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My Investiture by Gethin ap Gruffydd
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My Investiture day was spent in getting up, going for some exercise around the Swansea Jail prison yard, it was at this time some prisoner shouted down "two of your people have been killed", meaning the Abergele Martyrs. Rest of morning and most of the afternoon was spent in the dock at Swansea Crown Court awaiting sentence for basically motivating organisation of the Abergwesyn Training Camp, drafting FWA Oath and organisational plans, oh yes designing the uniform. I got sentenced to nine months but having served six only had another three to do, whilst FWA Commandants Cayo and Coslett got longer sentences. They were imprisoned for FWA "crimes" but myself, I have no doubt was in reality due to my Anti – Investiture Campaign organisational activities with the Anti – Investiture Campaign Committee. I guess my Investiture can be summed up by saying I spent two busy years organising and carrying out resistance to the Investiture and nine months in Jail for doing so. Investiture day, was spent in the dock, getting sentenced, then being whisked off to Cardiff Prison, stripped and put in prison uniform and slammed into a cell, in which I spent most of my three month sentence in 'solitary Confinement'.
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This Jail time in Cardiff was made much easier to put up with as in due course I was allowed out to work in Prison workshop breaking up Telephones, made good time with Cayo along side telling me Irish and Welsh Folk tales and reciting the poetry of Robert Service to me. Of course, I had no chance of doing "runner" to Ireland, even so I would not have, if I had been free to do so, I would not be on the piss in Ireland but more up to creating Anti – Investiture Chaos on the Streets of Caernarfon. However, on release from Jail, it was made known to me that the Police might round me up again, so this time I did flee to Ireland and became an exile for two years. Not on the piss but getting a job and setting up home and being politically involved until the Irish SB told me that I would be sent back to Wales if I interfered in Irish Politics. By this time the Welsh SB had sent by records over to Ireland with a request to have me sent back, but at this time Anglo – Irish relations were breaking down due to the struggle breaking out in the North, and the Irish SB were not all that interested to do the bidding of the Brits. I guess I could go on about "My Investiture" but I would rather be more positive, and not look back but deal with the present as a warning for the future.
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During July of this year we were witness to much attention given by the Welsh media to the 40th Anniversary of the 22nd English Prince of Wales, the press chose to focus on how great an English Prince of Wales he was and how much he had done for his Principality. The TV however, focused much on the militant MAC bombing campaigns which on the whole kind of presented a picture that only a minority of possibly "mad bombers" were opposed to this nice English Prince, affectionately called ‘Carlo’ by some of his subjects. Both media underplayed the much broader opposition of public patriotic protest and radical nationalist democratic, if somewhat militant demonstrations against the foisting upon Wales of another English Prince of Wales.
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Totally ignored by the media was the fact that 2009 also marked the 40th anniversary of the so called FWA Trial at Swansea during the summer of 1969, this was preceded by the February 26th arrests of nine radical nationalist militants of the Free Wales Army and Patriotic Front, five of who were organisers of the Anti – Investiture Campaign Committee. Of they it was the three members of the Patriotic Front which were if anything the main Anti – Investiture Conspirators, they being the late Toni Lewis and Glyn Rowlands and myself Gethin ap Gruffydd. The reason why the media ignored this trial anniversary was, I have no doubt they were told or keen to do so, to show that opposition was minimal and of little mass impact. It being preferred to ignore the fact that the state had used undemocratic means to undermine any attempt of mobilising patriotic opinion, not least thwart plans for patriotic direct action demonstrating at Caernarfon on the forthcoming Investiture day of 1st July 1969.
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This of course was greatly achieved by the above arrests causing the AICC to be greatly neutralised, then the SB/MI5 Shrewsbury based ‘Special Squad’ especially formed to terrorise nationalist opposition to the Investiture. This worked so wellthat some pathetic patriots as Roy 'Jac' Jones & Co fled the country, deserting by this act of cowardice those who were to remain behind to continue the struggle in and around Caernarfon on days leading up to and after Investiture day. Whilst two MAC Freedom Fighters died and two FWA Commandants were imprisoned, and myself PF/AICC also imprisoned. Let history well witness the names of those who ran away, a most blatant account of which can be found written by one of those deserters, in an article called ‘My Investiture’ by Roy Jones published not unsurprisingly in Cambria Magazine, issue no 2 Vol 11. This character and others mentioned were later awarded medals at a Rali Cilmeri by Denis Coslet one of the FWA imprisoned in1969.
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Of course the way Denis during Y Cyfamodwyr Years at Rali Cilmeri, had turned something worthy into a big joke to say the least and demeaned totally the status of similar awards made to Patriots deservedly by FWA Commandant Cayo Evans in years shortly after the Investiture. I criticised Denis much in the "sixties" for his being out of control and not attempting to read from the same hymn sheet re plans for the Investiture. However, post 69 I grew to like Denis and have recently defended him from the Poison Pen Character assassination at hands of Lickspittle Journalist, ex editor of the Western Mail in the "sixties" John Humphries in his book Freedom Fighter, Wales’s Forgotten War. However, I cannot defend the way Denis tossed around medals at Rali Cilmeri during the years it came under the sway of Y Cyfamodwyr and perfectly pointless patriots as Roy ‘’Runner’’ Jones, Abergynolwyn’s‘’Aongy Aunt’’.
.
My Investiture day was spent in getting up, going for some exercise around the Swansea Jail prison yard, it was at this time some prisoner shouted down "two of your people have been killed", meaning the Abergele Martyrs. Rest of morning and most of the afternoon was spent in the dock at Swansea Crown Court awaiting sentence for basically motivating organisation of the Abergwesyn Training Camp, drafting FWA Oath and organisational plans, oh yes designing the uniform. I got sentenced to nine months but having served six only had another three to do, whilst FWA Commandants Cayo and Coslett got longer sentences. They were imprisoned for FWA "crimes" but myself, I have no doubt was in reality due to my Anti – Investiture Campaign organisational activities with the Anti – Investiture Campaign Committee. I guess my Investiture can be summed up by saying I spent two busy years organising and carrying out resistance to the Investiture and nine months in Jail for doing so. Investiture day, was spent in the dock, getting sentenced, then being whisked off to Cardiff Prison, stripped and put in prison uniform and slammed into a cell, in which I spent most of my three month sentence in 'solitary Confinement'.
.
This Jail time in Cardiff was made much easier to put up with as in due course I was allowed out to work in Prison workshop breaking up Telephones, made good time with Cayo along side telling me Irish and Welsh Folk tales and reciting the poetry of Robert Service to me. Of course, I had no chance of doing "runner" to Ireland, even so I would not have, if I had been free to do so, I would not be on the piss in Ireland but more up to creating Anti – Investiture Chaos on the Streets of Caernarfon. However, on release from Jail, it was made known to me that the Police might round me up again, so this time I did flee to Ireland and became an exile for two years. Not on the piss but getting a job and setting up home and being politically involved until the Irish SB told me that I would be sent back to Wales if I interfered in Irish Politics. By this time the Welsh SB had sent by records over to Ireland with a request to have me sent back, but at this time Anglo – Irish relations were breaking down due to the struggle breaking out in the North, and the Irish SB were not all that interested to do the bidding of the Brits. I guess I could go on about "My Investiture" but I would rather be more positive, and not look back but deal with the present as a warning for the future.
.
During July of this year we were witness to much attention given by the Welsh media to the 40th Anniversary of the 22nd English Prince of Wales, the press chose to focus on how great an English Prince of Wales he was and how much he had done for his Principality. The TV however, focused much on the militant MAC bombing campaigns which on the whole kind of presented a picture that only a minority of possibly "mad bombers" were opposed to this nice English Prince, affectionately called ‘Carlo’ by some of his subjects. Both media underplayed the much broader opposition of public patriotic protest and radical nationalist democratic, if somewhat militant demonstrations against the foisting upon Wales of another English Prince of Wales.
.
Totally ignored by the media was the fact that 2009 also marked the 40th anniversary of the so called FWA Trial at Swansea during the summer of 1969, this was preceded by the February 26th arrests of nine radical nationalist militants of the Free Wales Army and Patriotic Front, five of who were organisers of the Anti – Investiture Campaign Committee. Of they it was the three members of the Patriotic Front which were if anything the main Anti – Investiture Conspirators, they being the late Toni Lewis and Glyn Rowlands and myself Gethin ap Gruffydd. The reason why the media ignored this trial anniversary was, I have no doubt they were told or keen to do so, to show that opposition was minimal and of little mass impact. It being preferred to ignore the fact that the state had used undemocratic means to undermine any attempt of mobilising patriotic opinion, not least thwart plans for patriotic direct action demonstrating at Caernarfon on the forthcoming Investiture day of 1st July 1969.
.
This of course was greatly achieved by the above arrests causing the AICC to be greatly neutralised, then the SB/MI5 Shrewsbury based ‘Special Squad’ especially formed to terrorise nationalist opposition to the Investiture. This worked so wellthat some pathetic patriots as Roy 'Jac' Jones & Co fled the country, deserting by this act of cowardice those who were to remain behind to continue the struggle in and around Caernarfon on days leading up to and after Investiture day. Whilst two MAC Freedom Fighters died and two FWA Commandants were imprisoned, and myself PF/AICC also imprisoned. Let history well witness the names of those who ran away, a most blatant account of which can be found written by one of those deserters, in an article called ‘My Investiture’ by Roy Jones published not unsurprisingly in Cambria Magazine, issue no 2 Vol 11. This character and others mentioned were later awarded medals at a Rali Cilmeri by Denis Coslet one of the FWA imprisoned in1969.
.
Of course the way Denis during Y Cyfamodwyr Years at Rali Cilmeri, had turned something worthy into a big joke to say the least and demeaned totally the status of similar awards made to Patriots deservedly by FWA Commandant Cayo Evans in years shortly after the Investiture. I criticised Denis much in the "sixties" for his being out of control and not attempting to read from the same hymn sheet re plans for the Investiture. However, post 69 I grew to like Denis and have recently defended him from the Poison Pen Character assassination at hands of Lickspittle Journalist, ex editor of the Western Mail in the "sixties" John Humphries in his book Freedom Fighter, Wales’s Forgotten War. However, I cannot defend the way Denis tossed around medals at Rali Cilmeri during the years it came under the sway of Y Cyfamodwyr and perfectly pointless patriots as Roy ‘’Runner’’ Jones, Abergynolwyn’s‘’Aongy Aunt’’.
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Having got that off my chest, but in the same vein, it is interesting to note that Rali Cilmeri, a platform of Anti – Investiture Campaign in 1968 in particular, 40 years later post Cyfamodwyr had come under the sway of a motley collection of Moderates, Careerists and Devolution Dilettantes and general followers of ‘Cambrianista’ Right Wing Nationalism or otherwise just plain "Good Ole Boy" fence sitting cowards. The majority however, in all fairness one might just as well describe as "Knee Jerking Super Patriots" with no serious political idea in their head at all, but boy do they like patriotic parading and petition signing. Thus when push comes to shove, this lot along with the other aforementioned patriotic prats, are more up for passive petition signing and not radical protest against English Princes of Wales. Neither are they it seems up to demonstrating really radical nationalist demonstration qualities, but more up to following the aforementioned "Runners" of 1969 in annual Rali Cilmeri and Dewi Day Parading. Thus when invited to participate in ‘Storming the Castle – Closing it Down’ anniversary gathering at Gate of Caernarfon Castle, none of this ilk or many other patriots who should have shown their colours but did not.
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Other than patriots I have often criticised but were to show some real patriotic 'Street Cred'by making a stand at the Gate of Caernarfon Castle on 1 July 2009. The honour of some real, and I hope sustainable Patriotic Struggle was left to Balchder Cymru of the North Eastern March, surely our ‘’Barrio Warriors’’. So, when Investiture III looms up on the horizon don’t count on the 'Good Ole Boy Cowards of Cilmeri to be to the fore, they will more than likely do another runner to Ireland, or maybe will be safe in their graves by then? If I also happen to have passed over, I shall leave some of my creamated ashes are to be thrown at the Gate of Caernarfon Castle, some 1st July annual protest,or maybe tossed at the 23 English Prince of Wales as his carriage takes him to,the Castle for Investiture III. But who will be the Patriot then at this time brave enough to risk braving it into Caernarfon and be up for throwing my ashes? HHHhhhmmm!!! Don't all rush at once to put your name down for that possibly deadly bruising task?
Having got that off my chest, but in the same vein, it is interesting to note that Rali Cilmeri, a platform of Anti – Investiture Campaign in 1968 in particular, 40 years later post Cyfamodwyr had come under the sway of a motley collection of Moderates, Careerists and Devolution Dilettantes and general followers of ‘Cambrianista’ Right Wing Nationalism or otherwise just plain "Good Ole Boy" fence sitting cowards. The majority however, in all fairness one might just as well describe as "Knee Jerking Super Patriots" with no serious political idea in their head at all, but boy do they like patriotic parading and petition signing. Thus when push comes to shove, this lot along with the other aforementioned patriotic prats, are more up for passive petition signing and not radical protest against English Princes of Wales. Neither are they it seems up to demonstrating really radical nationalist demonstration qualities, but more up to following the aforementioned "Runners" of 1969 in annual Rali Cilmeri and Dewi Day Parading. Thus when invited to participate in ‘Storming the Castle – Closing it Down’ anniversary gathering at Gate of Caernarfon Castle, none of this ilk or many other patriots who should have shown their colours but did not.
.
Other than patriots I have often criticised but were to show some real patriotic 'Street Cred'by making a stand at the Gate of Caernarfon Castle on 1 July 2009. The honour of some real, and I hope sustainable Patriotic Struggle was left to Balchder Cymru of the North Eastern March, surely our ‘’Barrio Warriors’’. So, when Investiture III looms up on the horizon don’t count on the 'Good Ole Boy Cowards of Cilmeri to be to the fore, they will more than likely do another runner to Ireland, or maybe will be safe in their graves by then? If I also happen to have passed over, I shall leave some of my creamated ashes are to be thrown at the Gate of Caernarfon Castle, some 1st July annual protest,or maybe tossed at the 23 English Prince of Wales as his carriage takes him to,the Castle for Investiture III. But who will be the Patriot then at this time brave enough to risk braving it into Caernarfon and be up for throwing my ashes? HHHhhhmmm!!! Don't all rush at once to put your name down for that possibly deadly bruising task?
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To conclude Roy 'Runner' Jones makes out that there will be no third Investiture in Caernarfon, now trust me there will be ok! If there were not, it would have nothing to do with Abergynolwyn's 'Agony Aunt', he could not even complete the decapitation of a statue of the 1911 English Prince of Wales. But there, I do not want to slag 'Swansea Jac' off for that, at least he had a go. Since 1969, none of those many 'cultural nationalists' Aberystwyth students have so much has daubed this statue green. Whatever, main point is that yes there will be a third Investiture in Caernarfon and, even less patriots will oppose such unless those Patriots with guts and detirmination arise to resist the imposition of an English Prince upon our Country.
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May Rali Cilmeri ever remain the focus of that Patriotic Resistance of real committed Anti - Investiture Struggle that if anyone is up for it, should be sustained hence. So please dear patriots do not listen to the 'Running Men' but trust to your own judgement on this most crucial of issues, for what good at all is Independance if the English Crown claims sovereignty over us, ain't that the truth! Think on it at this years Rali Cilmeri, just why do you go there? if it's not to consider more than just remembering 1282. I say remember 1911 and 1969, you may not stop a third Investiture but it's not just the possible winning against all odds that counts but how you fight not hide or run. Next time around, no one hides, dodges or runs off to Ireland, all patriots to Caernarfon, and if the authorities attempt stopping you going into the town to exercise the democratic right of being able to make patriotic protest, sit down in the street and make them arrest you, that will not look good on the world media will it!
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Be at the Gate of Caernarfon Castle every year hence on 1st July, this really is more important than pathetic petitions and Dewi Day Parading in Caerdydd, leave the tame Taffies do that. You, the real hard and committed radical nationalists are required for real patriotic struggle not leek wearing and Welsh cake eating in a City that should not be considered our capital, such can only be Machynlleth, yes!
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Gethin ap Gruffydd..
Gethin ap Gruffydd..
