SENEDD Members set aside their differences to reflect on the cost of war, sharing deeply personal family stories of loss in a poignant cross-party debate to mark Armistice Day.

Ken Skates, who is responsible for policy related to the Armed Forces in Wales, led a debate to honour the service and sacrifice of all those who have worn the Armed Forces uniform.

The cabinet secretary said: “This year marks the 80th anniversary of VE Day and VJ Day – two milestones that signalled the end of the most devastating conflict in human history.

“For many, these anniversaries are not just historical footnotes – they are personal, lived memories. In Wales, the remembrance period is woven into the fabric of our communities.”

Mr Skates told the Senedd: “We gather each November, not to glorify war but to honour courage, sacrifice and the hope of peace. We wear our poppies… as a promise: that we will remember and we do remember.”

He said: “These anniversaries remind us that peace is precious – that freedom is fragile – and the sacrifices made by previous generations must never, ever be taken for granted.”

Mr Skates pointed out that 7% of the UK’s armed forces – from the Royal Navy to the Royal Air Force – come from Wales, which makes up 5% of the population.

Leading the cross-party debate on November 11, he stressed the importance of ensuring “when service ends, support does not” as he welcomed a new UK veterans strategy.

James Evans, for the Conservatives, said: “We reflect, once more, on the extraordinary generation who, in the darkest of times, stood firm in the defence of our islands.

“Their courage brought a peace we often take for granted, their sacrifice shaped the world.”

Mr Evans’ father and both grandfathers served in the Armed Forces.

He said: “One endured the terror of being torpedoed twice while at sea and survived to tell the tale. The other played his part in the liberation of Europe. Their stories are carried in my family as similar stories are carried through families right the way across Wales.

“They remind us that the cost of war is measured not only in battles but in lives interrupted, futures changed and families forever marked by loss.”

Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth told the Senedd: “We bear witness today to the emptiness of the phrase that portrayed the First World War as the ‘war to end all wars’.

“In Sudan, in Ukraine, in Gaza, to name but three, the atrocities of violence bring pain and suffering that we cannot comprehend to millions of people.”

Mr ap Iorwerth said 117 million people have been forced to flee their homes across the world as a result of war or persecution, according to the United Nations.

Labour’s Carolyn Thomas said her great-grandfather, Thomas Morris, was killed in action in 1917 aged only 32 and her grandfather spent time in an orphanage following his death. “It was an experience he rarely spoke about,” she said. “But he too, was a victim of war.”

Ms Thomas also highlighted the sacrifice of animals, with more than a million horses taken from civilians for military service and only 60,000 returning from the First World War.

Reform UK’s Laura Anne Jones said: “We remember those who have served, those who fell and those who continue to stand ready to defend us… we will remember them.”

Alun Davies, a Labour backbencher, warned peace on the continent is under greater threat today than at any time since 1945 due to a new “fascism of Putin which has unleashed war”.

He told the Senedd: “Remembrance must mean more than simply an event held once a year, it is… a challenge to all of us. It means that we take care of veterans… the families of veterans, it means we invest in today’s armed forces….

“Remembrance is an active verb – and not simply a passive noun.”

TESCO customers in Milford Haven are being invited to help spread some festive cheer by donating new toys to children in need this Christmas.

From today until December 15, the Tesco Milford Haven Superstore will be collecting new and unwrapped toys on behalf of the local charity PATCH (Pembrokeshire Action To Combat Hardship). PATCH will distribute the gifts to children across Pembrokeshire as part of its annual Christmas Toy Appeal, which supports families who are struggling during the festive season.

Tesco Community Champion, Debbie Ann-Mills said: “I am delighted to support the PATCH Toy Appeal again this year. Bringing some happiness to families in Pembrokeshire who may be struggling this Christmas is so important.

“We take pride in supporting our local community throughout the year through Tesco Stronger Starts and our Community Food Connection programme, and this year’s toy donation campaign is a fantastic way for customers to help local families in need.”

Claire De Silva, Head of Communities at Tesco, added: “Our stores are committed to supporting local children and their communities year-round. Thanks to the generosity of our customers and colleagues, the annual toy donation campaign is a wonderful way to make a difference at Christmas.

“It’s great to see Tesco Milford Haven partnering with PATCH this year to ensure that every child experiences the magic of Christmas.”

More than 800 large Tesco stores across the UK will have dedicated toy donation points where customers can drop off gifts bought in-store. Last Christmas, Tesco customers donated over 125,000 toys — a figure the retailer hopes to beat this year.

Emergency services responded to one electrical pylon that was ‘destroyed by fire’

A LARGE electrical fire that caused widespread power flickers across south Pembrokeshire on Wednesday morning (Nov 12) has been confirmed as a pylon fire near Bentlass, close to Pembroke.

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service said that a crew from Pembroke Dock Fire Station was called to the scene at 10:45am following reports of a burning electricity pylon close to a local farm.

A spokesperson told The Herald: “The crew responded to one electrical pylon that was destroyed by fire. The fire had extinguished by the arrival of the crew. The National Grid was also in attendance and local electricity disturbance is expected as a result of the fire. The crew left the scene at 11:18am.”

The pylon involved forms part of the high-voltage transmission line that runs from Pembroke Power Station, and the incident is believed to have caused a brief but intense power surge across much of south Pembrokeshire. Offices and homes reported computers, routers, and electrical systems rebooting in Milford Haven, Neyland, Pembroke and Pembroke Dock.

Witnesses described seeing a “huge flash”, with one local resident reporting that a tree had caught fire and that the electrical arcing made it appear as if there was a major blaze.

A spokesperson for National Grid Electricity Distribution told The Herald: “We experienced a brief fault on our network in the Bentlass area of Pembroke earlier today. This was linked to damage caused by a lightning strike last week.

Our engineers responded quickly, and power was restored to the one customer affected. Safety checks have been completed, and the network is operating normally. There is no wider impact on local electricity supplies.”

The company confirmed that a conductor became loose and made contact with a pole, sparking a small fire that had already extinguished by the time emergency services arrived.

At around the same time, an alarm sounded at Valero Refinery, and some residents reported a smell of gas in parts of Milford Haven.

When contacted by The Herald, a spokesperson for Valero Refinery said it is corporate policy not to comment on refinery operations.