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Could Pembrokeshire's Skies Explain the Mystery?

Military aviation, helicopters, naval activity and refinery gear gave Pembrokeshire many possible sources of strange lights and shapes.

On this page

  • RAF Brawdy and aircraft activity
  • Refineries, protective suits and coastal lights
  • Where mundane explanations fit and fail
Preview for Could Pembrokeshire's Skies Explain the Mystery?

Introduction

Pembrokeshire’s 1977 UFO wave is often remembered through the Broad Haven schoolchildren, but the local landscape matters just as much as the witnesses. This was not an empty sky over an isolated village. Historic Pembrokeshire contained RAF Brawdy, search-and-rescue helicopters, military training activity, a United States Navy presence, coastal shipping, oil terminals and refinery sites around Milford Haven. Those features do not “solve” every report, but they explain why investigators and sceptics repeatedly looked for aircraft, uniforms, flares, navigational lights, industrial glare and local pranks before reaching for stranger explanations. The most useful conclusion is cautious: RAF Brawdy and the refineries gave Pembrokeshire many credible misidentification risks, yet they do not neatly account for every part of the Broad Haven story, especially the children’s daylight school sighting and the persistence of some witness claims. Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust+2mhpa.co.uk [abct.org.uk]abct.org.ukAirfields of Britain Conservation Trust BrawdyAirfields of Britain Conservation Trust Brawdy

Overview image for Local Skies This page uses Pembrokeshire in the historic county sense used by the wider county-map project. The Wikimedia/Wikishire historic county map identifies Pembrokeshire as one of the thirteen historic counties of Wales; many modern reports, however, also use “Dyfed”, the 1974–1996 administrative county name that covered the Broad Haven period. [Wikimedia Commons]commons.wikimedia.orgFile:Wales Historic Counties map Pembrokeshire.svgFile:Wales Historic Counties map Pembrokeshire.svg

Why RAF Brawdy mattered to the 1977 sightings

RAF Brawdy sat close enough to the Broad Haven and St Brides Bay area to be part of local everyday life. That is important because a UFO report made near an active airfield has to be read differently from one made in a place with little aircraft traffic. Brawdy had been a Royal Naval Air Station, then returned to RAF use in the early 1970s. A 1970 House of Commons exchange noted plans connected with RAF helicopter training and later fast-jet conversion activity at Brawdy, showing that the site was already being discussed as a significant military aviation asset before the 1977 flap. [Hansard]hansard.parliament.ukHansard Rn Air Station, BrawdyHansard Rn Air Station, Brawdy

By the mid-to-late 1970s, Brawdy was associated with aircraft and helicopter activity that could produce unusual impressions for people on the ground. The Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust records that the airfield was handed back to the RAF in the early 1970s, that British Aerospace Hawk trainers operated there as part of what became No 1 Tactical Weapons Unit, that search-and-rescue helicopters flew from the site for many years, and that the United States Navy established an oceanographic research centre there at about the same time. [Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust]abct.org.ukAirfields of Britain Conservation Trust BrawdyAirfields of Britain Conservation Trust Brawdy

This context matters in two ways. First, it gives sceptics a ready pool of possible explanations: fast jets, low-flying training, helicopters, lights, noise, unfamiliar manoeuvres and personnel in specialist clothing. Secondly, it cuts both ways for some witnesses. Local people who lived near Brawdy were not necessarily naïve about aircraft. Several later retellings stress that children and adults in the area were used to seeing RAF activity, which is why some witnesses rejected simple “it was an aircraft” explanations. That does not prove they saw an extraordinary craft, but it does mean the strongest sceptical explanation needs to be more specific than “there was a base nearby”.

The Brawdy link also entered the investigation directly. Reports about the Little Haven sighting say that Flight Lieutenant Cowan of RAF Brawdy visited Rosa Granville’s Haven Fort Hotel after she reported an “upside-down saucer” and humanoid figures in April 1977. He reportedly found no evidence of a landing and raised the possibility that a local prankster was at work. In one often repeated detail, he also joked that if a UFO arrived at RAF Brawdy it would be charged normal landing fees. [Herald.Wales]herald.walesthe welsh triangle what was seen in the sky back in 1977the welsh triangle what was seen in the sky back in 1977

Local Skies illustration 1

The aircraft explanation is plausible, but not complete

Aircraft are one of the most obvious explanations for strange lights and shapes over west Pembrokeshire. A low or distant aircraft can look very different depending on angle, cloud, haze, speed, engine sound and the observer’s expectations. Helicopters can appear to hover. Fast jets can seem to arrive suddenly and vanish quickly. Training aircraft can make repeated passes over a district. Search-and-rescue helicopters can use bright lights at night or in poor conditions. In a coastal county with military flying and shipping, a report of a “light in the sky” should be tested against routine aviation before being treated as unexplained.

The difficulty is that the best-known Broad Haven school report was not simply a distant night light. Pupils described a landed or partly obscured silver, cigar-shaped object near the school field, and the National Archives holds a 1977 child’s drawing in Ministry of Defence file DEFE 24/1206, within “UFO reports and correspondence: April-October 1977”. That archival presence does not validate the object as non-human or exotic; it only shows that material from the case entered official UFO correspondence rather than remaining local gossip. [The National Archives]images.nationalarchives.gov.ukThe National Archives

The “new jets” explanation is therefore strongest for some parts of the wider flap and weaker for others. It may explain some moving aerial objects, particularly brief or distant sightings. It has less explanatory power for a reported object near a field boundary, seen in daylight and later drawn by children, unless one adds further assumptions: misperceived farm equipment, a hoax object, suggestion among pupils, or a story that grew as it was retold.

A former US Navy sailor later claimed that the late-1970s fuss around Broad Haven was caused by a military officer in a special fireproof uniform and new RAF jets. WalesOnline reported that claim in 2006, later updated in 2013. It is useful because it shows how military and industrial explanations stayed alive long after the original flap, but it remains a retrospective claim, not a contemporaneous official identification of every sighting. [Wales Online]walesonline.co.ukWales Online UFO sightings of 30 years ago explainedWales Online UFO sightings of 30 years ago explained

"It Was A Prankster Walking Around In A Silver Fire Suit" | Author DISMISSES UFO Sightings

Channel: TalkTV

Open on YouTube

Refineries, protective suits and the “silver figure” problem

The refinery explanation is most relevant to the humanoid or “silver-suited” reports, not to every UFO claim in Pembrokeshire. The Milford Haven Waterway was, and remains, a major energy corridor. The Port of Milford Haven’s own vessel guidance describes it as the UK’s leading energy port, serving one refinery, two liquefied natural gas terminals and tank storage terminals, with deep-water access for large vessels. Valero’s Pembroke Refinery page describes a large Pembrokeshire site receiving feedstocks and delivering products by ship and barge through deep-water docking facilities on the Milford Haven Waterway, with a throughput capacity of about 270,000 barrels per day. [mhpa.co.uk]mhpa.co.ukentry and departure guidelines for vesselsentry and departure guidelines for vessels

That industrial setting makes protective clothing a serious local factor. Reports about Flt Lt Cowan’s visit say he noted that descriptions of “aliens” fitted the kind of protective suit that might be issued in the event of a fire at one of the local oil refineries. This does not prove a refinery worker was seen, and some versions of the story connect the silver figure instead to a prankster or to US military personnel. But it does show why a trained local RAF officer, faced with a report of faceless or silver-suited beings near a refinery county, would think first about clothing, emergency gear and human activity. [Herald.Wales]herald.walesthe welsh triangle what was seen in the sky back in 1977the welsh triangle what was seen in the sky back in 1977

The protective-suit theory gained extra weight because of later prank claims. Local businessman Glyn Edwards reportedly said in 1996 that he had wandered around the area in a silver suit as a prank in 1977. That fits some “silver figure” elements better than it fits the whole UFO wave. A prankster in a suit could frighten witnesses, feed local rumour and contaminate later reports. It cannot, by itself, explain every object-in-the-sky account unless those accounts were separate misidentifications, later embellishments, or influenced by the same local excitement. [Herald.Wales]herald.walesthe welsh triangle what was seen in the sky back in 1977the welsh triangle what was seen in the sky back in 1977

This is where the Pembrokeshire case becomes more interesting than a simple debunk. The most mundane explanation may be a bundle rather than a single answer: a prankster for some humanoid reports, aircraft for some lights, media contagion for some copycat stories, and still a residue of reports that remain poorly evidenced or unresolved. That kind of mixed explanation is less dramatic than “aliens” or “total hoax”, but it better matches the uneven evidence.

Local Skies illustration 2

Coastal lights and industrial glare could easily look strange

Milford Haven’s industrial and maritime environment also matters because lights seen near water are notoriously easy to misread. Ships, pilot boats, navigation lights, dock lighting, refinery illumination, flares, vehicle headlights on distant roads and reflections on low cloud can all create odd impressions, especially when the observer lacks distance cues. A light that is fixed on a mast, stack or vessel can seem to hover. A flame can look like a moving object if seen through haze, heat shimmer, cloud or changing sightlines.

Modern reports show how visually dramatic refinery activity can be. In October 2024, a flaring event at the Valero refinery was reported as having lit up the Milford Haven Waterway and attracted widespread social media attention, with one witness comparing its appearance to a rocket flying upside down. That event is not evidence about 1977, but it is a vivid contemporary demonstration of the same mechanism: industrial flame and light can dominate the night sky and invite spectacular interpretations. [pembrokeshire-herald.com]pembrokeshire-herald.comRefinery flaring event illuminates Milford Haven waterwayRefinery flaring event illuminates Milford Haven waterway

The Port of Milford Haven guidance adds another local factor: this is not a quiet inlet but a working port with oil terminals, LNG terminals, tank storage, ferry traffic, tugs, pilotage and vessel movements. The same document notes the Haven’s narrow entrance, extensive waterway and deep-water channel, all of which help explain why large illuminated vessels and shore installations are normal features of the local night scene. [mhpa.co.uk]mhpa.co.ukentry and departure guidelines for vesselsentry and departure guidelines for vessels

Industrial emergency history is relevant too, though it should not be overused. The Health and Safety Executive records its investigation into the explosion and fires at the Texaco Refinery, Milford Haven, on 24 July 1994, and the IChemE incident summary describes a major fire after a release and explosion, with fires burning themselves out over two and a half days. That incident happened long after the 1977 flap, so it cannot explain those sightings. Its value is contextual: it underlines why refinery fire gear, flares, emergency response and intense industrial light were not imaginary local concepts but part of the risk landscape around Milford Haven. [HSE]hse.gov.ukHSEThe explosion and fires at the Texaco Refinery, Milford Haven. 24th July1994 - HSE…

RAF Brawdy West Wales UFO Hotspot

Channel: TheSecretVault

Open on YouTube

Where mundane explanations fit and fail

The strongest sceptical reading of the Pembrokeshire flap is not that every witness lied or that every sighting has a neat one-line answer. It is that the county offered unusually many ways for ordinary things to look extraordinary. A reader assessing the reports should separate the main mechanisms rather than forcing them into one explanation.

RAF Brawdy and aircraft activity fit reports of moving lights, sudden aerial appearances, engine noise, low-flying craft, hovering helicopters and confusion around military personnel. They fit less well where witnesses described a stationary object on or near the ground in daylight, unless the sighting is treated as a hoax, a misidentified object on the ground, or a story altered by expectation.

Refinery and protective-suit explanations fit the silver or faceless figure claims better than the craft claims. Cowan’s reported comment about refinery fire-protection suits is especially relevant because it came from a local RAF source responding to a local report. But a suit does not explain a “cigar-shaped” object unless paired with prank props, aircraft, farm equipment, or later narrative blending. [Herald.Wales]herald.walesthe welsh triangle what was seen in the sky back in 1977the welsh triangle what was seen in the sky back in 1977

Coastal and industrial lights fit night-time reports, especially vague accounts of hovering lights, flames, glows and objects near the waterway. They fit less well for close-range daylight claims, or for reports where witnesses gave consistent detail about shape, surface and apparent proximity.

Prank and rumour explanations fit the social pattern of a flap: once a district is known for UFOs, imitators, jokes and media-shaped expectations can multiply reports. The National Archives’ broader UFO guide notes that MoD UFO files often include possible explanations such as Venus, high-altitude aircraft, weather balloons and satellites, and that most reports concern lights rather than structured craft. That general official pattern supports caution when reading any local flap, including Pembrokeshire’s. [The National Archives]nationalarchives.gov.ukThe National Archives UFO reportsThe National Archives UFO reports

The main failure of overconfident debunking is that it can flatten witness testimony into caricature. Some witnesses were children, but others were adults; some reports were dramatic and weakly evidenced, while others were more restrained; some details were recorded close to the time, while others hardened through decades of retelling. A balanced account should allow for misidentification and prank activity without pretending that every original observation is now fully reconstructed.

Local Skies illustration 3

How the local setting changes the case

RAF Brawdy, Milford Haven and the refineries do not make the Broad Haven story disappear. They change the burden of interpretation. In this part of Pembrokeshire, unusual lights and shapes could plausibly come from aircraft, helicopters, ships, emergency activity, industrial flares or human pranks. That means a strong UFO claim needs more than sincerity: it needs timing, direction, duration, weather, aircraft checks, ground traces, independent witnesses and a clear reason why local explanations fail.

The official record also encourages restraint. The National Archives identifies DEFE 24/1206 as a Ministry of Defence UFO reports and correspondence file for April to October 1977, and separately explains that MoD UFO files commonly preserved public reports, replies and possible explanations. Being in an MoD file is therefore not the same as being confirmed unexplained in the strong sense; it means the report entered the administrative system. [The National Archives]images.nationalarchives.gov.ukThe National Archives

For Pembrokeshire’s UFO history, the local skies are part of the evidence. Brawdy supplies the aviation layer. Milford Haven supplies the maritime and refinery layer. The 1977 flap sits where those layers meet a small-community rumour cycle, national media attention and sincere witnesses trying to describe something they did not understand. The result is neither a clean debunk nor a confirmed mystery, but a county-specific case study in how place itself can generate, shape and complicate UFO reports.

Episode 115 David Davies - Witness to Broadhaven

Channel: Astonishing Legends

Open on YouTube

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Endnotes

  1. Source: mhpa.co.uk
    Title: entry and departure guidelines for vessels
    Link: https://www.mhpa.co.uk/resource-library/entry-and-departure-guidelines-for-vessels/

  2. Source: images.nationalarchives.gov.uk
    Title: The National Archives
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    Title: File:Wales Historic Counties map Pembrokeshire.svg
    Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWales_Historic_Counties_map_Pembrokeshire.svg

  4. Source: commons.wikimedia.org
    Title: Commons File:Wales Historic Counties map.svg
    Link: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File%3AWales_Historic_Counties_map.svg

  5. Source: herald.wales
    Title: the welsh triangle what was seen in the sky back in 1977
    Link: https://herald.wales/west-wales/pembrokeshire/the-welsh-triangle-what-was-seen-in-the-sky-back-in-1977/

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    Title: Pembroke Refinery
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    Title: Refinery flaring event illuminates Milford Haven waterway
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  8. Source: hse.gov.uk
    Title: HSEThe explosion and fires at the Texaco Refinery, Milford Haven. 24th July
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    Source snippet

    1994 - HSE...

  9. Source: icheme.org
    Title: IChem EMilford Haven Incident
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  10. Source: commons.wikimedia.org
    Title: File:Wales location map.svg
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  19. Source: abct.org.uk
    Title: Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust Brawdy
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  20. Source: hansard.parliament.uk
    Title: Hansard Rn Air Station, Brawdy
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  21. Source: walesonline.co.uk
    Title: Wales Online UFO sightings of 30 years ago explained
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  22. Source: nationalarchives.gov.uk
    Title: The National Archives UFO reports
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  23. Source: Wikipedia
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  40. Source: datamap.gov.wales
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  41. Source: alamy.com
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Additional References

  1. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Every child drew the EXACT same thing. DID THEY SHUT THEM DOWN?
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JdtJOOaoPY0
    Source snippet

    "It Was A Prankster Walking Around In A Silver Fire Suit" | Author DISMISSES UFO Sightings...

  2. Source: youtube.com
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGm3S8biU78
    Source snippet

    Episode 115 David Davies - Witness to Broadhaven...

  3. Source: youtube.com
    Title: Episode 115 David Davies
    Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tlcAHLs_bb4
    Source snippet

    Bosherston Lily ponds, Broadhaven South, & Barafundle Bay | Pembrokeshire National Park's best walk...

  4. Source: facebook.com
    Link: https://www.facebook.com/bbcbreakfast/videos/a-7ft-alien-like-figure-and-a-cigar-shaped-ufo-are-some-of-the-450-reported-extr/302784039058532/

  5. Source: singularfortean.com
    Link: https://www.singularfortean.com/news/2017/2/4/broad-haven-ufo-flap-reaches-40-year-mark

  6. Source: facebook.com
    Link: https://www.facebook.com/gefmongooseiom/posts/an-foi-request-has-suggested-the-doi-may-have-info-on-ufo-sightings-isleofman/589935623139602/

  7. Source: fourcornersbooks.co.uk
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    Link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/trulypembrokeshire/posts/26572643972352793/

  9. Source: facebook.com
    Link: https://www.facebook.com/hiddenpembrokeshire/videos/flaring-at-the-valero-pembroke-refinery-happens-intermittently-for-various-reaso/1853066986094574/

  10. Source: gazetteer.org.uk
    Link: https://gazetteer.org.uk/place/Golden_Hill%2C_Pembrokeshire_18106

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