The Battle of De Winton Field was a significant anti-fascist confrontation that took place in Tonypandy, Wales, on 11 June 1936. The clash occurred when Tommy Moran, propaganda officer for the British Union of Fascists (BUF), attempted to hold a rally in the heart of the politically left-wing South Wales Valleys. Between 5,000 and 6,000 anti-fascist demonstrators, comprising local miners, socialists, communists, and trade unionists, mobilised to prevent the fascist meeting from taking place. After sustained heckling, stone-throwing, and overwhelming opposition, Moran and his small group of Blackshirts were forced to abandon their rally after just thirty minutes, marking the BUF's final attempt to establish a presence in Wales.
The confrontation resulted in 37 anti-fascist demonstrators being charged on 187 counts of riot and related offences, with several receiving six-month prison sentences. Four of those imprisoned would later volunteer for the International Brigades in the Spanish Civil War, which began just five weeks after the Tonypandy confrontation.
HistoryLayer draws the world as it was in any year from 123,000 BCE to
2026. Move the slider and the borders redraw for that year; the map
carries 23,890 events, 12,790 people, 837 wars and 13,183 cities, each
one readable in place. Signing in is optional and lets you keep what
you find.