HMS Varbel
{{Short description|WWII British naval base}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
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{{Infobox ship image |Ship image= |Ship caption= }} {{Infobox ship career |Hide header= |Ship country=United Kingdom |Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}} |Ship name=HMS Varbel |Ship operator= |Ship ordered= |Ship awarded= |Ship laid down= |Ship launched= |Ship sponsor= |Ship christened= |Ship completed= |Ship acquired= |Ship commissioned= |Ship recommissioned=1942? |Ship decommissioned=1945 |Ship in service= |Ship out of service= |Ship renamed= |Ship reclassified= |Ship refit= |Ship struck= |Ship reinstated= |Ship homeport= |Ship motto= |Ship nickname= |Ship honours= |Ship honors= |Ship captured= |Ship fate=Decommissioned and closed down |Ship status= |Ship notes= |Ship badge= }} {{Infobox ship characteristics |Hide header= |Header caption= |Ship class=Stone frigate |Ship power= |Ship boats= |Ship capacity= |Ship complement= |Ship crew= |Ship time to activate= |Ship troops= |Ship sensors= |Ship EW= |Ship armament= |Ship aircraft= |Ship aircraft facilities= |Ship notes= }} |
HMS Varbel was a Royal Navy shore establishment during World War II, used as a base for Operation Source. It was in the luxury 88-bedroomed Kyles Hydro Hotel at Port Bannatyne on the Isle of Bute in the Firth of Clyde off the west coast of Scotland.
The hotel was demolished in the 1970s.{{cite web|url=http://www.butesonsanddaughters.co.uk/kyleshydro.shtml|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130106082234/http://www.butesonsanddaughters.co.uk/kyleshydro.shtml|archive-date=2013-01-06|title=Kyles of Bute Hydro}} The houses along the waterfront are still there. The pier has gone except some old decaying piles.
References
External links
- [http://www.butesonsanddaughters.co.uk/kyleshydro.shtml Description and history of the hotel]
- [http://www.butesonsanddaughters.co.uk/images/kyleshydro2.jpg Image of the hotel]
- [https://www.google.com/maps?ll=55.860907,-5.0762&spn=0.001397,0.004128&t=h&z=19&layer=c&cbll=55.860907,-5.0762&panoid=ZmpO2lJTvb9z9aik6iFT3g&cbp=12,178.31,,0,9.65 Google Earth ground view] into Pier Lane inland from the site of the white building at the head of the pier in the previous image
- [https://www.google.com/maps?ll=55.85997,-5.076064&spn=0.001397,0.004128&t=h&z=19 Google Earth air view]: the site of the hotel
- [http://www.bute-at-war.org/butewar.shtml 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).
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Category:Royal Navy shore establishments
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