Commissioned after at least a two year suspension of work, post-WWII, deck letter L
1953-nov
Refit
RefitHMD PortsmouthDockyard widening flight deck amidships and installing painted angled flight deck and equipment, until Apr 1954. Deck letter C
1954-dec-18
Aircraft
Aircraft Dragonfly WH991 assigned as Centaur SAR Flt until May 1955.
1956-jan
Deployment
Deployment departed UK for a 5 month Far East deployment, returned to HMD Devonport in May 1956.
1956-may
Refit
Refit 3 month refit at HMD Devonport, including steam catapult fit, until Aug 1956
1956-sep
Refit
Refit until 1958 at HMD Devonport to turn painted on angled deck into a real angled deck
1958-nov
Aircraft
Aircraft Dragonfly HR.5 WG709 to Ships SAR Flt as /977-C, until c Jun 1960.
1959-jan
Aircraft
Aircraft Dragonfly VX597 assigned to Centaur SAR Flt until c Mar 1959.
1959-jan-08
Aircraft
Aircraft embarked Dragonfly HR.3 WG725 for a week or so of trials.
1959-jan-30
Aircraft
AircraftAccident Whirlwind XL837, 845 Sq/392 /C ditched and sank off Malta, while operating from HMS Centaur
1959-feb-25
Aircraft
Aircraftoff GozoAccident Whirlwind XK945, 845 Sq/397 /J ditched and sank 4nm S of Gozo, while operating from HMS Centaur on 25 Feb 1959.
1959-dec
visited Brisbane, Sydney - Australia
1960-jun
Aircraft
Aircraft assigned Dragonfly HR.5 WP495/978 as SAR Flt, until c Aug 1960
1960-aug
Refit
Refit at HMD Portsmouth until c Jan 1961, to prepare for faster and heavier carrier-borne fighters.
1961-mar
Aircraft
Aircraft Whirlwinds of 824 NAS assigned until May 1963
1961-apr
Deployment
Deployment departed HMNB Portsmouth in early Apr for 13 month Indian Ocean and Far East deployment. Returned 16 May 1962.
1961-apr-20
Aircraft
Aircraftoff MaltaAccident Whirlwind HAS.7 XN303/333-C of 824 NAS ditched and sank off Malta.
1961-jun-25
Deployment
Deployment ordered from Gibraltar to stand by off Aden, in support of Operation Vantage (off Kuwait).
1961-jul-31
Deployment
DeploymentOperation Vantage Ordered off Kuwait (from Aden) to assist during a period of international tension, relieving HMS Victorious on 31 Jul. Withdrew 24 Aug.
Aircraftoff Pulau AurAccident lost Whirlwind HAS.7 XN362/335-V of 824 NAS shortly after take-off. Ditched and sank.
1962-mar-10
Aircraft
AircraftAccident Whirlwind HAS.7 XN381/334-V of 824 NAS ditched and sank at northern end of Malacca Strait.
1962-mar-27
Deployment
DeploymentAden HarbourAden 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-05
Aircraft
AircraftAccident Whirlwind HAS.7 XN379/336-C of 824 NAS lost off Malta.
DeploymentAccident 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
Deployment Departed UK for short Far East deployment, with 815 NAS embarked. Returned to Portsmouth May 1963.
1963-apr-25
Aircraft
AircraftAccident Whirlwind HAS.7 XL872/335-C of 824 NAS lost in Indian Ocean, S of Mogadishu.
1963-may
Refit
Refitair search radar Type 965 improvements at HMD Portsmouth to air surveillance and air defence operations, until c Oct.
1963-sep-26
Accident While alongside in HMNB Portsmouth, fire developed in fuel system.
1963-oct-18
Accident While alongside in HMNB Portsmouth, was hit by HM Submarine Porpoise. Minor damage to both vessels.
1963-dec-21
Deployment
Deployment 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.
DeploymentDar-es-Salaam HarbourEast African Mutinies sailed from Aden for Dar es Salaam with 2x 26 SquadronBelvedere 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
AircraftAccident lost 815 Sq Wessex HAS.1 XM873/302-C when crashed into Wadi Misrah, near Al Habilayn, north of Aden.
1964-apr-16
Aircraft
AircraftAccident lost 815 Sq Wessex HAS.1 XP148/306-C when ditched and sank off Aden.
1964-may-14
Deployment
Deployment 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-05
Aircraft
AircraftAccident 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
AircraftAccident 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
Aircraft Whirlwind HAS.7 XK912 assigned as SAR Flt / 977-C until c Sep 1965
1964-nov-03
Aircraft
Aircraftoff Tanjung SediliAccident Whirlwind HAS.7 XL844/977 of Ships SAR Flt ditched and lost in South China Sea on 3 Nov 1964
1965-apr
Deployment
Deployment Final deployment, to the Mediterranean, returning to UK in Jul 1965
1966
Homeport
Homeport role changed to accommodation ship at HMD Devonport, for crews whose carrier was undergoing refit.
1968-aug
accommodation ship for refit of HMS Bulwark until c Feb 1969.
1970-apr-24
Decommissioned
Decommissioned
1972-aug-11
Fate: scrapped
Fate: scrappedCairnryanBreakers Yard sold for scrap to Queenborough Shipbreaking on 11 Aug and subsequently towed to Cairnryan for scrapping.