Eighty years on, the evocative sounds and styles of the 1940s will be returning to Pembroke Dock in 2025, coinciding with anniversaries marking VE and VJ-Days and the end of World War II.
The volunteer team which runs the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre is joining forces with the Port of Milford Haven to stage a Forties Dance in the former Royal Dockyard which, in wartime, was a key base for both the Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy.
Date set is Saturday June 21st 2025, and the Port of Milford Haven is sponsoring a 400-capacity marquee to be sited within the dockyard. It will also be used for the Port’s own functions and other community events.
Already booked is the 15-piece Phil Dando Band from Swansea, which plays the big Glenn Miller style sounds so memorable in the war years.
Tickets priced at £25 will go on sale through Eventbrite and Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre and are expected to be in big demand. Proceeds support the Heritage Centre which records the community’s remarkable military and maritime past.
Accepting the military-style ‘call up’ as Event Co-ordinator is Phil Thompson, a former Heritage Centre Trustee and organiser of countless major events in Pembrokeshire.
Said Phil: “With its many military and maritime connections, Pembroke Dock and the Haven had a big stake in World War II and in victory. We know that many of the dance goers will turn out in uniforms or 1940s vintage gear recapturing the spirit of those times – it will be a never-to-be-repeated occasion in the historic dockyard setting.”
Added Lucy Wonnacott, Head of Communications and Marketing for the Port of Milford Haven: “We are thrilled to support this wonderful 1940s dance event at Pembroke Port with the Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre. It’s a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the rich history of the former Royal Dockyard and bring the community together for a memorable evening. At the Port of Milford Haven we are always eager to back initiatives that highlight our local heritage and create engaging experiences for residents and visitors alike.”
Two wartime Jeeps – which owners Dave Slack and Graham Moss took to D-Day anniversary events in Normandy in June – set the wartime scene with Port of Pembroke and Heritage Centre ‘re-enactors’ for the launch.
Jeep owners Graham Moss and Dave Slack with, left to right, Aaron Hosking of Port of Pembroke, Marilyn Mitchell, Andrew Ludlow, Phil Thompson and Peter Mitchell. PICTURE: Martin Cavaney Photography
Flashback to the Forties – Beneath an American flag a dance in full swing at Pembroke Dock with a band, a Women’s Auxiliary Air Force singer and sailors with dance partners. PICTURE: Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre Archive