THE REALITY of war and the devastating effect on individuals, their families and the community has been starkly brought home to a group of Pembrokeshire students.

As part of a competition organised by the West Wales Aircrew Association, the students researched a number of war graves in the county.

And the individual stories they revealed were moving and emotional, while their projects also covered the air war over Pembrokeshire and the county's airfields. The winners were presented with their prizes on Friday at a ceremony at County Hall, Haverfordwest, where a welcome was extended by council chairman, Councillor Leslie Raymond.

The association is made up of members who have flown in military aircraft in the RAF, Royal Navy and Army, both at home and abroad.

During a visit to Carew Cheriton churchyard last year, one member, Ron Pullin, saw a number of war graves and discovered more in cemeteries around the county. The association decided that research into those who died and were buried in these graves would make an interesting secondary schools competition. It got off the ground with the help of Ray Bevan, deputy head and head of history at Ysgol Dewi Sant.

The association's secretary, Mr Norman Spence, said he was rather disappointed that only four of the county's eight schools had responded.

But he hoped those taking part had gained a greater understanding of the sacrifices made by so many. He also hoped they would have an abhorrence of war and would do their utmost in the future to stop war from happening again. The awards were presented by local MPs Jackie Lawrence and Nick Ainger.

Mrs Lawrence pointed out that while war literally destroyed lives, and devastated families and communities, it also drew those families and communities together.'It is up to us to ensure that good things like that can endure in peacetime and not just in periods of war,' she added.

Mr Ainger felt that projects like this brought home to the young what Remembrance Sunday was all about.

'It is to remember those who gave their lives during the two world wars, enabling people in Europe to live in peace for the last 50 years,' he said. 'It is to remember the sacrifices they made. But we must not let such wars happen again.'

The winners were Christopher John, Ysgol Bro Gwaun (teacher Mrs Sue Blaxland); Stevie Jones and Joseph Phillips, Ysgol Dewi Sant (teacher Mr Ray Bevan); Tiffany Clewer, Fiona MacKenzie and Emma Griffiths, Greenhill School, Tenby (teacher Mrs Margaret Jones); and Lee Morgan, Daniel O'Neill, Joseph Rimmer and Geraint Sayers, Milford Haven School (teacher Mrs Christine Hathaway). The prizes included an invitation for all ten pupils and their teachers to spend a day at the Houses of Parliament and also a day as VIP guests at RAF Athan. Other prizes were donated by Mr Ainger and Mrs Lawrence, AM Christine Gwyther, Western Telegraph, Texaco, BBC, BT, Dale Sailing, Folly Farm, HSBC Bank, Oakwood, John Rees, Withybush Flying School; Tenby Observer, Tesco, Pembroke Dock; O. J. Williams/Owen Fuels and Woolworths, Haverfordwest.