A BARRY man who trained as an aircraft technician at RAF St Athan has written a new book about the history of the base.
Ade Pitman is now a lecturer at the University of South Wales, teaching aircraft maintenance engineering and is launching the book, entitled The Peace Dividend, at the South Wales Aviation Museum (SWAM) in St Athan on Sunday 3rd March from 1pm to 4pm.
When it closed in August 2023, RAF St Athan had long been part of the local community. It was indeed the end of an era that began in September 1938, when St Athan was built.
During its time, St Athan was home to RAF No 4 School of Technical Training and was a major maintenance facility for the Royal Air Force fixed-wing fleet. St Athan was also a major employer for local people, at one time being the largest RAF station in the world! It employed a mix of civilian workforce and RAF personnel.
RAF St Athan was also a major trainer for local apprentices and was the home of the MoD (Aircraft) Apprentice Training School, where hundreds learned the trades of Aircraft Airframe Maintenance and Aircraft Engine Maintenance. ‘Adult Apprentices’, were also trained at the station, including Ade himself.
In The Peace Dividend, Ade has questioned whether politicians were overly optimistic – and possibly short sighted – when they slashed Britain’s defence capability at the stroke of a pen. Following the Russian invasion of The Ukraine, two years ago this month, the world has become a more dangerous place, as once more the Russian bear starts to snarl at Europe’s door.
Back then however, air bases were closed and aircraft types (such as the vertical take-off Harrier ‘jump-jet’) were scrapped, and Ade asks if the defence cuts of the 90s went too deep and left Europe in a weaker position to face the uncertain perils of today’s world.
However, Ade says that the book isn’t a dry academic text, it is a light-hearted memoir of a young airman’s time serving in the Royal Air Force, describing how Ade played his part in preventing the Cold War from becoming hot.
Ade said: “I didn’t do anything heroic or exceptional. Like everyone who served, I was just doing my bit to keep the world safe and free. It was a different time, where snowflakes were something that we saw on detachment to Canada.
“I self-published The Peace Dividend through Cardiff-based publisher, Candy Jar Books – the same company that published the popular Second World War veteran, Eileen Young husband’s book, One Woman’s War. Eileen and I spoke often about her books, and she was an inspiration to me when I started writing mine.”
Ade signeds The Peace Dividend at the South Wales Aviation Museum, (SWAM) on Sunday, 3rd March. He chose a spot next to a Tornado aircraft – similar to those that he helped to maintain at St Athan.
Ade was one of the RAF servicemen who had to leave the RAF as the defence cuts bit. Following his RAF service, he worked as a civilian contractor on Bae Hawk aircraft on the Hawk Detachment at St Athan before upskilling as an airframe / propulsion technician on the first intake of ‘Adult Apprentices’.
He also graduated with a MA in Military History from Birmingham University in 2020.
The Peace Dividend is available from Candy Jar Books, or signed copies from Ade at
*The South Wales Aviation Museum (SWAM) is located at the Picketston Business Park, Hangar 872, Bro Tathan North, Vale of Glamorgan, CF62 4QR:
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