HMS ''Varbel'' was a
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
shore establishment
A stone frigate is a naval establishment on land.
'Stone frigate' is an informal term which has its origin in Britain's Royal Navy (RN), after its use of Diamond Rock, an island off Martinique, as a ' sloop of war' to harass the French in ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
, used as a base for
Operation Source
Operation Source was a series of attacks to neutralise the heavy German warships – ''Tirpitz'', ''Scharnhorst'', and ''Lützow'' – based in northern Norway, using X-class midget submarines.
The attacks took place in September 1943 at K� ...
. It was in the luxury 88-bedroomed Kyles Hydro Hotel at
Port Bannatyne
Port Bannatyne (), is a coastal village on the Isle of Bute, Firth of Clyde, Scotland that is home to many steamers. Port Bannatyne developed into the 1900s as a quieter alternative to Rothesay. It is a popular harbour, with a small yacht marina ...
on the
Isle of Bute
The Isle of Bute (; or '), known as Bute (), is an island in the Firth of Clyde in Scotland, United Kingdom. It is divided into highland and lowland areas by the Highland Boundary Fault.
Formerly a constituent island of the larger County of ...
in the
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde, is the estuary of the River Clyde, on the west coast of Scotland. The Firth has some of the deepest coastal waters of the British Isles. The Firth is sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre, Kintyre Peninsula. The ...
off the west coast of
Scotland
Scotland is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. It contains nearly one-third of the United Kingdom's land area, consisting of the northern part of the island of Great Britain and more than 790 adjac ...
.
The hotel was demolished in the 1970s.
The houses along the waterfront are still there. The pier has gone except some old decaying piles.
References
External links
Description and history of the hotelImage of the hotelGoogle Earth ground view
into Pier Lane inland from the site of the white building at the head of the pier in the previous image
Google Earth air view
the site of the hotel
Bute at War
Port Bannatyne's role during World War II as the home of the shore based "HMS Varbel" which served as the HQ for the 12th Submarine Flotilla (Midget or X-Craft Submarines).
Royal Navy shore establishments
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