A Royal Navy task group in the Caribbean is ready to help island communities after a series of intensive workouts demonstrating their ability to react to humanitarian disasters. The Humanitarian and Disaster Relief (HADR) capability brings together a coordinated team of commandos, engineers, aviators and sailors capable of bringing assistance to British Overseas Territories … [Read more...]
Navy’s Caribbean task group meets for hurricane season
The Royal Navy’s Caribbean task group has joined forces in Montserrat for the first time as it prepares for the impending hurricane season. Helicopter carrier/support ship RFA Argus linked up with the Royal Navy’s permanent presence in the region, HMS Medway, to begin their combined disaster relief planning and preparations. It’s just six weeks till the storm season … [Read more...]
Royal Navy first in fight against Ebola
Blood from British sailors is being used for the first time to fight the deadly Ebola virus in Sierra Leone. Two Royal Navy nurses – Chief Petty Officer (Naval Nurse) Mark ‘Robbie’ Robinson and Petty Officer (Naval Nurse) Mark Bailey – set up a volunteer emergency blood donor panel onboard Royal Fleet Auxiliary ship Argus off the West Coast of Africa. The panel was … [Read more...]
Royal Navy delivers New Year cheer to orphans in Sierra Leone
The men and women of RFA Argus have raised thousands of pounds and delivered gifts to orphans at a school in Sierra Leone. A Merlin helicopter from 820 Naval Air Squadron dropped in on the EducAid School to deliver clothing donated by well wishers back in the UK including Pro-Direct, an internet sports company that sent 6 boxes of new sports equipment including football … [Read more...]
The lonely road to Orkney
LANDS End to John O'Groats is so yesterday. Falmouth to Stromness in Orkney is the ultimate challenge for cyclists in 2012. At the end of March, observer Lt Edwin 'Coops' Cooper of 824 Naval Air Squadron at Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose sets off on the 'home to home' challenge: from his home in Falmouth, to the family home in the windswept Scottish islands. Coops will … [Read more...]
A spot of wizardry from Navy’s trainee Merlin crews
Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose is about to receive the updated Merlin Mk2 helicopter which will bring the latest technology to the Merlin squadrons at the base. The latest batch of trainee Merlin aircrew, eighteen pilots, observers and aircrewmen from 824 Naval Air Squadron, are completing years of arduous training off the Cornish coast before the next-generation version of … [Read more...]
