Bore da, bawb!
It was on September 3 in 1939 when the United Kingdom entered the Second World War.
Did you know that, much like it did in the First World War, the Welsh language would play a role in saving lives?
The clearest WWII example of this happening is Reusel, a village in the Netherlands, 1944.
The Royal Welch regiment was involved in this particular skirmish and soldiers had been charging to the entrance of the village church, which contained two Nazi platoons. German machine guns were aimed at the Welsh soldiers, however, so the best move was to withdraw.
Recognising this, and not wanting to make a command which the Nazis would understand, the commander shouted at the top of his lungs for the men to withdraw and he did so in Cymraeg, the Welsh language. The soldiers successfully withdrew after nightfall.
Because of this, more Welsh soldiers in Reusel lived to fight another day and, hopefully, lived to see the end of the war in 1945.
145 British men, 500 Germans and 21 civilians died in Reusel.
(Image Credits: Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum)
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Niklas is the founder, owner, manager, editor, writer, video creator, voice over artist, and so forth, of Welsh Histories. He is passionate about the preservation of Welsh culture; the rejuvenation of the Welsh language and the promotion of Welsh history. Niklas currently resides in Pune, Maharashtra, with his beloved wife.