John Jenkins - The Reluctant Revolutionary? - Authorised Biography of the Mastermind Behind the Sixties Welsh Bombing Campaign

Dr Wyn Thomas is the son of a former policeman who routinely searched for explosive devices during the MAC campaign. He works freelance in academia, the media and as a respected songwriter and musician. His book Hands Off Wales (Gomer, 2013), a superbly researched account and analysis of the militant campaigns carried out in the name of Welsh political nationalism between 1963 and 1969, has been called the definitive account of this period of militancy. He also wrote and presented BBC1's Tryweryn: 50 Years On. He is married, has two daughters, and lives in Mid Wales. https://drwynthomas.com/

John Barnard Jenkins, former non-commissioned officer in the British Army turned leader of Welsh nationalist paramilitary organisation Mudiad Amddiffyn Cymru (MAC), was the mastermind behind their 1960s bombing campaign protesting British state oppression and exploitation of Wales’ natural resources in the wake of the Tryweryn scandal. The campaign led to a ten-year prison sentence for Jenkins, but also to increased public awareness of the issues and demand for devolved powers of self-governance, which eventually resulted in the creation of a Welsh Assembly. John Jenkins is one of the most iconic figures in recent Welsh history. A reclusive revolutionary, he has been quite guarded about his life and the bombing campaign, and until now little has been made public. This book will finally open the door on one of the most fascinating periods of Welsh history and one of the most intriguing characters involved.