Trustees and volunteers of the Pembroke Dock Sunderland Trust flew the aviation flag for Pembrokeshire on Saturday when the Royal Air Force staged a major 100th anniversary event at Swansea. The Pembroke Dock team, all involved in running the town’s highly-praised Heritage Centre, were specially invited.

They joined a large congregation at St. Mary’s Church in the city centre for a national service of celebration to mark the RAF’s centenary, led by the Archbishop of Wales, the Most Rev. John Davies. This was followed by a big parade through the city and a reception at the Brangwyn Hall.

Here they met up the RAF’s Air Officer Commanding Wales, Air Commodore Adrian Williams, who has visited the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre on several occasions.

The Sunderland Trust party were Pam Thomas, Rik and Gill Saldanha, Peter and Marilyn Mitchell, Malcolm and Afril Miles and John and Christine Evans. They were joined by Gary and Mary Evans, of 592 Haverfordwest Branch of RAFA.

Among others attending were Air Training Corps chaplains, Pastors Grayham and Pam Passmore, of Neyland, and the large contingent of ATC cadets from South Wales squadrons included cadets from Pembrokeshire squadrons.

The RAF was formed on April 1, 1918, during World War I and inherited two flying stations, at Fishguard and Milton, in Pembrokeshire. These closed down soon after the war ended. Pembroke Dock became a flying boat station in 1930 and for nearly 30 years operated some of the largest and best remembered RAF aircraft, including the famous Sunderland. During World War II, several other air stations were established in the county.

Pembroke Dock’s RAF stories are told at the Heritage Centre in the former Royal Dockyard Chapel which was also the RAF church. Displays include many artefacts recovered from a Sunderland which sank in the Haven in 1940.

* Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre, run by the Sunderland Trust, is a registered charity (No 1120476). Located in the restored Royal Dockyard Chapel, it is open Mondays to Saturdays, 10 am to 4 pm. www.sunderlandtrust.com