YEOVILTON LIFE: Home for Christmas

LYNX helicopter personnel have flown home to Royal Naval Air Station Yeovilton and have been reunited with family members after seven months away.

Within an hour of each other 207 Flight and 211 Flight returned to 815 Naval Air Squadron on Thursday (December 18, 2014) in time for the Christmas festivities to begin – thoroughly well deserved having been away since this June! During this time two babies have been born to personnel on 211 Flight, HMS Argyll.

Flight 211 was part of Royal Navy’s drug busting warship HMS Argyll. The frigate spent nine weeks of her six month deployment ensuring a less than lucrative festive season for Caribbean drug smugglers - seizing nearly 1900 kilos – and £77m - of cocaine during a series of high octane operations.

PHOTO – TOP: CPO Lee John returned from HMS Iron Duke on Thursday and he is pictured with Jo, eight-year-old Callum and Mia.

PHOTO – RIGHT: Baby Daisy Gledhill with mum Jen and dad LAET Steve Gledhill.

the John Family, Jo, Callum (8), Mia and CPO Lee John returned from HMS Iron Duke

The Lynx flight is now home after the latest takedown where a boat carrying 215 kilos of cocaine was forced to halt after its engines were shot out by two Royal Marine snipers – allowing specialist drugs teams to board.

While away there have been two new arrivals for members of 211 Flight - Reuben Carroll, son of Leading Air Engineering Technician (LAET) Dan Carroll; and Beau Simons, daughter of Chief Petty Officer (CPO) and Senior Maintenance Rating (SMR) James Simons.

Sarah Carroll said: “Dan came home a week before Reuben was born and Reuben arrived in true military style on his due date for his Daddy before rejoining 211 Flight. It has been really hard but my parents and Dan’s parents have been there for me.”

CPO James Simons said: “It’s been a really fulfilling deployment and it will be a really really good Christmas.”

His wife, Sarah Simons added: “We are very proud of him and have been following online with the Navy News site and the television. It’s been quite easy to keep in touch but there’s nothing like having him home for Christmas.”

PHOTO – RIGHT: Lynx Mk 8 helicopters.

The 207 Flight returned from HMS Iron Duke. They have been away for over 6 months carrying out Atlantic Patrol Tasking (South) providing security at sea. Working with International Partners the Royal Navy plays a crucial role in fostering these international alliances to protect the seaways making sure global trade for both the UK and the world can proceed without a hitch.

Eagerly awaiting 207 Flight and the return of her Daddy was 11-month-old Daisy Gledhill daughter of Leading Aircraft Engineering Technician (LAET) Steve Gledhill.

LAET Gledhill said: “It’s fantastic to be back, Daisy has changed so much. I’m really looking forward to Christmas with my family.”

Jen Gledhill, Steve’s wife, said: “It’s been really emotional with lots of highs and lows and with a Baby you have to keep on going. Six months is a long time and we’ve a lot of catching up to do, it’s going to be a great Christmas I’m just so happy!”

PHOTO – ABOVE: Sarah Carroll with baby Reuben and Sarah Simons with baby Beau.

PHOTO – ABOVE: CPO James Simons with Darcy, 11, Sarah Simons and baby Beau, five months.

PHOTO – ABOVE: LAET Dan Carroll with wife Sarah and baby Reuben, two months.

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