Force H off Gibraltar, 1940

“Force H off Gibraltar, 1940.” Oil on canvas by Rowland Langmaid.

“On this day in history” HMS Furious placed in commission, 1917

“On this day in history” 26 June 1916, Royal Navy Courageous-class battlecruiser HMS Furious was placed into commission.

Furious was modified to become an aircraft carrier trials ship, her forward turret was removed and a flying-off deck added. Floatplanes, such as the Short Admiralty Type 184, would land on the water for recovery.

HMS Furious as completed. Note flying-off deck forward (IWM SP 89).

Between November 1917 and March 1918, Furious underwent further conversion. Her aft turret was removed and a landing deck added. Elevators were installed to service aircraft hangars.

HMS Furious in 1918 with landing deck aft (NHHC 42000).

The modifications proved unsatisfactory, particularity due to the separate flying-off and landing decks, and in 1921 Furious was taken in hand for further conversion.

The work was intensive and took place at HM Dockyards Rosyth and Devonport. Her bridge superstructure and funnels were removed to provide for a full-length flight deck. A two-level hangar was built under the flight deck and serviced by two elevators. Furious recommissioned in 1925.

HMS Furious after completion of her major redesign (NHHC 60973).

By the outbreak of war in 1939, Furious was serving as a deck landing training carrier. She was then assigned to the Home Fleet to replace Courageous, lost on 29 September.

On 10 April 1940, Furious embarked Swordfish aircraft of 816 and 818 Naval Air Squadrons for service in the Norway campaign. Without fighter aircraft, she was vulnerable to German attack, and on 18 April bombs dropped by an He.111 damaged her propeller shafts.

After repairs, Furious sailed for Canada carrying £18,000,000 in gold bullion. This was part of Operation Fish, the temporary evacuation of British wealth to safety in Canada during the Second World War. The British bullion – amounting in total to $25 million (~ $28 billion in 2016) – was stored in a specially constructed vault at the Sun Life Building in Montreal.

Furious served with Force H during Operation Torch in 1942 and with the Home Fleet during two operations against the Tirpitz – Operation Tungsten in April 1944 and Operation Mascot in July 1944.

Fleet Air Arm crewman chalks message onto bomb carried by one of Furious‘s Barracuda aircraft during Operation Tungsten, April 1944 (IWM A22640).

Showing signs of age, Furious was placed reserve in September 1944 and paid off in April 1945. She was sold for scrap in 1948.

 

 

 

 

Photos of Royal Navy vessels at Invergordon during the First World War

Invergordon

Iron Duke-class battleship HMS Emperor of India at Invergordon, 1915.

Acasta-classs destroyer HMS Midge underway at Inverordon, 1915.

“Splendid Cat” battlecruiser HMS Lion at Invergordon, 1915.

Wreck of armoured cruiser HMS Natal at Invergordon, sunk by cordite explosion in the aft 9.2-inch shellroom, 1915.

Queen Elizabeth-class battleship HMS Malaya in drydock at Invergordon after the Battle of Jutland, 1916.

US Navy minelayer USS San Francisco in drydock at Invergordon, 1918.

M-class destroyer HMS Octavia departing Invergordon, 1919.

Queen Elizabeth-class battleship HMS Valiant in drydock at Invergordon, 1919.

Admiralty Floating Drydock 5 (AFD5) at Invergordon, built at Cammell Laird 1912, moved to Invergordon 1914.

The First Battlecruiser Squadron at the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916

The First Battlecruiser Squadron at the Battle of Jutland, 31 May 1916. Oil on canvas by D. W. Smith in collection of National Maritime Museum.

Study of battlecruiser HMS Tiger by William Wyllie, 1916

Study of Royal Navy battlecruiser HMS Tiger by William Wyllie. Watercolour with graphite, c. 1916. Shown with her 13.5-inch guns at maximum elevation, trained to starboard. In collection of National Maritime Museum.

Study of battlecruiser HMS Lion by William Wyllie, c. 1916-17

Study of Royal Navy battlecruiser HMS Lion by William Wyllie. Watercolour with graphite, c. 1916-17. Shown with her main armament (13.5-inch guns) trained to starboard. In collection of National Maritime Museum.

‘Masters of the Seas’ First Battlecruiser Squadron, 1915.

First Battle-Cruiser Squadron in 1915, in line of battle against the setting sun. Oil on canvas by by William Lionel Wyllie, 1915. In collection of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Battlecruisers HMS Lion, HMS Princess Royal, and HMS New Zealand c. 1916

Battlecruisers HMS Lion, HMS Princess Royal, and HMS New Zealand, watercolour by A. B. Cull. Depicted c. 1916-17, painted 1924. In collection of National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

Doctor Who and the Royal Navy… what’s the connection?

What with all the hoopla surrounding the 50th anniversary of Doctor Who, it left me pondering what connections the Time Lord has to the Royal Navy.

• The Second Doctor, Patrick Troughton served as a Lieutenant in coastal forces. He was first lieutenant of MGB 603 and of MTB 500, before appointment as commanding officer of RML 514. Troughton was awarded an MID for coastal forces action of the Nore on 24 October 1943.

• The Third Doctor, Jon Pertwee served as a Ordinary Seaman (CW Candidate) aboard the battlecruiser HMS Hood and left the ship to complete his officer training just before Hood sailed for her fateful encounter with the Bismarck. He spent the remainder of his career in the Naval Intelligence Division alongside future ‘James Bond’ author Ian Fleming and future prime minister James Callaghan.

• Benjamin “Ben” Jackson, companion of the First and Second Doctor (9 stories, 36 episodes), played by actor Michael Craze, is introduced as a Royal Navy rating from the ship’s company of the Type 16 frigate HMS Teazer (F23).

• Harry Sullivan, companion of the Fourth Doctor (7 stories, 26 espidoes), played by actor Ian Marter, is introduced as a Surgeon-Lieutenant seconded to UNIT from the Royal Navy. His photograph appears in the ‘Death of the Doctor’ episode of The Sarah Jane Adventures we learn that Harry continued his medical carrier and saved thousands of lives with vaccines that he developed.

• Tangentially, William Hartnell, the First Doctor, played Leading Seaman Frank in ‘Yangtse Incident: The Story of HMS Amethyst’ in 1957. At this point in his career, Hartnell was best known for the character actor roles he played, particularly crusty sergeants.

If you know of any more then send me an email or add a comment to this blog.

Ship’s dog ‘Pelorus Jack’ onboard HMS New Zealand, 1914

Pelorus Jack: Mascot of H.M.S. ‘New Zealand’. Photographer: Stuart Thompson. British Library catalogue no. HS85/10/29327. Date: 1914.