HMS Vernon (shore Establishment)
HMS ''Vernon'' was a shore establishment or "stone frigate" of the Royal Navy in Portsmouth. ''Vernon'' was established on 26 April 1876 as the Royal Navy's Torpedo Branch also known as the Torpedo School, named after the ship which served as part of its floating base. After the First World War, HMS ''Vernon'' moved ashore, taking over the Gunwharf site, where it continued to operate until 1 April 1996, when the various elements comprising the establishment were split up and moved to different commands. Foundation and early history The second ship to be called ended her career laid up in Chatham Dockyard as a floating coaling jetty. In 1872 she was moved to become a tender to for torpedo and mining training. In 1874 she was joined by , an iron screw torpedo vessel. ''Vesuvius'' was attached as an Experimental Tender for the conduct of torpedo trials, and remained in the role until 1923. On 26 April 1876 ''Vernon'' was joined by the former steam frigate and the lighter '' ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Peter Scott
Sir Peter Markham Scott, (14 September 1909 – 29 August 1989) was a British ornithologist, conservationist, painter, naval officer, broadcaster and sportsman. The only child of Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott, he took an interest in observing and shooting wildfowl at a young age and later took to their breeding. He established the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust in Slimbridge in 1946 and helped found the World Wide Fund for Nature, the logo of which he designed. He was a yachting enthusiast from an early age and took up gliding in mid-life. He was part of the UK team for the 1936 Summer Olympics and won a bronze medal in sailing. He was knighted in 1973 for his work in conservation of wild animals and was also a recipient of the WWF Gold Medal and the J. Paul Getty Prize. Early life Scott was born in London at 174, Buckingham Palace Road, the only child of Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott and sculptor Kathleen Bruce. He was only two years old when his fat ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Edward Philip Harrison
Prof Edward Philip Harrison FRSE (1877 – 6 May 1948) was a British physicist and meteorologist. As a military engineer he played a role in the development of torpedoes and magnetic mines, and laid the foundations for the creation of the Limpet mine. Life He was born in London in 1877 the son of Robert William Harrison. He studied Physics at University College, London and did further postgraduate training in Zurich. His first major role was as Professor of Physics at the Presidency College in Calcutta in India where he simultaneously was the Head of the Calcutta Observatory. In 1913 he was elected a Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh. His proposers were Cargill Gilston Knott, Sir William Fletcher Barrett, George Alexander Carse, and Sir Edmund Taylor Whittaker. During the First World War he appears to have been deeply involved in the development of torpedoes and magnetic mines. Information on this is scant due to its classified nature. In 1923 he began working as Chief S ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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RNAS Yeovilton (HMS Heron)
Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton, or RNAS Yeovilton, (HMS ''Heron'') is an airfield of the Royal Navy and British Army, sited a few miles north of Yeovil, Somerset. It is one of two active Fleet Air Arm bases (the other being RNAS Culdrose) and is currently home to the Royal Navy Wildcat HMA2 and Army Air Corps Wildcat AH1 helicopters as well as the Royal Navy's Commando Helicopter Force Merlin HCi3/4/4A and Wildcat AH1 helicopters. The site consists of of airfield sites plus ranges and minor estates. Royal Naval Air Station (RNAS) Yeovilton is a large multi-role air station with an annual budget of some £61 million. The airfield is also home to the Fleet Air Arm Museum and the station hosts an annual Air Day in July. History In 1938, the potential of the land at Yeovilton for use as an airfield was spotted by Westland Aircraft's chief test pilot Harald Penrose and an offer was made to buy the land. The owners, howeverthe Ecclesiastical Commissioners of the Church of En ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Portland Harbour
Portland Harbour is located beside the Isle of Portland, Dorset, on the south coast of England. Construction of the harbour began in 1849; when completed in 1872, its surface area made it the largest man-made harbour in the world, and remains one of the largest in the world today. It is naturally protected by Portland to the south, Chesil Beach to the west and mainland Dorset to the north. It consists of four breakwaters — two southern and two northern. These have a total length of and enclose approximately of water. Portland Harbour was built by the Admiralty as a facility for the Royal Navy (though access was also available to merchant ships); on 11 December 1923 it was formally designated HM Naval Base (HMNB) Portland, and continued to serve as such until closure in 1995. History Creation of harbour of refuge (1844–1872) The original harbour was naturally protected by the south coast of England, Chesil Beach and the Isle of Portland, providing refuge for ships ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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RNAS Portland (HMS Osprey)
RNAS Portland (ICAO: EGDP) was an air station of the Royal Navy, situated at the Isle of Portland, Dorset, England. It was established in 1917 on the western edge of Portland Harbour as HMS ''Sarepta''. From 1959 the station shared the name HMS ''Osprey'', the anti-submarine establishment based at Portland, with helicopters used for research and development in anti-submarine techniques. RNAS Portland remained operational until 1999. History The original seaplane base was established during World War I, in 1917, as HMS ''Sarepta''. The station used floatplanes, which flew coastal patrols to protect shipping from German U-boat attacks. In August 1918 HMS ''Sarepta'' was taken over by the RAF, and a larger unit of 12 aircraft was formed as No. 241 Squadron RAF. Following the Armistice in November 1918, the squadron was disbanded and aviation operations ceased at Portland in 1919. Following the inter-war period, a Fleet Requirements Unit, 772 Squadron, arrived at Portland i ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Figurehead And No 1 Gunwharf Quay - Geograph
In politics, a figurehead is a person who ''de jure'' (in name or by law) appears to hold an important and often supremely powerful title or office, yet ''de facto'' (in reality) exercises little to no actual power. This usually means that they are head of state, but not head of government. The metaphor derives from the carved figurehead at the prow of a sailing ship. Examples Monarchs in some constitutional monarchies, and presidents in parliamentary republics are often considered to be figureheads. Commonly cited figureheads include Queen Elizabeth II, who was queen of 15 Commonwealth realms and head of the Commonwealth, but had no power over the nations in which she was not head of government and did not exercise power in her own realms on her own initiative. Other figureheads include the Emperor of Japan and the King of Sweden, as well as presidents in a majority of parliamentary republics, such as the presidents of India, Israel, Bangladesh, Greece, Hungary, Germany, Austr ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Dartmouth, Devon
Dartmouth () is a town and civil parish in the English county of Devon. It is a tourist destination set on the western bank of the estuary of the River Dart, which is a long narrow tidal ria that runs inland as far as Totnes. It lies within the South Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and South Hams district, and had a population of 5,512 in 2001, reducing to 5,064 at the 2011 census. There are two electoral wards in the ''Dartmouth'' area ( Townstal & Kingswear). Their combined population at the above census was 6,822. History In 1086, the Domesday Book listed ''Dunestal'' as the only settlement in the area which now makes up the parish of Dartmouth. It was held by Walter of Douai. It paid tax on half a hide, and had two plough teams, two slaves, five villagers and four smallholders. There were six cattle, 40 sheep and 15 goats. At this time Townstal (as the name became) was apparently a purely agricultural settlement, centred around the church. Walter of Dou ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Brixham
Brixham is a coastal town and civil parish, the smallest and southernmost of the three main population centres (the others being Paignton and Torquay) on the coast of Torbay in the county of Devon, in the south-west of England. Commercial fishing and tourism are the two main industries. As of 2020 Brixham had an estimated population of 16,823. It is believed that the name Brixham originates from the personal name of an early resident, Brioc, followed by the Old English suffix, ''ham'' meaning home. The town, which is predominantly hilly, is built around a picturesque natural harbour, which in addition to leisure craft, provides anchorage for what is now one of England’s (but not the UK’s) largest remaining commercial fishing fleets. A conspicuous local tourist attraction is the permanently moored replica of Sir Francis Drake's ship ''Golden Hind''. Historically Brixham was made up of two separate communities connected only by a marshy lane. In Fishtown, in the immediate v ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Brighton
Brighton () is a seaside resort and one of the two main areas of the City of Brighton and Hove in the county of East Sussex, England. It is located south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods. The ancient settlement of "Brighthelmstone" was documented in the '' Domesday Book'' (1086). The town's importance grew in the Middle Ages as the Old Town developed, but it languished in the early modern period, affected by foreign attacks, storms, a suffering economy and a declining population. Brighton began to attract more visitors following improved road transport to London and becoming a boarding point for boats travelling to France. The town also developed in popularity as a health resort for sea bathing as a purported cure for illnesses. In the Georgian era, Brighton developed as a highly fashionable seaside resort, encouraged by the patronage of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, who ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Roedean School
Roedean School is an independent day and boarding school founded in 1885 in Roedean Village on the outskirts of Brighton, East Sussex, England, and governed by Royal Charter. It is for girls aged 11 to 18. The campus is situated near the Sussex Downs, on a cliff overlooking Brighton Marina and the English Channel. The school incorporates dance studios, music classrooms, a 320-seat theatre, a heated indoor swimming pool, a golf course, a private tunnel to the beach, a farm and a chapel, as well as a range of workshops, studios, laboratories and sports pitches. It is also well-provisioned with a variety of classrooms. Roedean School is a member of the Girls' Schools Association and the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference (HMC). The '' Good Schools Guide'' stated that the "School has a healthy spirit and much to offer." The Independent Schools Inspectorate rated Roedean as Excellent in all areas (highest category) in its most recent inspection (March 2016). History ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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The Secret War (TV Series)
''The Secret War'' was a seven-part television series that was produced by the BBC in conjunction with the Imperial War Museum (IWM) that documented secret technical developments during the Second World War. It first aired during 1977 and was presented by William Woollard, drawing on the first-hand recollections of participants from both sides. The principal interviewee was R. V. Jones, whose autobiography informed much of the research before its publication. The opening music was an excerpt from Mussorgsky's ''Pictures at an Exhibition''. The closing music was by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop. Episodes Episode 1: "The Battle of the Beams" This episode documented how British intelligence became aware of various navigation beams, such as , and and the countermeasures developed to combat them in what became known as the Battle of the Beams. It is largely based on the book ''Most Secret War'', which was written by Jones, who appears in the series. The episode contains rare footage ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |
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Shoeburyness
Shoeburyness (; also called Shoebury) is a suburb of the city of Southend-on-Sea, in the City of Southend-on-Sea, in the ceremonial county of Essex, England. east of the city centre. It was an urban district of Essex from 1894 to 1933, when it became part of the county borough of Southend-on-Sea. It is now in the unparished area of Southend-on-Sea, in the Southend-on-Sea district. It was once a garrison town and still acts as host to MoD Shoeburyness. Shoeburyness is divided into halves; Shoeburyness refers to all of the town, but North Shoebury refers to the area that houses Shoeburyness High School and the nearby churches. Description The eastern terminus of the London, Tilbury and Southend line ( c2c line) is at Shoeburyness railway station, services run to London Fenchurch Street in the City of London. The eastern end of the A13 is at Shoeburyness. The MoD Shoeburyness site at Pig's Bay is situated nearby and the facility is run by the company QinetiQ. Shoebur ... [...More Info...]       [...Related Items...]     OR:     [Wikipedia]   [Google]   [Baidu]   |