‘The Rock’ taken from the Control Tower at RAF Gibraltar

Flt Lt Phil Giles took time off from his normal routine at Ringwood & Fordingbridge with a flying visit to Gibraltar over the weekend aka ‘The Rock’. His early morning flight from London touched down at RAF Gibraltar at 11.20am on Friday and by 12.00 noon he was ‘warned in’ at the Officer’s Mess at H.M.S. Rooke - the tri-service accommodation facility in downtown Queensway.

                                          
        Marbled Entrance                              HMS Rooke                          View from the bedroom

Phil took time out of his schedule to pay his respects to staff at RAF Gibraltar, which happens to handle all air traffic both civil and military to the island through NATS. The Station’s motto is an impressive one –‘Guard the Gateway’ and has close links to No 2 (Overseas) Sqn Air Training Corps which is also based on Gibraltar with 30 Cadets and 4 Officers and is administered by Norfolk & Suffolk Wing. Rumour has it that ATC Summer Camps will be restored once accommodation has been refurbished.

Station Crest

                             
Station HQ                                  Control Tower                                     Cpl ‘Alan’ DACLO
         
                                            
    Station Fire Crew on a ‘shout’                                                  How many runways have a pedestrian
                                                                                                     walkway? Crossing it was hmm interesting!

Gibraltar is one the UK’s last outposts in the Mediterranean and is a strange mixture of British and Spanish with red post boxes, English policemen and fish and chips. It still holds a commanding strategic position over the Straits of Gibraltar and beyond, just 8 kilometres away, is Morocco and North Africa. It has a familiar feel, but with a warm climate, sun and sea with Spain within 2 minutes walking distance of the Airport.

                                                               
Royal Gibraltar Police                       Captured Crimean Guns                    Military History

Gibraltar is steeped in history from Nelson and the Battle of Trafalgar (fought close by) to more recent battles against the Axis Forces during World War II, but it’s also a place to relax and enjoy the mix of British, Spanish and African cuisine. The local people are friendly and you can hop on a bus anywhere and pay in English Pounds or Euros. You can even catch a ferry to Morocco for some Saturday morning shopping in Tangier or Casablanca.

70 degrees, it’s January and it’s British!