the nurses in the VADs were volunteers, there would not be so many records of who had volunteered, and certainly at the start of the war, VADs were welcomed neither by the military or by professional nurses.  After the war, many nurses returned to civilian life and did not speak much of their experiences.  In addition, many records relating to nursing services during WW1 no longer survive so there is a paucity of information about, and a lack of awareness of the war-time experiences of nurses.  Only in more recent years have historians started to research the history of military nurses in the two world wars.

Nursing was not the only common occupation. Dame Laura Knight, a famous war artist, painted after spending four weeks observing, Ruby Loftus, a worker in a Newport factory during the second world war.  There were many occupations that women followed during and after the war that had such a drastic effect on today’s women.

Many of the women today could not do what the women of yesterday did to get us here and because of that we owe them a great debt for seting the standards for those who follow in your footsteps.

Gan/by Seren Fowler