Wyn Griffith (born this day, 30th August 1890) is best remembered for Up to Mametz, his memoir of his time in the Royal Welch Fusiliers and the 38th (Welsh) Division's part in the capture of Mametz Wood. He wrote the book for his children, and it was only published after his friends Herbert Read and Storm Jameson learnt of it. There is an excellent article "Llewellyn Wyn Griffith and the London Welch" by Jonathon Riley on the website of The Honourable Society of Cymmrodorion.
His 1935 childhood memoir Spring of Youth was described by reviewers as having "a sort of Wordsworthian psychology behind the pages" and being "delicately conceived, and executed with an artless deftness". It was written in English, although Welsh was Griffith's first language, and he writes of going back to a time "when I had no country, to a time when I did not know that I spoke Welsh ... My world was all the world, my speech the only speech used by men. At a later date I began to learn English, and thus to be aware of Wales and of Welsh ..."
David Lloyd George was of course another who wrote in English, but for whom Welsh was his first language, and I think perhaps for both of them this may account for some of the distinct power of their expression.
Lloyd George contributed a Foreword to the first edition of Spring of Youth, sadly not included in the later editions I have seen. He comments "The literary riches of Wales are to English readers a fountain sealed. But from time to time one of our sons arises with the art to convey in the English tongue some hint of the sensitive, poetic quality of Welsh thought and feeling. Wyn Griffith's Spring of Youth is a work of this order."
It is an exceptionally well-written book, moving without being mawkish, perhaps the closest parallel I can think of is Laurie Lee's Cider With Rosie (a lifelong favourite), and it deserves to be as widely read.
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