12 NAVY NEWS, SEPTEMBER 2007
● A Lynx from 815 Naval Air Squadron picks up an Army patrol in South Armagh
Picture: K A Boyd
A
LTHOUGH you would
a prison than somewhere to base a for extended periods between
AFTER 38 years, Operation Banner came to an end in Northern Ireland at midnight
think from the media
military force.” 1977 and 2002.
on July 31, and the last helicopters from 815 Naval Air Squadron headed home to reports that only the
However as the working sched- “RM Commando Sioux, Scout
RNAS Yeovilton saying goodbye to the unit’s deployment to the Province. Army had been in Northern
ule saw the Fleet Air Arm crews
and Gazelle also flew in the light
Ireland through the 38-
working 48 hours on, 48 hours
liaison and reconnaissance role
off for the next 12 weeks until the
year history of Operation
between 1970 and 1980, and in
Mill’s military life ended, their
Banner, the Navy too, and
1980-81 a Lynx Mk2 from HMS
base became an important focus
Ambuscade, painted in grey-green
its sailors, airmen and Royal for the Navy teams.
camouflage, carried out coastal
Marines, were caught up in
“When we took over from the
patrols looking for gun runners.”
that long-running task of
Army they had made us a lit-
The officer added: “Being in
supporting the police and
tle hammock to make us feel at
the Province has brought some
civil authorities.
home,” said Lt Cdr Hurry.
“In order to make it a more
surprises, and the most notable
And while the Army’s sol-
nautical establishment, we drew
one was the discovery that 815
diers were shown departing from
a number of portholes, a nautical
was re-formed in 1947 at Eglinton
Northern Ireland on the last day,
relief on the wall and our own
airfield, Londonderry, which was
it was a Naval Lynx helicopter that
squadron crest – all to make it
then HMS Gannet.
took to the skies in a final farewell
more homely.”
“The squadron remained there
to one of the more significant
The three operational crews in
until 1963 – longer than we have
locations in the Province’s trou-
the Province ran a routine of two
currently been at Yeovilton.”
bled past.
weeks in theatre, one week on
Cdr Alun Jones, commanding
For the last year people and
mainland, keeping a balance of
officer of 815 NAS, joined mem-
helicopters of 815 Naval Air
drills, flying checks and time at
ber of the Operational Readiness
Squadron have been supporting
home.
Unit to see their squadron’s
operations from RAF Aldergrove
The fourth crew, made up of former home at Eglinton in June,
as the RAF and Army helicopters
the detachment commander and and to mark the publication of a
moved on to other operational
another observer, were kept busy new book on the history of Naval
commitments.
running the overall operation, and aviation in Northern Ireland (see
The last four months of Banner
providing support to ships and below).
saw that tasking ramp up, with the
submarines working up in the On August 2 the last 815 NAS
Fleet Air Arm offering 24-hour,
Clyde exercise areas.
Lynx returned to its home in
seven-day-a-week support to the
Each 48-hour duty saw the
troops and the Police Service of
Yeovilton drawing a line under
Naval fliers working with the local
Northern Ireland (PSNI) from
Operation Banner.
troops and police force during
South Armagh.
The four months had involved
patrols and in setting up vehicle
January saw a tough ten-week
11 mission-ready aircrew plus six
check points.
course set up back in Yeovilton to
holdovers, who acted as rear crew,
The helicopters were also at
provide the specialist training for
and some 40 maintainers took
15-minutes notice to move in the
the operational crews to manage
part in the tours of duty.
event of life-threatening situations
their duties in Northern ireland.
Lt Cdr Hurry concluded: “All
such as road traffic accidents.
Among the demands put on the
Bessbrook Mill ceased its mili-
tasking and much more had been
Lynx’ crews were the ability to
tary role on June 25 after the
achieved.
● A Lynx from 815 NAS’ Operational Readiness Unit on the pad at Bessbrook Mill. During the height of
bring the aircraft down to ground
815 unit had spent 12 weeks on
“Most notably the fact that the
the troubles in the 1980s Bessbrook became the busiest heliport in Europe due to the large number of
level using night-vision goggles to
site, and the aircraft moved on to
grey Lynx, along with its air and
fl ights arriving and departing from the former linen mill
an accuracy of a few metres.
Aldergrove for the final six weeks
ground crew, could at short order
At the end of the course, three
of the Banner operation.
assess, adapt and re-train for a dif-
Lynx Mk 3 helicopters and four
At its peak in the 1980s the Mill
ferent type of mission.
crews from 815’s Operational
saw over 600 flights a week in and
“815 Squadron – in the finest
Readiness Unit headed off to their
out by helicopters from the Royal
tradition of the Fleet Air Arm
new base at Aldergrove on March
Navy, Royal Air Force and Army
– continues to adapt to provide
20.
– an average of one every eight
the highest standards of aviation
Another ten days brought on-
minutes during daylight hours and wherever they are asked to oper-
the-ground training from the
moving up to 15,000 passengers ate, whether on land or sea.”
Naval Flying Standards team,
a month. A garrison of up to 5,000 Service
ensuring that the Navy’s grey
This small village in Northern personnel remain permanently
Lynxes could use their new skills
Ireland was, for a spell, the busiest stationed in Northern Ireland
adeptly in theatre.
heliport in Europe due to the traf- ready for deployment around the
On April 1 the last Army Air fic of military rotorcraft shifting
world. Under the newly-formed
Corps helicopter left Bessbrook back and forth.
Operation Helvetic their only role
Mill and the Royal Navy airmen The last aircraft to leave this
in the Province’s running is in the
and Lynx, under the command of landmark of military helicopters
case of extreme public disorder
Lt Cdr Andy Hurry, settled into was a Royal Navy Lynx Mk 3,
– a duty that the Forces are always
their new home. flown by Lt Marty Craven, Lt Rae
ready to perform in mainland
“Bessbrook Mill did not appear McDermott Evans and Lt Mat
Britain at need.
to feature in any of the local Askham.
hotel guides,” commented Lt Cdr “The Royal Navy and Royal
Hurry wryly, “and all the aircrew Marines were, of course, no stran-
■ For a full history of the Fleet
and maintainers who spent time in gers to operating in the Support
Air Arm in Northern Ireland, see
the Mill endured the joys of living Helicopter role in Northern
Guy Warner’s Flying from Derry:
in a building with no windows. Ireland,” said Lt Cdr Hurry, “with Eglinton and Naval Aviation in
“Hence no natural light and the Wessex of 707 and 845 NAS Northern Ireland, available from
● The grey Naval Lynx also conducted a number of school visits ● The hand-drawn crest in
under the auspices of DNR during the deployment
what little serviceable lighting and later Sea Kings from 707 and Ernie Cromie on 0797 450 2319
Bessbrook Mill
there was making it feel more like 846 NAS serving in the Province or ernie@airni.freeserve.co.uk.
0012_NN_sept07.indd 112_NN_sept07.indd 1 221/8/07 13:16:281/8/07 13:16:28
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