During
the Second World War, Luftwaffe air raids on Wales killed 984 people and left
over 1,200 seriously injured. Over 90% of these casualties were in the south of
the country.
The
reality of war came home to Wales
when the first bombs fell on Cardiff
in June 1940, and the following January a severe Luftwaffe attack devastated
the main shopping area and badly damaged the historic Llandaff Cathedral.
Within weeks of that raid, ‘The Three Night Blitz’ on Swansea obliterated the town centre, as over
300 business premises were destroyed and 6,500 people were made homeless. Newport also suffered, particularly in 1941, when
sea-mines intended for the shipping lanes of the Bristol
Channel instead caused death and destruction in the Monmouthshire
town. South Wales also experienced Britain’s worst fire for almost 300
years, when the oil tanks at Pembroke Dock were struck, causing a crippling
blow to national resources.
This
fascinating documentary also includes the story of Island Farm POW Camp, the
scene of the biggest breakout by German prisoners in Britain during the entire
conflict; how the secrets of a much-feared enemy fighter aircraft were revealed
after an example was captured at Pembrey in Carmarthenshire; how a German
bomber became the first to be brought down by a barrage balloon, when it
crash-landed in Newport; the precious memories of two members of the Home
Guard; how boxing legend Rocky Marciano won one of his first fights in a
Swansea pub, and much more. With the help of rare archive film, photographs,
period music, authentic sound effects and some enthralling eye-witness
accounts, this is the story of South Wales at
War.