Portland Naval Base

[MrMitty]

Hi

I was recently in weymouth area at the Haven holidays camp. Anyway we took a drive on to an area called Portland Bill, there is a prison on it but my main interest was the Naval base which was incredibly fortress like but seemed to be unoccupied. Anyone know where i can find out a bit more about this base as I have tried a search on google and not really come up with much. Is it unused?

Thank you

m

[MrMitty]

Corrected!

I have found conflicting news items that the base is to close but it is still on the RN website.

Cheers

[Mike]

Mr Mitty.....Portland Naval base was, in my time, the testing base for all naval ships.....known as work up....All vessels, once a refit had been completed and the crew drafted on board, had to go to Portland for a period of Work Up, this would entail all aspects of the working of the ship in both civil and military roles, from working the guns, internal electronic warfare etc, everything you could think of. The duration of the work up depended on the size of the vessel and would be probably the hardest part of the ships commission. Today, I believe that the base is all but closed, there the Naval air base was is now the Coastguard SAR heilo base for the area, St Albans head to Berry head, Tore Bay. I hope that, in part answers your question.... Most of us that served with the Grey Funnel Line remember the place with a wee bit of trepidation, tho the run a shore in Weymouth was quite a good'n
Aye
Mike

[mike carew]

Portland naval base is closed now however there are still ships coming in to the port being repaired by manor marine. it has been closed for a few years the only thing that is still open is the swimming pool.

[MrMitty]

Thanks Chaps

I was very awestruck by the actual building it almost looks like a sort of battleship itself. it has a real sense of "cold war" about it I think. I wonder what will become of it?

I was lucky enough to witness the coastguard helicopter landing when I was there, I also noticed some lynx helicopters there as well.

Cheers

mitty