Some of you may remember, back in 2015, I announced I was starting a long-term project related to the First World War. A lot has changed since I set myself that target, but I'm pleased to report that after a long hiatus, my poetic tribute to those who fought at the Battle of Mametz Wood is still on my to-do list.
Mametz Wood holds a profound place in Welsh memory. It was a mission by the 38th (Welsh) Division to capture the German-held position of Mametz Wood during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. An estimated 4,000 men of the Welsh Division lost their lives in the battle for the wood which saw a British victory over a heavily defended network of German trenches.
Many artists and poets have memorialised the events at Mametz Wood. The most famous example is the narrative poem 'In Parenthesis' by David Jones, who fought in the battle and provided the most vivid depiction of it. Others include the artist Christopher Williams, who painted The Welsh at Mametz Wood at the behest of David Lloyd George, and the more recent 'Mametz Wood' by Owen Sheers.
Following in footsteps such as these is certainly no easy task, but I will try my best.
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