Weather robs county of historic flypast (From Western Telegraph)

Weather robs county of historic flypast

LOW CLOUD robbed Pembrokeshire of a farewell flypast on Friday as two Dutch Navy squadrons turned the final page on their wartime connections with the county.

The plan to overfly South Pembrokeshire by two Orion maritime patrol aircraft had to be abandoned due to the bad weather and the aircraft - operating out of RAF St Athan - flew directly home.

The aircraft belonged to Nos. 320 and 321 Squadrons of the Royal Netherlands Navy, which trace their histories back to June 1940 when they both formed at the RAF Pembroke Dock flying-boat station. Later that year, they operated out of RAF Carew Cheriton.

Both squadrons are disbanding on Friday at their home base of Valkenburg, the Netherlands, and their final overseas visit was to Wales.

Representatives of both squadrons, including the commanding officers and the chief of staff of the Netherlands Maritime Patrol Group, travelled to Pembrokeshire on Thursday.

In the morning, they were hosted by the Pembroke Dock Museum Trust. After visiting viewpoints and the former RAF station they toured the Gun Tower Museum and then went on to Llanion Cemetery, where flowers were laid on the graves of two Dutch airmen killed in July 1940.

In the afternoon, the Dutch party went to Carew Cheriton. A short service at the war graves section of the cemetery was conducted by the Rev Anthony Gregory and flowers were placed on the graves of the four Dutch crew members of a Hudson aircraft, which crashed at Carew in February 1941.

This was followed by a visit to the restored wartime control tower on the old airfield.

The guests were welcomed by control tower committee chairman, Deric Brock, who was presented with a unique piece of aviation artwork depicting the history of the two squadrons. In return, Deric presented a framed print of the control tower with its wartime aircraft.

A planned flypast by a RAF Nimrod over the airfield had to be cancelled due to very low cloud.

Final call for the Dutch guests was Carew Methodist Schoolroom, where a splendid tea was provided by the community.

Among guests present for the ceremonies were the chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, Councillor John Thomas; Commodore Jamie Miller RN, naval regional officer, Wales and Western England, who was accompanied by Commander Tony Mason, RNR; and Air Commodore Peter Whalley, RAF Air Officer Commanding Wales. At the Gun Tower, Mr George Young, chairman of No 648 Branch, RAFA, and committee member, Mr John Farrow, were also present.

AT a reception hosted by Pembroke Dock's mayor, Councillor Don Esmond, and the Town Council, the Dutch visitors presented two magnificent plaques of the crests of Nos. 320 and 321 Squadrons for display at the Gun Tower Museum.

These, and a specially commissioned model of the Fokker T-VIII-W floatplane, which 320 Squadron first flew locally, were received by the deputy mayor, Councillor Ron Watts, who is honorary curator of the museum.

The Mayor presented special Sunderland plates to the senior officers present and aviation historian John Evans, who detailed the historical links between the squadrons and Pembrokeshire, presented RAF Pembroke Dock badges to the visitors.