1954 to 1973    

R07 HMS Albion

UK Royal Navy





IMO:
MMSI:
Flight Deck: A
Call Sign: GKXR
Shipyard: Swan Hunter (Wallsend)
See Also: L Albion class L14





  Events


History of UK HMS Albion R07

1943-jul-12OrderedOrdered
1944-mar-23Laid downLaid down Swan Hunter (Wallsend) Yard No. 1721
1947-may-06LaunchedLaunched
1949-oct-18 HMD Rosyth Accident While under tow in the North Sea, heading for Rosyth, was in collision with mv Maystone which sank with loss of life, leaving hole in port side. Reached Rosyth on 19 Oct for repairs and planned bottom scrape.
1954Port VisitPort Visit AU HMAS Kuttabul Sydney visited Sydney, while on maiden deployment to Far East and Australia
1954-may-27CommissionedCommissioned Deck id Z until 1957, then A. First carrier to be completed with an angled deck (5 deg) and a deck landing mirror sight (DLMS).
1954-sepAircraftAircraft assigned Dragonfly HR.3 to SAR Flt WG669/902-Z until c Jun 1955
1956-janDeploymentDeployment departed UK on maiden deployment to Far East, returning in May.
1956-augAircraftAircraft SAR Flt assigned Whirlwind HAR.3 to SAR Flt XG577 / 979-Z and XG578 / 980-Z, until c Sep 1957
1956-sep-17DeploymentDeployment MT Grand Harbour / il-Port il-Kbir / Valletta Arrived in Malta, covertly preparing for Op Musketeer. SAR Flt equipped with Whirlwind HAR.3 XG573 / 979 (temporary assignment) & XG578 / 980.
1956-nov-01DeploymentDeployment Nile Delta Port Said Operation Musketeer Participated in Suez Canal fixed wing operations and remained on patrol for c a month following the cease fire.
1957-may-27DeploymentDeployment Cromarty Firth Fleet Review Took part in the Royal Review of the Home Fleet in the Cromarty Firth.
1957-novRefitRefit HMD Portsmouth Refit in HMD Portsmouth until c Apr 1958
1958-jul-22DeploymentDeployment after rapid work installing tie down points, departed UK with 42 Commando RM and HQ 19 Infantry Brigade with its kit and vehicles embarked, for Malta to augment the garrison in case intervention in the Iraqi Revolution was required.
1958-augAircraftAircraft Whirlwind HAS.7 of 820 NAS embarked for Far East operations, until May 1959
1958-oct-23AircraftAircraft Accident 820 NAS Whirlwind HAS.7 XL871/324 /W ditched and sank off Cadiz
1959-mayPort VisitPort Visit visited Madagascar, while returning to UK from Far East and Australasian deployment.
1959-augRefitRefit Refit at HMD Portsmouth until c Nov 1959
1960-feb-09AircraftAircraft Accident While en route to Far East with 815 NAS embarked, Whirlwind HAS.7 XL850/302-A ditched and sank in western Mediterranean.
1960-mar-26Port VisitPort Visit GR Piraeus Three day visit to Piraeus. Anchored in Piraeus Bay, until 29 Mar.
1960-apr-10AircraftAircraft Accident Whirlwind HAS.7 XL897 815 NAS/302-A ditched and sank while operating dunking sonar on 10 Apr 1960
1960-aug-10AircraftAircraft Accident Whirlwind HAS.7 XL880/306-A damaged blades and tail in deck accident while operating with 815 NAS in the Far East
1960-aug-22DeploymentDeployment off Hong Kong Emergency assisted injured crewman on ss Twinhorse, c 60 nm SSE of Hong Kong. Launched two Whirlwind from 815 Sq, including XL883/308.
1960-aug-23Port VisitPort Visit HK Victoria Harbour Ten day visit to Hong Kong, departed 1 Sep.
1960-oct-01AircraftAircraft SG Sembawang naval base Offloaded a number of helicopters to AHU at RAF Tengah (including XL880) while at Singapore.
1961-janRefitRefit Commando Carrier refit until 1962, conversion to Commando Carrier and recommissioned on 1 Aug 1962
1962-nov-02DeploymentDeployment MY off Brunei Bay Old Grey Ghost of the Coast Konfrontasi Embarked 846 NAS with its 6 Whirlwind HAS.7 and 845 NAS with 12 Wessex HAS.1 from RNAS Culdrose for Far East deployment. Disembarked on 14 Dec 1962 for operations from Borneo (846 to Seria, 845 to Brunei). After time on station, relieved by HMS Bulwark, departed Feb 1964 for UK and arrived back in HMNB Portsmouth on 15 Apr 1964.
1962-nov-26 YE Aden Harbour Accident sunk a tug following collision in Aden
1962-dec-14DeploymentDeployment Konfrontasi Stood off Labuan in South China Sea and launched Whirlwind HAS.7 of 846 Sq and Wessex of 845 Sq to support the ejection of Indonesian backed troops from Brunei
1963-sep-28DeploymentDeployment MY Labuan Old Grey Ghost of the Coast Konfrontasi ferried 3 detachments of 103 Squadron Whirlwind HAR.10 (2 airframes from Singapore, 3 from Kuching and 3 from Sibu) to reinforce 110 Squadron at RAF Labuan. Arrived 30 Sep 1963.
1963-novDeploymentDeployment Old Grey Ghost of the Coast Konfrontasi Delivered RAF No 38 Group Spine Force reinforcement for the Far East Air Force to support operations in Sarwak, Brunei and Sabah (Borneo) during the Indonesian Confrontation. Included three Belvedere and a Whirlwind and arrived initially in Singapore on 20 Nov.
1964-mar-28AircraftAircraft YE Aden Harbour embarked 4x Khormaksar SAR Flt Sycamore (including XL829) for return to UK, after they were in process of being replaced by Whirlwind HAR.10. Part of HMS Albion return leg to UK, begun on 2 Nov 1962.
1964-apr Gulf of Aden relieved as the Far East station carrier by HMS Bulwark, off Aden.
1964-nov-23TrialsTrials Left HMNB Portsmouth for sea trials after dry-docking for several months, following recommissioning ceremony.
1965-mar-12DeploymentDeployment MY off Brunei Bay Old Grey Ghost of the Coast Konfrontasi departed HMNB Portsmouth, 848 Sq embarked with 12 Wessex HU.5 plus the Sioux of 40 Commando Air Troop, for 18 month Far East and Borneo deployment, via Suez Canal. Transported detachment of 815 NAS Wessex HAS.1 to Sibu, from May to Jul 1965. Returned to UK Sep 1966
1965-nov-25AircraftAircraft departed Aden for Singapore with remaining 4 ex 26 Squadron Belvedere, including XG474, for 66 Squadron and arrived 4 Dec.
1965-decDeploymentDeployment While returning to Singapore from Labuan, rammed and sank Indonesian patrol boat which had attacked her. Damaged bow, which was repaired during the Feb-Apr 1966 docking period in Singapore.
1966-augDeploymentDeployment Red Sea returned a number of Whirlwind HAS.7 back to the UK from Sembawang. Relieved as the Far East station carrier by HMS Bulwark in the Red Sea
1966-sepRefitRefit Refit at HMD Portsmouth, having left Singapore in Aug 1966. Completed c Mar 1967.
1967-junDeploymentDeployment off Lagos during Nigerian Civil War, to support possible evacuations. Arrived back in UK by early Jul 1967
1967-octDeploymentDeployment YE off Aden TF 945 until 29 Nov 1967, part of Task Force 318 to cover the British withdrawal from Aden during Operation Magister.
1968RefitRefit refit during the winter, completed 1969
1968-feb Departed Singapore for Aden again
1968-sep-20DeploymentDeployment Exercise Exercise Coral Sands participated in Exercise Coral Sands, until 13 Oct with 848 Squadron embarked.
1968-novDeploymentDeployment Operation Charlotte deployed off Cambodia to prevent arms smuggling.
1969-augRefitRefit Refit until c Feb 1970
1970-marAircraftAircraft embarked Wessex HU.5 of 848 Sq for post-refit work up.
1971-febAircraftAircraft disembarked Wessex of 845 Sq in mid Feb (following participation in Exercise Clockwork 71 in the Lofoten Islands), before returned to HMNB Portsmouth.
1971-marDeploymentDeployment departed HMNB Portsmouth for 9 month Far East and South Pacific deployment, staging around Singapore. Returned to Portsmouth on 24 Jan 1972.
1971-marAircraftAircraft embarked 12 Wessex of 848 Sq near end of Mar, some in HMNB Portsmouth and some en route near Portland. 848 NAS disembarked to HMS Simbang on 22 May
1971-jul-01Port VisitPort Visit Visited Kobe, Japan during Far East deployment, departed on 8 Jul.
1971-aug-09Port VisitPort Visit AU Fremantle Harbour Visited Fremantle, Australia during Far East deployment, departed on 17 Aug.
1971-oct-29AircraftAircraft SG Sembawang naval base Withdrawal from Singapore re-embarked 848 NAS from HMS Simbang after they had flown past during the bases handover ceremony, then to Masirah (and 40 CDO RM to be dropped at Gan), prior to departing for the Indian Ocean. 848 NAS disembarked in the UK to RNAS Culdrose, on 20 Jan 1972.
1971-nov-14Port VisitPort Visit KE Port Mombasa week visit to Mombasa, with maintenance
1971-nov-23DeploymentDeployment Bay of Bengal Indo-Pakistan war contingency stood off East Pakistan (before Bangladesh was formed) in the Bay of Bengal to support British nationals during the conflict. 22 Wessex HU.5 of 848 NAS and 4 Sea King of 826 NAS embarked.
1971-decAircraftAircraft disembarked 826 Sq Sea King detachment back to HMS Eagle off Durban, after Christmas 1971, before the new year.
1971-dec-15DeploymentDeployment MV Gan Anchorage arrived Gan, disembarked 40 Commando RM, (to be flown home for Christmas).
1971-dec-30Port VisitPort Visit ZA Simon Town Naval Dockyard spent New Year in Simonstown, departed 5 Jan 1972
1972-janRefitRefit from late Jan 1972, short refit at HMD Portsmouth until c Mar 1972
1972-apr-11DeploymentDeployment departed UK for Mediterranean deployment until 31 May.
1972-apr-20DeploymentDeployment off Cyprus for exercises, until 29 Apr
1972-jun-15AircraftAircraft embarked 848 NAS Wessex in Scotland until 5 Jul, for RNAS Culdrose.
1972-jun-28Port VisitPort Visit Visited Rotterdam, Netherlands during Northern Waters deployment, departed on 4 Jul.
1972-julAircraftAircraft embarked Wessex HU.5 of 845 Sq, replacing 848 Sq.
1973-mar-02DecommissionedDecommissioned HMNB Portsmouth at Portsmouth, after paying off on 24 Nov 1972
1973-julFate: transferedFate: transfered Fareham Creek sold to be converted as North Sea hydrocarbon support vessel
1973-novFate: scrappedFate: scrapped project abandoned by new owners and scrapped at Faslane



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  Specifications


Modified Centaur class
1037crew
600troops
23300light (tn)
27700full load (tn)
224.90length (m)
27.40beam (m)
6.70draught (m)
29.50max speed (knots)

4Naval Gun single 40 mm
2Naval Gun twin 40 mm

1Naval Radar air direction radar Type 277
1Naval Radar air search radar Type 960

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  Builder


UK Swan Hunter (Wallsend), Wallsend




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