Marchwood
MARCHWOOD: Military helipads
Location: On the top W side of Southampton Water, across and W of Southampton city centre
Period of operation: Originally built in 1943 to aid the D-Day landings, it came into some prominence during the Falklands war in 1982. However, there was considerable expansion when the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan needed to be supplied.
Note: These three pictures were obtained from Google Earth ©
The third picture shows the position of both helipads.
Helipads: Searching Google Earth, (since 1999), I had expected to find quite a substantial helipad facility. But no, in fact it appears that during the first ten years of the 21st century just a small helipad situated in the playing fields on the south side of the site was used. Later in the second decade another helipad was marked out on the apron where vehicles embarked onto the ships.
Note: These three pictures were also obtained from Google Earth ©
JUST FOR INTEREST
Whilst searching Google Earth for helipads at MARCHWOOD I came across this picture from 1999. The helipads on both these naval supply vessels can be clearly seen. And I suppose, that as Royal Navy vessels can be regarded as 'sovereign territory', or something similar, given that this 'Guide' intends to list as many different UK flying sites as possible - they deserve a mention?
A PERSONAL MEMORY
Well, this is after all my web-site, so why not tell a story?
Nothing to do with flying but very much involved with MARCHWOOD, the three main supply vessels for the Iraq and Afghanistan wars were Ro-Ro ferries requisitioned/hired/leased from the company operating Dart Line from Dartford in Kent to Zeebrugge in Belgium.
I cannot even begin to add up how many hours I have spent on those vessels on overnight crossings, and they were getting on a bit even then. Being freighters they only carried twelve truck drivers. Not having stabilizers we always knew we were in for a rough crossing from Zeebrugge when we were fed before we sailed. Then the chairs were roped together around the tables.
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