DEREK Day from Penarth Cytun (Council of Churches) looks back at this week's This Day in History diary entry from the Penarth Times of Thursday, March 25, 1915.

This edition is full of activities both official and voluntary being made to support the war effort. Efforts to raise 50 volunteers to train for the Royal Garrison Artillery batteries around the Bristol Channel were supported by the town council. A parade and procession to raise interest was planned for Easter Tuesday.

Penarth Drill and Rifle Corps had new uniforms sanctioned by the War Office.

The Red Cross Society V.A.D. detachment were arranging Lectures and Drills for volunteers. News was received about Penarth men interned in Germany. Mr E. Kipling of Endcliffe, and Mr I.J. Evans of Grove Place were "as well and fit under the circumstances as can be expected."

To aid our allies France and Serbia who had suffered heavy losses in 1914, hospitals had been provided - two for France and one for Serbia. Now it was planned to provide a second hospital for Serbia.

There were pictures of Penarth men who were training with the army. Private S. Marshall and Private R. McDonald were training with the R.A.M.C. and Corporal J. Phillips was serving with the South Staffordshire Regiment.

Ladies in the town were making 'camp tidies' for the 17th Battalion of the Welsh Regiment who training at Rhos On Sea. Camp tidies were canvas backed sheets with six pockets sewn on to store items such as shaving kit, hair brushes, and other small items.

In Albert Road, a soldiers institute was opened at the rear of St. Paul's with quiet rooms for reading and writing and use of soldiers. Tea and musical entertainment were provided on Sunday afternoons. It seems obvious that the people of the town were very active in all sorts of ways to support the war effort.