RNAS Table Names

When we have our ‘Gala Meals’ we name the tables after Royal Naval Air Stations The design and creation of the ‘table place names’ you are about to see were done by Gill Charles. The number ‘thirteen’ is not included. RNAS Culdrose, Helston. Commissioned in 1947 and still extant. RN School of Meteorology 1960 - 2003 RNAS Portland, part of Portland Naval Base. Portland was RNAS from 1916 – 1918 before becoming an RAF seaplane base in 1919. Commissioned originally in 1924, Osprey had a long life with many different uses. Helicopter station was opened in 1959 and flying continued until 1999. Naval base closed in 1995. RNAS Hal Far, Malta GC. Commissioned in 1946 from the RAF and paid off in 1965 when it was transferred back to the RAF. Falcon was originally built as a shore base for the Med Fleet aircraft in 1923 and it was used by the RN during WWII. RNAS Arbroath. Commissioned in 1940 and paid off in 1971 when it became a RM Barracks and as such it is still extant. RNAS Abbotsinch. Used on a lodger basis from 1939 and was commissioned in 1943 on transfer from the RAF. Paid off in 1953 when it transferred to the Ministry of Aviation. RNAS Ford, Sussex. Originally commissioned in 1939 and paid off in 1940 on transfer back to the RAF. The RN continued to use it as a lodger and it was commissioned again in 1945, finally being paid off in 1958. RNAS Gosport. Commissioned on loan from the RAF in 1945 and transferred to the RN in 1948. Paid off in 1956. RNAS Donibristle, Fife. Commissioned from the RAF in 1939 and paid off in 1959. Had been an RNAS from 1917 – 1918 before going over to the RAF. RNAS Lossiemouth, Morayshire. Commissioned from the RAF in 1946 and transferred back to them in 1972, being used for RN detachments until 1979. RNAS Eglington, Co Londonderry. Commissioned on loan from the RAF in 1943, being transferred to RN in 1947. Paid off in 1959 when it re-opened as Sea Eagle. RNAS Yeovilton. Commissioned in 1940 and still extant. Home of the Fleet Air Arm Museum. RNAS Machrihanish, Argyllshire. Commissioned in 1941, originally as RNAS Strabane, once changed to Macrihanish became known by Jack as “Bag 'n 'ammick”. Paid off and transferred to the Air Ministry in 1963. RNAS Brawdy, Pembrokeshire. Commissioned in 1952 ex Goldcrest II and paid off in 1971 when it was transferred to the RAF. RNAD Kete, Pembrokeshire. Commissioned in 1948 ex Goldcrest and paid off in 1961. RN School of Meteorology 1947 – 1960. RNAS Twatt, Orkney. Commissioned in 1942, although in use by the RN in 1941. Paid off in 1945/6. RNAS Lee-on-Solent, Portsmouth. Opened in 1917 as a Seaplane School and transferred to RAF the following year. Returned to the Navy and commissioned in 1939 as an RN Barracks with a subsidiary RNAS, continuing until 1966. RNAS Bramcote, Nuneaton, Warwickshire. Opened in 1943, ex RAF and commissioned in 1946 with independent command and used as Naval Air Mechanic Training establishment. Closed to flying from late 1958 and paid off in 1959 when it was transferred to the Army. RNAS Crail, Fife. Commissioned in 1940 and paid off in 1947. RNAS St Merryn, Cornwall. Commissioned in 1940 and renamed HMS Curlew in January 1953. Closed for flying in December 1953 and paid off in 1956 when it went to the Air Ministry. RNAS Stretton, Warrington, Lancashire. Commissioned in 1942 and closed for flying in 1958. Paid off in late 1958. Acknowledgements: ‘Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy’ by Lieutenant Commander Ben Warlow R.N. Compiled by MIS on behalf of Cloud Observers. 2010.

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