KATHLEEN Guy from Friends of St Augustine's Church looks at this week's This Day in History diary entry of the Penarth Times from Thursday, February 18, 1915.

It was not only men fighting on the battlefields of France who were in danger. Merchant seamen in particular were at risk from attack, as this report in the Penarth Times for February 18, 1915, relates.

CARDIFF SHIP TORPEDOED

The steamer Dulwich, a well known Cardiff collier, has been torpedoed at night time without warning. The vessel, at about half-past six on Monday evening was bound for Rouen, having sailed from Hull with a cargo of coal.

Suddenly, a terrific explosion was heard on the starboard side, and it was found that the ship, having been struck by a torpedo just below the waterline, was beginning to sink. Boats were lowered, and the crew of 30 men got clear, but without taking away their effects. The vessel sank in about half-an-hour.

The master of the vessel is Captain J.A. Hunter, who resides with his sister, Mrs. Hanna, of Hickman Road, Penarth.

Here in Penarth the Red Cross responded promptly to provide more hospital beds though conditions were far from ideal.

LAVERNOCK HOSPITAL UTILISED

On Friday, February 5, the Penarth V.A.D.s [Voluntary Aid Detachments] received instructions to prepare the Lavernock Isolation Hospital for patients from Cadoxton-Barry. The Commandants, Mrs Archibald Brown and Mrs O'Leary, made the necessary arrangements, and on Saturday members prepared the hospital for the reception of patients, who began to arrive that evening. This speaks volumes for the practical efficiency of the corps.

The hospital is small, and in many ways inconvenient. All the water used has to be carried out in pails and baths, and after being disinfected is thrown into a ditch. Such an arrangement entails a tremendous amount of labour, which the laying of a comparatively short pipe would obviate. There is no pantry accommodation, and therefore all china, etc, has to be dusted every time before use, although every piece is washed two, three or more times every day. The storage of food is another point where improvement is desirable. Of course, every care is taken, and food materials are kept covered. If anyone will present the hospital with a cupboard or a meat safe, or both, they will be saving a lot of labour which should be unnecessary.

Two small items in this edition were probably included as general information, but must surely have alarmed families of men fighting at the front.

FACTS ABOUT WOUNDS

A French doctor says that when the soldier fires from under cover as much as possible, say from a trench, the enemy either hits him on the head or catches his hands. The right hand is protected by the rifle, so that it is the left that gets hurt.

And

ABOUT TOMMY'S RIFLE

The modern bullet at a near range will pass clean through a dozen files of infantry, killing or disabling as many men, or it will pierce a tree-trunk and slay the man lurking behind it. Such is the terrific force of the small calibre bullet, travelling at a speed of more than a thousand miles an hour.

This article goes on to give the mechanical details of the Lee-Enfield rifle, as used by the Expeditionary Force in 1914.

Then, as now, there was no shortage of entertainment in Penarth.

• The new organist, Alfred Downing, gave an Organ Recital at St Augustine's Church.

• The Holy Nativity, Cogan, Girls' Club entertained their mothers and guests to tea and a long programme of songs, recitations and pianoforte solos.

• A Grand Concert by Penarth Artistes was organised by the Societe Franco-Anglaise de Cardiff.

• And a Successful Cafe Chantant at Paget Rooms raised £20, which was to be used by the St. Paul's Working Party for the benefit of soldiers and sailors.

However, there were some disgruntled residents. Nearly 100 signatures were obtained for a petition against 'Sunday Newspaper Shouting':

WE, the undersigned Ratepayers and Residents of Penarth, hereby beg respectfully to utter a strong protest against the senseless and obnoxious street cries on the part of hawkers of newspapers in this town. Such cries, which begin at an early hour in the morning and continue unremittingly until a late hour at night, have become an unmitigated nuisance.