Appeal launched to identify body found in Welsh forest in 1979

A new appeal has been launched in a bid to identify a body found in a Welsh forest 45 years ago.

On 9 December 1979, the skeletal remains of a man were found in Rheola Forest near Resolven, Neath Port Talbot.

He is believed to have died between nine and 18 months previously.

In his possession was a Salvation Testament that bore the name D MALAN and a partial address in Randburg, South Africa.

Much of the evidence points towards him having been from South Africa or having had a link to the country.

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Volunteer investigators with Locate International, a charity that looks into cold cases of missing and unidentified people, have been working on the case of Glamorgan Man, as he is known, for the past four years.

Now, 45 years to the day since he was discovered, they are launching a new public appeal for information in Wales and South Africa.

Stocky

The man is thought to be between 40 and 60 years old and is described as being of stocky build with short mixed light brown hair streaked with grey and is likely to have walked with a heavy limp, as his right knee was fused. He was between 5’8” -5’10” (173-178cm) tall and may have worn dentures as he did not have teeth.

A number of items found with the body suggest a link to South Africa, including a commemorative bookmark for a Christian mission conducted in King William’s Town (now known as Qonce) by ‘Rhodes Varsity Trekkers’ which was held at Easter (April 9 -17) 1960.

A South African Airways timetable of flights from London to Johannesburg, dated 1977 was also found along with notes on an airmail envelope planning an internal flight to Durban.

The handwriting appears to be the same as that in the Bible.

Welsh Tourist Board

He also had a map of South Wales, which was issued by the Welsh Tourist Board, along with a small amount of Canadian and US dollars and blank headed notepaper from the Heathrow Sheraton hotel.

“This is a man who would have stood out to anyone who encountered him at the time,” said Mark Greenhalgh, Locate International’s CEO.

“He was a stocky man with a strong limp, who possibly spoke with a South African accent.

“Think back to 1978 and where you were at that time, and who you knew. Who could you ask that might be able to help?

“Even the smallest piece of information you have can make a difference, and help return Glamorgan Man’s identity after all this time.”

If you have any information, please contact Locate International by emailing [email protected], by calling 0300 102 1011 (in the UK) or by visiting the website here.