A brief history of Cave Rescue in South Wales |
1940s
SMWCRT was initially called the South Wales Cave Rescue Organisation (SWCRO) and was established in 1946 following the formation of the South Wales Caving Club (SWCC) which the team was an integral part of. It was setup as a response to the growing activity around the caves of the Swansea and Neath valleys by club members.
1950s
The first major incident for the team came in 1951 in response to flooding trapping two cavers in the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave of the Swansea Valley. This prompted the team to become better organised and equipped.
1960s
A two-day rescue of an injured caver in Llethrid Swallet on Gower in 1964 provided the opportunity for the team to demonstrate its capabilities and professionalism to South Wales Police, a relationship which remains strong to this day.
The British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) was formed in 1967 with the aims of representing and supporting its member rescue teams at National and International level, promoting the exchange of information between member rescue organisations and providing a common voice for them.
The Gwent Cave Rescue Team (GCRT) was formed in 1968 in response to major new cave discoveries in the Llangattock area of the Brecon Beacons.
1970s
A fatal diving incident in Agen Allwedd in 1974 brought the resources and personnel form both South Wales teams together and highlighted the need for the two teams to work more closely together. This saw the formation of an umbrella organisation, called the SWCRO, in 1975.
As a result, the former SWCC based team relinquished the SWCRO title and expanded its remit to include other caving clubs in the region which was now constituted as the West Brecon Cave Rescue Team (WBCRT).
1980s
The combined efforts of SWCRO were put to the test in 1980 with a major rescue in Agen Allwedd. The incident took over 50 hours, involved some 280 underground rescuers and clearly demonstrated the need for rescue teams to be able to work effectively together!
1990s
The WBCRT formally separated from the SWCC in 1991 to become an independent rescue team. This widened the team's membership and enabled the team to gain charity status allowing access to grant funding.
In 1992 the team’s area of operation was extended to cover the mines of Mid Wales with a new equipment trailer and warden network in the region.
In 1998 work was completed on a new Advanced First Aid course for Cave Rescue which was accredited by the British Red Cross and the British Cave Rescue Council. This course is now delivered annually for 9 of the 15 UK Cave Rescue Teams and has become a National Standard for Cave Rescue Advanced First Aid in the UK.
2000s
As the team entered the new millennium a Heritage Lottery grant enabled the stores at Penwyllt to be completely refurbished, equipment upgraded and the Landrover replaced.
In 2003, SWCRO was dissolved to simplify the National Structure and WBCRT and GCRT became members of the BCRC in their own right. Liaison arrangements were put in place constitutionally to ensure the 2 teams remain in close contact.
In 2009 the GCRT was dissolved and the area of responsibility, equipment and stores at Whitewalls were transferred to WBCRT.
2010s
With the title “West Brecon” no longer reflecting the massive area now covered by the Team, a change of name was needed and we became the South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team in 2010.
In 2011 the team’s new identity was in the media spotlight when we supported the efforts at the Gleision Colliery disaster. Team divers were able to dive through a flooded mine level and established that the miners had sadly perished.
The team responded to another high-profile incident in 2012 as they joined numerous other rescue teams and emergency services in the search for missing schoolgirl April Jones in the Machynlleth area of Mid Wales.
Global recognition came in 2018 when equipment and members of SMWCRT were deployed in Thailand to support the efforts of BCRC in the rescue of the 12 boys and their football coach trapped in Tham Luang cave.
2020s
A huge fundraising campaign in 2020 supported a modernisation program to update the team’s stretchers, radios and incident control equipment. The latter allowed the management of incidents to take place in a nearby building, rather than the back of a vehicle, and make use of the latest communication and information technology. A little late to the party, SMWCRT had now landed firmly in the 21st century.
In 2021 we made headlines with the largest cave rescue the UK had ever seen, a 54 hour stretcher carry in OFD from Cwm Dwr to Top. We called on members of 9 other cave rescue teams and all our new equipment to safely extract the casualty to the surface.
SMWCRT was initially called the South Wales Cave Rescue Organisation (SWCRO) and was established in 1946 following the formation of the South Wales Caving Club (SWCC) which the team was an integral part of. It was setup as a response to the growing activity around the caves of the Swansea and Neath valleys by club members.
1950s
The first major incident for the team came in 1951 in response to flooding trapping two cavers in the Ogof Ffynnon Ddu cave of the Swansea Valley. This prompted the team to become better organised and equipped.
1960s
A two-day rescue of an injured caver in Llethrid Swallet on Gower in 1964 provided the opportunity for the team to demonstrate its capabilities and professionalism to South Wales Police, a relationship which remains strong to this day.
The British Cave Rescue Council (BCRC) was formed in 1967 with the aims of representing and supporting its member rescue teams at National and International level, promoting the exchange of information between member rescue organisations and providing a common voice for them.
The Gwent Cave Rescue Team (GCRT) was formed in 1968 in response to major new cave discoveries in the Llangattock area of the Brecon Beacons.
1970s
A fatal diving incident in Agen Allwedd in 1974 brought the resources and personnel form both South Wales teams together and highlighted the need for the two teams to work more closely together. This saw the formation of an umbrella organisation, called the SWCRO, in 1975.
As a result, the former SWCC based team relinquished the SWCRO title and expanded its remit to include other caving clubs in the region which was now constituted as the West Brecon Cave Rescue Team (WBCRT).
1980s
The combined efforts of SWCRO were put to the test in 1980 with a major rescue in Agen Allwedd. The incident took over 50 hours, involved some 280 underground rescuers and clearly demonstrated the need for rescue teams to be able to work effectively together!
1990s
The WBCRT formally separated from the SWCC in 1991 to become an independent rescue team. This widened the team's membership and enabled the team to gain charity status allowing access to grant funding.
In 1992 the team’s area of operation was extended to cover the mines of Mid Wales with a new equipment trailer and warden network in the region.
In 1998 work was completed on a new Advanced First Aid course for Cave Rescue which was accredited by the British Red Cross and the British Cave Rescue Council. This course is now delivered annually for 9 of the 15 UK Cave Rescue Teams and has become a National Standard for Cave Rescue Advanced First Aid in the UK.
2000s
As the team entered the new millennium a Heritage Lottery grant enabled the stores at Penwyllt to be completely refurbished, equipment upgraded and the Landrover replaced.
In 2003, SWCRO was dissolved to simplify the National Structure and WBCRT and GCRT became members of the BCRC in their own right. Liaison arrangements were put in place constitutionally to ensure the 2 teams remain in close contact.
In 2009 the GCRT was dissolved and the area of responsibility, equipment and stores at Whitewalls were transferred to WBCRT.
2010s
With the title “West Brecon” no longer reflecting the massive area now covered by the Team, a change of name was needed and we became the South & Mid Wales Cave Rescue Team in 2010.
In 2011 the team’s new identity was in the media spotlight when we supported the efforts at the Gleision Colliery disaster. Team divers were able to dive through a flooded mine level and established that the miners had sadly perished.
The team responded to another high-profile incident in 2012 as they joined numerous other rescue teams and emergency services in the search for missing schoolgirl April Jones in the Machynlleth area of Mid Wales.
Global recognition came in 2018 when equipment and members of SMWCRT were deployed in Thailand to support the efforts of BCRC in the rescue of the 12 boys and their football coach trapped in Tham Luang cave.
2020s
A huge fundraising campaign in 2020 supported a modernisation program to update the team’s stretchers, radios and incident control equipment. The latter allowed the management of incidents to take place in a nearby building, rather than the back of a vehicle, and make use of the latest communication and information technology. A little late to the party, SMWCRT had now landed firmly in the 21st century.
In 2021 we made headlines with the largest cave rescue the UK had ever seen, a 54 hour stretcher carry in OFD from Cwm Dwr to Top. We called on members of 9 other cave rescue teams and all our new equipment to safely extract the casualty to the surface.
