Admiral regularly turned up to offer assistance (3)
I believe the answer is:
aid
'assistance' is the definition.
(synonyms)
'admiral regularly turned up' is the wordplay.
'regularly' means one should take alternating letters (regularly take one letter, leave next etc.).
'turned up' is a reversal indicator.
The alternating letters of 'admiral' are 'dia'.
'dia' reversed gives 'AID'.
'to offer' is the link.
(Other definitions for aid that I've seen before include "Help or support" , "A hand" , "Care and help" , "Care, assistance" , "Help. Assist" .)