Dillwyn Miles (25 May 1915 – 1 August 2007) was a Welsh writer. Miles was born in

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, Pembrokeshire and baptised William James Dillwyn Miles. He became in 1932 the youngest clerk of a parish council in the country, following the death of his father. While still underage he was elected a

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and was to serve as

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of Newport three times, the last in 1979–80. He attended university at

Aberystwyth Aberystwyth () is a university and seaside town as well as a community in Ceredigion, Wales. Located in the historic county of Cardiganshire, means "the mouth of the Ystwyth". Aberystwyth University has been a major educational location in ...

but was so dogged by ill-health his

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was prepared. After college, he taught in various places around

Pembrokeshire Pembrokeshire ( ; cy, Sir Benfro ) is a Local government in Wales#Principal areas, county in the South West Wales, south-west of Wales. It is bordered by Carmarthenshire to the east, Ceredigion to the northeast, and the rest by sea. The count ...

from 1936 till the outbreak of war. He served mainly in

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, having enlisted in the

Royal Army Service Corps The Royal Army Service Corps (RASC) was a corps of the British Army responsible for land, coastal and lake transport, air despatch, barracks administration, the Army Fire Service, staffing headquarters' units, supply of food, water, fuel and dom ...

in 1939. During June 1941 he had the task of typing and re-typing the 22-clause peace agreement following the overthrow of the

Vichy regime Vichy France (french: Régime de Vichy; 10 July 1940 – 9 August 1944), officially the French State ('), was the fascist French state headed by Marshal Philippe Pétain during World War II. Officially independent, but with half of its terr ...

in Syria. A newspaper report of the time recorded "''the magnificent service rendered by a young Welsh poet who displayed remarkable ability during the crisis following the surrender of the Syrian Forces''". Another said it "''had been drafted by Wales's youngest bard''". Miles managed to keep a copy of the agreement and one of the pens used to sign it. Back in Wales, Miles was a member of the Gorsedd of Bards of the National Eisteddfod, Grand Swordbearer, and Herald Bard. He was in attendance at Caernarvon Castle in July 1969 for the Investiture of the Prince of Wales. Miles worked tirelessly for Welsh affairs, including lecturing at the University of Wales, serving on influential committees concerned with health, welfare and culture, and served as Mayor of

Haverfordwest Haverfordwest (, ; cy, Hwlffordd ) is the county town of Pembrokeshire, Wales, and the most populous urban area in Pembrokeshire with a population of 14,596 in 2011. It is also a community, being the second most populous community in the county, ...

. He edited the Pembrokeshire Historian for almost 30 years and in 1973 founded the Association of Trusts for Nature Conservation in Wales. His wife died in 1976. Miles was survived by a son and daughter, and his companion of twenty-three years, Judith.

Selected bibliography

* ''The Castles of Pembrokeshire'' (1979) * ''A Pembrokeshire Anthology'' (1983) * ''The Pembrokeshire Coast National Park'' (1987) * ''The Secret of the Bards of the Isle of Britain'' (1992) * ''The Lords of Cemais'' (1997) * ''A Mingled Yarn'' (2000)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Miles, Dillwyn 1915 births 2007 deaths Welsh writers People from Pembrokeshire Mayors of places in Wales British Army personnel of World War II Royal Army Service Corps soldiers