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Naval Shore Establishments
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Collections & Exhibitions › Collections ▼ › Information Bank › Naval Shore EstablishmentsHMS - When is a ship a real ship, and when is it a shore base? In Royal Navy and Royal Marines service records, personnel will be shown as serving on a ship. This does not necessarily mean they are at sea; instead they may be at a shore establishment. There were hundreds of these across the years and there are still many today. These are some you may come across in service records.
Naval Shore Establishments in alphabetical order – This list is NOT comprehensive
Ship |
Location |
Function |
Approx Period |
|
ABOUKIR |
Alexandria, Egypt |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
AFRIKANDER |
Simonstown, South Africa (Also Wingfield & Wynberg) |
Naval Base |
Pre WW2 & WW2 |
|
ALBATROSS |
Nowra, NSW, Australia |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
APHRODITE |
Cyprus |
Naval Base |
Post WW2 |
|
APPLEDORE |
Appledore, Devon |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
ARIEL |
Worthy Down, Winchester |
Naval Air Station |
Post WW2 |
|
ASBURY |
Quonset Point, USA |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
ASCENSION |
Ascension Island |
Naval Base |
1816 – 1923 |
|
ASSEGAI |
Durban, South Africa |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
ARMADILLO |
Argyll and Bute, Scotland |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
BALDUR |
Huitanes, Iceland |
Naval Air Section |
WW2 |
|
BAMBARA |
China Bay & Trincomalee, Sri Lanka |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
BHERUNDA |
Colombo Racecourse, Sri Lanka |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
BLACKCAP |
Warrington, Lancashire |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
BRAGANZA |
Bombay, India |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
BRITTANIA |
Dartmouth |
RN College |
|
|
BUZZARD |
Palisadoes, Jamaica |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
BYRSA |
Naples, Italy |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
CALEDONIA |
Rosyth |
Naval Base |
|
|
CAMBRIDGE |
Wembury, nr Plymouth |
Gunnery Range |
Post WW2 |
|
CANADA |
Halifax, Dartmouth & Yarmouth in Canada |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
CENTURION |
Gosport |
DPRORM |
Post WW2 |
|
CERES |
Wetherby, Yorks |
RN Supply & Secretariat School |
Post WW2 |
|
CHEMBUR |
Bombay, India |
RM Camp |
WW2 |
|
COCHRANE |
Rosyth |
Naval Base |
|
|
COMMONWEALTH |
Kure, Japan |
Naval Base |
Post WW2 |
|
CONDOR |
Arbroath |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
COPRA |
Largs, Scotland |
Combined Ops Pay & Drafting |
WW2 |
|
CORMORANT |
Gibraltar |
Naval Base |
|
|
CRICKET |
Bursledon, Hants |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
CURLEW |
St Merryn |
Naval Air Station |
Post WW2 |
|
DAEDALUS |
Lee-on-Solent, Hants |
Naval Air Station |
|
|
DARTMOUTH |
Dartmouth, Devon |
Landing Craft Training |
WW2 |
|
DIPPER |
Henstridge |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
DOLPHIN |
Gosport |
Submarine Depot |
|
|
DRAGONFLY |
Hayling Island |
Combined Operations Base |
WW2 |
|
DRAKE |
Devonport |
RN Barracks |
|
|
DUNDONALD |
Auchengate |
Combined Operations Signals School |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
EFFINGHAM |
Dartmouth |
Combined Operations Base |
WW2 |
|
EXCELLENT |
Whale Island, Portsmouth |
RN Gunnery School |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FALCON |
Hal Far, Malta |
Naval Air Station |
Pre & post WW2 |
|
FIELDFARE |
Evanton, Scotland |
Naval Air Yard |
WW2 |
|
FLEDGLING |
Milmeece |
WRNS Air Training Camp |
WW2 |
|
FLYCATCHER |
Ludham, Norfolk & Middle Wallop, Hants |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
FLYING FOX |
Bristol |
RNR |
|
|
FOLIOT |
Plymouth |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
FULMAR |
Lossiemouth |
Naval Air Station |
Post WW2 |
|
FULMAR II |
Milltown |
Naval Air Station |
Post WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
GADWALL |
Belfast (Sydenham) |
Naval Air Station & Air Yard |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
GAMECOCK |
Bramcote |
Naval Air Station |
Post WW2 |
|
GANGES |
Harwich |
Boys Training Establishment |
|
|
GANNET |
Eglinton, Londonderry |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
GANNET |
Prestwick, Ayrshire |
Naval Air Base – Search & Rescue |
Post 1971 |
|
GARUDA |
Coimbatore, India |
Naval Air Yard |
WW2 |
|
GLORY |
Murmansk |
RM Field Force and 6th Bn (?) |
1918-1919 |
|
GODWIT |
Hinstock |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
GODWIT II |
Peplow |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
GOLDCREST |
Dale, then Brawdy |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
GOLDEN HIND |
Sydney NSW |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
GOLDFINCH |
Ta Kali, Malta |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
GOSHAWK |
Piarco, Trinidad |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
GOSLING |
Risley |
Training Establishment |
WW2 |
|
GREBE |
Dekheila, Egypt |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
HAITAN |
Gan (Addu Attol) |
Naval Air Strip |
WW2 |
|
HAMILCAR |
Algeria/Messina |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
HANNIBAL |
Algiers/Taranto |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
HARRIER |
Kete |
Aircraft Direction Centre |
Post WW2 |
|
HELDER |
Brightlingsea |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
HERON |
Yeovilton |
Naval Air Station |
|
|
HIGHFLYER |
Trincomalee |
Naval Base |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
HORNBILL |
Culham |
Naval Air Station |
Post WW2 |
|
HORNET |
Gosport |
Coastal Forces Base |
Pre WW2 & WW2 |
|
HUMMINGBIRD |
Zeals, Wiltshire |
Naval Air Station |
Post WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
JACKDAW |
Crail, Fife |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
JACKDAW II |
Dunino, Fife |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
JUFAIR |
Bahrain |
Naval Base |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KING ALFRED |
Hove |
RNVR training establishment |
WW2 |
|
KESTREL |
Worthy Down |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
KILELE |
Tanga, Tanzania |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
KIPANGA II |
Mackinnon Road |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
KONGONI |
Durban, South Africa |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
KORONGO |
Nairobi, Kenya |
Naval Air Yard |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
LANDLOCK |
Cochin/Singapore |
MOLCAB2* |
WW2 |
|
LANDRAIL |
Machrihanish |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
LANDSWELL |
Cochin/Singapore |
MOLCAB1 * |
WW2 |
|
LANKA |
Colombo |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
MACAW |
Bootle, Cumberland |
Naval Aircrew Reception Centre |
WW2 |
|
MALABAR |
Bermuda and Jamaica |
Naval Base |
|
|
MALAGAS |
Wingfield, South Africa |
Naval Air Station & Repair Yard |
WW2 |
|
MARTIAL |
Alexandria |
MNBDO ** Depot Ship |
WW2 |
|
MARVE |
Bombay |
RM Camp – Landing Craft |
WW2 |
|
MASHOBRA |
Narvik, Norway |
MNBDO Base ship |
1939-1940 |
|
MEDINA |
Puckpool Camp, IoW |
Aircrew New Entry Camp |
WW2 |
|
MENACE |
Portsmouth |
MNBDO2 Base Ship |
WW2 |
|
MERCURY |
East Meon, nr Petersfield |
RN Signal School |
|
|
MERGANSER |
Rattray, Scotland |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
MERLIN |
Donibristle, Scotland |
Naval Air Station & Repair Yard |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
MESSINA |
|
LST 3043 |
|
|
MONAB *** |
|
Mobile Naval Air Base |
WW2 |
|
MONCK |
Port Glasgow |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
MORAGAI |
Gan (Addu Attol) |
Naval Air Strip |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
NABARON |
Ponam & Pittyilu, Admiralty Islands |
MONAB 4 *** |
WW2 |
|
NABBERLEY |
Bankstown, Australia |
MONAB 2 *** |
WW2 |
|
NABBINGTON |
Nowra, Australia |
MONAB 1 *** |
WW2 |
|
NABCATCHER |
Kai Tak, Hong Kong |
MONAB 8 *** |
WW2 |
|
NABHURST |
|
MONAB 10 *** |
WW2 |
|
NABREEKIE |
Archerfield, Australia |
MONAB 7 *** |
WW2 |
|
NABROCK |
Sembawang, Singapore |
MONAB 9 *** |
WW2 |
|
NABSFORD |
Archerfield, Australia |
Temporary Air Maintenance Yard |
WW2 |
|
NABSTOCK |
Maryborough & Schofields, South Africa |
MONAB 6 *** |
WW2 |
|
NABSWICK |
Jervis Bay & Nowra, Aus |
MONAB 5 *** |
WW2 |
|
NABTHORPE |
Schofields, South Africa |
MONAB 3 *** |
WW2 |
|
NARVIK |
Monte Bello |
LST 3044 |
1952 |
|
NELSON |
Portsmouth |
RN Barracks |
|
|
NEPTUNE |
Faslane |
Submarine Base |
|
|
NIGHTHAWK |
Drem |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
NIGHTJAR |
Inskip |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
NILE |
Alexandria |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
NORTHENEY |
Hayling Island |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
NUTHATCH |
Anthorn, Cumberland |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
ODYSSEY |
Ilfracombe/London |
RN Accounting base |
WW2 |
|
OSPREY |
Portland |
Naval Base |
|
|
OWL |
Fearn |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
PEEWIT |
East Haven |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
PEMBROKE |
Chatham |
RN Barracks |
|
|
PEMBROKE II |
Eastchurch |
Naval Air Station |
WW1 |
|
PEREGRINE |
Ford, Sussex |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
PHOENICIA |
Manoel Island, Malta |
RN Accounting Base |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
PHOENIX |
Fayid, Egypt |
Naval Air Yard |
WW2 |
|
PINTAIL |
Nutts Corner, NI |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
PRESIDENT |
London |
RN Accounting Base |
|
|
PROSPERINE |
Lyness, Scapa Flow |
Naval Base |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
QUEBEC |
Inverary, Scotland |
Combined Training Centre |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
RAJALIYA |
Puttalam, Sri Lanka |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
RALEIGH |
Torpoint, Cornwall |
RN Training Establishment |
|
|
RAVEN |
Eastleigh, Hants |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
RINGTAIL |
Burscough |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
ROBERTSON |
Nr Sandwich, Kent |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
ROBIN |
Grimsetter |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
ROOKE |
Gibraltar |
Naval Base |
|
|
ROSENEATH |
Roseneath, Dunbartonshire |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
ROYAL ALBERT |
London & Germany |
RN Accounting Base (NP 1749) |
WW2 |
|
ROYAL ARTHUR |
Butlins, Skegness |
RN Training Establishment |
WW2 |
|
ROYAL ARTHUR |
Corsham, Wilts |
Petty Officers’ School |
Post WW2 |
|
ROYAL PRINCE |
Krefeld, Germany |
Landing Craft Base (Rhine Squadron (NP 1817) |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
ST ANGELO |
Malta |
Naval Base |
|
|
ST GEORGE |
Isle of Man |
Naval Training Establishment |
WW2 |
|
ST GEORGE |
Portsmouth |
Gunnery Range (Eastney) |
|
|
ST HELIER |
Dartmouth |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
ST MATHEW |
Burnham-on-Crouch, |
Landing Craft Training |
WW2 |
|
ST VINCENT |
Gosport |
RN Training Establishment |
|
|
SAKER |
New York, USA |
RN Accounting Base |
|
|
SANDERLING |
Abbotsinch |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
SAUNDERS |
Kabrit, Egypt |
Combined Training Centre |
WW2 |
|
SEABORN |
Dartmouth, Canada |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
SEA EAGLE |
Londonderry |
Naval Base (see EGLINGTON) |
|
|
SEAHAWK |
Culdrose, Cornwall |
Naval Air Station |
Post WW2 |
|
SERUWA |
Ratmalana, Sri Lanka |
Personnel Transit Camp |
WW2 |
|
SHEBA |
Aden |
Naval Base |
|
|
SHRIKE |
Maydown, NI |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
SIMBANG |
Sembawang, Singapore |
Naval Air Station & RM Camp |
|
|
SISKIN |
Gosport |
Naval Air Station |
Post WW2 |
|
SPARROWHAWK |
Orkneys |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
SPHINX |
Alexandria, Egypt |
Naval Accommodation Camp |
WW2 |
|
SPURWING |
Hastings, Sierra Leone |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
SQUID |
Southampton |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
STRIKER |
Malta |
LST 3516 |
|
|
SULTAN |
Gosport |
RN Training Establishment |
|
|
SUVLA |
|
LST 3518 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
TAMAR |
Hong Kong |
Naval Base |
|
|
TEMERAIRE |
Portsmouth |
RN PT School |
|
|
TERROR |
Singapore |
Naval Base |
|
|
TERN |
Twatt |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
THUNDERER |
Keyham, Plymouth |
RN Engineering School |
|
|
TRACKER |
|
LST 3522 |
|
|
TURNSTONE |
Watford |
Air Fitter Training Camp |
WW2 |
|
TURTLE |
Poole |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
UKUSSA |
Katukurunda, Sri Lanka |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
URLEY |
Ronaldsway, Isle of Man |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
VAIRI |
Sulur, India |
Naval Aircraft Storage Depot |
WW2 |
|
VALKYRIE |
Douglas, Isle of Man |
RN Training Establishment |
WW2 |
|
VALLURU |
Tambaram, India |
Naval Air Station & Air Yard |
WW2 |
|
VANGUARD |
Portsmouth |
Training Squadron |
Post WW2 |
|
VERNON |
Portsmouth |
RN Training Establishment |
|
|
VICTORY |
Portsmouth |
RN Accounting Base |
|
|
VULTURE |
St Merryn, Cornwall |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
VULTURE II |
Treligga, Cornwall |
Bombing & Gunnery Range |
WW2 & post WW2 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
WAGTAIL |
Ayr, Scotland |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
WARA |
Komenda, Takoradi, Ghana |
Naval Air Station |
WW2 |
|
WAXWING |
Townhill Camp |
Naval Air Depot |
WW2 |
|
WESSEX |
Southampton |
RNR |
|
|
WESTCLIFFE |
Southend |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
|
WOLVERSTONE |
Ipswich |
Landing Craft Base |
WW2 |
Notes:
* MOLCAB - Mobile Landing Craft Advanced Base
** MNBDO - Mobile Naval Base Defence Organisation
*** MONAB - Mobile Naval Air Base – final establishments commenced with ‘NAB’
Full details are not included where the name of the establishment had a Roman Numeral suffix (e.g., VICTORY I, II, III, etc.)
Recommended Reading:
Shore Establishments of the Royal Navy by Lt.Cdr. B Warlow RN (Maritime Books, Second Edition 2000) ISBN 0 907771 73 4
