Well known Pembroke Dock personality Frank Harries said he was 'gobsmacked' after he received a British Empire Medal in the Queen's Birthday honours. Eighty-five-year-old Frank was given the honour for charitable services in Pembrokeshire, and estimates that he has raised around £200,000 for charity from organising shows, which all started when he was a boy and took part in the popular, morale-boosting variety performances at the Catholic St. Mary's Church Hall, Pembroke Dock. "In those early war years, a lot of us had to make our own entertainment and the concerts we took part in were very, very popular and packed to capacity," explained Mr. Harries. "Father Daniels was the priest then and as a young boy I used to serve at the altar. We would be serving Benediction at 6.30 pm whilst people would be queuing up outside the church hall to go into the concerts. "As we were singing hymns, I would be looking at my watch and saying to my brother 'it won't be long now before we'll be singing on stage next door.' By the time the service had finished the people in the congregation couldn't get a seat in the show because it was already full with people from outside and all sorts of military, naval, and airmen waiting to get in to see the show." Mr. Harries has many fond memories of marvellous shows, and besides the Church Hall, he performed all around the area with his good friend Dennis Williams, from Cosheston down to Angle, Llanion Barracks where the Americans were stationed and even the Garrison Chapel. Down the years, Mr. Harries became involved with the Rotary Club and started to write and produce an annual variety show for local and national charities. He has also been president of Probus and Round Table, chairman of Pembroke Choir, as well as being a lifelong member of Pembroke Dock Cricket Club. "I was gobsmacked when I heard about the BEM and it couldn't have come at a better time as it's my birthday week too," said Mr. Harries.

BEM for historian for helping to preserve town's military past

A Pembroke Dock historian who's work in recording and displaying the rich history of the town's armed forces has received a British Empire Medal in the Queen's Birthday honours. John Evans received the BEM for services to the Preservation of Pembroke Dock and its Military Past. By voluntarily recording Pembrokeshire's rich military and aviation heritage, he has made an unsurpassed contribution to the national and international historical record.  Establishing Pembroke Dock as the focal point for the Flying Boat community, Mr. Evans' books, events, and outstanding contribution to numerous historical societies and organisations has allowed him to bring the story of Pembroke Dock to life.  Sixty-three-year-old John has ensured that the history and heritage of Pembroke Dock has remained both accessible and relevant.  The past 30 years has seen Pembroke Dock enter a period of increasing social and economic downturn.  His work in recording and displaying the rich history of the armed forces has not only attracted a vast array of visitors but equally raised the profile of the town worldwide.  His activities have invoked the community spirit of Pembroke Dock grounding it in its sense of history ensuring an enduring sense of pride and citizenship amongst its members.  Following the rediscovery of the remains of a Sunderland flying boat, which sank off Pembroke Dock in 1940, and the lifting of one of its Pegasus engines, the Sunderland Trust was formed by Mr. Evans and three trustees in 2006. With the support in particular of Texaco and the Milford Haven Port Authority, the Sunderland Trust established an office and successfully bid for funding, through the Welsh Assembly's Rural Development Plan, for a Flying Boat Centre. This opened in the former dockyard in June 2009 and has had over 30,000 visitors. A second visitor centre was opened by the Sunderland Trust in 2012 in a dockyard town house and this has recently transferred to the Royal Dockyard Chapel which has been beautifully restored by Pembrokeshire County Council. The very new 'Pembroke Dock Heritage Centre' welcomed its first visitors on April 11, and on April 29 Her Majesty The Queen - accompanied by the Duke of Edinburgh - officially opened the centre in the town's Bicentennial Year. Mr. Evans has been project manager of the Sunderland Trust since formation and works with a skilled and dedicated team which includes over 70 volunteers - making the organisation one of the best supported in Wales.