Llanelli 1911 Railway Strike Commemoration

A shot rings out. The group of young men, gathered by the garden wall, stubbornly stand their ground. Suddenly, a bullet slams into the throat of a man sitting on the wall, driving him backwards into the garden. Everyone runs. A man cries out as a bullet glances off his thumb, bringing down the man behind him……..

This did not happen in some beleaguered war zone. This happened in the garden of No 6, High Street, Llanelli on Saturday, August 19th, 1911. British troops opened fire on protestors during a railway strike. Two men died on the spot, another four people died when a torched railway wagon exploded. Here in Llanelli, for the past seven years, we have commemorated these dramatic events and the uprising which followed the deaths, in which strikers and soldiers fought it out on the streets.

This year, we have an impressive line-up of speakers for the town centre rally on Saturday 18th August. These will include Steve Hedley, the Assistant General Secretary of the rail union, the RMT; Moyra Samuels, of the Justice4Grenfell campaign; Leanne Wood, Leader of Plaid Cymru; Mark Drakeford, AM and possible candidate for the leadership of Welsh Labour; and Tyrone O’ Sullivan, of the National Union of Mineworkers and former Chair of Tower Colliery.

This year the Swansea City and County branch of the trade union Unison is officially backing the march and rally and their branch banner will be on the demonstration, as will the banner of the rail union, the RMT. Trade unions are encouraged to bring their banners. This year’s march is also co-hosted by Stand Up to Racism Wales.

We will assemble at 1.30 pm at the railway station (SA15 2RN), and will march via the site of the shootings to Town Hall Square (SA15 3TH), where there will be a rally with speeches. We will be led by the magnificent Cambria Marching Band. The rally will be followed by a wreath-laying ceremony at the graves of the dead men in Llanelli District Cemetery (formerly known as Box Cemetery, SA15 3XF).

There will also be two other events during the week:

“No Justice – No Peace!” with Live Poets Society, plus open mic session and music, at the Carwyn James pub (old Station Inn), Station Road, SA15 1YS. This pub is at the very spot where the mass picket assembled in 1911, successfully stopping the trains. We start at 7.00 pm on Wednesday 15th August – all welcome.

On the following day, Thursday 16th August, there will be a public meeting sponsored by Llanelli Rural Council – “The Vote: Our Struggle for Democracy”. Note early starting time – this will begin at 5 pm at the Rural Council Chambers, Vauxhall, Llanelli, SA15 3BD.

For further information, we are on Facebook – search for ‘1911 Llanelli Railway Strike’.