From the coal-stained valleys of South Wales to the glittering circles of British power, BRASH uncovers the astonishing true story of Sir John Brayley — war hero, industrial titan, and political firebrand.

Researched and developed by his grandson, filmmaker Simon O’Gorman, this documentary and film project pulls back the curtain on one of the 20th century’s most enigmatic and self-made Welsh figures. Born amongst poverty in the Rhondda Valley in 1917. As a boy, he found both purpose and passion in the rough discipline of boxing at Scout camps. It was there the gloves went on — and metaphorically, they never came off.

A decorated officer in the Parachute Regiment, he earned the Military Cross in North Africa at the battle of Cork Wood in 1942 and was later cited for gallantry in Sicily. Rising through the ranks to become Colonel Commandant of the Royal Artillery, Brayley brought that same relentless drive to the world of business — building a vast fortune and ultimately becoming Minister for the Army under Harold Wilson’s government.

But power has its price. An attack on the Prime Minister by the press lead to end of Brayley’s public career as minister for army, and though he sought to retire quietly and focus on family, fate had other plans. Sir John died suddenly in Cardiff in 1977, leaving behind a legacy as bold and complex as the man himself.

BRASH isn’t just a biography — it’s a portrait of ambition, loyalty, and the hard edges of power. The story of a man who never backed down.