Royal Air Force - RAF Valley on Anglesey, in
North Wales.
Royal Air Force Valley crest.
RAF Valley, or `Valley Camp` as it is locally called has been
a major part of Anglesey life since it was being built in 1939.
During
the
building of the station the Celtic hoard of Llyn Cerrig Bach
was discovered, and an amazing part of Anglesey's history
was uncovered with it.
The station opened in 1941 and operated as a fighter base
until 1943 flying mainly hurricanes, and from November
1941 Spitfires. Apart from its defence training
role, as number 4FTS (Flying Training School) which it became during the
1950`s, the camp as a side product has supplied many a husband
for Anglesey's young
ladies. As a result there are many ex RAF who have stayed
on Anglesey ever since. This
webmaster is one of them.
In the early days, and right up to a few years ago, the camp
was manned by predominantly Royal Air Force personnel, backed
up by a good local workforce of `civvies`,
employed by
Babcock Defence Services. In the recent past this has changed, and now
the camp is manned by a majority of civilian workers who
have been trained to
high skill
levels. It is therefore accurate to state that the camp has also provided
much needed work for Anglesey's population, and particularly in the case
of the
younger workers, experience and skills that will hold them in good stead
for the rest
of their lives.
RAF Valley is also the home of the 22 Squadron Search and Rescue Sea King
helicopters, responsible for many lives being saved on Snowdonia and at
sea.
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