Battle of De Winton Field

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. Among them was Harry Dobson, a miner from Blaenclydach, who became a legendary figure in the International Brigades before being killed at the Battle of the Ebro in 1938. The battle thus represented both a decisive local victory against fascism and a stepping stone in the international fight against fascist movements across Europe.