AircraftExercise Rum Tub III temporary assignment of 824 NAS Whirlwinds until 17 Oct
1960-oct-07
Aircraft
AircraftAccident 814 NAS Whirlwind HAS.7 XN313/282-H w/o Lough Foyle while HMS Hermes was operating in the Irish Sea. (Replaced on unit strength by XN386 as /282-H later in the same month).
1960-nov-07
Deployment
Deployment departed HMNB Portsmouth for exercises in Mediterranean with HMS Ark Royal and HMS Victorious, sailed on 3 Dec for Far East station to relieve HMS Albion, returned to UK on 19 Apr 1961
AircraftAccident 814 Sq Whirlwind HAS.7 XN312/281-H ditched and sank during recovery approach, S of Hong Kong on 3 Feb 1961
1961-mar
Deployment
Deployment relieved of Far East duty by HMS Victorious, towards end of the month
1961-jun-29
Deployment
DeploymentGibraltar HarbourStandby Ordered to Gibraltar as a precautionary re-inforcement to units engaged in Operation Vantage off Kuwait, until mid Jul.
1961-aug-05
Port Visit
Port VisitHMNB PortsmouthNavy Days 1961 present at Portsmouth Navy Days 1961, with the last public display for her embarked 814 NAS Whirlwinds, before re-equipping with Wessex.
1961-sep-11
Refit
Refit Major refit in Portsmouth which included arrangements for operating the Wessex, until 20 Apr 1962
1962-apr
Aircraft
AircraftSAR Flt allocated Whirlwind HAS.7 XL852 as SAR Flt / 985-H until c Feb 1964
1962-may
Aircraft
Aircraft until Aug 1963 Wessex HAS.1 of 814 NAS embarked
DeploymentKonfrontasi departed HMNB Portsmouth for 10 month Indian Ocean and Far East deployment via the Mediterranean, based from Singapore. Wessex HAS.1 of 814 NAS embarked. Relieved by HMS Ark Royal in Jul 1963 and sailed for the UK. Ordered to remain off Aden, she was replaced there by HMS Victorious in Red Sea, continuing on 21 Jul and returned Aug 1963.
1962-nov-13
Aircraft
AircraftHMD PortsmouthDeparture prior to deployment for Far East later that day while still in the English Channel, the Fairey Swordfish which had been hoisted aboard for the Taranto Day celebrations on 11 Nov, flew off. Last departure of a Swordfish from a carrier.
1962-nov-16
Aircraft
AircraftAccident SAR Flt Whirlwind XN360/986-H ditched and sank in the Irish Sea, en route Brawdy.
1962-dec-08
Aircraft
Aircraftoff AdenAccident Whirlwind XK935 SAR Flt/985 since Oct 1962, ditched and sank, 23nm SW of Aden.
1963-jan-15
Aircraft
AircraftSubic Bay HarbourAccident lost 814Sq Wessex HAS.1 XM924/344-H when ditched and sank 15 Jan 1963, while operating off Philippines.
1963-jul
Aircraft
Aircraft Disembarked 814 NAS and replaced them in her air group by 819 NAS Wessex from Hal Far, until Feb 1964.
1963-aug-12
Aircraft
AircraftAccident Lost 814Sq Wessex XM922/344-H when ditched and sank, 12 Aug 1963 while operating off Aden
1963-oct-04
Aircraft
AircraftCentral MediterraneanAccident lost 819 Sq Wessex HAS.1 XP145/323-H, when ditched and sank while operating S of Crete.
1964-feb
Refit
Refit refit at HMD Devonport for c 2 years, emerging Spring 1966, able to host ASW Helicopters
1964-aug-01
HMD DevonportNavy Days 1964 present at Plymouth Navy Days 1964, in refit
1965-aug
HMD DevonportNavy Days 1965 present at Plymouth Navy Days 1965, in refit
1966-mar
Aircraft
Aircraft assigned Whirlwind HAR.9 XN258 to SAR Flt/336-H until c Nov 1966.
1966-sep
Aircraft
Aircraft until Feb 1968 Wessex HAS.1 of 826 NAS embarked and 2 SAR Flt Whirlwinds
1966-sep-21
Deployment
Deployment departed HMNB Portsmouth for North Sea work-up, returning 18 Nov
1967-jan-16
Deployment
Deployment departed HMNB Portsmouth for 9 month Indian Ocean and Far East deployment. Relieved HMS Victorious off Aden in Apr. Ordered back to Aden from Gan on 3 Jun as the Middle East six day war broke out. Reached Far East base at Singapore on 22 Jun. Departed Singapore on 4 Sep for the UK via Cape Town and arrived in Portsmouth on 2 Oct.
1967-jan-23
Aircraft
AircraftWest MediterraneanAccident en route Malta from Gibraltar, 892Sq Sea Vixen ditched immediately following launch by catapult. 826 NAS Planeguard Wessex HAS.1 XS883/346-H on scene, was struck by the ship and lost.
1967-apr
Deployment
Deployment Eastern Mediterranean, after Greek military coup in Athens
1967-jun
Deployment
Deployment assigned to Eastern Task Force off Aden, guarding interests during Middle East Six Day War.
1967-jun-22
Port Visit
Port Visit mid-deployment maintenance in Singapore, until 17 Jul.
1967-aug
Deployment
Deployment following Cultural Revolution in China, reinforced Hong Kong after rioting continued.
1967-aug-09
Aircraft
AircraftSubic Bay HarbourAccident826Sq Wessex HAS.1 XS879/342-H ditched and sank while HMS Hermes operating off Subic Bay, Philippines
1967-aug-28
Port Visit
Port VisitFremantle HarbourFremantle 7 day visit to Fremantle, departing 4 Sep for UK via Cape of Good Hope.
1967-oct-31
Deployment
Deployment departed HMNB Portsmouth for Middle East deployment, via Cape of Good Hope. After operating with HMS Bulwark and HMS Devonshire, she returned to Portsmouth on 19 Feb 1968.
1968-mar
Refit
Refit short refit at HMD Portsmouth. Recommissioning on 17 May with many of the Ships Company from HMS Victorious.
1968-may-31
Aircraft
Aircraft until Jun 1970 Wessex HAS.3 of 814 NAS embarked
1968-jul
Deployment
Deployment departed UK for 9 month Indian Ocean and Far East deployment. Arrived Singapore on 31 Aug and returned to Portsmouth on 1 Apr 1969.
1968-sep-30
Deployment
DeploymentExerciseExercise Coral Sands participated in Exercise Coral Sands (after joining with Amphibious Task Force in the Celebes Sea, earlier), until 13 Oct
1968-oct-14
Port Visit
Port VisitHMAS KuttabulSydney extended visit to Sydney, departed 31 Oct and re-embarked her Air Group from RANAS Nowra, in Jervis Bay.
1969-oct
Deployment
Deployment departed UK for Mediterranean deployment; returned to HMNB Portsmouth on 22 Jun 1970
1970-oct
towed from HMNB Portsmouth to HMNB Devonport, to await refit.
1971-mar-01
Refit
RefitHMD DevonportCommando refitair search radar Type 965 until 17 Aug 1973 at HMD Devonport to convert to Commando Carrier. Include removal of her Type 984 3D radar.
1971-aug-28
HMD DevonportNavy Days 1971 present (in refit) at Plymouth Navy Days 1971.
Deployment departed UK for Western Atlantic deployment to Caribbean and Canada with Wessex HU.5 of 845 NAS embarked.
1974-jul
Deployment
DeploymentAkrotiri BayAkrotiriPartition of Cyprus Disembarked 41 Commando RM (from Malta) on Cyprus during the emergency, while Sea Kings from 814 NAS assisted evacuation of civilians from a beach near Kyrenia
1974-dec
Refit
Refit alongside at HMD Devonport for an extended period of maintenance, until Feb 1975
1975-sep-01
Deployment
DeploymentEastern Mediterranean departed HMNB Devonport for Mediterranean & North Sea deployment, until Dec.
1975-nov-17
Aircraft
AircraftAccident Sea King XV695 accident, North Sea
1976
Refit
RefitASW Carrier refit to convert for Anti-Submarine helicopter operations
1976-aug-28
Port Visit
Port VisitHMD DevonportNavy Days 1976 present at Plymouth Navy Days 1976.
1977-jun
Aircraft
Aircraft until Jul 1977 Wessex HU.5 of 846 NAS embarked
DeploymentHMNB PortsmouthNavy Days 1981 present at Portsmouth Navy Days 1981, Sea King HAS.5 XZ919 / 141-H on deck.
1981-sep-02
Deployment
Deployment departed HMNB Portsmouth for N Atlantic and eastern USA deployment, returned Dec.
1982-apr
Deployment
Deployment Admiral Woodward s flagship for Operation Corporate in South Atlantic
1982-apr-05
Deployment
DeploymentSouth AtlanticOperation Corporate Flag ship for the large UK task force (Carrier Battle Group was designated Task Force 317.8) despatched to retake the Falklands. Departed HMNB Portsmouth on 5 Apr with nine of 846 NAS Sea King HC.4 on deck. Her air group was maximised with as many RN Sea Harriers as could be mustered.
1982-apr-23
Aircraft
AircraftAccident Sea King HC.4 ZA311 of 846 NAS/VP ditched and sank in poor visibility inside the Falkands Total Exclusion Zone.
DeploymentPort William in Port William Sound to launch and recover aircraft for Port Stanley flypast
1982-aug
Refit
Refit alongside maintenance at HMD Portsmouth, which was extended to include South Atlantic repairs, until Nov 1982.
1983-jan
Aircraft
Aircraft embarked Sea Kings of 814 NAS as part of her Air Group until c Jun 1983
1983-sep
Deployment
Deployment departed HMNB Portsmouth for Mediterranean deployment with mixed aviation assets of 845 NAS (Wessex) and 846 NAS (Sea King) embarked. Returned to UK on 22 Nov for the last time, to pay off.