1944 in Wales
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| 1943 | 1945 | Other years in Wales |
| 1944 in the United Kingdom |
| 1944 in Ireland |
| Other events of 1944 |
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1944 to Wales and its people.
Contents |
[edit] Incumbents
- Prince of Wales - vacant
- Princess of Wales - vacant
- Archbishop of Wales - David Lewis Prosser
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales - Crwys
[edit] Events
- 23 January - An RAF Halifax crashes in the Elan Valley, killing nine crew.
- 28 March - Nine people are killed in an air raid on Cardiff.
- 11 April - An RAF Lancaster bomber crashes near Llanwrtyd Wells, killing eight crew.
- 16 August - Lt. Tasker Watkins leads a bayonet charge at Barfour in Normandy, winning the VC for his courage.
- 17 October - The first "Welsh Day" debate takes place in the House of Commons.
- 10 December - American Liberty ship "Dan Beard" is torpedoed off Strumble Head, resulting in the deaths of 29 crew.
- 20 December - An American Liberator plane crashes into the sea off Anglesey, killing eight crew.
- Plaid Cymru transfers its head office from Caernarfon to Cardiff.
- Sir Thomas Williams Phillips becomes permanent secretary of the new government ministry created to implement the national insurance system.
- Sir David Brunt is awarded the royal medal of the Royal Society for his work in meteorology.
- Goronwy Owen and Llewellyn Thomas Gordon Soulsby are knighted.
- Dylan Thomas is best man at the wedding of his friend Vernon Watkins - but fails to turn up.
[edit] Arts and literature
- BBC commentator Alun Williams marries Perrie Hopkin Morris, daughter of Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris.
[edit] Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales (held in Llandybie)
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - D. Lloyd Jenkins
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - J. M. Edwards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - withheld
[edit] New books
- Rhys Davies – Black Venus
- Thomas Rowland Hughes - William Jones
- Edward Morgan Humphreys - Ceulan y Llyn Du
- Alun Lewis - The Last Inspection
- Sir Percy Emerson Watkins - A Welshman Remembers
- Sir Ifor Williams - Lectures on early Welsh Poetry
[edit] New drama
- Kitchener Davies - Meini Gwagedd
- Emlyn Williams - The Druid's Rest
[edit] Music
- Harry Parr Davies - Jenny Jones (musical)
- Grace Williams - Sea Sketches
[edit] Film
- The Halfway House, starring Mervyn Johns, Glynis Johns and Rachel Thomas, is set in Wales.
[edit] Broadcasting
- August - Wynford Vaughan-Thomas reports on the liberation of Paris for BBC radio.
- Launch of the Noson Lawen series on BBC radio.
[edit] Sport
- Football - The first post-war match between Wales and England ends in a 1 - 0 victory for Wales.
[edit] Births
- 21 January - Peter Rodrigues, footballer
- 17 February - Karl Jenkins, composer
- 24 March - Steve Jones, biologist
- 8 April - Hywel Bennett, actor
- 15 April - Dave Edmunds, musician
- 5 May - John Rhys-Davies, actor
- 11 June - Alan Howarth, Baron Howarth of Newport, politician
- 16 June - Brian Protheroe, English-born singer and actor of Welsh parentage
- 7 July - Glenys Kinnock, politician
- 31 July - Endaf Emlyn, TV presenter, musician and director
- 21 October - Mandy Rice-Davies, socialite
- 29 November - Gareth Wardell, politician
[edit] Deaths
- 5 March - Alun Lewis, poet
- 7 May - Charles Alfred Howell Green, Bishop of Monmouth and Archbishop of Wales
- 16 June - David Davies, 1st Baron Davies, philanthropist and MP
- 25 June - James Atkin, Baron Atkin, judge
- 14 July - Albert de Belleroche, painter
- 5 August - Maurice Turnbull, cricketer
- September - David Davies, 2nd Baron Davies (killed in battle)
- 5 October - Laura Evans-Williams, singer
- 8 December - Sir William Jenkins, MP for Neath
- date unknown - Ethel Lina White, crime novelist
