A WOMAN, originally from Abergele, has been awarded a British Empire Medal for outstanding community liaison work for the RAF. Gillian Angel has been recognised in the New Year Honours 2021 for services to Royal Air Force personnel and their families. She worked as the Community Development Officer at RAF Sealand, near Queensferry, Flintshire and when the base closed moved to RAF Scampton near Lincoln. RAF Scampton is the current home of the Red Arrows display team and was the war time base for 617 Squadron, the Dambusters. Gillian, whose parents, Mr and Mrs Emrys Evans still live in Abergele, is a former pupil of Ysgol Glan Morfa, Ysgol Glan Clwyd and also studied at Coleg Llandrillo, Rhos-on-Sea.
MUCH has been written of D-Day and the Allied battle against Nazi Germany on the beaches of Normandy in 1944. However the role of a group of men, including one from Foel in Montgomeryshire, is not often mentioned despite its success being pivotal to the success of the pivotal beach battle in northern France. Emrys Evans was born on April 4, 1924 and attended Llanfair Caereinion County School. Emrys had a tough upbringing which left a mark on him and he would account for memories of his father crying after the loss of a cow. He took up work with the Midland Bank in Llanrhaeadr 1941.