HMS Osprey, Portland

In 1948 Osprey took over (from HMS Boscawen) as parent ship of the naval base as a whole, with responsibility for pay, movement, administration and accounting.

The establishment at Portland was commissioned as an independent shore command and parent ship of the First Anti-Submarine Flotilla on 1 April 1924.

[1] HMS Osprey returned to Portland in 1946, as did the experimental section (which had been relocated separately to Fairlie for the duration of the war).

[9] Owing to the highly classified work carried out there during the Cold War, the AUWE became the centre of worldwide attention in 1961 after the discovery of espionage infiltration.

1959 also saw the establishment of RNAS Portland as part of HMS Osprey; it was responsible for developing helicopters in an anti-submarine role, including the training of crews.