HMS Gannet (stone frigate)
| RNAS Prestwick (HMS Gannet) USAAF Station 500  | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Near Prestwick, South Ayrshire in Scotland | |||||||||
|
HMS Gannet SAR Flight badge | |||||||||
| Coordinates | 51°08′56″N 001°34′12″W / 51.14889°N 1.57000°WCoordinates: 51°08′56″N 001°34′12″W / 51.14889°N 1.57000°W | ||||||||
| Type | Royal Naval Air Station | ||||||||
| Site information | |||||||||
| Owner | Ministry of Defence | ||||||||
| Operator |
Fleet Air Arm | ||||||||
| Site history | |||||||||
| Built | 1940 | ||||||||
| In use |
1940-unknown as RAF Prestwick 23 November 1971-2016 as RNAS Prestwick | ||||||||
| Garrison information | |||||||||
| Past commanders | Lieutenant-Commander C Fuller[1] | ||||||||
| Occupants |
HMS Gannet SAR Flight (2001-2016) | ||||||||
| Airfield information | |||||||||
| Elevation | 24 metres (79 ft) AMSL | ||||||||
| |||||||||
RNAS Prestwick (HMS Gannet) more popularly known as HMS Gannet is a former establishment of the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm.
The base (which was located at Glasgow Prestwick Airport, South Ayrshire, Scotland) hosted the only Fleet Air Arm Search and Rescue Flight in Scotland (HMS Gannet SAR Flight.[2]
History
RAF Prestwick
Due to the Second World War the Air Ministry requisitioned the civilian Prestwick Airport for the Royal Air Force renaming it RAF Prestwick
A number of units were here at some point:
- No. 1 Civil Air Navigation School RAF -> No. 1 Air Observers Navigation School RAF[3] (1939-1941)
- No. 1 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF[3]
- No. 2 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit RAF[3]
- No. 2 Supplementary School of Wireless Telegraphy RAF[3]
- No. 3 Radio Direction Finding School RAF[3]
- No. 3 Radio School RAF[3]
- No. 4 Ferry Pool ATA[3]
- No. 4 Ferry Pilot Pool ATA[3]
- No. 4A Ferry Pool ATA[3]
- No. 4A Ferry Pilot Pool ATA[3]
- No. 4B Ferry Pool ATA[3]
- No. 4B Ferry Pilot Pool ATA[3]
- No. 6 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF[3]
- No. 7 Anti-Aircraft Co-operation Unit RAF[3]
- No. 10 Air Observers Navigation School RAF[3] (1939)
- No. 12 Elementary & Reserve Flying Training School RAF[3]
- No. 12 Elementary Flying Training School RAF[3]
- No. 102 Squadron RAF[4] (1940)
- No. 114 Squadron RAF[5] (1919)
- No. 141 Squadron RAF[6] (1940)
- No. 253 Squadron RAF[7] (1940)
- No. 263 Squadron RAF[8] (1940)
- No. 600 Squadron RAF[9] (1940-41)
- No. 602 Squadron RAF[9] (1940)
- No. 603 Squadron RAF[9] (1939-40)
- No. 610 Squadron RAF[10] (1940)
- No. 615 Squadron RAF[11] (1940)
- No. 1425 (Communication) Flight RAF[3] (1941-1942)
- No. 1527 (Beam Approach Training) Flight RAF[3] (1941-45) -> No. 1527 (Radio Aids Training) Flight RAF[3] (1945-46)
- No. 1680 (Western Isles Communication) Flight RAF[3] (1944) -> No. 1680 (Transport) Flight RAF[3] (1944-46)
- Reserve Echelon (Fighter Flight)[3]
RNAS Prestwick (HMS Gannet)
The ninth and present HMS Gannet was established in 1971 at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire. Over the years Prestwick has hosted three Naval Air Squadrons: 814 NAS, 824 NAS and 819 NAS. 819 was decommissioned in November 2001 after being in residence for 30 years.
RNAS Prestwick was added in January 1994
HMS Gannet Search and Rescue Flight
The SAR flight was the last flight based at RNAS Prestwick.
It operated two from three Sea King HU.5 helicopters in the military and civilian Search and Rescue role across Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland. The crews covered an area from Ben Nevis in the north, the Isle of Man and the Lake District to the south, east to Edinburgh, the Firth of Forth and the Borders, west to Northern Ireland and extends 200 miles (320 km) west of Ireland over the north Atlantic, giving an operational area of approx. 98,000 square miles.[12]
Personnel at the base consisted of 15 officers, 11 ratings, 28 civil servants and 50 civilian staff. The primary role is one of military Search and Rescue, with secondary roles in civilian Search and Rescue. Gannet also provides an important medical evacuation service to the many island communities and remote areas of Scotland. To perform these roles, one of the helicopters is on 15 minutes notice to fly during the day, and 45 minutes during the night, with a duty crew on call for 24 hours. This duty is maintained for 365 days of the year, with a second standby aircraft ready to assist should the emergency demand it.
In 1998 Gannet was awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace for services to the local communities.
Consistently one of the busiest SAR units in the UK, 2009 saw the SAR Flight break a new record when they were tasked to 447 call outs. This figure equated to 20% of the UK’s total military SAR call outs in that year. In 2011, the Flight was the busiest SAR unit for the fifth year in succession. In 2010, with 379 call outs.[13] and 2011 with 298 call-outs and 240 people rescued.[14]
In 2012 there were again 298 call-outs resulting in the rescue of 285 people.[15]
In 2014 Gannet SAR was tasked to 299 call-outs. This number made them the second busiest in the UK. RAF Valley in Wales was the busiest with 329 jobs.[16]
As of the 1 January 2016 at 9AM, they were replaced by civilians from Bristow Helicopters and HM Coastguard.[17]
The flight was disbanded on 5 February 2016.[1]
RN SAR 60
As one of only two commissioned units of the 10 that have operated within the Royal Navy in the dedicated Search and Rescue role, in 2013, Gannet SAR Flight was a core part of year-long celebrations to recognise 60 years of RN Helicopter Search and Rescue. Events took place throughout the country and media all year, with the RN SAR Force raising £60,000 for charity.
Transfer of SAR function to Bristow Helicopters
With effect from 1 January 2016, the SAR function which had been performed by the Gannet SAR Flight was transferred to Bristow Helicopters, acting on behalf of HM Coastguard, part of the UK's Maritime and Coastguard Agency.[18]
Units
A number of units were here at some point:
- Detachment No. 4 of 702 Naval Air Squadron[19]
- Detachment No. 3 of 810 Naval Air Squadron[20]
- Detachment No. 4 of 810 Naval Air Squadron[20]
- 814 Naval Air Squadron[21]
- Detachment No. 1 of 815 Naval Air Squadron[22]
- 819 Naval Air Squadron[23]
- 820 Naval Air Squadron[24]
- 824 Naval Air Squadron[25]
- 826 Naval Air Squadron[26]
- Detachments of 845 Naval Air Squadron[27]
In popular culture
The SAR flight featured regularly on the Channel 5 documentary series Highland Emergency and BBC's "Countryside Rescue".
References
Citations
- 1 2 "Last piece of an emotional jigsaw as HMS Gannet decommissions". Royal Navy. 5 February 2016.
- ↑ "HMS Gannet". Royal Navy. Retrieved 24 October 2011.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 "Prestwick". Airfields of Britain Conservation Trust. Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 54.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 57.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 61.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 78.
- ↑ Jefford 1988.
- 1 2 3 Jefford 1988, p. 98.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 99.
- ↑ Jefford 1988, p. 100.
- ↑ "HMS Gannet". MOD / Royal Navy. Retrieved Oct 24, 2011.
- ↑ "HMS Gannet". MOD. Retrieved Oct 24, 2011.
- ↑ "HMS Gannet named busiest search and rescue unit in UK during 2011". Daily Record. Retrieved Feb 8, 2012.
- ↑ "About the unit - Call-outs in 2012". Royal Navy. Retrieved Oct 23, 2013.
- ↑ "Military Search And Rescue Statistics 2014" (PDF). Retrieved Apr 2, 2015.
- ↑ http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-35205477
- ↑ "Civilian team replaces HMS Gannet search and rescue at Prestwick". BBC News. 1 January 2016.
- ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 23.
- 1 2 Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 163.
- ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 177.
- ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 183.
- ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 195.
- ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 200.
- ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 216.
- ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 225.
- ↑ Sturtivant, Ballance 1994, p. 261.
Bibliography
- Jefford MBE, Wg Cdr C G (1988). RAF Squadrons. A comprehensive record of the movement and equipment of all RAF squadrons and their antecedents since 1912. Shrewsbury: Airlife. ISBN 1-85310-053-6.
- Sturtivant, R; Ballance, T (1994). The Squadrons of The Fleet Air Arm. Tonbridge, Kent, UK: Air-Britain (Historians) Ltd. ISBN 0-85130-223-8.