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1943-jul-12 | Ordered | R06 HMS Centaur | |
1944-may-30 | Laid down | R06 HMS Centaur Yard No. 1280 | |
1947-apr-22 | Launched | R06 HMS Centaur at Harland and Wolff, Belfast | |
1953-sep-17 | Commissioned | R06 HMS Centaur after at least a two year suspension of work, post-WWII, deck letter L | |
1953-nov | Refit | R06 HMS Centaur widening flight deck amidships and installing painted angled flight deck and equipment, until Apr 1954. Deck letter C | |
1954-dec-18 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Dragonfly WH991 assigned as Centaur SAR Flt until May 1955. | |
1956-jan | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur departed UK for a 5 month Far East deployment, returned to HMD Devonport in May 1956. | |
1956-may | Refit | R06 HMS Centaur 3 month refit at HMD Devonport, including steam catapult fit, until Aug 1956 | |
1956-sep | Refit | R06 HMS Centaur until 1958 at HMD Devonport to turn painted on angled deck into a real angled deck | |
1958-nov | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Dragonfly HR.5 WG709 to Ships SAR Flt as /977-C, until c Jun 1960. | |
1959-jan | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Dragonfly VX597 assigned to Centaur SAR Flt until c Mar 1959. | |
1959-jan-8 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur embarked Dragonfly HR.3 WG725 for a week or so of trials. | |
1959-jan-30 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Whirlwind XL837, 845 Sq/392 /C ditched and sank off Malta, while operating from HMS Centaur | |
1959-feb-25 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Whirlwind XK945, 845 Sq/397 /J ditched and sank 4nm S of Gozo, while operating from HMS Centaur on 25 Feb 1959. | |
1959-dec | | R06 HMS Centaur visited Brisbane, Sydney - Australia | |
1960-jun | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur assigned Dragonfly HR.5 WP495/978 as SAR Flt, until c Aug 1960 | |
1960-aug | Refit | R06 HMS Centaur at HMD Portsmouth until c Jan 1961, to prepare for faster and heavier carrier-borne fighters. | |
1961-mar | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Whirlwinds of 824 NAS assigned until May 1963 | |
1961-apr | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur departed HMNB Portsmouth in early Apr for 13 month Indian Ocean and Far East deployment. Returned 16 May 1962. | |
1961-apr-20 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Whirlwind HAS.7 XN303/333-C of 824 NAS ditched and sank off Malta. | |
1961-jun-25 | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur ordered from Gibraltar to stand by off Aden, in support of Operation Vantage (off Kuwait). | |
1961-jul-31 | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur Operation Vantage Ordered off Kuwait (from Aden) to assist during a period of international tension, relieving HMS Victorious on 31 Jul. Withdrew 24 Aug. | |
1961-nov | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur Mombasa Flood Relief Operations joined HMS Victorious in Nov, eventually relieving her, until c Jan 1962. | |
1962-jan-30 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur lost Whirlwind HAS.7 XN362/335-V of 824 NAS shortly after take-off. Ditched and sank. | |
1962-mar-10 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Whirlwind HAS.7 XN381/334-V of 824 NAS ditched and sank at northern end of Malacca Strait. | |
1962-mar-27 | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur relieved by HMS Ark Royal in Aden as East of Suez carrier. Returned via Malta for a fortnight maintenance period, to HMNB Portsmouth and arrived on 16 May 1962. | |
1962-may-5 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Whirlwind HAS.7 XN379/336-C of 824 NAS lost off Malta. | |
1962-aug | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur operating off Portugal with HMS Hermes, USS Enterprise and USS Forrestal during, Exercise RipTide II. | |
1962-nov-19 | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur Major steam leak in one of boiler rooms, with fatalities, while operating in the Irish Sea. Made for HMD Portsmouth for repair. | |
1963-feb | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur Departed UK for short Far East deployment, with 815 NAS embarked. Returned to Portsmouth May 1963. | |
1963-apr-25 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Whirlwind HAS.7 XL872/335-C of 824 NAS lost in Indian Ocean, S of Mogadishu. | |
1963-may | Refit | R06 HMS Centaur air search radar Type 965 improvements at HMD Portsmouth to air surveillance and air defence operations, until c Oct. | |
1963-sep-26 | | R06 HMS Centaur While alongside in HMNB Portsmouth, fire developed in fuel system. | |
1963-oct-18 | | R06 HMS Centaur While alongside in HMNB Portsmouth, was hit by HM Submarine Porpoise. Minor damage to both vessels. | |
1963-dec-21 | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur departed HMNB Portsmouth for 12 month Far East deployment, including several months around Singapore waters. 815 NAS Wessex embarked. Relieved by HMS Eagle and arrived back at Portsmouth 21 Dec 1964. | |
1964-jan-4 | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur Operation Nutcracker provided a detachment of 4 Wessex HAS.1 from 815 NAS for the Radfan clearance tasks. | |
1964-jan-21 | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur East African Mutinies sailed from Aden for Dar es Salaam with 2x 26 Squadron Belvedere HC.1, 45 Commando RM and 16/5 Lancers embarked, joining with HMS Rhyl, to assist in putting down East African mutinies. Relieved in theatre by HMS Victorious in Feb, HMS Centaur eventually returned to the Gulf of Aden in May, via Singapore. | |
1964-feb-21 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur lost 815 Sq Wessex HAS.1 XM873/302-C when crashed into Wadi Misrah, near Al Habilayn, north of Aden. | |
1964-apr-16 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur lost 815 Sq Wessex HAS.1 XP148/306-C when ditched and sank off Aden. | |
1964-may-14 | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur departed Singapore for Aden with reinforcing Belvedere for 26 Squadron and replacement Wessex (collected from units at Singapore) for 815 NAS to repair en route and in the UK. Arrived back in UK on 21 Dec. | |
1964-sep-5 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Wessex HAS.1 815 Sq XM869/305-C suffered engine failure and ditched into the South China Sea on 5 Sep 1964 off Singapore | |
1964-sep-18 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur while operating in South China Sea off Malaya, 815 NAS Wessex HAS.1 XP106/300-C ditched and sank following a gearbox fire on 18 Sep 1964 | |
1964-oct | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Whirlwind HAS.7 XK912 assigned as SAR Flt / 977-C until c Sep 1965 | |
1964-nov-3 | Aircraft | R06 HMS Centaur Whirlwind HAS.7 XL844/977 of Ships SAR Flt ditched and lost in South China Sea on 3 Nov 1964 | |
1965-apr | Deployment | R06 HMS Centaur Final deployment, to the Mediterranean, returning to UK in Jul 1965 | |
1966 | Homeport | R06 HMS Centaur role changed to accommodation ship at HMD Devonport, for crews whose carrier was undergoing refit. | |
1968-aug | | R06 HMS Centaur accommodation ship for refit of HMS Bulwark until c Feb 1969. | |
1970-apr-24 | Decommissioned | R06 HMS Centaur | |
1972-aug-11 | Fate: scrapped | R06 HMS Centaur sold for scrap to Queenborough Shipbreaking on 11 Aug and subsequently towed to Cairnryan for scrapping. | |
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