SAR..
 

One of the first Airfix kits I ever screwed up was yellow.

Maybe politics demanded otherwise in the wider world but how indicative of its low fuss that its very final hours slipped by uncommented upon here. Out of interest, how many SAR awards were made and how many lives were saved?

Anyway, 'good job'.

What....that's it is it? I never even saw anything on the news.....have I been under a rock for too long? I'm with you Al R......I'd have thought it would have got a mention somewhere? Must be plenty of very, very grateful people out there?
MD

Just a big thank you to all the military SAR boys and girls for "being there" over the years, and for the many lives you have saved. Thanks too, and a pat on the side, for the Seakings, and aeroplane that did a brilliant job as did the Wessex and Whirlwind in earlier years.

So have the RAF/RN now ceased to perform the SAR role?

My understanding was that Bristow would begin its service this year, but not be fully operational until 2017. That implies some level of military SAR cover until then, or have I got that wrong?

Not gone yet, but the end starts today.

771 will be the last military SAR unit to go, next January.

As Mark Twain is supposed to have said: 'news of my death is greatly exaggerated' or as a pedant for the split infinitive - exaggerated greatly!

John Sergeant's recent - and totally navalised - tribute to the Sea King on TV might lead one to believe that military SAR is no more but it's still with us.

The transition to new aircraft and base changes this involves, is very much still to happen.

However, I very much hope that the services will make a great song and dance about the sixty plus years of military SAR.

Wander00 refers to Wessex/Whirlwind but don't forget Dragonfly and Sycamore before them. Nor should it be forgotten that the US forces have deployed their assets and to the Brits benefit as well.

There's a story to be told - I hope somebody, who knows what they are talking about, does it justice IDC.

Old Duffer

It was on the Scottish BBC news this morning that "D Flt" 202 Sqn at Lossiemouth are finished. Saying that Rescue 137 was apparently on a "job" in Glen Coe last night and still this morning (April 1st) I heard it go over my house in Forres about 9.00pm last night.

Professional to the very end...and then some, another classy decision by our so called military friendly politicians

Lossie farewell at last
 

Rescue 137 now tucked up in the hangar at Lossie after returning at lunchtime from it's very last job on Ben Nevis. A big well done to everybody concerned, air and ground crews, for all the great work over the years and to those moving to Inverness on the new contract, fly safe and carry on the proud history of Search and Rescue.

Here Here Bob

Agree with you on the US contribution Old-Duffer.

I well remember 20-something years ago waking to the news that the USAF had been requested to assist with a casevac at some great distance out in the Western Approaches. While having breakfast I heard an uncommon sound and went out into the garden to see a pair of MH-53s thunder over at rooftop height on their way. A little later they were followed by their Hercules tanker at a more conventional altitude. Spent the rest of the day visualising an MH-53 in RAF SAR yellow.

RAF SAR will cease to exist when Chivenor closes at the end of October - this is the end of the handover period as each new Bristow SAR flight is stood up.

As Martin says, the RN hold on until early 2017.

Lossiemouth were denied an end of SAR party, don't know what happened at Leconfield.

Sad days indeed.

A sad day indeed, as someone who spent many years down the 'Pit' at the old RCC I was often in awe when I read the 'R' reports that used to come in. Disgraceful that there isn't a national ceremony especially to those who made the ultimate sacrifice trying to save others.

Disgraceful that there isn't a national ceremony especially to those who made the ultimate sacrifice trying to save others.

There may and should be in due course. Don't have a wake until the corpse is cold.

Crab,

What's the story behind that then? Also, if no official end of SAR party is to be sanctioned, what's the potential for an unofficial bash?

Sun.

Farewell D Flight Lossie
 

There are other functions taking place at Lossie for serving personnel to mark the occasion but they have been ordered not to attend the get together at a hostelry in Elgin tomorrow night. I'm sure there will be enough ex-service members and appreciative civilians to ensure a good night will be had by all. If you're in the area do come along and join the party.

As an outsider to the SAR world, but one who holds them in the highest regard, IMHO the official line on the wind-down of Lossie SAR is a monumental f@ck up. And then to ban service people from happening to be in a particular pub at a particular time seems a monumental failure of leadership somewhere. Beggars belief. Rant over!

Funnily enough I have just been talking to my neighbour, ex FAA, now a civvy observer instructor on the King Airs at Culdrose. He is ex 771 and still does some time with them as a reservist, but as you say that will come to an end in Jan 2016.

He did look into the possibility of a job with Bristows at Newquay, but apparently these are like hen's teeth. Strangely enough the same does not apply to jobs at Stornaway!

It will be a great shame when the Sea Kings finally disappear from the skies around here - they seem to have been here for ever.

Even though they aren't yellow!

Many happy memories of travelling around the West Country in 1987/88 courtesy of the Yellow Wessex of RAF Chivenor.....

http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/...psmn7650ta.jpg

http://i1297.photobucket.com/albums/...psmxltlzh2.jpg

I don't know whether they had a party but two RAF Seakings, presumably Leaconfield's, flew over York city centre this lunchtime before heading down river. A couple of us watched from the office window until I mentioned to my colleague what the occasion was, then suddenly everybody was at the window watching !

I suspect the general and largely uninformed public holds mil SAR in far higher esteem than politicians even imagine. I know the new aircraft are faster/shinier/newer etc and I wish all involved well, I just hope the grown ups don't completely f*** it up.

I never needed them but thanks anyway.

Spent one Friday afternoon as a practice casualty. Whirlwind X from D Flight 202 Squadron dumped me in the Moray Firth, the winchman telling me as I departed the a/c to "Get your SARBE going, we need to do a square search first off!"

And with that all thoughts of a nice quiet afternoon disappeared! Eventually got to Happy Hour having done six different lifts, single strop, double strop, Robertson Stretcher, etc . . .

Nice to get it in the logbook between the F4 and the Shackleton . . . :ok:

Thanks for the experience, guys. Even though it was July 1975, it is still a memorable trip.