MILITARIA

[SteveH]

Second story today...slight chance of a sighting, some unidentified jets passed Conwy this afternoon 

Red Arrows to fly over North Wales this afternoon - here's where and when you can see them
The elite pilots are taking to the skies to carry out rehearsals at RAF Valley

The aerial display team are here for pre-season training on the Hawk T1 simulator.

The elite pilots are due to leave Valley at 3.55pm passing west over Llanerchymedd at 3.57pm.

They will be travelling over Flintshire towards the north of Wrexham at 4.06pm.

Update on above

RAF Red Arrows grounded on Anglesey after Royal Navy jet crash in Cornwall
The aerial display team had been due to return from RAF Valley to their base this afternoon after a training session

The aerial display team had been due to leave Anglesey at 3.55pm to make their way back to their base at RAF Scampton.

But it has now emerged that they are being held overnight at Valley and may instead take to the skies tomorrow.

It comes after a Royal Navy Hawk T1 jet crashed in woodland in Cornwall this morning.

Two pilots safely ejected from the aircraft which is from the 736 Naval Air Squadron based at RNAS Culdrose, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed.

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[SteveH]

New Red Arrows flight timetable for Friday as aerial display team get set to leave RAF Valley

They are due to leave Valley at 4pm passing west over Llanerchymedd at 4.04pm.

They will be travelling over Flintshire towards the north of Wrexham at 4.11pm.

The Red Arrows at RAF Valley on Thursday afternoon ahead of a fly over of North East Wales.

[SteveH]

Two NATO warships have been spotted off the coast of North Wales ahead of a major two-week exercise.

One of the ships has stopped close to the Gwynt y Môr wind farm, while the second is close to the Conwy Platform, according to data from website marinetraffic.com.

Officials were unable to confirm the reason for the ships' appearance off the coast, but it is understood it is linked to a major exercise getting underway this month.

Exercise Strike Warrior, which takes place off Scotland, will involve more than 20 warships, three submarines and 150 aircraft from 11 nations.

It will be the UK Carrier Strike Group's "largest and most demanding exercise" so far before it heads out on operational deployment to the Mediterranean, Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific, according to the Royal Navy.

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[SteveH]

Two huge warships which were spotted off North Wales this week have docked in Liverpool.

The Royal Canadian Navy's HMCS Halifax and the Royal Danish Navy's HDMS Absalon arrived at the city's Cruise Liner Terminal on Thursday.

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[SteveH]

US fighter jet 'caused sonic boom' over North Wales - and it sounded like an 'explosion'
A USAF F-15 Eagle is believed to have been the source of the huge noise which rolled over parts of Conwy county

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[SteveH]

Red Arrows could fly foreign jets for the first time in their 56-year history
EXCLUSIVE: The Red Arrows, formally known as the RAF’s Aerobatic Display Team, used the two-seat, advanced training aircraft Folland Gnat when the squadron formed in 1965

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[SteveH]

The Red Arrows will fly over North Wales as they attend the RAF Valley Families Day.

The display team will be at the event in Anglesey, which is not open to the public, but plane spotters might catch a glimpse of them, and other aircraft, if they keep their eyes to the skies.

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[SteveH]

Update on above...

Red Arrows: 18 incredible pictures from RAF Valley Families Day
The famous team put on a colourful display in North Wales

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[SteveH]

I mentioned earlier about the Red Arrows flying over Llandudno this morning, beautiful sight, unfortunately just found out, their ground display team were in the area, sorry I missed them.........................

 

[SteveH]

I thought I was looking at the Balmoral for a minute.............

SCIENTISTS at Bangor University have helped identify a shipwreck in the middle of the Southern Irish Sea, previously thought to be that of a submarine, as the minesweeper, HMS Mercury.

Originally built as a Clyde-based ferry, HMS Mercury was requisitioned by the Admiralty in 1939 to serve as minesweeper.

It sank in 1940 after being damaged by a mine that it was attempting to clear and was reported lost off Southern Ireland.

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[SteveH]

BRANCH members gathered together to mark Merchant Navy Day in Llandudno.

North Wales Merchant Navy Association branch members were joined by their wives and two representatives from each of the RNLI and HM Coastal Watch on September 3.

Despite a chill wind, members congregated from about 10.30am, ready to start the memorial on time at 11am.

Mike Ridehalgh, chairman, said: "We give thanks to the local Harbour Master’s office which had kindly arranged for our easy access to the memorial for wreath laying and photographic purposes and a Red Duster was flying high and proudly close by.

"Our wreath was laid with due solemnity followed by a few words.

"The Poem ‘Heroes’ by David Pritchard was read and appreciated by all for its simple description of seafarers and what they did and continue to do for our community and country.

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[Blongb]

My old Boss Alan Bristow OBE, FRAeS as a young 3rd Officer, was sunk 5 times before he had enough and technically deserted the Merchant Navy, to join the Royal Navy. Very fortunately they recognised his potential and he became one of the first Helicopter Pilots. His legacy can be seen flying over North Wales almost every day.

Alan Bristow: Helicopter Pioneer - The Autobiography-Alan Bristow, Patrick Malon

Well worth a read

[SteveH]

I met Alan Bristow briefly, in the sixties, when I worked for Freddie Laker at British United Airways, I admired them, and they both influenced my future career.

[SteveH]

A PILOT from Llandudno who shot down six planes in the Battle of Britain became a “pin-up boy” for the town, according to a historian.

Glyn Griffiths, son of a proprietor of Llandudno’s West End Café that is now Tiffany’s, was the first person from Llandudno to be decorated for bravery after receiving the Distinguished Flying Medal from George VI in March 1941, following his role in the major air battle between the RAF and Luftwaffe.

After leaving John Bright County School and taking a job with Llandudno Urban District Council’s gas department, he volunteered to join the RAF before the war in 1937, along with three people around the same age from the school, two of whom were killed in the war – but Glyn would survive to tell the story of his courage, which was used by recruiting officers to encourage others in Llandudno to sign up.

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[SteveH]

Remembrance Day (Armistice Day) this year will fall on Thursday, November 11. Remembrance Sunday falls on November 14.

Services and parades are held across the country to remember and honour those who lost their lives in World War 1 and following conflicts.

As tradition, a two-minute silence is observed at 11am.

The first 2-minute silence in the UK was observed on November 11, 1919, celebrating the day the war ended one year prior.

What is the significance of 11am?
11am marks the time agreements were made that ended the first World War. The silence is held at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month.

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TOWNS across Conwy will fall silent this week to remember British soldiers who have died while serving their country.

Ceremonies are being held at town memorials on Remembrance Sunday to mark the signing of the Armistice and to show respect to the soldiers who fought and died during the First and Second World Wars, as well as later conflicts.

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Gwrych Castle to showcase handmade poppy cascade as part of stunning Remembrance tribute
The display entitled Hope, Remembrance and Respect will be at St Michael's Church in Abergele before moving to Gwrych Castle next year

A poppy cascade made from handmade knitted flowers is set to be displayed at Gwrych castle in a fitting remembrance tribute.

Crafted by a group of Abergele residents, the huge display of felt poppies has been created to mark Remembrance Day on November 11.

People from as far as Australia have donated handmade flowers to the display, which measures more than 100ft long.

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