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. |
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HMS
Formidable |
Class |
lIlustrious Class |
Builder |
Harland & Wolff. |
Laid
down
|
17. June 1937 |
Launched |
17.
August 1939 |
Commissioned
|
24.
November 1940 |
Decommissioned |
12.
August 1947 |
Identification |
Pennant
I67 |
Deckcode - |
|
.... |
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. |
|
Scapa Flow |
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. |
|
18 December 1940 - 22
January 1941 |
Atlantic |
806 NAS |
Fulmar I |
- |
826 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
829 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
Protecting the Convoy HX 84 |
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last
update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
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South
Africa |
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. |
|
26 January 1941 - 10. March
1941 |
East Coast of Africa |
806 NAS |
Fulmar I |
- |
826 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
829 NAS |
Albacore / Swordfish |
- |
- |
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last
update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
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Alexandria |
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. |
|
20. March 1941 - 2. May 1941 |
Mediteranean |
806 NAS |
Fulmar I (13) |
- |
826 NAS |
Albacore (10) |
- |
829 NAS |
Swordfish (4) |
- |
Protecting the a convoy to Malta,
On the morning of 27 March, major elements of the Italian Fleet were
spotted enroute to the sea lanes between Egypt and Greece, and the
carrier sailed later that afternoon to intercept them. Reinforced by
three Fulmars from 806 Squadron, her air group only numbered 13 Fulmars,
10 Albacores and 4 Swordfish. An Albacore spotted the leading Italian
ships the next morning; a strike force of six Albacores was loaded with
torpedoes and began to attack the Italian battleship Vittorio Veneto.
Two German Junkers Ju 88 bombers intervened, but they were driven off by
the escorting pair of Fulmars. The attack was unsuccessful, and another
strike force of three Albacores and two Swordfish was prepared. Shortly
after launching them at 12:22, Formidable was unsuccessfully attacked by
a pair of torpedo-carrying Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 bombers. Around 14:50,
one Albacore succeeded in torpedoing the Italian battleship, although
the other aircraft missed. The hit briefly knocked out her engines and
caused heavy flooding. Another air strike of six Albacores and two
Swordfish was launched at 17:30 to finish off the crippled battleship,
but they mistook the Italian cruiser Pola for the battleship in the
fading light. The cruiser was struck by a single torpedo from one of the
aircraft, possibly from one of two Swordfish from 815 Squadron from
Maleme, Crete, that linked up with Formidable's aircraft before the
attack. The mistake allowed the battleship to reach port. One Albacore
was shot down by Vittorio Veneto, and two others were forced to ditch
after running out of fuel during the day's operations. |
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last
update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
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Alexandria |
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. |
|
6. May 1941 - 11. May 1941 |
Mediteranean |
806 NAS |
Fulmar I |
- |
826 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
829 NAS |
Swordfish |
- |
Operation Tiger |
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|
last
update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
|
Alexandria |
|
|
26. May 1941 - 27 May 1941 |
Mediteranean |
806 NAS |
Fulmar I (10) |
- |
826 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
829 NAS |
Swordfish |
- |
Dawn raid on the base at
Scarpanto |
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|
last
update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
26. May 1941 |
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka dive bombers from I./StG 2 hit HMS
Formidable with two 500-kilogram bombs. The bombs killed 12 men and
wounded 10; one bomb passed completely through the outer part of the
starboard forward flight deck and detonated before it hit the water,
riddling the side of the hull with holes. A near miss also blew a
large hole in the ship's starboard side underwater. |
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. |
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Alexandria |
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. |
|
27. May 1941 -
24. July 1941 |
Emergency
repairs at Alexandia |
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|
. |
|
24. July 1941 - 25. August
1941 |
Mediteranean, Trip to
NAS Norfolk VA |
829 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
829 NAS until the 23. August
1941 on Board |
|
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
|
NAS Norfolk VA, USA |
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. |
|
25. August 1941 -
December 1941 |
Repais at NAS Norfolk VA |
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|
. |
|
12 December 1941 - 21.
December 1941 |
Transit to the UK |
? |
? |
- |
? |
? |
- |
- |
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
15 - 16 December 1941 |
During the night HMS
Illustrious collided with HMS Formidable's stern, but neither ship
was seriously damaged. |
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. |
|
Belfast |
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. |
|
21. December 1941 - 3.
February 1942 |
Repais at Belfast |
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|
. |
|
17. February 1942 - 24.
March 1942 |
To the Far East |
818 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
820 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
888 NAS |
Martlet II (12) |
- |
- |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
|
Colombo |
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|
. |
|
28. March 1942 - 13. April
1942 |
Indian Ocean |
818 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
820 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
888 NAS |
Martlet II (12) |
- |
Refuelled at Addu Atoll 4.
April 1942 and 9. April 1942 |
|
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Bombay |
|
|
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|
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|
|
|
. |
|
20. April 1942 - 10. May
1942 |
Indian Ocean |
818 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
820 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
888 NAS |
Martlet II (12) |
- |
- |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
|
Kilindini Harbour, Mombasa,
Kenya |
|
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|
. |
|
29 May 1942 - 1942 |
Indian Ocean |
818 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
820 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
888 NAS |
Martlet II (12) |
- |
- |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Bombay |
|
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|
. |
|
30. August 1942 - 21.
September 1942 |
Indian Ocean |
818 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
820 NAS |
Albacore |
- |
888 NAS |
Martlet II (12) |
- |
- |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
|
Rosyth |
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|
. |
|
21. September 1942
- 18 October 1942 |
Refit
at Rosyth |
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|
. |
|
30. October 1942 -1943 |
- |
820 NAS |
Albacore (12) |
- |
885 NAS |
Seafire
(6) |
- |
888 NAS |
Martlet II (12) |
- |
893 NAS
21. Oct. 42 - 23. Aug 43 |
Martlet II (12) |
- |
Operation Torch |
|
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
|
?, Malta |
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. |
|
Gibraltar |
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|
. |
|
13. October 1943 -19.
October 1943 |
Trip to the UK |
? |
? |
- |
893 NAS
28. Aug. 43- 18. Oct. 43 |
Martlet II (12) |
- |
- |
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Greenock, Scapa Flow |
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|
. |
|
October 1943 - 13 November
1943 |
Trip to the UK |
? |
? |
- |
893 NAS
29. Oct. 43 - 18. Nov. 43 |
Martlet II (12) |
- |
Operation in the North
Atlantic near Iceland |
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Belfast |
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|
. |
|
19. November 1943
- June 1944 |
Refit
at Belfast |
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|
. |
|
29. June 1944 - 5. July 1944 |
North Sea, Norway |
827 NAS |
Barracuda II
(12) |
- |
830 NAS |
Barracuda II
(12) |
- |
1841 NAS
26. Jun. 44 - 5. Jul. 44 |
Corsair II & III (18) |
- |
Training |
|
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
17. July 1944 - 19. July
1945 |
North Sea, Norway |
827 NAS |
Barracuda II
(12) |
- |
830 NAS |
Barracuda II
(12) |
- |
1841 NAS
10. Jul. 44 - 19. Jul. 45 |
Corsair II & III (18) |
- |
Operation Mascot 17 July
1944 (Tirpitz Raid) |
|
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
7. August 1945 - 14. August
1944 |
North Sea, Norway |
827 NAS |
Barracuda II
(12) |
- |
830 NAS |
Barracuda II
(12) |
- |
1841 NAS
7. Aug. 44 - 14. Aug. 44 |
Corsair II & III (18) |
- |
1842 NAS
7. Aug. 44 - 14. Aug. 44 |
Corsair II (12) |
- |
Training |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Scapa Flow |
|
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|
. |
|
18. August 1944 - 2.
September 1944 |
North Sea, Norway |
826 NAS |
Barracuda II
(12) |
- |
828 NAS |
Barracuda II
(12) |
- |
1841 NAS
18. Aug. 44 - 2.
Sep. 44 |
Corsair II & III (18) |
- |
1842 NAS
18. Aug. 44 - 2.
Sep. 44 |
Corsair II (12) |
- |
Operation Goodwood 22- 29
August
1944 (Tirpitz Raid) |
|
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Scapa Flow |
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|
. |
|
16. September 1944 - 21.
September 1944 |
Trip to Gibraltar |
1841 NAS
16. Sept. 44 - 21.
Sep. 44 |
Corsair II & III (18) |
- |
1842 NAS
16. Sept. 44 - 21.
Sep. 44 |
Corsair II (18) |
- |
Operation in the North
Atlantic near Iceland |
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Gibraltar |
|
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|
. |
|
21. September 1944
- 1. January 1945 |
Refit
at Gibraltar |
|
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|
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|
|
|
. |
|
14. January 1945 - 10. March
1945 |
Trip to the Far East |
848 NAS |
Avenger I
(18) |
370 X |
1841 NAS
27. Jan. 45 - 8. Feb. 45 |
Corsair II & III (18) |
- |
1842 NAS
15. Jan. 45 - 8. Feb. 45 |
Corsair II (18) |
110 X |
Port Calls at: Ceylon 8,
February 1945 |
|
|
|
 |
1840 NAS |
 |
|
 |
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
|
Ceylon |
|
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. |
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|
 |
1840 NAS |
 |
|
 |
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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. |
|
Sidney |
|
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|
. |
|
31.
May 1945 - 28. June 1945 |
Repair
and Refit at Sidney
(Überprüfen) |
|
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|
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|
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|
|
|
. |
|
28. June
1945 -
24. August
1945 |
2nd
CAG BPF |
848 NAS |
Avenger I & II
(18) |
370 X |
1840 NAS |
Hellcat II (6) |
- |
1841 NAS
22. Jun. 45 - 23. Aug. 45 |
Corsair IV (18) |
110 X |
1842 NAS
22. Jun. 45 - 23. Aug. 45 |
Corsair IV (18) |
130 X |
Port
calls at: Manus Island, Admiralty Islands 4. July 1945, |
|
|
|
 |
1840 NAS |
 |
|
 |
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Sidney |
|
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|
. |
|
September 1945 - 21. October
1945 |
Trip to the Philippines. |
- none - |
- |
- |
Having
left her air group behind to maximise the numbers of passengers she
could carry, the ship arrived at Manila on 30 September, where she
loaded over 1,000 Australian former prisoners of war on 4 October and
unloaded them at Circular Quay in Sydney on 21 October 1945. |
|
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|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Sidney |
|
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|
. |
|
24. October 1945 - 6.
December 1945 |
Trip to Singapore,
Bombay, Tarakan, and Morotai |
- none - |
- |
- |
She
departed three days later, bound for Karavia Bay, New Britain, where she
loaded 1,254 men of the Indian Army and continued on to Singapore where
she loaded Indian ex-PoWs before delivering them to Bombay. There
Formidable loaded an Indian Army infantry battalion for transport to
Batavia in the Dutch East Indies to maintain law and order until Dutch
colonial troops could take over. The ship then loaded elements of the
7th Australian Division and their equipment at Tarakan Island, Borneo,
and picked up more Australians at Morotai; she arrived at Sydney on 6
December. |
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|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
28. December 1945 - 5.
February 1946 |
Trip to the UK |
? |
? |
- |
800
naval personnel embarked for passage home |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Portsmouth |
|
|
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|
. |
|
2. March 1946 - April 1946 |
Trip to the Far East |
? |
? |
- |
- |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
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|
. |
|
Sidney |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
. |
|
12. April 1946 - 9. May 1946 |
Trip to the UK |
? |
? |
- |
1,336
naval personnel embarked for passage home, stopping in Colombo to refuel
and drop off 576 naval personnel |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Devonport |
|
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
. |
|
15. June 1946 - 25. July
1946 |
Trip to the Far East |
? |
? |
- |
She made
her next voyage to Bombay and Colombo between 15 June and 25 July. The
ship loaded 114 officers, 958 enlisted men and 11 VAD nurses in
Singapore in August and another 319 enlisted men in Trincomalee before
stopping in Malta to load 41 men of the Merchant Navy. |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Portsmouth |
|
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|
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|
|
|
. |
|
3. December 1946 - 3.
February 1947 |
Trip to the Far East |
? |
? |
- |
Formidable made her last trooping voyage between Portsmouth and
Singapore, delivering 1,000 Royal Marine Commandos to the latter. |
|
|
|
last update 30. September 2016 |
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|
. |
|
Portsmouth |
|
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|
|
|
. |
|
Decommissioned
|
12
August 1947 |
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