THE Royal Navy always descends in numbers on Bournemouth when the air festival comes around and this year its support arm will be marking its 110th year.

The Royal Fleet Auxiliary will mark the anniversary by having the biggest ship in town over the event, which runs between Thursday, August, 20, and Sunday, August 23.

The festival is the Royal Navy’s biggest public event of the year and the RFA has been by its side playing a key role – and has done so continuously throughout its history, during peace and war.

At Bournemouth, RFA Argus will be moored in the bay.

Its crew are merchant seamen and they work closely with Royal Navy counterparts; there are frequently Royal Navy personnel on board.

RFA Argus provides the tankers and stores ships that are needed to keep the Royal Navy at sea – and plays a key role in the Royal Navy’s support of the air festival.

The man in charge of the RFA is Commodore Rob Dorey.

He said: “I am immensely proud of the contribution everyone in the RFA has made to the Royal Navy in its long history. We continue to do this, and today, we have ships in the Gulf, Atlantic, Caribbean and UK waters doing their essential job.”

RFA Argus was originally designed as an aviation support ship, providing a platform for pilots under training; she has since been changed so that she now doubles as the UK’s only Primary Casualty Receiving Facility.

She can accommodate 100 patients and has all the facilities you can expect to see in the modern hospital.

Recently, she deployed to Sierra Leone as a major part of the UK’s contribution to the fight against Ebola.

Alongside the RFA Argus at Bournemouth will be warships, the Royal Marines and landing craft, the Royal Navy Black Cats helicopter display team and Commando helicopters.

The famous amphibious beach assault demonstrations and beachfront Royal Navy Village are back again, along with world class music from the Royal Marines Band.

THE Bournemouth Air Festival brochure, which is a commemorative Vulcan edition, can be ordered is available to order online at bournemouthair.co.uk and from outlets around the area, including the Daily Echo's office at Richmond Hill.

The bumper 100-page special edition costs £8 and you can help raise £45,000 for charity with £2 from each copy sold will be donated to the 2015 Air Festival forces charities RNRMC, the RAF Benevolent Fund and The Soldiers' Charity.