© Crown
Copyright 2005
HISTORY
At the start of the Second World War as many aircrew were killed during training sorties as were killed undertaking operational sorties. Too many aircrew died following accidents in remote areas due to the lack of formalised procedures or personnel dedicated to their retrieval. Thus the RAF Search and Rescue Organisation was formally established in 1941, tasked with assisting all military aircrew in trouble over land or sea. To enable the effective co-ordination of this new organisation, two Centres were opened at Plymouth and Pitreavie Castle, Fife. The Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC), a lodger unit at RAF Kinloss, was opened in January 1996 following the closure of Pitreavie Castle. When the Centre at Plymouth closed in December 1997, the ARCC undertook the additional responsibility for Plymouth’s area.
At the start of the Second World War as many aircrew were killed during training sorties as were killed undertaking operational sorties. Too many aircrew died following accidents in remote areas due to the lack of formalised procedures or personnel dedicated to their retrieval. Thus the RAF Search and Rescue Organisation was formally established in 1941, tasked with assisting all military aircrew in trouble over land or sea. To enable the effective co-ordination of this new organisation, two Centres were opened at Plymouth and Pitreavie Castle, Fife. The Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre (ARCC), a lodger unit at RAF Kinloss, was opened in January 1996 following the closure of Pitreavie Castle. When the Centre at Plymouth closed in December 1997, the ARCC undertook the additional responsibility for Plymouth’s area.
