Operation Mincemeat musical honours Glyndwr Michael in Cardiff
The homeless Welshman whose body became ‘Major William Martin’ in the audacious WWII deception is remembered with a special performance and memorial bench.
Operation Mincemeat, the Tony and double Olivier Award®-winning musical, yesterday honoured Glyndwr Michael, the homeless Welshman whose body was used to create the fictional ‘Major William Martin’ in one of the most audacious deceptions of the Second World War, with a special performance and the unveiling of a memorial bench in Cardiff’s Alexandra Gardens.
The touring cast and creative team were joined by a specially formed choir made up of local and military community volunteers, including Cardiff Military Wives Choir, Cowbridge Male Voice Choir, St Patrick's Church Choir and Choir for Good." for a special rendition of Sail On, Boys, the song from the musical accompanying Glyndwr’s body as it is carried aboard HMS Seraph towards Spain.
Following the performance, David Cumming, one quarter of SpitLip, the writers and composers of Operation Mincemeat, unveiled a bench dedicated to Glyndwr’s memory in Alexandra Gardens, home to the Welsh National War Memorial.
David Cumming said: “Glyndwr Michael is at the heart of the true story of Operation Mincemeat, yet his own identity was almost lost behind the legend of Major William Martin. We wanted to honour him not just for the part his body played in the deception, but to recognise that he had a life and family of his own. To have this bench here in Cardiff, alongside the Welsh National War Memorial and in his home country, means a great deal to us. We hope it will help people remember Glyndwr and the part he played in Operation Mincemeat.”
A surviving member of Glyndwr’s family will attend one of the musical’s performances in Wales, with the production at the New Theatre, Cardiff, until 19th September 2026, followed by Swansea Grand Theatre from 21st –26th September 2026.
Today, Glyndwr is buried in Huelva, Spain, beneath a gravestone which reads:
“Glyndwr Michael Served as Major William Martin, RM”
The new memorial in Cardiff gives him a place of remembrance in the country where he was born.
