Bwyell y BELFORD

Disgrifiad

Sgwner gyda thri hwylbren a oedd yn eiddo i R. Thomas & Co, Lerpwl oedd y BELFORD. Yn haf 1916 fe groesodd yr Iwerydd i nôl llwyth o haidd. Pan oedd hi wrth angor yn San Francisco, aeth y Capten William Davies ac aelodau o’i deulu a’i griw i fwynhau’r golygfeydd a thynnwyd nifer o luniau. Mewn dau ohonynt, mae bachgen yn trin telesgop y BELFORD, un o ddwy eitem yn unig a achubwyd o’r llong ar ôl iddi gael ei suddo 100 milltir i’r de-orllewin o Iwerddon gan y llong danfor Almaenig yr U 45 ar 3 Chwefror 1917.
Cofnododd J Ifor Davies, mab y Capten William Davies, atgofion ei dad am y suddo:

‘The German commander ordered to crew to take to their boats, and peremptorily refused to allow to salvage any of their belongings. The only article which Father managed to rescue was his telescope.
It did not take long to dispose of the Belford, and, although Father never cared to dwell upon the episode, he admitted that seeing her go down slowly, bow first, and with her poop high in the air, was one of the saddest moments of his life.
When they had taken to the boats, the German commander insisted upon towing them inshore. Father questioned his motives but was in no position to refuse. The boats were therefore roped together and tied to the U-boat. The carpenter sat in the bow of the leading boat, with instructions to use his axe at the first sign of danger. After working up a good speed the U-boat suddenly dived, with the clear intention of dragging the boats down with it, but the ropes parted and the axe was not needed.
Having spent over 48 hours adrift in dirty weather, they were picked up by the destroyer HMS Myosotis and landed in Bantry Bay.’ (J Ifor Davies: Growing up among Sailors, Gwynedd Archive Service, p. 85)

Wyrion William Davies, John Davies, Dinbych, a David Davies, yr Wyddgrug, a ddaeth â’r eitem hwn i sylw Prosiect Llongau-U 1914-18 ac a roddodd ganiatâd i ni ei rannu. Gwnaethon nhw etifeddu'r dogfenni a'r arteffactau morwrol hyn o'u taid.