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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2003

HMS VENGEANCE - Colossus-class Light Fleet Aircraft Carrier

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net
HMS Vengeance (Navy Photos, click to enlarge)

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COLOSSUS-Class Light Fleet aircraft carrier ordered from Swan Hunter at Wallsend  on 7th August 1942 under an Emergency War Programme. This ship was laid down on  16th November 1942 and launched on 23rd February 1944 as the 7th RN ship to carry the name. The name was introduced for in 1578 for a 6th Rate ship taken as a Prize by HMS HUSSAR and lastly used by a battleship built in 1899 and sold in 1921. Build completion was on 15th January 1945.

 

 

B a t t l e  H o n o u r s

QUIBERON BAY  1759 - MARTINIQUE  1794 - ST  LUCIA 1796 - CRIMEA  1854 - DARDANELLES 1915

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field Red, three daggers in pile, points downwards proper,

pommels and hilts  gold.

 

M o t t o

'I  strike, I cover'

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f   W a r    S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

February                On completion of Acceptance trials worked up with Home Fleet.

 

March                    Work-up and Shakedown in continuation.

                                Embarked aircraft.

                                (Note : 812 Squadron was allocated to the ship.)

 

April                       Deployed with Home Fleet

 

May                        Prepared for foreign service with British Pacific Fleet.

to                            Allocated to 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron

June                        (Note : British warships were under US Navy overall command and part

                                of the 3rd Fleet in Task Force 37 or part of Task Force 112

                                (Fleet Train).)

 

July                         Passage to join Squadron for service with sister aircraft carriers HMS COLOSSUS,

                                HMS GLORY and HMS VENERABLE.

 

August                  Passage in continuation

                15th        Transferred to RN control and allocated for support of re-occupation of Malaya.

                                Took passage to Singapore.

                                (Note : Allocated to Task Group 111.4, British Pacific Fleet.

                                Task Group 111.4 comprised H M Battleship ANSON, HM Light Fleet

                                Aircraft Carrier VENGEANCE and four Fleet Destroyers.)

                                During passage redirected to join Task Group 111.2 off Hong Kong to assist in the

                                the re-occupation of the Colony.

                29th        Met TF111.2 off Hong Kong with HMS ANSON and two Fleet Destroyers.

                                (Note : Task Group 111.2 comprised HM Aircraft Carrier INDOMITABLE, HM Cruisers

                                SWIFTSURE and EURYALUS, HMS VENERABLE, HMS PRINCE RUPERT

                                (RCN) and HM Destroyers KEMPENFELT, URSA, WHIRLWIND and QUADRANT.

                                See THE FORGOTTEN FLEET, by J Winton and Naval Staff History.)

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS VENGEANCE remained with British Pacific Fleet after re-occupation of Hong Kong and was used to transport prisoners of war and civilian internees (RAPWI) prior to repatriation. On completion she was deployed with the BPF and in addition to Fleet duties used for transport of mail, stores, equipment and personnel between establishments in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore and  Australia.  In early 1946 a  visit was paid to Hiroshima. Later that year the ship was released from service in the Far East and took passage to Ceylon in  July 1946. She sailed with HM Frigates LOCH ECK and LOCH CRAGGIE from Trincomalee and arrived at Spithead on 10th August 1946. During the period 1947 to 1950 she served in the Home Fleet and used to carry out  cold  weather  trials with  helicopters in Arctic waters. At the end of 1952 the ship was loaned to the RAN for three years until the refit and modernisation of a Fleet Aircraft Carrier, HMAS MELBOURNE was completed. This ship returned to the RN in August 1955 was and placed on the Sales List.  She was sold to Brazil in December 1956 and was refitted and modernised at  Rotterdam. The ship was renamed N Ae L MINAS GERAIS on 6th December 1960 at Rotterdam.
 

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revised 14/10/10
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