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10th April
On this day 430, the "Alleluia" battle occurred near Mold.
The early Christian Church in Britain was under constant threat from invaders such as Saxons, Picts and Scots. The Bishop of Auxerre, St. Germanus was sent to counteract the threat. At the river Alen, near Mold, he rallied the Britons and prepared for battle. He positioned troops at strategic points in the narrow gorge, and when the invaders approached, the cry of "Alleluia" was raised, which echoed throughout the valley. The Saxons and Picts fled in disarray, without a blow being struck. The valley is known as the 'Field of Germanus' to this day.
John Trevor (Ieuan Trefor), Bishop of St. Asaph and advisor to Owain Glyndwr died 10th April 1410. Trevor's brother Adda was married to Owain Glyndŵr's sister Isabel.
Trevor had supported Glyndwr at the Kings Council of Henry IV when Reginald de Grey had been instrumental in engineering an accusation of treason against him, resulting in forfeiture of land. Owain considered this an insult and was a major contributory factor in the ensuing rebellion.
Trevor allied himself to Glyndŵr as an advisor and ambassador. He went to Paris in 1404, along with Glyndwr's Chancellor, Gruffydd Young and Glyndŵr's brother-in-law John Hanmer, to negotiate a treaty of alliance with King Charles VI of France.
Captain Bernard Warburton-Lee from Broad Oak, Wrexham was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross for action this day 1940
Bernard Warburton-Lee's VC citation reads as follows:
For gallantry, enterprise and daring in command of the force engaged in the First Battle of Narvik, on 10th April 1940 . On being ordered to carry out an attack on Narvik, Captain Warburton-Lee learned that the enemy was holding the place in much greater force than had been thought. He signalled to the Admiralty that six German destroyers and one submarine were there, that the channel might be mined, and that he intended to attack at dawn. The Admiralty replied that he alone could judge whether to attack and that whatever decision he made would have full support. Captain Warburton led his flotilla of five destroyers up the fjord in heavy snow-storms, arriving off Narvik just after daybreak. He took the enemy completely by surprise and made three successful attacks on warships and merchantmen in the harbour. As the flotilla withdrew, five enemy destroyers of superior gun power were encountered and engaged. The captain was mortally wounded by a shell which hit the bridge of H.M.S. Hardy. His last signal was "Continue to engage the enemy".
Born this day 1939 in Ynysddu, Monmouthshire
Ricky Valance, born David Spencer , was a popular singer, best remembered for the song "Tell Laura I Love Her", which was a number one hit in 1960 and sold over a million copies.
Born this day 1953 in Newport, Gwent,
David Langford , who is an author , editor and critic of science fiction, and publishes the science fiction fanzine and newsletter Ansible.
