Category Archives: history

Henllan Bridge Prisoner of War Camp 30, part 2

Henllan Camp 30 finally closed its gates on April… 1948, the last prisoners being transported to other camps. The reports by the re-education inspectors always list the senior British officers at the camp. As well as Lt.Col. E.C. Barton, the commandant, the British Staff sergeants are singled out for mention in several reports, with interestinglyContinue reading “Henllan Bridge Prisoner of War Camp 30, part 2”

Henllan Bridge Prisoner of War Camp 30, part 1

Years ago, when I was writing A Time For Silence, I included prisoners from a P.O.W. camp, because I knew there had been one in the area. I knew a former Italian prisoner who had stayed on in Britain, and while looking through local newspapers in the late 40s, I can across several references toContinue reading “Henllan Bridge Prisoner of War Camp 30, part 1”

The Cold Dead Hand of the Written Word

The pen is mightier than the sword. There is an element of truth in that. The moment words are written down, they somehow acquire a power that can be quite overwhelming, as if they instantly become Fact. “I read somewhere…” “The newspaper say…” “Look, it’s written here in black and white…” Written words can beContinue reading “The Cold Dead Hand of the Written Word”

History, Legend, Myth and a Broken Obelisk

There have been many occasions when I have seen or heard something, a single image, that immediately inspired a potential story. There’s the ruined cottage two fields down from my garden. There’s the dark lane I used to walk along, coming home from Junior School, where all sorts of unpleasant people might be lurking. There’sContinue reading “History, Legend, Myth and a Broken Obelisk”

Tales my Great Aunt told me. 2: fame and infamy.

My colourful great aunt in Cardiff passed on many tales about my Welsh family, and I quickly concluded, even as a child, that they were mostly fairy tales. Her stories did not begin with “Once upon a time,” and end with “They all lived happily ever after.” They were more hints, a word or sentencesContinue reading “Tales my Great Aunt told me. 2: fame and infamy.”

A Shadow on the Lens – Sam Hurcom

Have a sample of the latest novel by Sam Hurcom Crime Cymru This week Sam Hurcom gives a taster from his excellent debut novel – a gothic, wonderfully dark tale. This extract has been taken from my first gothic crime novel, A Shadow on the Lens, published by Orion in 2019. The novel follows MetropolitanContinue reading “A Shadow on the Lens – Sam Hurcom”

War, Law and Survival

My latest Science Fiction book, Making Waves (sequel to Inside Out), came out last months and, like Inside Out, it’s an adventure story, focussed on a handful of characters, with a bit of humour and some hopefully thrilling action. But underneath all that, it’s a story of claims to territory by a superpower armed withContinue reading “War, Law and Survival”