Born on this day 1946 in Swansea

Mervyn Davies - former Wales captain and Lions international, who was instantly recognisable with his thick white headband and moustache.

Davies was educated at Penlan Boys School and Swansea College of Education, after which he secured a teaching post in Guildford and began playing for London Welsh.

Davies was a sensation, earning the nickname "Merv the Swerve", due to his deceptive running and was given his international debut, within 3 months.  He went on to win two grand slams, with Wales and was a crucial member of the Lions series winning teams in  New Zealand in 1971 and  South Africa in 1974. 

Davies suffered an injury which caused bleeding in the brain and ended his career in 1076 and in a poll of Welsh fans in 2001, he was voted the greatest ever Wales No 8 and captain. 

Donny Osmond was born on this day 1957 in Ogden, Utah 

Osmond with his six older brothers and younger sister were raised as Mormons by their parents Olive May Osmond (née Davis) and George Virl Osmond.

Along with five of his brothers, he was a member of the popular singing group The Osmonds.   Donny went solo in the early 1970s, with hits such as "Go Away Little Girl"  and "Puppy Love", before performing with his sister Marie, as Donny & Marie, an act that has been headlining in Las Vegas since 2008. 

Osmond traced his family ancestry back to Merthyr Tydfil, during a documentary for BBC Wales entitled, Donny Osmond Coming Home.   

  On 9th December 2007, "Joe" Calzaghe became BBC Sports Personality of the Year.

Joseph William "Joe" Calzaghe is a former undisputed Super Middleweight Champion of the World, who retired in February 2009 with an undefeated record and the longest continual time as world champion of any active fighter.

"Super Joe" is sometimes referred to as the "Pride of Wales," or the "Italian Dragon" in reference to his mixed heritage.  He was born in Hammersmith, London, to his Sardinian father Enzo Calzaghe and his Welsh mother Jackie and the family moved to Newbridge when he was two years old.  Calzaghe was the first person to be awarded the Freedom of Caerphilly in 2009.   

During World War One, the 53rd (Welsh) Division was one of the three Divisions which bore the brunt of the fighting against the Turkish army in Palestine, prior to them capturing Jerusalem on 9th December 1917.  

  Born on this day 1575 in Abergavenny. 

David Baker, who as Dom Augustine Baker, was instrumental in re-establishing the Benedictines in Britain. 

Father Baker studied law at Oxford, where he also lost his faith in the existence of God, but refound his faith after surviving a near death experience and gave up his work  to become a Benedictine monk in Italy.  He then traveled the Continent, giving  legal advice to Benedictine Houses.

Then in 1638, Father Baker was sent on a mission to England, to re-establish the Benedictine order.  He lived constantly under the threat of being discovered and after three years, he was on the point of being captured when he contracted a contagious fever which scared away his persecutors.  However, Father Baker was to subsequently die in concealment.