As the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month slowly returns to us, we must remember that the moments and experiences of the second world War are slowly passing from living memory into a history that we can no longer access.
Returning in the Barry and District to Sycamore Cross at the top of the junction of the A48, Pendoylan Road, and 5 Mile Lane. We find ourselves behind the new houses at Sycamore Cross on the Western side, along the Pendoylan Road, and we look at one of two surviving Second World War barrack buildings.
We have examined these buildings in a previous entry in the Barry and District news. Between the two buildings and shown partly on the right of the image is a utility structure. This utility structure was the Electrical substation and washroom and toilets for the two barracks. The Western barracks is in a remarkable state of preservation. It still contains some original wooden door features and Bakelite fittings that echo back to a time that these buildings were used to house what I believe were Italian and German prisoners of war. This may have actually been the hospital block. At one stage from one source, 'Land girls'.
Other than another set of structures around a kilometre northeast of these at Sycamore Cross which are not in a good state of preservation, these are now the only remaining echo of such structures that I can find existing in the Barry and District location.
The buildings constructed out of brick, which is probably not a local product; as we see with the brick used in the construction of buildings from the old military base at East Barry Docks originating from Newport. The roof uses cast concrete beams internally, and for windows and doorways and grey Asbestos is used on the roof with asbestos roof tiles and some of the surviving roof ventilation, a few of the window frames of iron are still intact with occasional bits of broken glass in their putty is still extent.
When I discussed this on our Facebook 'Barry and District Museumeers' page, people argued that these buildings were not worth preserving as we had examples surviving in Bridgend; however, I feel that this is short-sighted. Although the Barry and District Museumeers saved the only surviving Art Deco gatehouse (which we have now seen its Listing), from the east Barry Docks military base and a watchtower (which we moved) which is now housed in Cowbridge, there is very little left of the Barry and District Second World War Legacy, these buildings at Sycamore Cross should be preserved, but with advancing development they may not last another year so get out and see them.
On a more poignant point as you look at these buildings, know that the people who constructed them are no longer with us. It's very likely that those people who slept in the beds of these barracks are no longer able to tell us their stories. It's likely that most if not all of the memories of activities from these buildings have now faded away, least us not forget the importance of the second world war to our shared common identity in the Barry and District.