Out on a Shout
Today I was fortunate enough to be invited out onto the Shoreham Harbour Lifeboat for a trip down the coast to Brighton for a gathering of crews from Brighton, Shoreham and Newhaven to celebrate Christmas and the New Year. Unfortunately the trip had to be delayed as during preparations for launch the crew got a shout and had to launch to assist a Dutch fisherman who had suffered an injury and required airlifting to hospital.
After providing assistance the crew returned and made the short journey down the coast to Brighton, with an escort by the Brighton Lifeboat for part of the journey. This provided a chance to take a few photos of their (relatively) new Class 85 Atlantic Lifeboat Random Harvest which the station received in September.
Brighton's new Atlantic 85 class lifeboat, named Random Harvest surges through waves off the coast of Brighton.
I have only had time to process a handful of images from today so far, but I hope to have them uploaded to my "On Exercise with the Shoreham Harbour Lifeboat" gallery very shortly.
14 Sqn Say Farewell to Shoreham Airport
At around 2pm this afternoon Shoreham Airport came to a standstill as everyone looked up to see a flypast from a Tornado from No. 14 Squadron RAF, flown from RAF Lossiemouth as a farewell to Shoreham Airport before the squadron gets disbanded in June after being axed in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR).
A 14 Squadron Tornado flies over the Terminal Building at Shoreham Airport.
No. 14 Squadron formed at Shoreham Airport on the 3rd of February 1915 from a nucleus provided by No. 3 Reserve Squadron, and worked up on a variety of types before departing for the Middle East in November with Maurice Farman S.11 and B.E.2 aircraft. It was tasked with Army co-operation duties in Egypt, Palestine and Arabia, and carried out a series of detachments around the region as hot spots occurred. In November 1917, the Squadron received RE8s and concentrated on reconnaissance duties until recalled the UK in January 1919 and disbanded the following month.
On the 1 February 1920 the squadron was reformed in Ramleh by renumbering No. 111 Squadron. The squadron operated Bristol Fighters and used them for various duties including photo surveying and air policing. The squadron patrolled Trans-Jordan and Palestine for the next 20 years, it was during this period that the squadron gained its Squadron Motto which is unique for being Arabic, an extract from the Qur'an, which when translated to English reads: "I spread my wings and keep my promise".
A plaque at Shoreham Airport commemorating the 75th Anniversary of 14 Squadron in 1990.
At the start of the Second World War, the Squadron found themselves equipped with Wellesley bombers. With the expected advance of Axis forces through Africa, the Squadron began bombing targets in Eritrea in June 1940 before re-equipping with Blenheims and a flight of Gladiators by the end of the year. These were used until the summer of 1942 when B-26 Marauders were taken on strength and used in bombing, mine-laying and shipping reconnaissance missions.
In March 1943 it started performing anti-submarine missions out of Algeria before transferring back to the UK in October 1944. On returning to the UK the Squadron was based at RAF Chivenor and carried out anti-submarine mission using Vickers Wellingtons. The squadron was again disbanded on the 1 June 1945 but was reborn the same day, when No. 143 Squadron was renumbered. 143 Squadron were based at Banff at the time and were operating the De Havilland Mosquito. This incarnation of the squadron was short lived, being disbanded on the 31st of March 1946.
A 14 Squadron Tornado flies over Shoreham Airport.
Disbandment did not last long however, the following day No.128 Squadron, operating Mosquitos at RAF Wahn in Germany, was renumbered No.14 squadron and the squadron lived again. In 1951 the squadron received Vampires to replace the Mosquitos, while in 1953 the Vampires were traded for Venoms. The squadron converted to the day-fighter role when it received Hawker Hunters in 1955 while based at RAF Oldenburg, where they stayed for two years before moving to RAF Ahlhorn. The squadron used the Hunters until the 17th of December 1962, when the unit was disbanded at RAF Gutersloh. The same day however No.88 Squadron was renumbered No.14 Squadron, flying Canberras from RAF Wildenrath until disbandment there on the 30th of June 1970.
On that same 30th of June 1970 the squadron was reformed at RAF Bruggen and operated McDonnell Douglas Phantoms until April 1975, when they were replaced with the SEPECAT Jaguar. From 1976 their role at RAF Bruggen, assigned to SACEUR, was support of the army in a European land battle, first in a conventional role, and later in a nuclear delivery role should tactical nuclear weapons be used. The squadron's twelve Jaguars were expected by RAF planning staff to suffer attrition of one third their strength, leaving sufficient survivors to deliver their stockpile of eight WE.177 nuclear bombs. From 1986 the squadron's twelve Jaguars were exchanged for twelve Tornado GR.1s, for use in a similar role. Tornados were able to carry two WE.177 nuclear bombs, and the RAF staff expected that there would be enough survivors of the conventional war phase to deliver an increased stock of eighteen bombs. No.14 Squadron was believed to have relinquished its nuclear delivery role in 1994.
A 14 Squadron Tornado returns to RAF Lossiemouth after performing a flypast at Shoreham Airport.
In August 1990, the squadron was dispatched to Bahrain in response to the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait as part of Operation Granby, before returning to the UK in January 2001 and currently operates from RAF Lossiemouth undertaking precision bombings by utilising the TIALD system.
The Squadron has a long and varied history and the Squadron's Battle Honours list reflects that:
With such a varied history we can hope that we will once again see No. 14 Squadron take to the skies again.
A 14 Squadron Tornado roars into the distance.
HMS Shoreham Awarded The Freedom of Shoreham
HMS Shoreham (M112) moored in Shoreham Harbour next to Shoreham Power Station.
Over the past weekend there was a rare visitor to Shoreham Harbour in the form of HMS Shoreham, the Royal Navy's newest Sandown class Minehunter, one of the most advanced of its type in the world.
Launched in 2001 she has always had close ties with the town for which she was named, calling into port as often as she could whilst maintaining a busy schedule of deployments and regular training in the waters off Scotland. Unfortunately recently she has been unable to make regular visits as she has in the past, mainly due to her home port being changed from Portsmouth to Falsane. This visit was able to be arranged to take place after a brief visit to Portsmouth where her crew, and the crews of several other of the Royal Navy's Minehunters who had just returned from a deployment in the Gulf, were awarded their campaign medals by Prince Harry. A very memorable day for HMS Shoreham's youngest crew member who had his medal awarded to him on his 20th birthday.
HMS Shoreham arrived on Friday and began preparations for a busy weekend of hosting local dignitaries and community groups, including members of Adur District Council who have developed a strong friendship with the ship’s crew since its affiliation in 1998. However the biggest event took place on Sunday, in the car park of the Community Centre located in Pond Road. Where the Chairman of Adur District Council, Debbie Kennard, presented the Commanding Officer of HMS Shoreham, Lieutenant Commander Sarah West, with the Freedom of Shoreham. It was decided to confer the honour on HMS Shoreham and her crew in an Extraordinary General Meeting of the council earlier this year.
HMS Shoreham (M112) moored in Shoreham Harbour during her recent port visit.
After being presented with the Freedom of Shoreham, the crew of HMS Shoreham then took to the streets of Shoreham to exercise their right to march through the town with bayonets fixed, colours flying and drums beating. The crew were accompanied for their march by the Band of HM Royal Marines Portsmouth, led by Drum Major John Beech. Their route took them through much of the old part of New Shoreham as well as the High Street which was closed especially for the occasion, passing The Marlipins Maritime Museum which details Shoreham's extensive and varied maritime history which ranges from being a bustling medieval port to the location of King Charles II escape to France in 1651 after his defeat in the Battle of Worcester.
The crew of HMS Shoreham march past The Marlipins Maritime Museum with their Bayonets fixed after being awarded The Freedom of Shoreham.
After the march passed the Marlipins Museum it left the High Street, turning up Church Street and passing through the Churchyard of St Mary de Haura Church in the Town Centre, which has stood looking over the Port of Shoreham for over 900 years. After travelling through the Churchyard, the march then passed the Post Office in Brunswick Road and headed down Western Road back towards the Community Centre, where after passing the Chairman of Adur District Council, Debbie Kennard, and the Commanding Officer of HMS Shoreham, Lieutenant Commander Sarah West, the march finished and the sailors who formed the guard were dismissed and joined a reception held by Adur District Council in the Community Centre.
After being awarded the Freedom of Shoreham the crew of HMS Shoreham march through the town with bayonets fixed, here passing St Mary de Haura Church in the Town Centre, which has stood looking over the Port of Shoreham for over 900 years.
On having the honour of The Freedom of Shoreham bestowed upon her ship and crew The Commanding Officer of HMS Shoreham, Lieutenant Commander, Sarah West, said: "It is a fantastic honour to have the Freedom of Shoreham conferred on HMS Shoreham and her crew. The ship's company and I will feel very proud to exercise this ancient right in our favourite town."
It was good to see that along the route people had gathered and stopped to watch the march and cheer on the crew even though there had been nothing in any of the local papers regarding this unique event happening in the town. Perhaps next time the crew of HMS Shoreham decide to exercise their right to March through the streets of Shoreham with Bayonets fixed the local residents could be given a bit of warning and we could see some larger crowds!
Unfortunately all good things must come to an end and HMS Shoreham left port at Midday on Tuesday, to return to the rigorous training exercises which her crew undertake to ensure they are fully prepared for their dangerous role wherever they may be deployed to.
HMS Shoreham (M112) sails out of Shoreham Harbour.
Click for a Full Gallery of the Weekend
A Walk in the Snow
A walker takes his dog for a walk on the snow covered South Downs, near Shoreham in West Sussex, during a cold snap in December 2010.
The South Downs is the UK's newest National Park, it came into effect on the 31st of March 2010 after years of campaigning. It currently stretches from Beachy Head in East Sussex, through the South Downs in West Sussex and ends just outside Winchester in Hampshire.
Snowy Scene
A Bench sits on the snowy ground underneath a tree in Buckingham Park, Shoreham By Sea on a misty morning after a snow shower in December 2010.