1944 in Wales
This article is about the particular significance of the year 1944 to Wales and its people.
Incumbents
- Archbishop of Wales
- *Charles Green, Bishop of Bangor
- *David Prosser, Bishop of St David's
- Archdruid of the National Eisteddfod of Wales – Crwys
Events
- 22 January - Wynford Vaughan-Thomas reports for the BBC from the Battle of Anzio.
- 23 January - An RAF Halifax bomber crashes in the Elan Valley, killing nine crew.
- 28 March - Cardiff Blitz: 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 Victoria Cross for his courage.
- 17 October - The first "Welsh Day" debate takes place in the House of Commons (UK).
- 11 November - A US Dakota C-47 with four crew crashes into cliffs above Llyn Dulyn.
- 10 December - American Liberty ship Dan Beard is torpedoed off Strumble Head, resulting in the deaths of 29 crew.
- 20 December - An American B-24 Liberator plane crashes into the sea off Anglesey, killing eight crew.
- Plaid Cymru transfers its head office from Caernarfon to Cardiff.
- Morgan Phillips becomes Secretary of the Labour Party (UK), a position he will hold until 1961.
- 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.
- Politician Goronwy Owen and naval architect Llewellyn Soulsby are knighted.
Arts and literature
- 2 October - Dylan Thomas is best man at the wedding of his friend and fellow poet Vernon Watkins in London - but fails to turn up.
- BBC commentator Alun Williams marries Perrie Hopkin Morris, daughter of Sir Rhys Hopkin Morris.
Awards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Chair - D. Lloyd Jenkins
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Crown - J. M. Edwards
- National Eisteddfod of Wales: Prose Medal - ''withheld''
English language
- Rhys Davies – Black Venus
- Fred Hando - The Pleasant Land of Gwent
- Jack Jones - The Man David
- Alun Lewis - The Last Inspection
- Sir Percy Emerson Watkins - A Welshman Remembers
- Sir Ifor Williams - ''Lectures on early Welsh Poetry''
Welsh language
- Thomas Rowland Hughes - William Jones
- Edward Morgan Humphreys - Ceulan y Llyn Du
- T. H. Parry-Williams - ''O'r Pedwar Gwynt''
New drama
- James Kitchener Davies - Meini Gwagedd
- Emlyn Williams - ''The Druid's Rest''
Music
- Harry Parr Davies - Jenny Jones
- Grace Williams - ''Sea Sketches''
Film
- The Halfway House, starring Mervyn Johns, Glynis Johns and Rachel Thomas, is set in Wales.
Broadcasting
- August - Wynford Vaughan-Thomas reports on the liberation of Paris for BBC radio.
- Launch of the Noson Lawen series on BBC radio.
Visual arts
- Polish-born expressionist painter Josef Herman begins 11 years living and working in Ystradgynlais.
Sport
- Boxing - Syd Worgan beats Tommy Davies for the vacant Welsh featherweight title.
- Football - The first post-war match between Wales and England ends in a 1 - 0 victory for Wales.
Births
- 21 January – Peter Rodrigues, footballer
- 17 February – Karl Jenkins, composer
- 1 March – Dai Morgan Evans, English-born archaeologist
- 6 March – Billy Raybould, Wales international rugby player
- 12 March – Tammy Jones, singer
- 24 March
- *Mary Balogh, novelist
- *Steve Jones, biologist
- 31 March – Myfanwy Talog, actress
- 4 April – Ronnie Rees, footballer
- 8 April – Hywel Bennett, actor
- 15 April – Dave Edmunds, musician
- 16 April – Llew Smith, politician
- 5 May
- *Roger Rees, actor
- *John Rhys-Davies, actor
- 20 May – Kathrin Thomas, magistrate
- 3 June – Dilwyn John, footballer
- 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, English-born politician
- 7 July – Angharad Rees, actress
- 31 July
- *Endaf Emlyn, TV presenter, musician and director
- *Betty Williams, politician
- 3 September – John Cooper, serial killer
- 9 October – Desmond Barrit, actor
- 21 October – Mandy Rice-Davies, socialite
- 6 November – Gerallt Lloyd Owen, poet
- 14 November – Eurfyl ap Gwilym, economist and politician
- 29 November – Gareth Wardell, politician
- 18 December – Deke Leonard, rock musician
- 24 December – Meirion Pennar, translator and son of Pennar Davies
Deaths
- 8 January - John Newell Evans, Welsh-born farmer and politician in Canada, 97
- 11 January - Richard Powell, Wales international rugby player, 79
- 5 March - Alun Lewis, poet, 28
- 20 March - William Retlaw Williams, lawyer and historian, 80 or 81
- 31 March - Talfryn Evans, cricketer, 29
- 7 May - Charles Green, Bishop of Monmouth, Bishop of Bangor and Archbishop of Wales, 79
- 17 May - John Lloyd Morgan, lawyer and MP, 83
- 24 May - Sir Herbert Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet, politician, 83
- 27 May - Griffith Hartwell Jones, academic, 85
- June - Dai Davies, footballer, 63/64
- 16 June - David Davies, 1st Baron Davies, philanthropist and MP, 64
- 25 June - James Atkin, Baron Atkin, judge, 76
- 5 August - Maurice Turnbull, cricketer, 38
- 5 August - Ethel Lina White, crime novelist, 68
- 20 September - Oliver Morris, rugby player and footballer, 27
- 21 September - Bob Jones, rugby union player, 69
- 25 September - David Davies, 2nd Baron Davies, 29
- 30 September- David Harris Davies, Wales international rugby union player, 66
- 5 October - Laura Evans-Williams, singer, 61
- 27 October - Clem Lewis, rugby player, 54
- 19 November - Watkin Williams, Bishop of Bangor, 99
- 8 December - Sir William Jenkins, MP for Neath, 73