HMS Ark Royal - page 40 - Mallorca and CAG Disembarkation, 20

HMS Ark Royal

The Last Commission:
1976 to 1978

Mallorca and CAG Disembarkation 20-27 November 1978

As HMS ARK ROYAL approached Palma, in the holiday island of Mallorca, on the 20^th November, our 21 Gun National Salute was followed by the reply ashore, and by mid forenoon we were secured alongside the Dique Del Oeste to begin our final visit of the deployment. During the ship’s stay in Palma, make and mend routine was worked giving everyone ample opportunity of going ashore and of taking advantage of the warm and sunny weather.

For those who liked organised tours, our new travel agents Revtours, with their motto of “It’s quicker by Vicar”, provided a selection of day tours round the island. However by far the most popular and most successful were the splendid evenings at a Medieval Banquet or a Spanish Fiesta Barbecue.

Although junior ratings were required to wear uniform ashore, they found it a suitable “grippo catching” rig, and it was this that led many to say that Palma was the “best run” since America. In fact the attitude of the British locals and holiday makers seemed to be “get an Ark Royal sailor”, and consequently the shops, beaches, cafes, night clubs and hotels were popular places with ARK ROYALS. While most of us were ashore there were many people waiting to visit Ark, and several thousands toured the ship either in organised parties or as guests of the ship’s company.

Sports was kept to a relatively low key with golf, soccer and sailing being the main representative sports during the visit. The highlight was the Ark Royal v Combined Squadrons football match which was thinly disguised as a General Service v Fleet Air Arm match, and honours were evenly shared at 2 goals each.

As the last “rabbits” were purchased and the “ickies” ran out, we were joined by yet another BBC TV team before sailing. Unfortunately our departure at 1000 on Saturday 25^th November was marred by a shower and so few of us actually witnessed our Last Farewell to a foreign port of call

The main thoughts once we were at sea was the disembarkation of the fixed wing aircraft, and RFA OLWEN with two Sea Kings of 824 Squadron departed for Gibraltar to collect HM Customs Officials. Once more the weather was to play an important part in our lives as the MISTRAL wind established itself over our proposed disembarkation area giving high seas and gale force winds. Consequently on Sunday, 26^th November we remained close to the Spanish coast. During the evening, on a cold and windy Quarter Deck, many assembled for a mini Band Concert, the real purpose of which was for the TV team to film us singing “The Last Farewell” for use on Top of the Pops whenever our record is played.

At last, Monday 27^th, Disembarkation Day arrived and despite the MISTRAL with its very rough seas and winds in excess of 40 knots, and a number of aircraft faults, two Sea Kings and the remainder of the fixed wing group, (four Gannets, twelve Buccaneers and ten Phantom) all managed to disembark throughout the day and head for home. All eventually reached the safety of the UK. The final fixed wing launch took place at 1511 when Phantom 012 crewed by Flt Lt M Macleod and Lt D McCallum was sent down the waist catapult and that was it. For the very last time we were without our fixed wing aircraft, but all the final launches had been recorded for posterity by the TV cameras

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