PUPILS from a Torfaen school have paid tribute to a WW1 First World War love story by creating a film chronicling a series of love letters between a soldier and his sweetheart.
The Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) and Gwent Archives project, in Welsh language, explored the letters written by Private William O’Brien to his sweetheart Rose Curtis, from Abersychan, during the First World War.
WW1.
This month, pupils from Ysgol Bryn Onnen, in Varteg, worked with local artist and historian, Tom Maloney, to showcase the first screening of the six-minute film.
Parents and guests were invited to the school in for a Hollywood-style premiere with refreshments, and children in historical costumes.
Members of the Royal British Legion, Blaenavon Branch and Rose’s daughter-in-law, Joan Nash – who discovered the letters following her death in 1980 – were also invited.
Teacher Gareth Watkins said: “It’s just been a fantastic experience for all the children going to Gwent Archives and seeing the letters from for themselves. It really inspired them.
“It truly is a magnificent, yet tragic, story that must not be forgotten.”
William O’Brien was a Grenadier Guard from Newport, joined the army in November 1915 and was deployed to France in the summer of 1916. He was killed shortly after the Battle of Pilckem Ridge in August 1917. Before joining the army, William was a police constable in Abersychan when he met Rose Curtis.
Rose Curtis lived with her parents, George and Ada, at the Crown Inn in Abersychan where her father was the landlord. During his police training, William formed a friendship with Jack Nash, who later replaced William as police constable in Abersychan, and went on to marry Rose in 1920. The letters remained with Rose and Jack and were later discovered by (Rose’s daughter-in-law) Joan Nash several years after Rose’s death aged 80.
Pupils Nicole Parfitt and Rory Jenkins portrayed William and Rose in the film.
The collection was deposited at Gwent Archives by Joan in 2014 and the new movie project, will also be stored in Gwent Archives for prosperity. For information, visit www.gwentarchives.gov.uk or search #sharingprivateobrien
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