RAF Gan
Encyclopedia
The former Royal Air Force Station Gan commonly known as RAF Gan, was a Royal Air Force
military
airbase
on Gan Island
, the southern-most island of Addu Atoll
which is part of the larger groups of islands which form the Maldives
, in the middle of the Indian Ocean
.
base for the Royal Navy
in 1941. Royal Navy engineers began constructing airstrips on Gan island in August 1941 for the Fleet Air Arm
. In 1957 the Royal Navy transferred the base into the control of the Royal Air Force
, and Royal Air Force Station Gan became established in the late 1950s as a stopover on the reinforcement to the Far East Air Force based in Singapore
. The previous reinforcement route had passed through countries that had formerly been British territory but were now independent, and sometimes hostile nations. RAF Mauripur
, to the west of Karachi
, by then a Royal Pakistan Air Force station, had RAF personnel attached for staging airfield purposes up until 1956 by when the staging role between the Middle East and Far East fell to RAF Gan.
It was extensively used by bombers, fighters and transports on their way to Singapore
and other destinations in east Asia during the late 1950s and the 1960s. Other foreign military forces, like the US, occasionally used the facilities. However as the 1970s dawned, the United Kingdom was withdrawing from its commitments east of the Suez
. By the end of 1971 the RAF Far East Air Force was disbanded and the major rationale for Gan was gone. Traffic was now much less frequent but the base still remained open for a few more years. By 1975 British military aircraft using the base were an extreme rarity. Gan was thus closed and turned over to the Maldivian civil authorities of the area. At the same time as RAF use of the airfield ceased, the RAF gained access to the then newly built US airfield two hundred miles to the south of Gan on the British island of Diego Garcia
.
During World War II, in 1942 the RAF had its bases in the Islands of Addu Atoll
, Maldives. The RAF first had a presence on Hithadoo
in 1942 when a detachment of RAF personnel were sent from RAF China Bay in Ceylon to service and turn around the RAF Short Sunderland
and PBY Catalina
flying boats that were flying regularly into the Addu Atoll lagoon. It was on 29 March 1976 that the RAF staging post on Gan closed down and the island was handed back to the Maldivian Government.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
military
Military
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
airbase
Airbase
An airbase is a military airfield that provides basing and support of military aircraft....
on Gan Island
Gan (Seenu Atoll)
Gan is the southernmost island of Addu Atoll, as well as the southernmost island of the Maldives. It is relatively large by Maldive standards....
, the southern-most island of Addu Atoll
Addu Atoll
Addu City is a city in Maldives consisting of the inhabited islands of the southernmost atoll of the archipelago....
which is part of the larger groups of islands which form the Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
, in the middle of the Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
.
History
The area was originally established as a militaryMilitary
A military is an organization authorized by its greater society to use lethal force, usually including use of weapons, in defending its country by combating actual or perceived threats. The military may have additional functions of use to its greater society, such as advancing a political agenda e.g...
base for the Royal Navy
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...
in 1941. Royal Navy engineers began constructing airstrips on Gan island in August 1941 for the 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...
. In 1957 the Royal Navy transferred the base into the control of the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
, and Royal Air Force Station Gan became established in the late 1950s as a stopover on the reinforcement to the Far East Air Force based in Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
. The previous reinforcement route had passed through countries that had formerly been British territory but were now independent, and sometimes hostile nations. RAF Mauripur
RAF Mauripur
RAF Mauripur was a Royal Air Force station in British India outside of Karachi. It is now known as Masroor Airbase.British units continued to use the airfield after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, finally leaving in 1956 - Pakistan becoming a republic at this time, and the RAF airfields at Gan...
, to the west of Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
, by then a Royal Pakistan Air Force station, had RAF personnel attached for staging airfield purposes up until 1956 by when the staging role between the Middle East and Far East fell to RAF Gan.
It was extensively used by bombers, fighters and transports on their way to Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
and other destinations in east Asia during the late 1950s and the 1960s. Other foreign military forces, like the US, occasionally used the facilities. However as the 1970s dawned, the United Kingdom was withdrawing from its commitments east of the Suez
Suez
Suez is a seaport city in north-eastern Egypt, located on the north coast of the Gulf of Suez , near the southern terminus of the Suez Canal, having the same boundaries as Suez governorate. It has three harbors, Adabya, Ain Sokhna and Port Tawfiq, and extensive port facilities...
. By the end of 1971 the RAF Far East Air Force was disbanded and the major rationale for Gan was gone. Traffic was now much less frequent but the base still remained open for a few more years. By 1975 British military aircraft using the base were an extreme rarity. Gan was thus closed and turned over to the Maldivian civil authorities of the area. At the same time as RAF use of the airfield ceased, the RAF gained access to the then newly built US airfield two hundred miles to the south of Gan on the British island of Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia
Diego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
.
During World War II, in 1942 the RAF had its bases in the Islands of Addu Atoll
Addu Atoll
Addu City is a city in Maldives consisting of the inhabited islands of the southernmost atoll of the archipelago....
, Maldives. The RAF first had a presence on Hithadoo
Hithadhoo (Seenu Atoll)
Hithaadhoo is a district of Addu City, in the Maldives. Hithadhoo is the main administrative district of Addu City, with many of the administrative buildings in this district. The town is situated on the island of the same name, the westernmost of Seenu...
in 1942 when a detachment of RAF personnel were sent from RAF China Bay in Ceylon to service and turn around the RAF Short Sunderland
Short Sunderland
The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber developed for the Royal Air Force by Short Brothers. It took its service name from the town and port of Sunderland in northeast England....
and PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
flying boats that were flying regularly into the Addu Atoll lagoon. It was on 29 March 1976 that the RAF staging post on Gan closed down and the island was handed back to the Maldivian Government.
RAF Gan today
Following the handover back to the Maldive Government, the island airfield was subtly developed into a civil airport, and is now known as Gan International Airport. Most of the base is now a tourist resort called Equator Village: the military buildings remain and have been converted into rooms & other facilities on the resort. The hospital is now a dive centre.See also
- Royal Air Force station
- List of RAF stations
- Diego GarciaDiego GarciaDiego Garcia is a tropical, footprint-shaped coral atoll located south of the equator in the central Indian Ocean at 7 degrees, 26 minutes south latitude. It is part of the British Indian Ocean Territory [BIOT] and is positioned at 72°23' east longitude....
- Gan International Airport