RAF Carew Cheriton

RAF Carew Cheriton was a Royal Air Force airfield of Coastal and Training Command near Carew, Pembrokeshire. It was sited 4.7 miles north west of Tenby. It was built on the site of RNAS Pembroke (aka RNAS Milton) from the First World War, which had been decommissioned and sold off in the inter war years.

First World War
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') blimps 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. Royal Naval Air Station Pembroke closed in March 1920.





Second World War
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.

Postwar
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.

Current use
The site is no longer used as an airfield though much remains including the runway and the Second World War control tower (adjacent to the Carew Cheriton Showground) has been restored by the Carew Cheriton Control Tower Group, and turned into a museum which is open to the public. The airfield is also used for various events and activates including car boot sales, auctions and part of the airfield has been converted for use as a go-cart track.

Other Information
In 1962 Airfix released a 1/72 scale plastic model kit of Avro Anson Mk.I RAF serial: N9742, squadron code: MW-Y of No.321 (Dutch) Squadron RAF which was stationed at RAF Carew Cheriton August-November 1940. It has been rereleased several times since.