THE Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service is celebrating 80 years of lifesaving.
A commemoration was held earlier today (May 16) at Caernarfon Airport.
The event, held in conjunction with Airworld Aviation Museum, was led by Air Commodore Dai Williams who is Air Officer for Wales.
Roy Steptoe, the owner of Caernarfon Airport, attended as well as the Lord Lieutenant of Gwynedd, the High Sheriff and councillors. School children from primary and secondary schools were also involved along with RAF Air Cadets from across Gwynedd and Anglesey, representatives from Eryri mountain rescue teams and special guest Dr Mike Graham, the son of the Flight Lieutenant George Graham who founded the RAF MRS 80-years-ago.
Mr Williams said: "The RAF Mountain Rescue Service has a long and proud history and has helped save countless lives. It is a service which continues to save lives to this day, with a RAF Mountain Rescue Team based at RAF Valley always ready to brave the most appalling weather conditions, working alone or with other mountain rescue teams and emergency services, to rescue those in need.
"Today, its been an honour to commemorate what the RAF Mountain Rescue Service has achieved over 80 years, recognising in particular the very special connection it has with Wales, being created here in 1943 at what was then RAF Llandwrog and is now Caernarfon Airport.
"The beautiful Welsh slate commemorative stone we have unveiled today, is a fitting reminder to all future visitors to Caernarfon Airport of what happened here 80 years ago."
The Royal Air Force Mountain Rescue Service (RAF MRS) is the defence’s only blue lights emergency service for the provision of medical aid in the mountains.
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Since its humble beginnings on July 6 1943 at RAF Llandwrog (now Caernarfon Airport), the MRS has rescued and saved many lives at Aircraft Post Crash and Incident Management callouts and by assisting civilian mountain rescue team (MRT) counterparts.
The MRS now has three MRTs across the UK, stationed at RAF Valley on Anglesey; RAF Leeming in North Yorkshire and RAF Lossiemouth, Moray.
Drones have increasingly become an essential part of rescues for their usability in arduous terrain when searching.
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Officer Commanding MRS said: “It is a privilege to command the RAF MRS in the year of its 80th anniversary, a role which would be impossible without the deep skillset and dedication of all MRS Troops.
"It is not lost on me that our current and future operational capability, and safe practices, are the result of eight decades of innovation from all our predecessors, and for this we should be extremely thankful."
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