THE PATRIOTIC FRONT DID IT! Made Sure There Was a Radical Anti - Investiture Campaign 1967 - 69, but who fixed a 'SURRENDER' finnish and WHY?

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It is one of the biggest of Establishment and media perpetated 'mysteries' of modern times, recently reworked in the book Freedom Fighters - Wales's Forgotten 'War' by John Humphries. A question often posed but never really answered....''Why did the State use such a large hammer to crack a small nut?''...the question refers to the Free Wales Army Trial of the 'Swansea Nine' during the summer of 1969.

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First off, the whole episode would be better understood if it were correctly seen as a trial of patriotic plotters who for a few years had been plotting, planning and preparing to thwart the investiture of an Englishman as Prince of Wales on 1 July 1969. Not least the trial was about 'getting out of the way' the main instigators of the plot, they being the three members of the Patriotic Front; Toni Lewis, Glyn Rowlands and myself, Gethin ap Gruffydd along with David Burns of Cymdeithas Llywelyn. All members of an Anti - Investiture Campaign Committee, actually, it was no big secret but this body was a 'Front' set up by the PF to allow non - PF members to participate in organisation and carrying out of the campaign. Chief of such supporters involved were members of the YOUNG PATRIOTS LEAGUE, PLAID YOUTH SECTION and of the CELTIC YOUTH CONGRESS.

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Whilst a number of Cultural Nationalists were involved as Niel ap Siencyn and Owain Williams, for the most part leading members of CyIG kept their distance and ultimately were to betray the radical campaign against the Investiture. The truth is, this act of treachery be it in collusion with the State and it's Shrewsbury Special Squad or not, made sure that the campaign was nuetralised at the 11th hour.

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This treachery along with an huge Police presence in Caernarfon Town and mighty Military presence around the town. Plus massive police intimidation throughout Wales, with key Anti - Investiture Activists locked up or under 'house arrest' on and around 'I - DAY'. It was all but impossible to organise or carry out any major protest in the town itself, but around the town before and after 1 July there were a number of Bomb and Arson Attacks and a number of other Anti - Investiture Resistance Activities.
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So yes, history might be written up as our endeavours being a failure but in many ways we can claim great successes, and on this I shall write some more of during the summer, over in my Alternative Welsh Nationalist Movement & Struggle History Archive blog. Not least I shall be bringing the story of the National Patriotic Front to centre stage in this story, it has been too much in the shadow of the FWA and the way the 1969 trial has been interpreted. Whilst the recent Humphries book actually goes out of the way to minimise and marginalise the contribution of the Patriotic Front during the Adfywiad Gwladgarol 1963 - 69, not least in the struggle against the Investiture of another Englishman as Prince of Wales.

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Gethin ap Gruffydd.

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PS: Go see my Adfywiad Gwladgarol blog for info on events to mark the 40th anniversary of the great Patriotic Resurgence and Anti - Investiture Resistance 1969.