HMS Gannet SAR Flight
Encyclopedia
HMS Gannet SAR Flight is a Royal Navy
Fleet Air Arm
squadron based at RNAS Prestwick in Scotland. It operates three Sea King
Mk5 helicopters in the military and civilian Search and Rescue
role across Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland. The crews cover 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 (321.9 km) west of Ireland over the north Atlantic, giving an operational area of approx. 98,000 square miles.
Personnel at the base consists of 15 officers, 11 ratings, 28 civil servants and 50 civilian staff. Gannet SAR also provides an important medical evacuation service to the many island communities and remote areas of Scotland. The crews feature regularly on the Channel 5 documentary series Highland Emergency
.
2009 saw the unit break a new record as 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 2010 the flight was, for the fourth year in succession, the busiest Search & Rescue base in the UK with 379 call outs.
, the first being a wooden sloop registered in March 1800. The seventh and final sea-going craft to bear the name was a river gunboat, commissioned in 1934. She was laid up and presented to the Chinese Navy in February 1942.
In May 1943 for the first time, the name HMS Gannet was given to a shore establishment, RNAS (Royal Naval Air Station) Eglington, in Northern Ireland. Their main function was to train naval pilots and aircrew in anti-submarine warfare. HMS Gannet received Battle Honours for its role in the Atlantic from 1943 until 1945. April 1959 saw Eglington close and the Squadrons moved to Derry
and Ballykelly
.
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. The SAR flight is presently the only squadron based at RNAS Prestwick.
In 1998 Gannet was awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace for services to the local communities.
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
Fleet Air Arm
Fleet Air Arm
The Fleet Air Arm is the branch of the British Royal Navy responsible for the operation of naval aircraft. The Fleet Air Arm currently operates the AgustaWestland Merlin, Westland Sea King and Westland Lynx helicopters...
squadron based at RNAS Prestwick in Scotland. It operates three Sea King
Westland Sea King
The Westland WS-61 Sea King is a British licence-built version of the American Sikorsky S-61 helicopter of the same name, built by Westland Helicopters. The aircraft differs considerably from the American version, with Rolls-Royce Gnome engines , British made anti-submarine warfare systems and a...
Mk5 helicopters in the military and civilian Search and Rescue
Search and rescue
Search and rescue is the search for and provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.The general field of search and rescue includes many specialty sub-fields, mostly based upon terrain considerations...
role across Scotland, Northern England and Northern Ireland. The crews cover an area from Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis
Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. It is located at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to the town of Fort William....
in the north, the Isle of Man
Isle of Man
The Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is...
and the Lake District
Lake District
The Lake District, also commonly known as The Lakes or Lakeland, is a mountainous region in North West England. A popular holiday destination, it is famous not only for its lakes and its mountains but also for its associations with the early 19th century poetry and writings of William Wordsworth...
to the south, east to Edinburgh
Edinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
, the Firth of Forth
Firth of Forth
The Firth of Forth is the estuary or firth of Scotland's River Forth, where it flows into the North Sea, between Fife to the north, and West Lothian, the City of Edinburgh and East Lothian to the south...
and the Borders, west to Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and extends 200 miles (321.9 km) west of Ireland over the north Atlantic, giving an operational area of approx. 98,000 square miles.
Personnel at the base consists of 15 officers, 11 ratings, 28 civil servants and 50 civilian staff. Gannet SAR also provides an important medical evacuation service to the many island communities and remote areas of Scotland. The crews feature regularly on the Channel 5 documentary series Highland Emergency
Highland Emergency
Highland Emergency is a British television documentary series following the work of the emergency services in the Highlands of Scotland. It is broadcast on Channel 5 in the UK....
.
2009 saw the unit break a new record as 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 2010 the flight was, for the fourth year in succession, the busiest Search & Rescue base in the UK with 379 call outs.
History
A number of ships have borne the name HMS GannetHMS Gannet
Nine ships and two shore establishments of the Royal Navy have borne the name HMS Gannet, after the seabird the Gannet:-Ships: was a 16-gun brig-sloop purchased in 1800 and sold in 1814. was an 18-gun Cruizer-class brig-sloop launched in 1814 and sold in 1838. was a wood screw sloop launched in...
, the first being a wooden sloop registered in March 1800. The seventh and final sea-going craft to bear the name was a river gunboat, commissioned in 1934. She was laid up and presented to the Chinese Navy in February 1942.
In May 1943 for the first time, the name HMS Gannet was given to a shore establishment, RNAS (Royal Naval Air Station) Eglington, in Northern Ireland. Their main function was to train naval pilots and aircrew in anti-submarine warfare. HMS Gannet received Battle Honours for its role in the Atlantic from 1943 until 1945. April 1959 saw Eglington close and the Squadrons moved to Derry
Derry
Derry or Londonderry is the second-biggest city in Northern Ireland and the fourth-biggest city on the island of Ireland. The name Derry is an anglicisation of the Irish name Doire or Doire Cholmcille meaning "oak-wood of Colmcille"...
and Ballykelly
Ballykelly
Ballykelly is a village and townland in County Londonderry, Northern Ireland. It lies west of Limavady on the main Derry to Limavady A2 road and is east of Derry. It is designated as a Large Village and in 2001 the population of Ballykelly was 1,827...
.
The ninth and present HMS Gannet was established in 1971 at Prestwick Airport in Ayrshire
Ayrshire
Ayrshire is a registration county, and former administrative county in south-west Scotland, United Kingdom, located on the shores of the Firth of Clyde. Its principal towns include Ayr, Kilmarnock and Irvine. The town of Troon on the coast has hosted the British Open Golf Championship twice in the...
. Over the years Prestwick has hosted three Naval Air Squadrons: 814 NAS
814 Naval Air Squadron
814 Naval Air Squadron is a squadron of the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. It was formed in December 1938 and has been disbanded and reformed several times. Its nickname is "the Flying Tigers", not to be confused with the American Volunteer squadron of WWII....
, 824 NAS
824 Naval Air Squadron
824 Naval Air Squadron is a Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm squadron first formed on 3 April 1933, disbanding and reforming several times before assuming its current role at RNAS Culdrose as a training squadron....
and 819 NAS
819 Naval Air Squadron
819 Naval Air Squadron was a Royal Navy aircraft squadron before and during World War II. Along with No. 815 Squadron, it performed the successful night attack on the Italian fleet at Taranto on 11 November 1940...
. 819 was decommissioned in November 2001 after being in residence for 30 years. The SAR flight is presently the only squadron based at RNAS Prestwick.
In 1998 Gannet was awarded the Wilkinson Sword of Peace for services to the local communities.