A 99-year-old RAF veteran has recounted memories from the Battle of Britain as an exhibition on the battle was opened at Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre.

Dennis Tidswell, of Pembroke, was chief guest and opened the exhibition – entitled ‘Wales and the Battle of Britain.’ This was the first venue on a national tour in Wales.

In 1940, Mr Tidswell was serving as a wireless operator on the front line of the battle at Duxford in Cambridgeshire, one of the RAF’s key fighter stations.

Later, during his RAF wartime service, Dennis survived the sinking of a troopship off Gibraltar before serving for three years on the island of Malta, which was under constant attacks from Italian and German aircraft.

After he returned to the UK in 1944, he was injured when a VI ‘flying bomb’ exploded nearby.

He joined air commodore Adrian Williams to unveil replicas of the instrument panels of the famous Hurricane and Spitfire fighters, which were created by Dr Andy Watkin, one of the Heritage Centre trustees.

Other guests included the chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council, Cllr Mike James; the mayor of Pembroke, Cllr Linda Asman, and representatives of several local and county organisations and groups and Air Cadet squadrons.

The centre remains open for visitors until mid-December, but will be closed on Saturdays and Sundays.