1940 in Wales - Events

Events

  • The Urdd changes its policy to include 16 to 25-year-olds.
  • 21 January - Lowest ever temperature recorded in Wales, -23.3°C (-9.9°F) at Rhayader.
  • 27 January - A freak ice storm across the UK brings down telephone and electricity lines in many parts of Wales.
  • 3 March - The steamer Cato is damaged by a mine off Nash Point and 13 of the crew are killed.
  • May
    • The newly-created Coalition Government includes Hugh Dalton as Minister of Economic Warfare.
    • Alun Lewis enlists.
  • 8 May - Three Nazi German Luftwaffe Heinkel 111s crash in separate incidents over Wales: one near Wrexham, one at Malpas in Denbighshire, and one at Bagillt, Flint. In all nine crew are killed and four captured.
  • 3 July - Cardiff is bombed for the first time.
  • 10 July - Ten people are killed in an air raid on Swansea Docks.
  • 11 August - Seventeen people are killed in an air raid on Manselton, Swansea.
  • 14 August - Three German Heinkel 111s are shot down during an air-raid on Cardiff, and another over North Wales after a raid on RAF Hawarden.
  • 22 August - A steamer, the Thorold, is sunk by German aircraft off the Skerries. Ten crew are killed.
  • 2 September - 33 people are killed in an air raid on Swansea.
  • 3 September - Eleven people are killed in an air raid on Cardiff.
  • 4 September - A German Junkers 88 crashes near Machynlleth. Four crew and a Gestapo officer are captured.
  • 13 September - A German Heinkel 111 crashes into a house in Newport, Monmouthshire.
  • 20 October - Communist minister and poet Thomas Evan Nicholas ("Niclas y Glais") and his son are arrested and interned for "endeavouring to impede recruitment to HM Forces".
  • 22 November - The steamer Pikepool is damaged by a mine off Linney Head, Pembrokeshire, with the loss of 17 crew.
  • Gwilym Owen Williams becomes chaplain of St David's College, Lampeter.
  • Percy Cudlipp becomes editor of the Daily Herald.
  • Alun Talfan Davies and his brother Aneirin found the publishing house Llyfrau'r Dryw.

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