HMS Vengeance

Builder

Laid down

Launched

Commissioned

Deckcode -

25. February 1945 - 19. March 1945

Mediteranen work up near Malta (13th CAG)

812 NAS

Barracuda

-

1850 NAS 25. Feb. 45 - 19. Mar. 46

Corsair IV (24)

-

23. April 1945 - 11. June 1945

Far East (13th CAG)

812 NAS

Barracuda

-

1850 NAS 23. Apr. 45 - 11. Jun. 45

Corsair IV (24)

-

1. July 1945 - 22. July 1945

Far East (13th CAG) Hongkong to Australia

1850 NAS 1. Jul. 45 - 22. Jul. 45

Corsair IV (24)

-

January 1946 - March 1946

Refitted at Portsmouth Dockyard

13. August 1945 - 3. October 1945

Far East (13th CAG) Australia to Hong Kong

812 NAS

Firefly

-

1850 NAS 13. Aug. 45 - 3. Oct. 45

Corsair IV (12)

A 110

20. December 1945 - 12. January 1946

Far East (13th CAG) Hongkong to Australia

1850 NAS 1. Jul. 45 - 22. Jul. 45

Corsair IV (24)

-

19. March 1946 - 5. April 1945

Far East (13th CAG) Australia to Ceylon

1850 NAS 19. Mar. 46 - 5. Apr. 46

Corsair IV (24)

-

11. June 1946 - 12. August 1946

Far East (13th CAG) Ceylon to UK

1850 NAS 11. Jun. 46 - 12. Aug. 46

Corsair IV (24)

-

1851 NAS 11. Jun. 46 - 13. Aug. 46

Corsair IV (18)

T 110

June 1947

North Sea

1948

Atlantic

5. February 1949 - 8. March 1949

North Atlantic (Operation Rusty)

2. July 1951 - 13. July 1951

-

1830 NAS 2. Jul. 51 - 13. Jul. 51

Firefly FR.1

-

Training

Transferred to the Royal Australian Navy

13. November 1952

Carrier transferred to the Royal Australian Navy

For the furter History of this Carrier look here

History 

On 11. March 1945, Vengeance left the River Clyde for working-up trials in Malta. These were completed by 21. May 1945, when she was assigned to the 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron of the British Pacific Fleet. The carrier sailed to Sydney via Alexandria, Port Said, Trincomalee, and Fremantle, arriving on 26 July. While alongside in Sydney, eight Oerlikons were replaced with eight single Bofors 40 mm guns; these guns provided better protection against Japanese kamikaze aircraft. Vengeance was assigned to Task Group 111.2 of the British Pacific Fleet, and was to be deployed as part of the force attacking Japanese-held Truk, but did not leave Sydney until the war ended. Following the end of the war Vengeance was ordered to Hong Kong, and on 3 September was used as the venue for the Japanese surrender of the territory.
She remained in the area until the end of 1945, sailed to Australia for a refit, then returned to Hong Kong. In April 1946, Vengeance delivered No. 11 and No. 17 Squadrons of the Royal Air Force to Miho, Ibaraki in Japan, where they were assigned as part of British Commonwealth Occupation Force. Vengeance remained in Eastern waters until 20 July 1946, when she departed for England. The ship arrived at Devonport on 13 August after visiting Trincomalee, and at the end of the year was reassigned as a Scotland-based training carrier.
Vengeance visited Oslo and Trondheim in June 1947, with First Sea Lord Sir John Cunningham aboard. During early 1948, the carrier was attached to the 3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron, part of the British Home Fleet. She visited St Helena in October, and cruised with the Squadron in South African waters until mid-November. On her return to the UK, Vengeance was converted for Arctic conditions, and from 5 February 1949 to 8 March 1949 operated in Arctic waters as part of Operation Rusty: an experimental cruise to determine how well ships, aircraft, and personnel functioned in extreme cold.