Wales in World War 2

Disgrifiad Cymraeg / Welsh Description

Cofnod cynhwysfawr o'r rhan y chwaraeodd Cymru yn yr Ail Ryfel Byd ac am effaith y gwrthdaro ar bob rhan o'r wlad ac ar y bobl: yn bobl gyffredin, gweithwyr ffatri, plant (yn ifaciwîs ac yn blant o Gymru), gwleidyddion lleol a chenedlaethol, milwyr, heddychwyr, llenorion, gwneuthurwyr ffilm ac artistiaid.

Disgrifiad Saesneg / English Description

A comprehensive account of the part played by Wales in WWII and the conflict's impact on every area of the country and all involved: civilians, factory workers, children (those evacuated to and those from Wales), national and regional politicians, soldiers, pacifists, writers, film-makers and artists.

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Bywgraffiad yr Awdur / Author Biography

A Cambridge history graduate, former comprehensive school head of history and author of a Cambridge University Press text book on Early Modern European history, Quentin Deakin has also had articles published on teaching history, education and current affairs. After retiring to Tywyn, he and his wife started the Tywyn history society and created a popular town trail with a £10,000 National Lottery grant. He regularly presents to the Tywyn and Harlech history societies and recently gave a keynote address at the Meirionnydd Historical & Record Society.

Adolygiad y Cyhoeddwr / Publisher Review

At a time when a spate of publications on the First World War has seen the light of day during recent years, it is a delight to welcome a thoroughly researched study on the course of the Second World War in Wales. As is apparent from the endnote references and bibliography, Dr Quentin Deakin has left no stone unturned in his quest for source materials. The overarching theme of the analysis is the central role played by Wales in many aspects of the war. The years 1939–45 were a crucially defining period in the lives of large numbers of Welsh people, but until now the fascinating tale has never been related in such depth and detail. The research is admirably complete, including quarrying of the archival sources, personal and official correspondence and records, oral history, searching national and local newspapers, and evidence which has survived in the so-called 'built environment'. They demonstrate that, far from being peripheral, Wales was central to the war effort in several ways, including hosting secret weapons establishments of global significance. Many aspects of Welsh life witnessed far-reaching, profound changes, among them its use of its two languages, social and economic life, political representation, and cultural vitality. The main text is divided into four sections. The first, entitled 'The March of War', provides a chronological overview of the events of 1939–45. Readers will appreciate the account of the infrastructure of air support and war manufacturing built up in south-east Wales, especially near Bridgend, Caerau and St Athan from 1938, when war was already anticipated, and a little later at Pengam and Stormy Down, in order to guard the western approach. Early in the war the architect Percy Thomas was appointed to the new position of Regional Controller for Wales (Supply), subsequently playing a key role in the administration of the Home Front. In the late summer of 1940 the Luftwaffe succeeded in hitting Cardiff, and when Mussolini's Italy entered the hostilities supporting Germany in June 1940, Italian shops were attacked and many Italians were arrested in parts of south Wales. Within Glamorgan 160 Italian nationals were taken into custody. Another striking aspect of these years, which impacted so much on the host families and their localities, was the wave of evacuees, a total of some 110,000, mainly from the south-east of England, into south Wales from the early summer of 1940, in a desperate attempt to achieve security and relative safety. Their hopes of safety were soon to be shattered when the area suffered especially heavy bombing raids the following February. Swansea was targeted particularly from 19-21 February 1941, resulting in the deaths of 230 individuals, and severe injuries to 397 others. During the war Cardiff and Newport suffered the deaths of 392 people and 542 being injured, and Cardiff, as one of the major west coast ports, suffered a regular spate of raids from July 1940 until March 1944. And it was within Wales that many of the innovative 'bouncing bombs' were tested. During the course of the war some 2100 bombs fell on Cardiff, a primary target because of the presence of the docks, which suffered for a longer period of time than Swansea. The second section, 'Community Relations', is devoted to an analysis of the inter-relationship between the Welsh people and the British military personnel and numerous evacuees who disrupted their lives. The threat from enemy ships led to the upgrading of the coastal batteries which protected Port Talbot, Swansea and Cardiff, and new air bases were built at Stormy Down, Llandow and St Athan to supply protection for the ordnance factories at Bridgend, Glascoed and Caerwent. Major building work was undertaken on a large air-base at St Athan resulting in a major expansion of the town of Llantwit Major, and a major airfield was built at RAF Stormy Down. Attention is given to the role of Glamorgan and Monmouth in sustaining the war economy as the possessor of the major part of the British coal market and the producer of about fifty per cent of its steel. Several new 'shadow factories' were set up, among them projectile filling stations at Bridgend, Glascoed and Hirwaun and an explosive factory at the old iron town of Dowlais. 60,000 people, including large numbers of women, were employed by the ordnance and munitions factories. Some of these had migrated long distances in order to assist the war effort. Section 3, 'Combatants', examines the fate of the soldiers and the role of the pacifist community. Several wartime service careers are examined here as are the experiences of a number of conscientious objectors. The final part, entitled 'Carrying On', considers the impact of the hostilities upon Welsh community life, the media, popular culture, and the attitudes and response of several Welsh writers and artists to the war. Notably, eisteddfodau became much more international in character after 1945. There were also changes in sporting life, especially rugby, and in the films which were released, some of these depicting the impact of the blitz and the bomber attacks. Artistic output is considered here too, notably the work of Ceri Richards (1903–71) who emerged as a kind of lone 'official war artist'. The select bibliography is especially helpful, as are the photographs. There is a list of the exhibitions, museums and guided tours, and a gazeteer of the important locations in the Welsh counties for a study of the Second World War. J. Graham Jones t is possible to use this review for promotional purposes, but the following acknowledgment should be included: A review from www.gwales.com, with the permission of the Books Council of Wales.