RAF Carew Cheriton

Royal Naval Air Station Pembroke or Milton as it was known then opened in August 1915. The base operated SS-class (Submarine Scout or Sea Scout), SSZ-class (Sea Scout Zero) and C-class (Coastal-class or 'Coastals') non-rigid airships which operated over the Irish Sea, Bristol Channel and Western Approaches on anti-submarine patrols. In April 1917 the base began operating Sopwith 1½ Strutter and Airco D.H.6 biplanes.

Upon the formation of the Royal Air Force (RAF) on 1 April 1918, the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) ceased to exist. The location acquired the dual designation of RAF Pembroke[1][2] and Royal Naval Airship Station Pembroke. Use of the designation "RN Airship Station" was entirely valid, because the airships remained the property of the Admiralty, never being transferred to the Air Ministry.[3]

RAF Pembroke was part of No.14 Group, RAF, successor to the RNAS "Milford Haven Anti-Submarine Group". No.14 Group included No. 255 Squadron RAF. The entire site closed in March 1920.

SSZ-class airship SSZ17 Landing at Royal Naval Air Station Pembroke 1917. The hangars in the background are no longer standing.

Avro Anson Mk.I K6285/MW-F foreground and Avro Anson Mk.I N9742/MW-Y background of No.321 (Dutch) Squadron RAF.

Carew Cheriton was recommissioned in 1938, initially with grass runways. From the early 1940s there were three concrete runways, making the station a Class A airfield. The airfield was used as a support station for the flying boat operations at RAF Pembroke Dock. Operational flying ceased in 1942. On 15 April 1941 12 airmen were killed in a Luftwaffe air raid which hit the station's sickbay. In 1942 the station became No. 10 Radio School, a training camp for aircrew wireless operators. RAF Carew Cheriton closed in 1945.

• ‘B’ Flight of No. 1 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF (1 AACU)[7]
• ‘L’ Flight of (1 AACU)[7]
• No. 1 Air Gunners School RAF[7]
• No. 4 Armament Practice Camp RAF[7]
• No. 4 Radio Direction Finding School RAF[7]
• No. 5 Coastal Patrol Flight RAF[7]
• No. 8 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF[7]
• No. 14 (Operations) Group RAF[7]
• No. 19 Group Communication Flight RAF[7]
• No. 74 Gliding School RAF[7]
• No. 519 (Special Duty) Flight RAF[7]
• No. 520 (Special Duty) Flight RAF[7]
• No. 1607 (Anti-Aircraft Co-operation) Flight RAF[7]
• No. 2854 Squadron RAF Regiment[7]
• Coastal Command Tactical Development Unit RAF[7] became Coastal Command Development Unit RAF[7]
• RAF Pembroke Dock Station Flight[7]

The base was used as an emergency landing site on two occasions after its closure. A de Havilland Vampire FB.5 from Anglesey made a successful emergency landing on the old runway after experiencing mechanical problems. A Bristol Beaufighter in a separate incident also attempted an emergency landing but sadly crashed short of the runway with no survivors.

In 2019 a memorial was unveiled to those of the 5,000 soldiers in the US Army's 110th Infantry Regiment, stationed in Pembrokeshire from 1943 to 1944, who died during the liberation of Europe.[16][17]

• Jefford, C.G. RAF Squadrons, a Comprehensive Record of the Movement and Equipment of all RAF Squadrons and their Antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury, Shropshire, UK: Airlife Publishing, 1988. ISBN 1-84037-141-2.