LOSSES BY YEAR and AREA
(ctl - constructive total loss)
|
Year |
Atlantic
|
Europe
|
Mediterranean
|
Far East
|
|
1939 |
carrier Courageous |
- |
- |
- |
|
1940 |
- |
carrier Glorious |
- |
- |
|
1941 |
escort carrier Audacity
|
- |
carrier Ark Royal
|
- |
|
1942 |
escort carrier
Avenger |
- |
carrier Eagle |
carrier Hermes |
|
1943
|
- |
escort carrier Dasher
|
- |
- |
|
1944 |
escort carrier Nabob
(RCN, ctl) |
- |
- |
- |
|
1945
|
- |
escort carrier Thane (ctl)
|
- |
- |
EARLY and FLEET AIRCRAFT CARRIERS
10.
ARGUS (survived),14,000
tons, 20 knots, 20 aircraft, 370 crew plus aircrew, 1918
HMS Argus (NavyPhotos/Mark Teadham)
11.
EAGLE, 22,600 tons, 24
knots, 20 aircraft, 750 crew plus aircrew, 1920, lost:
EAGLE
(Capt L D Mackintosh), 11th August 1942, Western Mediterranean, north of
Algiers, Algeria (38.05N, 03.02E) – torpedoed by German ‘U.73’ (Rosenbaum).
Providing air cover for Gibraltar/Malta convoy 'Pedestal'; 159 men lost out a
wartime crew of 1,160 (Casualty
List)
(Mediterranean - Malta Convoys)
HMS Eagle (NavyPhotos)
12.
HERMES - 10,800 tons, 25
knots, 15 aircraft, 660 crew plus aircrew, 1923, lost:
HERMES
(Capt R F Onslow+), 9th April 1942, Indian Ocean off south east coast of Ceylon
(07.35N, 82.05E) - by Japanese carrier dive-bombers. Part of British Eastern
Fleet returning to Trincomalee; 293 crew lost
(Casualty List)
(Japanese
Conquests - Carrier Attacks on Ceylon)
HMS Hermes (NavyPhotos)
13.
FURIOUS
(survived) -
22,400 tons, 30 knots, 36 aircraft, 1,200 crew, 1925
HMS Furious (NavyPhotos)
14. Courageous class,
2 ships - 22,500 tons, 30 knots, 48 aircraft, 1,200 crew,
1928/30, both lost:
COURAGEOUS
(Capt W T Makeig-Jones+), 17th September 1939, North Atlantic, south west of
Ireland (50.10N, 14.45W) - torpedoed by German ‘U.29’ (Schuhart). On
anti-U-boat patrol with destroyer screen in Western Approaches to British Isles;
520 men including 36 RAF personnel lost
(Casualty List) (Battle of the Atlantic).
GLORIOUS (Capt G D'Oyly-Hughes+), 8th June 1940, Western Europe, west of Lofoten Islands
in Norwegian Sea (c69.00N, 05.00E) - by 11in gunfire of German battlecruisers
'Scharnhorst' and 'Gneisenau'. Sailing independently from northern Norway at
end of Allied evacuation; 1,159 crew and 59 RAF personnel sailing from Norway
were lost. There were 39 RN and 3 RAF survivors, of whom 3 died. Escorting
destroyers
Acasta and
Ardent
also sunk
(Casualty
List)
(Norwegian Campaign)
HMS Glorious (NavyPhotos)
15.
ARK ROYAL - 22,000 tons,
31 knots, 60 aircraft, 1,570 crew, 1938, lost:
ARK ROYAL
(Capt L E Maund), 14th November 1941, foundered in tow in Western
Mediterranean, 30 miles east of Gibraltar - by 1 torpedo on the 13th from
German ‘U.81’ (Guggenberger) in 36.03N, 04.45W. Returning with Force H to
Gibraltar after ferrying Hurricane fighters within flying range of Malta; 1 man
killed. (Casualty List)
(Mediterranean - Battle for Malta)
HMS Ark Royal (NavyPhotos/Ben Titheridge)
16. Illustrious class,
FORMIDABLE,
ILLUSTRIOUS,
IMPLACABLE,
INDEFATIGABLE,
INDOMITABLE,
VICTORIOUS, 6
ships - 23,000 tons, 31 knots, 36+ aircraft, 1,400 crew, 1940-44
HMS Formidable
17.
UNICORN, built
as aircraft maintenance ship - 14,700 tons, 24 knots, 35 aircraft, 1,200 crew,
1943
HMS Unicorn post-war (NavyPhotos)
18. Colossus class,
COLOSSUS,
GLORY, OCEAN, PIONEER,
VENERABLE,
VENGEANCE, 6 ships completed by war's end -
13,200 tons, 25 knots, 40 aircraft, 1,300 crew, 1944-45. 'Pioneer' commissioned
as aircraft maintenance ship
HMS Vengeance (NavyPhotos)
ESCORT CARRIERS
19.
AUDACITY
- 11,000 tons
deep load, 15 knots, 6 aircraft, 1941. Ex-German prize 'Hannover', lost:
AUDACITY
(Cdr D W MacKendrick+), 21st December 1941, North Atlantic, NE of Azores (43.55N,
19.50W) - torpedoed by German ‘U.751 (Bigalk). Providing air cover for
Gibraltar/UK convoy HG.76; 73 men lost
(Casualty List) (Battle of the Atlantic)
HMS Audacity (CyberHeritage)
20. Archer class,
ARCHER,
AVENGER,
BITER,
DASHER,
(CHARGER), 5 ships built in US - 8,200 tons, 17 knots, 15
aircraft, 550 crew, 1941-42. 'Charger' retained by US Navy as training ship, 2
lost:
AVENGER
(Capt A P Colthurst), 15th November 1942, North Atlantic off the Strait of
Gibraltar (36.15N, 07.45W) - torpedoed by German ‘U.155’ (Piening). Providing
air cover for return North Africa/UK convoy MKF.1 following Operation 'Torch'; 504
crew lost, 17 saved (Casualty List) (French North Africa Campaign)
DASHER
(Capt
L A Boswell), 27th March 1943, Western Europe, 5 miles south of Cumbraes Island
in Firth of Clyde, SW Scotland - by aviation gasoline explosion. Working up
after repairs to storm-damage sustained during Russian convoy JW.53 the
previous month; 358 crew lost, 149 saved
(Casualty
List) (following Russian Convoy)
HMS Archer (NavyPhotos)
21. Attacker class,
ATTACKER,
BATTLER,
CHASER,
FENCER,
HUNTER,
PURSUER,
STALKER,
STRIKER, 8 ships all built
in US, none lost - 11,400 tons, 17 knots, 18 aircraft, 650 crew, 1942-43
HMS Battler (NavyPhotos)
22. Ruler class,
AMEER,
ARBITER,
ATHELING,
BEGUM,
EMPEROR,
EMPRESS,
KHEDIVE,
NABOB,
PATROLLER,
PREMIER,
PUNCHER,
QUEEN,
RAJAH,
RANEE,
RAVAGER,
REAPER,
RULER,
SEARCHER,
SHAH,
SLINGER,
SMITER,
SPEAKER,
THANE,
TRACKER,
TROUNCER,
TRUMPETER, 26 ships all built in US
- 11,400 tons, 17 knots, 24 aircraft, 650 crew, 1943-44 (some sources include
'Ravager', 'Searcher' and 'Tracker' in 'Attacker' class), 2 not repaired:
NABOB
(RCN-manned)
(Capt H N Lay RCN), damaged 22nd August 1944, Arctic Ocean, north west of North
Cape in Barents Sea (71.42N, 19.11E) - torpedoed by German ‘U.354’ (Sthamer).
With Home Fleet covering Fleet Air Arm attack on the 'Tirpitz' in Altenfiord,
Norway and also Russian convoy JW.59. Not repaired and laid up; 21 crew lost (Casualty
List) (Russian Convoys)
THANE
(Capt
E R J Baker), damaged 15th January, 1945, Western Europe, off Clyde Light
Vessel in Firth of Clyde, SW Scotland (55.08N, 05.25W) - torpedoed by German ‘U.1172’
(Kuhlmann). (Originally credited to ‘U.482’ which had already been
lost). Believed ferrying aircraft from Northern Ireland to Britain. Not
repaired and laid up; 10 crew lost (Casualty
List) (Battles of
Britain - U-boat Inshore Campaign).
HMS Arbiter (NavyPhotos)
23. British-built Escort carriers adapted from merchant ship hulls,
ACTIVITY,
CAMPANIA,
NAIRANA,
VINDEX,
4 ships built in Britain - circa 12,000 tons, 17 knots, 15 aircraft, 700 crew,
1942-44
HMS Nairana (NavyPhotos)
24.
PRETORIA
CASTLE, ex-armed
merchant cruiser - 17,400 tons, 17 knots, 15 aircraft, 1943
HMS Pretoria Castle (NavyPhotos)
MERCHANT AIRCRAFT CARRIERS (MAC-Ships)
Oil
or grain bulk cargo carriers with superstructures removed and flight decks
added. Manned by Merchant Navy crews, with Fleet Air Arm personnel to maintain
and fly the aircraft - mainly A/S Swordfish and Sea Hurricanes. The ships flew
the Red Ensign and some aircraft carried ‘Merchant Navy’ instead of ‘Royal
Navy’ on their fuselage.
25. Empire class
Grain
Carriers, EMPIRE MacALPINE, EMPIRE MacKENDRICK, EMPIRE MacANDREW, EMPIRE
MacDERMOTT, EMPIRE MacRAE, EMPIRE MacCALLUM, 7 ships - 8,000 tons, 12 knots, 4
aircraft, crew not known, launched December 1942-January 1944. Equipped with
hangar and lift
26. Empire Class Oil Tankers,
EMPIRE MacKAY, EMPIRE MacCOLL, EMPIRE MacMAHON, EMPIRE MacCABE, 4 ships - 9,000
tons, 12 knots, 3 aircraft, crew not known, launched May-July 1943. No hangar
and lift; aircraft stored and maintained on deck
27. Rapana Class Oil Tankers,
ACARUS, ADULA, ALEXIA, AMASTRA, ANCYLUS, GADILA, MACOMA, MIRALDA, RAPANA, 9
ships - 12,000 tons, 12 knots, 3 aircraft, crew not known, converted 1942-44.
Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company tankers. ‘Gadila’ and ‘Macoma’ operated under the
Dutch ensign. No hangar and lift; aircraft stored and maintained on deck.
CATAPULT ARMED MERCHANTMEN (CAM-Ships)
Ordinary
merchant ships fitted with a rocket driven catapult on the forecastle. They
carried one Mk1(a) Hurricane with minimum modifications and flown by volunteer
RAF pilots, were known as Sea Hurricanes, ‘Catafighters’ or ‘Hurricats’.
Quickly put into service in 1941 before the first escort carriers appeared with
the aim of driving off or shooting down German bombers and reconnaissance
aircraft, particularly Focke Wulf Condors. Once flown off the pilot usually had
to ditch and hope to be picked up, or make for the nearest friendly shore. The
first ships were requisitioned for Naval Service as Auxiliary Fighter Catapult
Ships and sailed under the White Ensign. Later CAM-ships were merchantmen.
According
to Cdr Rippon in ‘Evolution of Engineering in the Royal Navy’, Volume 2, some
35 CAM-ships made about 175 voyages in two years - twelve were lost, eight
catapult launchings were made, six enemy aircraft shot down and one RAF pilot
lost. Requisitioned Auxiliary Fighter Catapult Ships included ‘Ariguani’, ‘Maplin’
and two more, which were lost in 1941:
PATIA,
(5,350t,
completed 1922, Cdr D M B Baker RNR+), lost 27th April 1941, Western Europe, near
20G Buoy, Coquet Island, off Northumberland, NE coast of England - German
bombers, 40 crew lost.
SPRINGBANK
(5,150t, completed 1926, Capt C H Godwin), lost 27th September 1941, North
Atlantic (49.10N, 20.05W) - torpedoed by German ‘U.201’ (Schnee); 32 crew lost.