Five Sea King helicopters flew through the area on Monday (March 21st) during a special farewell formation.
Five of the Sea King Mk4 troop carrying green Sea King helicopters, which have carried Royal Marines into action for more than 36 years, staged a five-hour ‘goodbye flight’ around the west country.
The helicopters flew over Highbridge and Brent Knoll – despite an official map indicating they would fly closer to Burnham-On-Sea – which meant that residents in Burnham were left with just a distant view of the helicopters.
Local photographer Thomas Macrae took these photos from the top of Brent Knoll of the five Sea King Mk4s and a Merlin camera helicopter.
He said: “The feeling when they went over was sadness and an over-whelming proudness, knowing these aircraft have saved so many lives.”
The ‘Junglies’ – a nickname they owe to their forebears who fought in Borneo in the 60s – set off from their base at RNAS Yeovilton, which is home of the Commando Helicopter Force, at 8.30am. They then flew over southern England in formation.
On Sunday, one of the Sea Kings landed for the final time on the flight deck of HMS Bulwark, which is currently at sea off the Devon coast.
Thomas Macrae took these photos from the top of Brent Knoll of the flypast
