Hedd Wyn A'r Gadair Ddu
Wyn, Hedd
Bischof & Klein (1997)
In Collection
#1240
0*
Poet
Paperback 1855962136
gaelic

Credits
Illustrator Jon Davis
Product Details
Dewey 891.66126
Nationality Welsh
Cover Price $3.50
No. of Pages 24
Height x Width 8.3  inch
Personal Details
Read It Yes
Links Amazon US
Amazon UK
Amazon Canada
User Defined
Conflict WW1
Notes




Hedd Wyn (1887-1917), born Ellis Humphrey Evans, Son of Evan and Mary Evans, of Trawsfynydd, Merioneth was a sheep farmer turned poet-soldier who was killed during the First World War. Evans - who chose Hedd Wyn ('white peace') as his pen name - was born in Penlan, Trawsfynydd the eldest of eleven children, and lived for much of his life at Yr Ysgwrn, a hill farm east of Trawsfynydd. He began writing Welsh-language poetry at an early age; when aged 24 he was awarded a chair at Bala; others followed at Llanuwchllyn, Pwllheli and Pontardawe (the latter in 1915 with the First World War underway). Wynn sat out the war for three years as a sheep farmer until he was called up for military service in 1917. Following a spell of training in Liverpool Private Evans was despatched for active service in Flanders and found himself stationed with 15th Bn Royal Welsh Fusiliers at the notorious Pilckem Ridge immediately prior to the opening of the Passchendaele offensive (3rd Ypres). It was at Pilckem Ridge that Wyn was killed during fighting on 31 July 1917 . Buried initially on the battlefield (out of necessity) his body was subsequently moved to Artillery Wood cemetery following the armistice. September that year brought a posthumous award of the chair at the National Eisteddfod of Wales for his verse poem Yr Arwr ('The Hero'). Wyn had written the poem while serving in Flanders and completed it shortly before his death under the nom-de-plume of 'fleur-de-lis'. The chair itself was draped in black in memorial of Wyn following the announcement of his win and revelation of the author's actual identity. A Welsh-language film based on Wyn's life was produced in 1992, Hedd Wynn.