Community

The tale of the WW2 Luftwaffe pilot who mistakenly landed in west Wales

Published

6 years ago

June 24, 2019

IT WAS this time of year, 1942, that a bizarre series of events led to a German fighter pilot landing at RAF Pembrey in South Wales, unintentionally aiding the war effort of The Allied Forces in the process.

On June 23, 1942, Oberleautnant Armin Fabar was ordered to a fly a combat mission along with his squadron, in response to an Allied bombing raid of northern France.

Armin Faber mistakenly flew to South Wales after the dog-fight

Fabar’s squadron (the 7th Staffel) all flew Focke-Wulf 190 fighter planes. These planes were seen as superior to the then current Spitfires of the Allied Forces, and in the subsequent dog-fight that developed over The English Channel seven Spitfires were shot down, compared to only two Focke-Wulf 190s (FW-190s).

One Czechoslovakian Spitfire pilot, Alois Vašátko, dramatically lost his life when, in the fray of combat, he collided head-on with an FW-190. The German pilot bailed out and was later captured by Allied Forces.

Spitfire pilot Alois Vašátko lost his life in the battle

In the ensuing battle, Faber became disorientated and was separated from his squadron. He was attacked by a Spitfire manned by Seargent František Trejtnar. In a desperate attempt to shake off his pursuer, Faber fled North over the skies of Devon. He pulled off a brilliant ‘Immelman Turn’, a move in which the sun is used to dazzle a pursuer on your tail. Now flying directly from Trejtnar’s view of the sun, Faber shot him down.

Trejtnar crashed near the village of Black Dog, Devon suffering shrapnel wounds and a broken arm.

The victorious Faber had another problem entirely, though he was unaware of it at the time. He had mistaken The Bristol Channel for The English Channel, and flew north into south Wales, thinking it was northern France!

Finding the nearest airfield – RAF Pembrey, in Carmarthernshire, Faber prepared to land. Observers on the ground ‘could not believe their eyes’ as Faber waggled his wings in a victory celebration, lowered the Focke-Wulf’s undercarriage and landed.

Faber expected to be greeted with open arms by his German brothers, but was instead greeted by Pembrey Duty Pilot, Sgt Matthews, pointing a flare gun at his face (he had no other weapon to hand).

As the gravity of the mistake slowly dawned on him, the stricken Faber was ‘so despondent that he attempted suicide’ unsuccessfully.

Faber was later driven to RAF Fairwood Common for interrogation under the escort of Group Captain David Atcherley. Atcherley, fearful of an escape attempt, aimed his revolver at Faber for the entire journey. At one point the car hit a pothole, causing the weapon to fire; the shot only narrowly missing Faber’s head!

Fabers mistaken landing in Wales was a gift for The Allied Forces, a disaster for The Third Reich.

He had inadvertently presented the RAF with one of the greatest prizes of the entire war – an intact example of the formidable Focke-Wulf 190 fighter plane, an aircraft the British had learned to fear and dread ever since it made its combat debut the previous year.

Over the following months Faber’s plane was examined in minute detail, the allies desperately looking for any weakness in the FW-190. There were few to be found.

They did find one, however.

The FW-190s became relatively sluggish at higher altitudes. This knowledge aided the Allied Forces and saved countless lives, as the aerial battles turned increasingly in their favour.

Faber was taken as a prisoner of war, eventually being sent to a POW camp in Canada. Towards the end of the war he was sent home to Germany due to his ill health.

49 years later Faber would visit the Shoreham Aircraft Museum, where parts of his FW-190 are displayed to this day, along with parts of the Spitfire that he shot down in the skies over Devon. He presented the Museum with his officer’s dagger and pilot’s badge.

This little-known but important piece of Carmarthenshire history illustrates not only the high-stakes arms race between The Third Reich and The Allied Forces during WW2, but also the cost of human error.

Community

Pembroke residents invited to meeting on £500,000 gas upgrade

Published

7 hours ago

March 12, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKE residents are invited to learn more about a £500,000 gas upgrade set to begin later this month.

Wales & West Utilities is holding a drop-in session at the Town Hall foyer, Main Street, Pembroke, on Sunday, March 24, from 1:15pm to 5:45pm. Locals will have the opportunity to view plans and ask project team members about the work, which will upgrade gas pipes across the Pembroke St. Michael and Pembroke St. Mary South areas.

The upgrade, aimed at ensuring a safe and reliable gas supply for homes and businesses, is scheduled to begin on March 31 and continue until September, barring any engineering delays.

Work will take place in Holyland Road, Gooses Lane, Grove Hill, Main Street, Orange Way, Rock Terrace, and Well Hill. Wales & West Utilities is coordinating with Pembrokeshire County Council, and traffic management measures will be announced in due course.

Project manager Adam Smith said: “We’d like to see as many residents as possible at our drop-in event so we can share the details of the work.

“While most of the gas network is out of sight, it plays a vital role in daily life—whether it’s heating homes, cooking dinner, or running a hot bath. We understand the inconvenience of roadworks, but this upgrade is essential to ensure a safe and reliable gas supply now and for the future.

“Our engineers will be on-site throughout to complete the work as safely and quickly as possible while keeping disruption to a minimum. This project will also prepare the network to transport hydrogen and biomethane, supporting a greener future.”

For further information, residents can contact Wales & West Utilities’ customer service team on 0800 912 2999, via X (formerly Twitter) @WWUtilities, or on Facebook at facebook.com/wwutilities.

Wales & West Utilities supplies gas to 7.5 million people across Wales and the South West of England. If you smell gas or suspect carbon monoxide, call the emergency line on 0800 111 999 immediately.

Charity

Ffynnon Community Resilience CIC creates green spaces with exciting new garden package

Published

1 day ago

March 10, 2025

Richard Lewis

FFYNNON Community Resilience CIC are going green in 2025 thanks to new garden from Keep Wales Tidy.

Ffynnon Community Resilience CIC will be creating a new orchard garden in Pembrokeshire to benefit nature and the local community. Environmental charity Keep Wales Tidy will be installing the garden and providing all the plants, tools and materials for free through its Local Places for Nature scheme.

Jo Denham from Ffynnon Community Resilience CIC said: “Our group of community allotmenteers have been so excited to receive the garden package from Keep Wales Tidy.

“We chose to put in a communally accessible fruit cage with an array of different bushes, and it’s been really fun installing it and choosing what to put in there.”

Keep Wales Tidy’s Local Places for Nature scheme offers communities free garden packages that range from small gardening projects to orchards and large-scale makeovers. 1,300 gardens have been created and restored across Wales since it was launched in 2020. Groups and organisations of all shapes and sizes have benefited, including emergency services, youth groups, sports clubs, animal homes and disability charities.

Chief Executive for Keep Wales Tidy Owen Derbyshire said: “Creating thriving green spaces not only benefits the health and wellbeing of individuals but strengthens our communities.

“We are delighted that groups, like Ffynnon Community Resilience CIC can make a real difference through the Local Places for Nature scheme, and we are grateful to Welsh Government for their ongoing support.

“I can’t wait to see the orchard garden take shape over the coming weeks and months.”

Keep Wales Tidy’s initiative is part of the wider Welsh Government ‘Local Places for Nature’ programme committed to creating, restoring and enhancing nature ‘on your doorstep’.

Community

Community comes together for Big Haverfordwest Litter Pick

Published

2 days ago

March 9, 2025

Tom Sinclair

HAVERFORDWEST residents joined forces to clean up the town in a community-driven litter pick organised by Haverfordwest Town Council, HaverHub, and Haverfordwest Heritage.

The event, which saw volunteers collecting rubbish to improve the town’s appearance, was attended by County Councillor Thomas Tudor, who represents the Castle Ward on Pembrokeshire County Council.

Cllr Tudor said: “It was lovely to participate in and help with the Big Haverfordwest Litter Pick. I’d like to thank everyone who attended today—this will be the first of many similar initiatives for Haverfordwest, the County Town of Pembrokeshire.”

The initiative is expected to become a regular event to maintain cleanliness and encourage civic pride.