News
Templeton: Major military exercise heading to Pembrokeshire this month
THE PEMBROKESHIRE coast will play a key role in this month’s military live exercise by joint UK and French forces known as the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF).
Exercise Griffin Strike 2016 is the culmination of six years of UK-French military cooperation and will demonstrate the CJEF’s potential high-readiness to deploy.
The exercise will involve air land and sea operations, with the Maritime Component Command operating from two Carrier Manoeuvre Boxes in the Bristol Channel with a small contingent at RAF St Mawgan.
According to the MoD, Activity will include amphibious assaults on to the Pembrokeshire coast between April 17 and 23.
Templeton airfield will play an important role with around 500 personnel and more than a dozen helicopters including Chinooks, Apaches, Merlins and Wildcats being stationed there during the exercise.
These aircraft will be supporting ground troops and will be flying by both day and night and hence noise and movement will be above the routine business of the airfield.
French military units, equipment and vehicles will join forces with those of the Royal Navy, Army and RAF. Interoperability training will include ground close combat, mechanized movements and air assault insertions. Maritime activities will include amphibious assault, aviation and combat logistics patrols.
Troops on the ground will be supported by RAF Typhoons and French Rafale as well as attack helicopters. Warships of both nations will be deployed to sea from which training and military movements will be coordinated.
The exercise will culminate with a land firepower demonstration, supported by air, with UK and French troops working side by side on Salisbury Plain, attack helicopters, close air support and the mock seizure of a village by mechanized infantry.
“The national security interests of the UK and France are more aligned now than ever before” the MoD said in a press release.
“Both countries have made a commitment to enhance the long-term bilateral relationship envisaged by the Lancaster House treaties in 2010 in the face of global threats and an increasingly unstable world.
“CJEF is an early entry combined force capable of conducting non-enduring, complex intervention operations, facing multiple threats up to the highest intensity. It will be able to conduct offensive and defensive operations on land, in the air and at sea wherever UK and France national defence interests are aligned.”
The project has been developed through a series of exercises, undertaken each year to develop integrated specialist units, culminating in Exercise Griffin Strike 2016.
Griffin Strike 2016 exercise in numbers:
- 3,500 UK personnel
- 2,000 French personnel
- 5 UK ships
- 5 French ships
- 11 UK aircraft
- 10 French aircraft
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.
Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.
The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.
Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.
Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.
(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
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