My friend Gary Jones, who has died of pancreatic cancer aged 64, was a steelworker, socialist and local councillor. A perfect example of the Welsh working-class autodidact, Gary immersed himself in military history, read voraciously and, it seemed, always had pocketfuls of leftwing badges which he would hand out to anyone.
Gary and I first met at the Laugharne Weekend festival in the town on which Dylan Thomas modelled “Llaregggub” in Under Milk Wood. As there’s no green room, the punters and performers mingle all weekend, and consequently the same people come each year. That’s how we became friends, albeit just for a weekend a year, though you can fit a lifetime into an hour over a few pints in a Welsh pub.
