PERSONNEL from many nations served at Pembroke Dock’s flying boat station in wartime.

Photographs from Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre’s Archive recall the arrival of Dutch airmen in the summer of 1940.

‘The Flying Dutchman’ took on a new meaning in wartime Pembroke Dock, 80 years ago.

In June 1940, amongst the familiar Sunderlands and biplane flying boats on moorings off the town, silver-coloured floatplanes with strange markings appeared.

Wartime regulations forbid close scrutiny, but word filtered through to local residents that these were Dutch aircraft. The markings were a black-edged inverted triangle with orange centre, the national insignia of the Dutch Navy and Air Force.

These aircraft were modern, twin-engined Fokker T-VIII-W floatplanes which – with the surrender of The Netherlands following the German ‘Blitzkreig’ into western Europe in May - had been flown to Britain by Dutch Navy crews.

At a time of great peril for Britain, anything that could fly was pressed into service and these aircraft were sent to Pembroke Dock to continue the fight.

Quickly camouflaged and given British roundels, the Dutch crews proudly displayed in miniature the black and orange triangle on each aircraft.

There were sufficient Dutch personnel to form two new squadrons in the Royal Air Force – Nos 320 and 321 – but not enough aircraft.

No 320 Squadron remained at ‘PD’ while No 321 re-located to nearby RAF Carew Cheriton, there to train up on the Avro Anson landplane.

With only a few floatplanes and a shortage of spares No 320’s time at Pembroke Dock was brief, but it carried out many patrols in the Irish Sea and, sadly, lost two aircraft on operations. Eight Dutchmen died, two of whom were recovered and buried with full military honours at Llanion town cemetery, Pembroke Dock.

The two squadrons merged at Carew Cheriton in January 1941 and went on to write impressive chapters in both Dutch and British history during the Second World War.

Today displays at both Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre and at Carew Cheriton Control Tower record the beginnings of this very special aviation connection between Wales and The Netherlands.

Pictures from Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre Archive, with acknowledgement to the Royal Netherlands Naval Air Service and Mrs Elsie Thomas.