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NAVY NEWS. OCTOBER 1982
Gannet: Ten busy years urp North
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northerly and smallest Royal Naval air station, where fliers brave some of the worst of Britain's weather, is this month celebrating its tenth anniversary.
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Sited at Prcstwick on the Firth of Clyde, accommodation block for junior and senior rates. HMS Gannet is now the only Fleet Air Arm Opening this month, the design departs from the traditional barracks layout, resembling an base outside England, and the uninitiated " " upntarket" estate of apartments liberally landbe for it may forgiven regarding scaped with grass and young trees. backwater. The block's opening coincides with the passing But it is from there that the seven Sea King of a decade since 819 moved into the old US Air helicopters of 819 Naval Air Squadron provide Force base at Prestwick. anti-submarine protection in the North-West The squadron was formed in early 1940, Approaches. lend support to HM submarines in operating Swordfish aircraft th'oughout the Second the vital Clyde Areas, and protect offshore oil and World War. After a spell of coastal duty they gas installations, joined l-IMS Illustrious, eight of the planes taking It is from there. too, that the Navy's Search and part in the historic attack on the Italian fleet at Rescue service for Scotland is operated, one Sea Taranto in November, 1940. King being on call throughout the year in ill the devastating air attack on the Following Illustrious two months later. the squadron was Search and Rescue temporarily disbanded and its survivors absorbed into 815 NAS. Reformed in late 1941, 819 operated for the rest of the war on coastal duties Gannet's formal SAR commitment - one and from the carriers HM ships Avenger. Archer aircraft at a maximum of 90 minutes notice and Activity. in in fact the 1975, but throughout year began Towards the end of the war, 819 was disbanded 819 Squadron had been carrying out an increasing number of rescues since 1971. again, eventually reappearing on the active list in 1961, when it began operating Wessex helicopters The squadron averages 30 to 40 rescue missions from RAF Ballykelly. a year. ranging from seachcs at sea and on land to When badly injured people to hospital. Ballykelly closed just under ten years later, the squadron was disbanded yet again before Life at Gannet - under the command of Cdr. Derek Ancona - is rarely dull and never slack, reforming with Sea Kings at Cuidrose in February. 1972. In the following October 819 as moved to And, if the vagaries of the Scottish weather Gannet, where the squadron began its longest sometimes make it a little uncomfortable, there are some compensations among them a new period in commission . -
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How to get there From roundabout in Stubbrigiorvtiagc centre. take the B3334 Gosport Road. West~ Park 'soft East House Avenue. second turning on right Contact our Sales Representative Joe Harris. en Stubbirtgton 61332
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How to get there Turn off M27 at FarehamWest afld head towards Fareham (A27) Straight on at first roundabout you now ion the A27 Southampton Road Take first right into Lower Church Road andShow Village is first on the left Contact our Sates Representative t3i'veriey Wadsworti or] Locks Heath 82766
Above - A Sea King helicopter from 819 Squadron arrives over HMS Dumbarton Castle for the ship's commissioning ceremony at Rosyth Dockyard.
All in
the service! Right and below 819 Squadron in action. A sick cow is manhandled into a cargo net and lifted away to safety. The cow survived thanks to HMS Gannet's Search and Rescue service.
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Both Showhouses Open Thursday to Monday 10.30 a.m to 5.00 p.m MAXIMUM MORTGAGES AVAILABLE IOYEARNHRC PROTECTION
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