hMS ARK ROYAL

history of

hms ark royal

HMS Ark Royal was the ship bear the name and was laid down on 3rd May 1942, built by Cammel Laird and commissioned in 1955. The ship was decommissioned in February 1979 and subsequently broken up at Cairnryan in Scotland in 1980.

The Ark Royal was the last of the fixed wing aircraft carriers and the subsequent Ark Royal carried the jump jet Harrier until it too was decommissioned.

At this time two new large carriers are being built, but it remains to be seen whether or not they come into service and whether one might bear the famous name once again.

When commissioned, she had a 5.5° partially angled flight deck, two steam catapults capable of launching aircraft weighing up to 30,000 pounds (14,000 kg), a deck-edge lift on the port side (the first British ship to be fitted with such a device), modified armament, and the new mirror landing system. Ark Royal was the first ship to be constructed with an angled flight deck and steam catapults, as opposed to having them added after launching.[2] These innovations allowed aircraft to land and take off from the carrier at the same time. Her flight deck as built was 800 by 112 feet (240 by 34 m).

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HMS Ark Royal's (R09 GKXS) second commission commenced on 1st November 1956, and after working up in home waters, paid a brief visit to the Mediterranean before returning for the Review of the Home Fleet by Her Majesty the Queen at Cromarty in May 1957. The sight of the carrier group, unlikely to be seen again, was enough to stir the hearts of many old salts! You can see the pictures in the HMS Ark Royal Albums.

I arrived on the Ark Royal as a Leading Telegraphist, and after doing various jobs in the department began working in the VHF Team under Leading Telegraphist (subsequently promoted to Petty Officer Telegraphist Donald “Taff” Humphries. The team was responsible for the tuning of the VHF Transmitters and Receivers with which the Operations Room communicated with the Aircraft, and we needed to maintain close liaison with the Operations Officer.

Some time later, “Taff” Humphries was drafted and left

ship, while I was promoted to Acting Petty Officer, and

took responsibility for the VHF Team with my friends

Willie Brown and Jock Morris, all three Scots together.

It was this Willie Brown who was instrumental in bringing me along to the Gospel Hall in Malta and for my subsequent conversion.

The Second Commisssion

The pictures above are: Main: myself on the ferry en route to the Statue of Liberty, New York; Top Left: HMS Ark Royal about to pass beneath the Forth Bridge; Bottom Left: The Royal Barge with HM the Queen and Prince Philip leaving Ark Royal after a visit.