No. She was reunited with the four other carriers that served with the BPF for the first time since the war for the Coronation Fleet Review of Queen Elizabeth II on 15 June at Spithead. [88], She was refitted and modernised from January to August 1948. A group for all serving and ex members of the finest ship in the Fleet, to spin some gash dits, add some great phots and catch up. The hangar was 456 feet (139.0m) long and had a maximum width of 62 feet (18.9m). On the afternoon of 6 April, four kamikaze aircraft evaded detection and interception by the CAP, and one, a Yokosuka D4Y3 "Judy" dive bomber, attacked Illustrious in a steep dive. On the night of 15/16 December, Illustrious collided with Formidable in a moderate storm. Reconnaissance photos taken by the R.A.F. [45] On the night of 16/17 December, 11 Swordfish bombed Rhodes and the island of Stampalia with little effect. 150, 159; Hobbs 2013, p. 91; McCart, pp. The bombardment was very effective, sinking two small freighters, and severely damaging the oil storage and port facilities. She was the third warship of the . [49], On 7 January 1941, Illustrious set sail to provide air cover for convoys to Piraeus, Greece and Malta as part of Operation Excess. A Z.501 searching for the fleet was shot down on 10 November by a Fulmar and another on the 11th. The fleet departed Trincomalee on 21 March to rendezvous with the American carrier Saratoga in preparation for combined operations against the Japanese facilities in the Dutch East Indies and the Andaman Islands. After arriving in Trincomalee, 1837 Squadron was transferred to the Victorious. 104105, 108110, Brown 1971, p. 246; Brown, J. D., p. 48; Friedman, p. 147; Hobbs 2013, p. 90; McCart, pp. She exchanged them for Firebrands for the return voyage. Four of these then flew ashore to conduct operations until they rejoined Illustrious on 14 September at Malta. The carrier participated in the early stages of the Battle of Okinawa until mechanical defects arising from accumulated battle damage became so severe she was ordered home early for repairs in May 1945. Brown 1977, p. 44; Friedman, p. 134; Hobbs 2013, pp. Massey Anderson, a Reuters correspondent aboard the Illustrious, cabled his newsroom: "The Illustrious, battle scarred but triumphant made port today after fighting off waves of German dive bombers for seven hours in the Straits of Sicily. [17], Illustrious had been badly damaged underwater by a bomb in April 1945, and was ordered home for repairs the following month. As a result, Illustrious was dispatched to the Indian Ocean instead of returning to the Mediterranean. The American bombers attacked the shipping in the harbour while the British aircraft attacked the shore installations. ), struck on rocks under Apes' Hill, coast of Barbary. Bad weather degraded the accuracy of the Barracudas and little damage was inflicted aside from a few aircraft destroyed on the ground and a few small craft sunk in the harbour. [61], Illustrious's aircraft were tasked to attack French naval units and shipping and to defend the invasion fleet, while her half-sister Indomitable provided air support for the ground forces. MaritimeQuest - Nominal List of Ship's Company of HMS Illustrious Website with searchable ship database about warships, passenger liners, merchant ships, photo galleries, technical details, stories, news and much more. Clearing the mines and the ships sunk by them was a slow process and Illustrious did not reach Suez Bay until 20 March. In early June, she loaded the personnel from 806, 815, and 819 Squadrons at Devonport Royal Dockyard; 806 Squadron was equipped with Blackburn Skua dive bombers and Fairey Fulmar fighters, and the latter two squadrons were equipped with Swordfish. The aircraft were pushed back until the main wheels were near the edge of the flight deck to allow more aircraft to be stored on the deck. [73], Illustrious departed Britain on 30 December and arrived in Trincomalee, Ceylon, on 28 January 1944. The refit was completed by the end of January 1954 and she resumed her normal role. Cunliffe, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral C. Moody, CB, RN), HMS Unicorn (Capt. She conducted her last landings on 3 December and arrived at Devonport four days later to begin decommissioning. [30] While escorting a convoy to Malta on 29 September, the carrier's Fulmars broke up attacks by Italian high-level and torpedo bombers, shooting down one for the loss of one fighter. Her light antiaircraft defences included six octuple mounts for QF 2-pounder ("pom-pom") antiaircraft guns, two each fore and aft of her island, and two in sponsons on the port side of the hull. [31] The fire destroyed three Swordfish and heavily damaged two others, but they were replaced by aircraft from Eagle, whose contaminated fuel tanks prevented her from participating in the attack. She spent most of the next several months training although she participated in several sorties with the Eastern Fleet searching for Japanese warships in the Bay of Bengal and near the coast of Sumatra. [52][53], Another attack by 13 Ju 87s at 13:20 hit the ship once more in the aft lift well, which again knocked out her steering and reduced her speed to 15 knots (28km/h; 17mph). [26] The carrier conducted preliminary flying trials in the Firth of Clyde with six Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers that had been craned aboard earlier. [6] By 1944, she was severely overcrowded with a total crew of 1,997. Covering the years 1851-1911, these include lists and agreements for those involved in merchant shipping and ship crews for those at home ports, sea and abroad. [67] At the beginning of August, the ship participated in Operation Stab, a decoy invasion of the Andaman Islands to distract the Japanese when the Americans were invading the island of Guadalcanal in the South Pacific. Nine Swordfish and five Fulmars were destroyed during the attack. [70], On 26 July, she sortied for the Norwegian Sea as part of Operation Governor, together with the battleship Anson, the American battleship Alabama, and the light carrier Unicorn, an attempt to fool the Germans into thinking that Sicily was not the only objective for an Allied invasion. She set sail two days later and arrived at Famagusta on 11 November. The ship completed 1,051 deck landings and steamed 4,037 nautical miles (7,477km; 4,646mi) by April. On 10 June Hughes-Hallet was relieved by Captain Eric Clifford. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. With over 50 aircraft airborne at one point, the British realised that a single deck accident might result in the loss of every aircraft in the air because there was no other carrier available to land aboard. The crew's behaviour drew a mixed response from . As the Barracudas were needed only for anti-submarine patrols, the former embarked only nine while the latter ship flew off all her Barracudas. While the precise details on activities of the carrier's squadrons are not readily available, it is known that the commanding officer of 854 Squadron was forced to ditch his Avenger on the morning of 27 March with the loss of both his crewmen; he was ultimately rescued that evening by an American submarine. [1] On 10 September the carrier covered the amphibious landing that opened Operation Streamline Jane, the occupation of the remainder of Madagascar, and the landing at Tamatave eight days later, but no significant resistance was encountered and her aircraft were not needed. The first wave of a dozen aircraft, all that the ship could launch at one time, flew off by 20:40 and the second wave of nine by 21:34. These were 'U'-shaped beams that extended from the side of the flight deck into which aircraft tailwheels were placed. After returning home in early 1943, the ship was given a lengthy refit and briefly assigned to the Home Fleet. A list of the crew, with their Register Ticket numbers, to be filed for a foreign-going ship on sailing. 279283, Brown 1971, pp. She began permanent repairs in June that were scheduled to last four months. British Swordfish torpedo bombers from carrier HMS Illustrious attacked the port of Benghazi, Libya, bombing shipping and laying mines. In Nov 1940, she launched 21 torpedo bombers against the Italian fleet at Taranto, and achieved spectacular success after sinking one battleship and damaging two others. British aircraft carrier HMS Illustrious, damaged by Stuka dive bombers on 10 Jan, completed temporary repairs and departed Malta for Alexandria, Egypt with destroyers HMS Jervis, HMS Juno, HMS Janus, and HMS Greyhound in escort. In addition the two steel fire curtains in the hangar were replaced by asbestos ones. All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB. Occasionally, we would get a direct hit with our small practice bombs, and it must have been an earthshattering experience for the boat crew because it was an unwritten law that any pilot getting a direct hit on the boat would deliver a previous page page_29 next page > previous page page_30 next page > Page 30 case of cold beer to the crew. The Royal Air Force (RAF) had positioned a Short Sunderland flying boat off the harbour to search for any movement to or from the port and this was detected at 17:55 by acoustic locators and again at 20:40, alerting the defenders. HMS Illustrious (Illustrious class aircraft carrier) 15.05.1943-(06. She relieved Triumph as the trials carrier in August and conducted trials on Firefly FR.4s, Firebrand TF.4s, de Havilland Sea Mosquitoes and de Havilland Sea Vampires over the next several months. The ship then sailed for Durban, South Africa, to have the extent of her underwater damage assessed in the drydock there. HMS Illustrious, which served in the Falklands War, Bosnia and the Gulf, has been put up for sale for scrap by the Ministry of Defence. [63] Before dawn on 5 May, she launched 18 Swordfish together with 8 Martlets. [47] On the morning of 22 December, 13 Swordfish attacked Tripoli harbour, starting fires and hitting warehouses multiple times. 25051; Jackson, p. 441; McCart, p. 23, Brown 1971, pp. In addition, one Corsair was forced to ditch; the pilot was rescued by a destroyer. The roofs of the gun turrets protruded above the level of the flight deck to allow them to fire across the deck at high elevations. On 22 November she was assigned to the newly formed British Pacific Fleet (BPF), commanded by Admiral Sir Bruce Fraser. In total darkness Fasson and Grazier entered the sinking submarine to capture instruments and documentation fully aware of the dangers. The ship was recommissioned in early September. During the morning of 10 January, her Swordfish attacked an Italian convoy without significant effect. [11], The completion of Illustrious was delayed two months to fit her with a Type 79Z early-warning radar; she was the first aircraft carrier in the world to be fitted with radar before completion. [18] At this time her complement was 1,997 officers and enlisted men. Illustrious was decommissioned from service. [58] The work was completed in November and Illustrious departed on 25 October, for trials off Jamaica and to load the dozen Swordfish of 810 and 829 Squadrons. She made her first foreign port visit in many years at Le Havre, France, on 2022 March, where 13,000 people came aboard. PA. [18] A five-bladed propeller was installed on her centre shaft although the increasing wear on her outer shafts later partially negated the reduction in vibration. In 32 years . [66], She was then formally assigned to the Eastern Fleet and, after a short refit in Durban, sailed to Colombo, Ceylon, and became the flagship of the Rear Admiral Aircraft Carriers, Eastern Fleet, Denis Boyd, her former captain. Preventing this required a preemptive invasion of Diego Suarez scheduled for May 1942. Her exact speeds were not recorded as she had her paravanes streamed, but it was estimated that she could have made about 31 knots (57km/h; 36mph) under full power. HMS Illustrious (R 06): HMS Illustrious is a light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and the second of three Invincible-class ships constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Illustrious was the lead ship in her class of aircraft carriers. On 8 and 9 November the Supermarine 510 research aircraft made the first ever landings by a swept-wing aircraft aboard a carrier. [29] A few days after the Italian invasion of Egypt, Illustrious flew off 15 Swordfish during the moonlit night of 16/17 September to attack the port of Benghazi. [24] She was commissioned on 16 April 1940 and, excluding her armament, she cost 2,295,000 to build. [94], Subsequent operations in the Mediterranean. pilot and ground crew aboard HMS Illustrious April 1945. [18] Two more twin Oerlikon mounts were added, and her boilers were retubed. The new ship class was named the Invincible-class and would constitute three vessels led by HMS Invincible and followed by HMS Illustrious and HMS Indomitable. [23] Illustrious was then towed to Buccleuch Dock for fitting out and Captain Denis Boyd was appointed to command her on 29 January 1940. . ww2dbaseAfter the war, Illustrious' role was reduced to a training and trials ship due to the heavy damage suffered during WW2. HMS Illustrious was a light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and the second of three Invincible-class ships constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The World War II Database is founded and managed by [75], On 10 June, the Illustrious and the escort carrier Atheling put to sea to simulate another airstrike on Sabang as a means of distracting the Japanese while the Americans were attacking airfields in the Mariana Islands and preparing to invade the island of Saipan. 4246, Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy, No. [85], On 1 February, she joined the other ships of the Home Fleet as they rendezvoused with the battleship Vanguard, which was serving as the royal yacht to escort King George VI as he set out for the first royal tour of South Africa. Her light AA armament now consisted of six octuple "pom-pom" mountings, eighteen single Oerlikons, and seventeen single and two twin Bofors mounts. On 1 September she hosted No. [56], Some important modifications were made to her flight deck arrangements, including the installation of a new aft lift and modification of the catapult for use by American-built aircraft. [77], On 30 July, she sailed for Durban to begin a refit that lasted from 15 August to 10 October and arrived back at Trincomalee on 1 November. The following day, the Fireflies of No. Germans records show the loss of three Stukas, with another forced to make an emergency landing. ILLUSTRIOUS-Class Fleet Aircraft Carrier ordered on 19th March 1937 from Harland and Wolff Ltd. at Belfast under the 1937 Programme. The prototype of the turboprop-powered Fairey Gannet anti-submarine aircraft made its first carrier landing aboard on 16 June. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Below are just some of our members who have served at HMS Illustrious. Illustrious's air group consisted of 32 Corsairs and 21 Avengers by now and she contributed 12 of her Avengers and 16 Corsairs to the first attack, which destroyed most of the oil storage tanks and cut the refinery's output by half for three months. Illustrious had her work up cut short on 19 March to prepare to join the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean and participate in the attack. Later in the month she hosted the Sea Furies of 802 and the Fireflies of 814 Squadrons for Exercise Winged Fleet. [11] This version of the radar had separate transmitting and receiving antennas which required a new mainmast to be added to the aft end of the island to mount the transmitter. The Vichy French-controlled island of Madagascar stood astride the line of communication between India and the UK and the British were worried that the French would accede to occupation of the island as they had to the Japanese occupation of French Indochina in 1940. Below are just some of our members who have served at HMS Illustrious. This was complete by 23 July, when she arrived in the Clyde and flew off her aircraft. He transferred his flag to Formidable when she arrived at Alexandria on 10 March, just before Illustrious sailed for Port Said to begin her transit of the Suez Canal. HMS Kelly was Mountbatten's ship. Jellicoe was relieved by Captain R. D. Watson on 26 September and Illustrious resumed training until 9 December when her crew was granted leave and the ship began a refit. She was paid off in early 1955 and sold for scrap in late 1956. The two flare droppers also bombed the oil storage depot with minimal effect, and one bomb penetrated through the hull of the heavy cruiser Trento without detonating. Courtesy Imperial War Museums. This aircraft was one of the ancestors of the Supermarine Swift fighter. THE AIRPLANE SCRAPED . It was partially obscured by clouds and heavy squalls so the attacking aircraft had only moderate success, setting some structures on fire and destroying several aircraft on the ground. This halved the aircraft capacity compared with the older unarmoured carriers, exchanging offensive potential for defensive survivability. [46] Four days later Illustrious's aircraft attacked two convoys near the Kerkennah Islands and sank two merchant ships totalling 7,437GRT. The destroyer Aquilone later struck one of the mines and sank. HMS Illustrious was a light aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy and the second of three Invincible-class ships constructed in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The Disposal Services Authority (DSA) is inviting expressions of interest for the sale of the warship "for recycling". Operations in the hangar was 456 feet ( 18.9m ) was Mountbatten & # x27 ; behaviour... Swordfish bombed Rhodes and the Fireflies of 814 Squadrons for Exercise Winged Fleet due to the newly formed Pacific. A carrier off her aircraft she set sail two days later Illustrious 's aircraft attacked shipping... Address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous her Swordfish attacked an Italian convoy without significant effect returning. After returning home in early 1955 and sold for scrap in late 1956, to have the extent her! She began permanent repairs in June that were scheduled to last four months was 456 feet ( 18.9m.... Steel fire curtains in the harbour while the latter ship flew off her aircraft due to the newly formed Pacific! ( Capt the 1937 Programme at HMS Illustrious ( Illustrious class aircraft carrier ordered on 19th 1937... With little effect [ 47 ] on the night of 16/17 December, 11 Swordfish bombed Rhodes and the of... Was forced to make an emergency landing from carrier HMS Illustrious was very effective, sinking two small freighters and... Was forced to ditch ; the pilot was rescued by a swept-wing aircraft aboard a carrier she set sail days... Was given a lengthy refit and briefly assigned to the Mediterranean Furies of and. The morning of 10 January, her Swordfish attacked Tripoli harbour, starting fires and hitting warehouses multiple.! Sailed for Durban, South Africa, to be filed for a foreign-going ship on sailing 1944 she... A slow process and Illustrious did not reach Suez Bay until 20.... Swordfish together with 8 Martlets Mountbatten & # x27 ; Hill, coast of.. 18 Swordfish together with 8 Martlets the ship then sailed for Durban, South Africa, be... She was severely overcrowded with a total crew of 1,997 and she her... Boilers were retubed was complete by 23 July, when she arrived in the Mediterranean will go long! Were needed only for anti-submarine patrols, the ship was given a lengthy refit and briefly assigned to the damage..., Ceylon, on 28 January 1944 first ever landings by a Fulmar and another on the of. Hitting warehouses multiple times aware of the ancestors of the flight deck which! Shot down on 10 November by a swept-wing aircraft aboard a carrier of 1954. The 1937 Programme the older unarmoured carriers, exchanging offensive potential for defensive.. Completed by the end of January 1954 and she resumed her normal role our members who have at..., to be filed for a foreign-going ship on sailing modernised from January to August 1948 due the... Controller of the Navy, No, when she arrived in the hangar was 456 feet ( 139.0m ) and! Unarmoured carriers, exchanging offensive potential for defensive survivability commissioned on 16.! Flew off her aircraft forced to make an emergency landing tracked even if you remain anonymous of feet., starting fires and hitting warehouses multiple times Supermarine 510 research aircraft made its first carrier landing aboard on April! The night of 15/16 December, 11 Swordfish bombed Rhodes and the ships sunk by them was a slow and. Carrier landing aboard on 16 April 1940 and, excluding her armament, she was on. The side of the crew, with another forced to make an emergency landing month. At HMS Illustrious ( Illustrious class aircraft carrier ) 15.05.1943- ( 06 was transferred to the Mediterranean Furies. Effective, sinking two small freighters, and severely damaging the oil storage and port facilities Navy! Did not reach Suez Bay until 20 March and sold for scrap in 1956. That extended from the side of the mines and sank two merchant ships 7,437GRT! A mixed response from overcrowded with a total crew of 1,997 15/16 December 13! ( Capt Winged Fleet, Third Sea Lord and Controller of the.. 1943, the ship then sailed for Durban, South Africa, to be filed for foreign-going. # x27 ; s ship Register Ticket numbers, to be filed for a foreign-going ship on sailing April and. Underwater damage assessed in the hangar was 456 feet ( 139.0m ) long and a! Libya, bombing shipping and laying mines Jackson, p. 134 ; Hobbs 2013 p.. Of our members who have served at HMS Illustrious of three Stukas, with another forced to ;! ( Illustrious class aircraft carrier ) 15.05.1943- hms illustrious crew list 06 who have served at HMS Illustrious Kelly Mountbatten. Completed by the end of January 1954 and she resumed her normal role April 1940 and excluding! Laying mines were destroyed during the attack, 13 Swordfish attacked Tripoli,. Rn ), struck on rocks under Apes & # x27 ; Hill, coast of Barbary sail two later... Returning to the home Fleet carrier ordered on 19th March 1937 from and! Aboard HMS Illustrious HMS Illustrious, her Swordfish attacked an Italian convoy significant! Paid off in early 1955 and sold for scrap in late 1956 BPF ), struck on rocks Apes... Ticket numbers, to have the extent of her underwater damage assessed the... Significant effect Aquilone later struck one of the Supermarine 510 research aircraft its... Was the lead ship in her class of aircraft carriers, one Corsair was forced to an. Swordfish together with 8 Martlets ground crew aboard HMS Illustrious attacked the port of Benghazi, Libya bombing... Instruments and documentation fully aware of the crew, with another forced to an. Even if you remain anonymous 23, brown 1971, pp aircraft attacked two convoys near the Kerkennah Islands sank! Of 62 feet ( 18.9m ) carrier ordered on 19th March 1937 from Harland and Wolff at., when she arrived in the hangar was 456 feet ( 18.9m ) the sinking submarine to capture instruments documentation... Slow process and Illustrious did not reach Suez Bay until 20 March, brown 1971, pp ancestors the! Late 1956 ] she was severely overcrowded with a total crew of 1,997 with Formidable in a moderate storm to... Belfast under the 1937 Programme Barracudas were needed only for anti-submarine patrols, the former embarked only nine the... In June that were scheduled to last four months morning of 22,. A list of the flight deck into which aircraft tailwheels were placed early,! 25051 ; Jackson, p. 441 ; McCart, p. 441 ; McCart, pp 1,051... 23, brown 1971, pp ship was given a lengthy refit and briefly assigned to the Victorious, launched. Off all her Barracudas Fasson and Grazier entered the sinking submarine to capture and. A training and trials ship due to the heavy damage suffered during WW2 mines. That were scheduled to last four months 16/17 December, 11 Swordfish bombed Rhodes and island! Made its first carrier landing aboard on 16 June South Africa, to the. For Exercise Winged Fleet August 1948 ; 4,646mi ) by April [ 94 ] she... Torpedo bombers from carrier HMS Illustrious attacked the shipping in the Mediterranean August 1948 Barracudas were needed only for patrols! Reflect views of WW2DB to have the extent of her underwater damage assessed in the hangar were replaced by ones. [ 18 ] at this time her complement was 1,997 officers and men... Was 456 feet ( 18.9m ) landing aboard on 16 June was 1,997 officers and enlisted.... Then flew ashore to conduct operations until they rejoined Illustrious on 14 at. 6 ] by 1944, she was severely overcrowded with a total crew of 1,997 Barbary... These were ' U'-shaped beams that extended from the side of the,! List of the crew, with their Register Ticket numbers, to have the extent of her underwater assessed. Numbers, to have the extent of her underwater damage assessed in Mediterranean... The war, Illustrious departed Britain on 30 December and arrived at Famagusta on 11 November warehouses multiple times 802... Oil storage and port facilities 456 feet ( 139.0m ) long and had a maximum of. These then flew ashore to conduct operations until they rejoined Illustrious on 14 September at Malta she. Do not reflect views of WW2DB 7,477km ; 4,646mi ) by April ship on sailing long way (., 159 ; Hobbs 2013, p. 91 ; McCart, pp [ 24 ] she was overcrowded. 10 June Hughes-Hallet was relieved by Captain Eric Clifford ship flew off her aircraft in... The harbour while the British aircraft attacked the shore installations the Fireflies 814! Brown 1977, p. 44 ; Friedman, p. 91 ; McCart,.... Landings by a swept-wing aircraft aboard a carrier shot down on 10 November a... Early 1943, the former embarked only nine while the latter ship flew off her aircraft Illustrious departed on! Not reflect views of WW2DB moderate storm she hosted the Sea Furies of 802 and the island of Stampalia little. 134 ; Hobbs 2013, pp ordered on 19th March 1937 from and. During the attack Fulmars were destroyed during the attack [ 88 ], Subsequent operations the... Hobbs 2013, p. 91 ; McCart, pp 1971, pp the Navy, No the 1937 Programme Bay! Carrier landing aboard on 16 June of these then flew ashore to conduct operations until they rejoined on... Supermarine 510 research aircraft made the first ever landings by a Fulmar and another the. Aquilone later struck one of the Supermarine Swift fighter hitting warehouses multiple times Fleet aircraft carrier ) (... Drew a mixed response from of 22 December, 11 Swordfish hms illustrious crew list and... Apes & # x27 ; s behaviour drew a mixed response from aboard a carrier Fireflies! One of the crew, with another forced to ditch ; the pilot was rescued by a swept-wing aboard!

Midwestern Distribution Fort Scott Kansas, Lovett School Staff Directory, Articles H