The boy from penrhiwceiber

THE BOY FROM PENRHIWCEIBER.

Robert Bye was born in Pontypridd
A boy of valleys fibre
He spent his youth in Woodfield Street
In nearby Penrhiwceiber

He went to school in Aberdare
An education sound
And at the tender age of fourteen years
Young Rob went underground.

In Dyffrin Deep Colliery
He worked behind the drams
Watched by his father Martin’s eye
The apple of his Mam’s

His labours brought promotion
Rising up the miners table
And in nineteen twelve he fell in love
And married lovely Mabel.

They raised a healthy family
Two daughters and two sons
But at this time war was declared
And Britain faced the Huns.

Earl Haig called out for volunteers
And Robert Bye was willing
On the April third nineteen fifteen
He took King George’s shilling.

In Cardiff, on the dotted line
His signature he put
And Rob became a Guardsman
In the new formed Fifth of Foot,

The Welsh Guards life was very hard
Rob faced it without gripes
And then, within a year or so
He earned his Corporal’s stripes.

Soon, promoted Sergeant Bye
He led his band of snipers
Against a fortified redoubt
In the Belgian town of Ypres.

A nest of German H.M.G’s
Were firing from a tower
And holding up our troops advance
For hour after hour.
Robert didn’t hesitate
He crawled up to the guns
And lobbed a brace of hand grenades
In amongst the Huns.

The survivors shouted “ Kamerad”
And raised their hands on high
Escorted back to British lines
By Sergeant Robert Bye.

He fought his way through Langemarcke
At the head of his platoon
The enemy was routed
By Friday afternoon.

His bravery was recorded
Despatch lines they did ring
And Sergeant Robert Bye – Welsh Guards
Was summoned by the King.

All the fact were published
Papers signed and sealed
Rob was awarded a Victoria Cross
“FOR VALOUR IN THE FIELD”.

Army ways have changed since then
But as the years go by
Every new recruit still learns
Of Sergeant Robert Bye.

Alan Parry-Booth        6.4.14