WW1 Gallipoli 'quarry boys' remembered in exhibition

The quarrymen who died in a notorious World War One battle are being honoured with an exhibition in north Wales.

The men from Penmaenmawr who joined the Royal Welsh Fusiliers met their deaths in Gallipoli in August 1915 at the hands of Turkish troops.

First Minister Carwyn Jones, visiting the town for the official opening, said it was an "important opportunity for us to reflect on the cost of war".

The Gallipoli exhibition will tour Wales from September to February.

'Pals'

The "quarry boys" were employees of the Penmaenmawr & Welsh Granite Company.

More than 100 of them formed one of Britain's many "pals" battalions of friends and colleagues who joined up when war was declared in August 1914.

Lt Col Charles Henry Darbishire encouraged his workers to join the army

They were encouraged to sign up by quarry chairman Lt Col Charles Henry Darbishire, who wanted to join them but was deemed in his 70s to be too old.

The quarry workers were virtually wiped out by heavy attack after they landed on the beaches at Turkey's Suvla Bay a year later, but some survived to fight in Palestine, ending the war in Jerusalem.

The exhibition opens at Maen Alaw Community Centre, Penmaenmawr, before moving to the town's museum on Wednesday.

From mid September to February it will travel to Newtown, Aberystwyth, Brecon, Cardiff and Gregynog Hall, Powys, adding stories of other men from Wales who fought at Gallipoli.

The 'quarry boys' assemble in Northampton before heading to Gallipoli