H.M.S. EMPROR Gallery page 1

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HMS EMPEROR gallery

Images marked † are from the private collection of Mr Jack Price, Air Mechanic 800 Squadron, kindly supplied by Mr Carl Berrington. Images marked ♠ are from the private collection of Mr Chris Thomas, Assistant Steward on EMPEROR Nov 1943 – Feb 1946. Images marked ♦ are from the private collection of Mr Jim Brown who served on EMPEROR as a Leading Air Mechanic (L). Images marked © are from the private collection of Mr. Ken McGowan, formerly a Lieutenant (Sp. Br.), R.N.V.R. who served on EMPEROR Sept 1943 until Jan 1945, supplied by his son Mr. Peter McGowan.

Most of these images are sized to fit the screen, however where possible those containing groups of personnel will open large enough to see individuals. Many, but not all, of these images are available in larger, high-res versions and copies can be supplied upon receipt of a photo request. If you have pictures or other memorabilia that you can contribute to this project please contact the Webmaster using the Offer of assistance form.

The Royal Navy Research Archive is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License See our terms of use for conditions regarding using these images in other works.

Transfer to RN and voyage to UK: August - September 1943

August 1943, H.M.S. Emperor working-up off New York after her transfer to the Royal Navy from the Us Navy on August 6th.

August 1943, H.M.S. Emperor working-up off New York after her transfer to the Royal Navy from the Us Navy on August 6th. †

August 1943, H.M.S. Emperor working-up off New York after her transfer to the Royal Navy from the Us Navy on August 6th. ♠

HMS EMPEROR during her Atlantic crossing from New York to the Clyde carrying a ferry load of Hellcat aircraft. Heavy U-Boat activity in the Atlantic forced the convoy to make a more northerly track and the ships encountered ice floe and snow in the icy waters off Newfoundland. †

EMPEROR at anchor at Greenock, C. September 1943. Image © IWM (FL 11445)

No. 7 Naval Fighter Wing & Home Fleet Offensive operations April - June 1944

The officers and men of 800 Naval Air Squadron shortly after their arrival onboard H.M.S. EMPEROR

804 squadron Hellcat gains altitudes as it climbs away after taking off from EMPEROR. ♠

An 804 squadron Hellcat about to complete a landing, the arrester hook is down and ready to engage a wire once the pilot brings the port wing down to level the aircraft on touch down. ♠

Barrier crash (1) an unidentified Hellcat of 804 squadron coded ‘J’ has failed to catch an arrester wire and enters the barrier. Date unknown. ♠

Barrier crash (2) an unidentified Hellcat of 804 squadron coded ‘J’ has failed to catch an arrester wire and enters the barrier. Date unknown. ♠

Barrier crash (3) an unidentified Hellcat of 804 squadron coded ‘J’ has failed to catch an arrester wire and has been stopped by the barrier. Its forward momentum causes the tail to rise as the aircraft noses over. Date unknown. ♠

Barrier crash (4) an unidentified Hellcat of 804 squadron coded ‘J’ has failed to catch an arrester wire and has been stopped by the barrier. Its forward momentum causes the tail to rise as the aircraft noses over. Date unknown. ♠

March 6th 1944: Sub-Lt R. L. Thompson RNVR sits in the cockpit of Hellcat FN341 'L’ (800 Sqn ) as it is made ready for take-off .

March 6th 1944: Squadron aircraft return to land on, the first has made a safe landing. FN341 'L’ is next to land and is in the circuit with a third aircraft behind it.

March 6th 1944: Sub-Lt R. L. Thompson RNVR in FN341 'L’ has drifted to port on landing and the port has collapsed when the wheel has caught the deck edge. ♠ & †

March 6th 1944: Hellcat FN341 'L’ is stuck, its port wing resting on the walkway and the single Oerlikon mounts in the area. ♠ & †

March 6th 1944: Recovery operations begin to extract Hellcat FN341 'L’ and clear the fight deck for the remaining aircraft to land on. Maintenance personnel sit on the starboard wing to add ballast ready for the machine to be lifted by the recovery crane. ♠

Part of Force 2 for operation TUNGSTEN the attack on the German Battleship TIRPITZ ATTACK carried out on April 3rd 1942 seen from the flight deck of EMPEROR: L-R CVE SEARCHER, Fleet Carrier FURIOUS, CVE PURSUER and Cruiser JAMAICA. © IWM A 22648

Pilots from 7 Naval Fighter Wing studying a model of the German battleship TIRPITZ on the flight deck just before they launched for the attack. © IWM (A 22651)

Lt. Cdr Orr, RNVR, DSC and bar, (left) who has 12 enemy aircraft to his credit and six probables, going over the attack with other pilots.

Armourers wait with 250lb bombs ready to load and arm them on 7 Wing aircraft for operation TUNGSTEN. †

TIRPITZ attack April 3rd 1944The first strike is ready for launch. © IWM A 22654

TIRPITZ attack April 3rd 1944The second strike aircraft are being brought up from the hangar and ranged on deck. © IWM A 22654

TIRPITZ attack April 3rd 1944The second strike aircraft begin taking off. © IWM A 22653

TIRPITZ attack April 3rd 1944. †

TIRPITZ attack April 3rd 1944, first man back from the attack makes a perfect landing. © IWM A 22655

TIRPITZ attack April 3rd 1944, Captain T. J. N. Hilkin, RN, discussing the result of the operation with Hellcat pilots

EMPEROR'S crew on deck to form up for "Cheering in" on return to Scapa Flow at the conclusion of the TIRPITZ operation. This involved the ship’s company line the edges of the flight deck in No.2 rig and raising their caps in a cheer of salute to other ships of the force. In the background are escort carriers PURSUER and SEARCHER. © IWM A 23071

EMPEROR entering Scapa Flow on return from the operation.

Rough seas (1) J

Rough seas (2) ♠ & †

Rough seas (3) †

Rough seas (4) †

Rough seas (5)

Rough seas (6) †

Rough seas (7) †

Rough seas (8) †

Rough seas (9) †

13th – 15th April 1944, flying operations during Operation PITCHBOWL were hampered by bad weather and snow storms and the operation was eventually cancelled. © IWM A 22647

12th – 16th May 1944, flying operations during Operation POTLUCK. The Hellcats of No.7 Naval Fighter Wing (800 & 904 squadrons) ranged on deck in order for take-off. © IWM A 23780

12th – 16th May 1944, flying operations during Operation POTLUCK : The Hellcats of No.7 Naval Fighter Wing ranged ready for take-off using the ship’s catapult. © IWM A 23781

12th – 16th May 1944, flying operations during Operation POTLUCK : The Hellcats of No.7 Naval Fighter Wing engines running ready for take-off using the ship’s catapult. © IWM A 3779

Operations in the Mediterranean July – August 1944: Operation DRAGOON

EMPEROR flight operations c. July 19th 1944: Aircraft ranged on deck ready for flying exercises with Wildcats from PURSUER & SEARCHER while on passage from the Clyde to Malta for Operation DRAGOON. The American Battleship USS Texas can be seen in the background. ♠ & †

EMPEROR flight operations c. July 19th 1944: Six Hellcats are ranged on deck ready for launch while formations of Wildcats from PURSUER & SEARCHER pass overhead during flying exercises on passage from the Clyde to Malta for Operation DRAGOON.. © IWM A 25541

EMPEROR flight operations c. July 19th 1944: A Hellcat lands on after completing flying exercises with Wildcats from PURSUER & SEARCHER p during on passage from the Clyde to Malta for Operation DRAGOON. © IWM A 25540

EMPEROR at anchor in Grand Harbour, Malta C. July 25th 1944 ready to join Task Group 88.1 for operation DRAGOON. Note most of the nine aircraft on deck do not carry ‘invasion stripes’ Aircraft ‘D’ does, presumably from air operations in early June in support of operation Neptune. All Allied aircraft would again wear these stripes for the upcoming invasion od Sothern France.

EMPEROR

March 13th 1945. The crash of Corsair KD578 'L' (3)

Port Said, entrance to the Suez Canal/

A small party lines up on the flight deck as a token 'dress ship' for entering harbour.

Preparing to enter the Suez Canal.

Entering the canal.

On passage through the canal.

c. March 22nd 1945 Corsair KD577 ('C') had a nasty barrier crash on the 21st after Sub-Lt W. Noble RNVR drifted to starboard and entered the barrier. The aircraft was ‘beyond local repair’ and was stripped of all salvageable components before the hulk was pushed overboard.

March 22nd 1945; a sequence of four images of Corsair KD607 as she side slips into the starboard catwalk, then falls overboard, taking a gun mounting with her.

KD607 barely afloat while her pilot Lt. Appleton makes his escape. He was safely recovered.

KD607 begins to sink as she falls behind the carrier.

Officers look at he mangled remains of the 20mm Oerlikon mount dragged overboard by the falling aircraft.