It’s shameful

ON AUGUST 4, 1914, the First World War broke out. During the war, Newport lost more than 2,000 men, women and children. Some of the greatest losses of Newport citizens happened at the 2nd Battle of Ypres where Newport lost about 85 persons in one day, probably the greatest loss in a single day by any Welsh town or city. At the battle of Jutland, Newport lost 24 men and on the first day of the Battle of the Somme another 31 men from Newport made the ultimate sacrifice. In the following years, multiple deaths of Newport citizens occurred not forgetting the crews of the mercantile marine without this country would never have survived until the last death of a Newport citizen in the First World War on May 24 1921. So what has Newport City council done to honour these individuals on the 100th anniversary of their deaths? The answer to that is nothing. The only memorials to these persons have been carried out by the ex-military associations and individuals such as Cllr Charles Ferris, myself, my daughter and a number of other individuals. Newport City Council should now bow their heads in shame, especially as a number of other towns and villages within Monmouthshire have honoured their war dead in some way.