Your basket is currently empty
AFRL March is Men of Harlech and has been made culturally famous by the 1964 film Zulu. Men of Harlech was chosen due, in no small part, to the film. The use of the music in the film, while apocryphal, has created an indelible spirit and unity in Wales. A song about the North sung by the South is second only to Mae hen wlad fy nhadau in its power to unity a country in song.
Men of Harlech is also the slow march of the Welsh Guards and the quick march of the Royal Welsh. It was also the march of the South Wales Borderers (24th Regiment of Foot 1689-1969) which featured in the film Zulu. The SWB was amalgamated into The Royal Regiment of Wales which itself was amalgamated into the Royal Welsh in 2006.
Part of the films myth has created an idea that the soldiers at Rorke's Drift were a wholly Welsh unit, brimming with men from South Wales, and although based in Brecon the regiment was made up of 49 Englishmen, 32 Welshmen, 16 Irishmen, one Scotsman, and three were born overseas. While the nationalities of the remaining 21 are unknown to this day this mixing of nationalities under a Welsh banner is reflected today by AFRL Cymru. Although mostly made up of Welsh players, because of residency, parent club geography and Welsh representation honours at other levels many players were born in other parts of not only the UK, but the world.
As there is no single accepted English lyric version of Men of Harlech. AFRL uses the 1964 lyrics by John Barry. Remembering extraordinary bravery and sacrifice on both sides, while also keeping the myth.
Lieutenant John Rouse Merriott Chard. 5th Coy. Corps of Royal Engineers
Gwna dda dros ddrwg, uffern ni'th ddwg
© 2024 AFRL Cymru