Sospan Fach

What is it about a little saucepan ('sospan fach' - if you're Welsh) that creates such passion in the Celtic homeland? There are many stories about its origin and the English translation of the ancient ballad only perplexes foreigners, including other citizens of the British Isles. Most true Welsmen and women are word perfect from an early age and sing lustily what they look upon as their own National Anthem. The English translation goes like this:

Mary Anne's finger has withered,
And David the servant is not very well.
My baby in the cradle is crying
And the cat has scratched little Johnny.
The little saucepan boiling on the fire,
The large saucepan boiling on the floor.
The cat has scratched little Johnny.

Young Dai the soldier,
Young Dai the soldier,
Young Dai the soldier -
With his shirt hanging out.

In rugby circles the name 'Sospan' means only one place - Llanelli. This old steel-making town in West Wales is the shrine of the oval-shaped ball. To be a member of the 'Scarlets', as the first fifteen are called, and to score a try on the holy turf of Stradey Park is to become a saint before you are 30 years of age. The 'All Blacks' of New Zealand are a formidable side and their pre-match strategy of weird incantations and aggressive body movement is usually worth a few points to them. The Scots with their bagpipes and the French with their cockerel, are morale boosters as well, but none of these compare with the secret weapon of Llanelli.
Despite being an unlawful act, a monkey-like figure will sometimes be seen shinning up one of the goal posts before the start of a match and, encouraged by the roar of the crowd, fix a 'sospan fach' to the top of one of the posts. There it will stay for the duration of the game working its magic on the 'Scarlets' below.
Many gallant rugby players and others from Llanelli joined the 4th Battalion Welch Regiment during World War Two and took part in the invasion of North West Europe. When they sailed across the English Channel to land on the beaches of Normandy, a 'sospan fach' was attached to the masthead of their ship. Thereafter, to the end of the war, it travelled on the bonnet of the Commanding Officer's battle wagon and led soldiers to victory in Hamburg. The 'Sospans' was the sobriquet given to that battalion until 1971 when it became the 4th (Volunteer) Battalion Royal Regiment of Wales, with headquarters in Llanelli.
To continue the tradition of 'sospan fach', everyone wore a small embroidered sospan on the left sleeve of their jackets. What finer sight could there be than hundreds of small red sospans bouncing up and down as soldiers of the 4th Battalion marched through their home town. Members of St John's Ambulance Brigade were always on hand to treat those overcome with emotion.

During the mid '70s' it was announced that the Prince of Wales would visit Llanelli. Everyone was delighted and plans were made to make the visit a memorable day. The Commanding Officer of the 4th Battalion set a programme with foot and arms drill top priority. The Quartermaster was told to ensure that soldiers' uniforms were in pristine condition.
With a month to go before the great day, the General Officer Commanding the Army in Wales let it be known that he wanted to inspect the battalion. He need not have bothered - personal and unit pride was so strong that not a toe-cap, badge or set of belt brasses could have shone more brightly. The Army is rigid about such matters though and the General duly appeared one Saturday morning to satisfy himself that everything was in order.
People's Park, Llanelli is a splendid venue for a military parade and when the General arrived, the battalion was drawn up in open order of companies ready for his inspection. The General was escorted through the ranks by the Commanding Officer with the Honorary Colonel (a retired Territorial Army officer appointed to that prestigious position), three steps behind. Whereas the General had a word with every tenth man or so, the Honorary Colonel had something to say to every man on parade. Not only did he know their names but, in many cases, asked after their fathers, with whom he had served. He joined 4/WELCH as a subaltern before World War Two and was a seasoned campaigner. Imagine his surprise, therefore, when the General stopped in front of one soldier and said: "What's this?" pointing at the red sospan on his sleeve. "A sospan, sir," replied the soldier. "A what?" exclaimed the General who, although he had been associated for some time with Welsh soldiers, was not a Celt or even an 'adopted' Welshman. He was English through and through.
The young soldier, who was alarmed by the attitude of the General, did not have a chance to reply. The Honorary Colonel, with his moustache bristling like an angry porcupine, answered for him: "It's a SOSPAN, sir - I say again - a SOSPAN." The General stared at the Colonel and said: "Did you say - a saucepan?" The Colonel bristled again and replied: "No, sir, I did not. I said it's a SOSPAN!" The General realised he was out of his depth and that nothing would be achieved by pursuing the matter in front of hundreds of spectators in People's Park.

The General returned to the subject of saucepans in the officers' mess and the Regimental Secretary, who had had time to rehearse his lines, gave the following explanation:
"You were quite right when you recognised those things as 'saucepans'," he began, "but down here they like to call them 'sospans'. The story dates back to the days of the Crimean War when all that stood between the advancing Russians and the British guns was a small detachment of Welsh soldiers - forerunners of this battalion. A young cook from Llanelli was the first to see them and gave the alarm by beating his little saucepan - 'sospan fach', on a rock. The sound alerted everyone and the Russians were driven off with heavy casualties. Ever since then," continued the Regimental Secretary, "the little 'saucepan' has been a sacred emblem of Llanelli folk and soldiers of the 4th Battalion are immensely proud to wear it on their uniforms."
"Good Lord," said the General. "I'm glad I didn't put my foot in it any further. I thought that fiery fellow was going to burst into flames without any help from me."



Postscript:
Nowadays, volunteer soldiers are only issued with khaki uniforms for special occasions, so the small red sospans are no longer part of our uniform - besides, 4/WELCH has ceased to exist by that name. The little silver sospan which accompanied 4/WELCH through France, Belgium, Holland and Germany during the invasion of Northern Europe in 1944-5 now resides (2008) in the officers' mess of The Royal Welsh Regiment in Maindy Barracks, Cardiff.