RAF Pembroke Dock
| RAF Pembroke Dock | |
|---|---|
| Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire in Wales | |
A Fokker T-VIIIW seaplane of No. 320 (Dutch) Squadron RAF, attended by Dutch Naval groundcrew, being taken down to the water on a carrier at Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire | |
| Site information | |
| Type | Seaplane and Flying boat station |
| Code | PM |
| Owner | Air Ministry |
| Operator | Royal Air Force |
| Controlled by | RAF Coastal Command |
| Open to the public | Limited – now a ferry terminal |
| Location | |
| Coordinates | 51°41′44″N 04°57′11″W / 51.69556°N 4.95306°W |
| Site history | |
| Built | 1930 |
| In use | 1930–1959 |
| Battles/wars | European theatre of World War II *Battle of the Atlantic |
| Garrison information | |
| Past commanders | Sir Arthur Harris(as Wg Cdr) |
Royal Air Force Pembroke Dock, or more simply RAF Pembroke Dock, was a Royal Air Force Seaplane and Flying boat station located at Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, Wales. The Royal Navy contingent left in 1926 with the Royal Air Force occupying the site from 1 January 1930. During the initial stages of the Second World War, it became the home of two Dutch flying boats and their squadron personnel as well as hosting RAF, Fleet Air Arm, Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Australian Air Force and United States naval aircrews.
It became the largest Flying Boat station in the world and at one point during the Second World War it was host to 99 aircraft.
The station badge showed a Manx Shearwater bird on one of the many islands that lie off the eastern Pembrokeshire coastline. The motto was in Welsh; Gwylio'r gorllewin o'r awyr which translates into English as "To watch the west from the air". The badge was approved and issued in January 1948.