The RAF’s search and rescue legacy spans more than eight decades, from the creation of the first Search and Rescue unit in 1941 to today’s Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft crews monitoring radio traffic over the North Sea, according to the RAF.
Before being stood down in 2016, the RAF’s Search and Rescue Force was one of the longest peacetime operations conducted by any British military unit, responding to over 36,000 distress calls and rescuing more than 26,000 people. Its personnel earned the highest number of non-combat gallantry awards given to any RAF unit, including six George Medals and more than 50 Air Force Crosses.
The RAF say here that while the Search and Rescue Force may no longer exist as a formal unit, but the RAF continues to support search and rescue operations across the UK through a combination of operational assets and volunteers. Flight Lieutenant Phil of 120 Squadron said that alongside normal operational duties, his unit helped support the UK Coastguard with Mayday calls, using the Poseidon’s sensors to assist when ships or yachts were in danger.
He said crews aboard Poseidon aircraft monitored radio traffic during routine patrols of the UK and North Sea, allowing them to respond on an ad hoc basis to anyone in danger. “Having been involved in a number of these operations in the past searching for yachts lost at sea, they are very rewarding operations,” he said.
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Many fond memories of being chucked out of the side of the sea king onto a moving boat when they were allowed to use cadets as volunteers/volunteered 😁
Kids don’t have enough fun nowadays
Biggest mistake the Government of the day made was to take the Search and Rescue element away from the Armed Forces.
Why? HM Coast do a great job… many other nations.. maybe most?… use their Coast Guard or equivalent. Military crews still practice all the skills (RAF Valley)… and probably supply the CG! I remember as a Cadet visiting the ASR unit at RAF Chivenor (Whirlwind!) and being told that the first call for the crew was to find military personal and civilians came second. We were told to slam our backs against the walls if there was a scramble. There wasn’t!
I heard that aircrew were more often as not, on the lookout for Naturists at Crow point.