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HMS EMPRESS gallery

Images and memorabilia from the private collection of the author Additional Images, marked © IWM, are reproduced under the terms of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence.

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.

850 Squadron joins EMPRESS off Vancouver, Febraury 1944

Avenger Torpedo Bomber from 850 Squadron coming up from EMPRESS' hangar to be prepared for flying operations pff the U.S Wet coast, February 1944. (1)

Avenger Torpedo Bomber from 850 Squadron coming up from RMPRESS' hangar to be prepared for flying operations pff the U.S Wet coast, February 1944. (2)

Avenger Torpedo Bomber from 850 Squadron coming up from EMPRESS' hangar to be prepared for flying operations pff the U.S Wet coast, February 1944 (3).

Avenger Torpedo Bomber from 850 Squadron ranged on EMPRESS' flight deck ready for flying operations pff the U.S Wet coast, February 1944.

Avenger Torpedo Bomber from 850 Squadron being prepared for flying operations pff the U.S Wet coast, February 1944.

Avenger Torpedo Bomber from 850 Squadron making its taKe off run on EMPRESS for flying operations pff the U.S Wet coast, February 1944. (1)

Avenger Torpedo Bomber from 850 Squadron making its taKe off run on EMPRESS for flying operations pff the U.S Wet coast, February 1944. (2)

Avenger Torpedo Bomber from 850 Squadron croissing the rounddown landing on EMPRESS during flying operations pff the U.S Wet coast, February 1944. (1)

Touch down. an 850 Squadron Avenger has come to a stop after being arrested and members of the flight deck patry rush out to chock the main wheels.

Deck Landing Training and working up

Firefly Z1984 of 1772 Squadron from RNAS Burscough, flown by Midshipman R. P. Hubble RNVR, on final approach to land on HMS Empress during deck landing training, November 26th 1944.

Firefly Z1984 of 1772 Squadron from RNAS Burscough, flown by Midshipman R. P. Hubble RNVR, has caught No.8 wire landing on EMPRESS, its port wheel has gone over the deck edge and shredded its propeller, November 26th 1944

Firefly Z2022 ('E':'4D') of 1772 naval air squadron pictured on November 25th 1944 shortly after ending up in the barrier on HMS Empress. The aircraft flown by Sub-Lt I. T. O' Driscoll crashed when the arrestor hook bounced on landing and missed all the arrestor wires.

Operations with Eastern Fleet Escort Carrier Squadron: July - October 1944

HMS ATHELING passing through the Suez Canal on passage to Ceulon.

HMS ATHELING ferrying Seafires and Corsairs July 1944. †

Unidentified crew members pose with a Seafire on the flight deck c. July 1944 while the ship acted as a ferry carrier.

A Grumman Avenger is launched into the air from the flight deck of HMS ATHELING while at anchor in Trincomalee harbour. Pilots call this method of getting air-borne being squirted off ©IWM (A 27964).

Am Avenger of 845 squadron has just be accelerated from the flightdeck, the bridle that pulls the aircraft along the accelerator his jettisoned. †

Voyage to Cape Town and 804 Squadron Joins the ship

November 22nd 1944 on passage to Cape Town. King Neptune holds court accompanied by his loyal assistant Davey Jones and Her Royal Highness Amphitrite. -the surgeon and barber wait their first 'victim'. The "bears" wait in the pool to greet the initiate.

The 'Barber' gives the inductee a shave..

Let the dunking commence: the initiate is dumped from the chair above the pool into the arms of the waiting "Bears".

The "bears" continue to dunk the inductee until satisfied. Once released the sailor becomes part of the order of the deep and receives a certificate to prove his new status.

A newly minted 'Shellback' gets a helping hand out of the pool.

Some of the cast of a ;Sods Opera', possibly held at Cape Town (some of these characters appear in the crossing the line ceremony images).

ATHELING alongside at Cape Town. †

December 6th 1944, off Cape Town: The Hellcats of 804 fly past ATHELING before landing on for the first time. †

December 6th 1944, off Cape Town: Hellcat JW769, 'M' of 804 squadron, flown by Sub Lt. JA Scott miss timed the pitching of the ship and the tail hit the deck heavily on landing, the aircraft ended up on its nose. †

A Hellcat of 804 squadron being marshalled towards the catapult for an accelerated launch; Other aircraft are ‘stacked’ with their engines running waiting to be called forward. C. December 1944

December 12th 1944: Lt W. M. Barr in Hellcat JW723 ('6G' 804 Sqn) has missed all the arrestor wires and is stopped in its tracks by the barrier on ATHELING. †

Combat 0perations January - June 1945

January 1945: An unidentified Hellcat, coded ‘2K’ has drifted to port on landing and come to rest with its port undercarriage in the walkway, Armourers gather to make the aircraft safe before recovery operations begin..

January 1945: Flight deck personnel attempt to haul out '2K' of 804 Squadron as it hangs over the edge of the ship, using only brute force.

February 26th 1945, Lt. R.J.H. Cross in Hellcat JW738 ('6N') 804 Squadron caught the aircrafts tail on the rounddown landing on, aircraft lost control and went over the port side. The pilot was rescued OK.

March 1945: The Assistant Air Gunnery Officer and two Armourer ratings, prepare some 500 lb bombs for an upcoming mission. © IWM A 27962

March 1945:Armourers check and load ammunition for Hellcat fighters on ATHELING’s flight deck. © IWM A 27345

March 1945: Some of the anti aircraft defences of the ATHELING putting up a considerable barrage during a practice shoot. © IWM A 27963

A Hellcat of 804 squadron begins its unassisted take-off run; this aircraft carries no bombs so the full length of the deck can be used to get airborne. Other aircraft are ‘stacked’ with their engines running waiting to be called forward.

March 1st 1845: A sub-flight of 804 immediately after landing on after they had shot down a Ki-46 ‘Dinah’ bomber at 16,000 feet, 100 miles W of Katchall Isla, Nicobar in an engagement that began at 0824 and lasted 14 minutes. Left to right: Sub Lieut (A) PW Talbot, RNVR (in JW750); Sub Lieut (A) ClD Mortimer Barnett, RNVR (in JW730); Lieut (A) OF Wheatley, RNVR (in JW743); Sub Lieut (A) J Scott, RNVR (in JW769). © IWM A 27949

Defect rectification in Durban and 896 Squadron embarks: March - May 1945

HMS ATHELING in dry dock, Durban South Africa in late March 1945.

HMS ATHELING at at sea on her post refit shakedown in mid-April 1945 just prior to embarking 896 squadron form RN Air Sect Stamford Hill.

HMS ATHELING at anchor at Durban mid-April 1945 just prior to embarking 896 squadron form RN Air Sect Stamford Hill.

The officers of 896 squadron onboard ATHELING.

896 squadron inspection onboard ATHELING.

May 8th 1945: The Captain announces the war in Europe is over.

c. May 12th, Hellcat FB.II JX725 of 896 squadron taxies forward ready to be attached the the catapult for an accelerated launch.

Operations BALSAM (804 Sqn), COLLIE (896 Sqn), LIVERY & CARSON (804 Sqn) June - August 1945

ATHELING showing her new deck identification letter R C. June 1945.

804 squadron preparing to launch for strike operations. Note aircraft now wear K6 codes and ATHELING has changed her deck ID letter from A to R.

804 Hellcat over Medan; Bombs dropped by naval aircraft can be seen exploding along the runway of the Japanese airfield at Medan.

Target map of Car Nicobar for operation COLLIE.

Fully armed Hellcat FB.II JX688 of 896 squadron ready on the catapult for an accelerated launch.

The escort destroyer HMS ESKIMO comes alongside ATHELING in preparation for being fuelled from the carrier. The line of men on the flight deck are hauling the guide line on board before transferring the fuelling hose.

HMS ESKIMO fuelling form ATHELING.

July 6th 1945 operation COLLIE: Sub Lieut (A) ML Wright returns to the ship. While flying at low level in JX729 against targets on Car Nicobar his aircraft flew through trees damaging the airframe, once over the sea he baled out and was picked up by a destroyer. © IWM A 29871

July 11th 1945 operation COLLIE: Sub Lieut (A) HCN Goodhart returns to the ship. Flying in an unidentified Hellcat, coded 'B7J', he suffered an engine failure and was forced to ditch. He was rescued by one of the escorting destroyers HMS VIGILANT, having broken an arm he was transferred to ATHELING by light jackstay.

A Walrus form 1700 squadron was embarked on July 19th to help provide Air Sea Rescue cover for downed pilots during operation LIVERY.

804 squadron preparing to launch for strike operations. Note aircraft now wear K6 codes and Amer has changed her deck ID letter from A to R by late July 1945.