Timeline
| Date | |
|---|---|
| May 19, 1942 | |
| Oct 24, 1942 | as HMS Audacious, Yard No. 1220 |
| Mar 19, 1946 | as HMS Eagle |
| Mar 1, 1952 | Deck id J until 1957, then E. First carrier to complete with Catapult Aircraft Line-up Equipment (CALE). |
| Sep 14, 1952 | Exercise Mainbrace |
| Jun 15, 1953 | as Flagship of the Heavy Squadron, Home Fleet Fleet Review: Coronation Review of the Fleet |
| Jul 1953 | Assigned Dragonfly HR.3 WN497 as SAR Flt Jul 1953, crashed off Barra Head 6 Oct 1953. Accident |
| Jun 1954 | until 1955 to be fitted with 5.5 degree angled flight deck |
| Jul 1955 | assigned Dragonfly HR.3 to SAR Flt WG669/901-J until Nov 1955 |
| Aug 1955 | until Sep 1955, Whirlwind HAS.22 of 845 NAS embarked. |
| Sep 1955 | until c Dec 1955, Dragonfly VX597/902-J assigned to SAR Flt |
| May 1956 | assigned SAR Flt Whirlwind HAR.3 XJ399/974-J, until c Mar 1957 |
| Jun 1956 | assigned Whirlwind HAR.3 XG581 as SAR Flt / 973-J |
| Nov 1, 1956 | Nile Delta Participated in Suez Canal fixed wing operations. Port Said Operation Musketeer |
| Nov 6, 1956 | while returning to HMS Theseus, 845 NAS Whirlwind HAR.3 XJ400/Z ran out of fuel and ditched off Port Said during Operation Musketeer. |
| Sep 1957 | Whirlwind HAR.3 XG585 / 973-J assigned as SAR Flt, which became 701 NAS / 713-E in Nov 1957 |
| Oct 1957 | until Sep 1958, Dragonfly of 701 NAS A Flight embarked |
| May 1958 | 6 Whirlwind HAS.7 of 820 NAS embarked, until Jun 1958 |
| Feb 1959 | until Mar 1959 the grounded Whirlwind HAS.7 of 824 NAS lightered aboard from HMS Victorious in the Mediterranean, for transport back to UK for rectification. |
| May 16, 1959 | Ship Open to Visitors at HMNB Devonport for Navy Days 1959. |
| Oct 30, 1959 | at HMD Devonport until May 1964, major refit to have flight deck angle increased to 8.5 degrees, 2 new steam catapults, a Type 984 radar installed and her guns replaced with 6 (not 4) Seacat missiles. 1st Carrier to fire a Seacat in 1964. SLEP Refit air direction radar Type 984 |
| May 1960 | until Jun 1960, Whirlwind HAS.7 of 820 NAS embarked. |
| Aug 1960 | HMD Devonport present at Plymouth Navy Days 1960 Navy Days 1960 |
| Aug 5, 1961 | HMD Devonport present at Plymouth Navy Days 1961 Navy Days 1961 |
| Jul 1964 | Wessex of 820 NAS embarked for post-refit trials |
| Aug 1, 1964 | HMD Devonport Ship open to visitors at Plymouth Navy Days 1964. Navy Days 1964 |
| Oct 1, 1964 | visit to Brest for 3 days during autumn work up, departing 3 Oct |
| Dec 1964 | until Oct 1968, Wessex HAS.1 of 820 NAS embarked. |
| Dec 1, 1964 | departed HMNB Devonport for 6 month Far East deployment, returning 24 May 1965. |
| Mar 15, 1965 | Exercising off Singapore in multi-national Naval Force Exercise FOTEX 65 Exercise FOTEX 65 |
| Mar 24, 1965 | 40nm NW of Pulau Pinang 820 NAS Wessex HAS.1 XS123/291-E ditched and sank in the Malacca Strait, while operating from HMS Eagle Accident |
| Mar 25, 1965 | 25nm W Pangkor recovered wreck of 820 NAS Wessex HAS.1 XS121/295-E after ditching in the Malacca Strait. Accident |
| Apr 30, 1965 |  off Aden Visited Aden, departed 2 May |
| Aug 24, 1965 | departed HMNB Devonport for 13 month Far East deployment, leaving Far East on 20 Apr 1966 and returning on 22 Aug 1966 |
| Sep 1965 | Aden Harbour Departed Malta to assist with deteriorating security situation in Aden, in company with HMS Lowestoft, RFA Tidesurge and RFA Reliant, arriving off Aden on 1 Oct. |
| Nov 25, 1965 | Mozambique Channel stood off Mozambique from mid Nov to discourage Rhodesian AF and provide initial air defence following Rhodesian UDI. Wessex of 820 Sq embarked. Relieved by HMS Ark Royal in Jan 1966. |
| Mar 15, 1966 | Mozambique Channel Beira Patrol, off Mozambique to enforce UN sanctions against Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Relieved HMS Ark Royal and in turn was relieved by HMS Ark Royal on 4 May. Beira Beira Patrol |
| Aug 27, 1966 | HMD Devonport present at Plymouth Navy Days 1966 Navy Days 1966 |
| Sep 1966 | until Aug 1967, added a waist catapult and DAX II arrestor wires, suitable for the F-4 Phantom (which never happened operationally, although 3 weeks trials were held c Jun 1969) and full squadron helicopter operations |
| Aug 15, 1967 | departed HMNB Devonport for 10 month Indian Ocean and Far East deployment, returning via Cape of Good Hope (Suez Canal closed) on18 Jun 1968 |
| Aug 17, 1967 | embarked 820 NAS Wessex HAS.1 XS869/064-E ditched, and was recovered same day. Accident |
| Nov 1967 | off Aden until 28 Nov 1967, part of Task Force 318 to cover the British withdrawal from Aden during Operation Magister. TF 945 |
| May 31, 1968 | 4 day visit to Cape Town, departed on 4 Jun |
| Sep 1968 | docked at Leith for 4 day visit to Edinburgh |
| Oct 1968 | at HMD Devonport, Plymouth, completed around Feb 1969. |
| Dec 1968 | assigned Wessex HAS.1 XM845 / 146-E for SAR Flt. Damaged c Sep 1970. |
| Mar 5, 1969 | final re-commissioning at HMB Devonport. |
| Apr 1969 | until Jun 1970, Wessex HAS.3 of 826 NAS embarked. |
| Apr 1969 | assigned Wessex HAS.1 XM326 / 147-E as Eagle SAR Flt until Jan 1972 |
| Jun 16, 1969 | departed HMNB Devonport for one month deployment to North Atlantic and eastern USA, returning 20 Jul. F-4 Phantom trials |
| Jul 26, 1969 | Torbay Present at Ships of the Western Fleet review in Torbay, flying the flag of Commander-in-Chief Western Fleet.. Fleet Review: Ships of the Western Fleet |
| Sep 4, 1969 | departed HMNB Devonport for 3 month Mediterranean deployment, returning on 5 Dec. |
| Sep 9, 1969 | Celtic Sea lost 826 NAS Wessex HAS.3 XS126/142-E, c 48nm SW of Skomer Accident |
| Oct 31, 1969 |  Grand Harbour / il-Port il-Kbir / Valletta fortnight maintenance period in Malta until 13 Nov |
| Nov 25, 1969 | lost 826 NAS Wessex HAS.3 XP153/143-E off Portugal, while operating from RFA Olmeda. Accident |
| Jan 12, 1970 | departed HMNB Devonport for 2 month Home Waters and W Mediterranean deployment, including 3 weeks Harrier trials, returning 25 Mar. |
| Feb 27, 1970 | visited Liverpool, until 4 Mar. |
| Jun 1970 | until Jan 1972, Sea King HAS.1 of 826 NAS embarked. |
| Aug 29, 1970 | HMD Devonport present at Plymouth Navy Days 1970. Navy Days 1970 |
| Aug 1971 | received distress call from ss Steel Vendor which was breaking up after running aground, west of the Philippines following Typhoon Elaine. Four 826 NAS Sea Kings winched the crew of 40 in high sea state and strong winds. Rescue from ss Steel Vendor |
| Aug 4, 1971 |  Wellington, Queen's Wharf visited Wellington, NZ |
| Oct 7, 1971 | 4 Sea Kings from 826 NAS rescued crew of Steel Vendor which was breaking up in the South China Sea. |
| Oct 31, 1971 |  Sembawang naval base departed Singapore for the last time, ending the permanent Royal Navy presence in the Far East Withdrawl from Singapore |
| Dec 1971 |  Durban Harbour Christmas visit to Durban, departed on 4 Jan 1972 Durban |
| Jan 23, 1972 | 826 NAS Sea Kings disembarked to RNAS Culdrose |
| Jan 26, 1972 | decommissioned after decision taken that conversion for F-4K Phantom operations would be too expensive |
| Sep 4, 1978 | Cairnryan left HMD Devonport under tow on 4 Sep 1978 for Cairnryan, Scotland. Scrapping complete by 1980 Breakers Yard |