until Sep 1958, Dragonfly HR.5 of 701 NAS B Flight embarked. Included Whirlwind HAR.3 XG577
1958-jan-24
Deployment
departed UK for Mediterranean, with embarked units and at least S-55 WV223 for delivery to 728 NAS C Flt at Hal Far.
1958-jun
Aircraft
6 Whilrwind HAS.7 of 820 NAS embarked for Mediterranean operations until Aug 1958
1958-jul-21
Refit
Scimitar upgrade refitair search radar Type 965 Refit at HMD Devonport, removed deck edge lift, added Type 965 radar (replacing Type 293). Fire broke out 9 Apr 1959 during the refit, delaying completion to 28 Dec 1959.
Pulau TiomanSouth China SeaExercise FOTEX 62 departed Singapore for show of force off Pulau Tioman island, before participating in Exercise FOTEX 62
1962-oct-25
Deployment
departed Singapore for UK via Aden, arrived HMNB Devonport on 16 Dec.
1963-mar
Deployment
Konfrontasi departed HMNB Devonport for duty in the Far East with Wessex of 815 NAS embarked. Relieved HMS Hermes on station, in Jul 1963. Returned early Jan 1964.
1964-jan-4
Refit
Buccaneer upgrade refit at HMD Devonport until Nov 1964, fittings for 4x Seacat launchers added and equipped for Buccaneer operations. Fire broke out while circuit testing on 13 Oct, during refit.
1964-aug-1
Port Visit
HMD DevonportNavy Days 1964 present at Plymouth Navy Days 1964.
1964-nov
Aircraft
embarked Wessex HAS.1 of 819 NAS, until c May 1965.
1965-mar-10
Port Visit
Haakonsvern Naval Base to Bergen for short visit, with other NATO warships after Exercise Pilot Light
Mozambique ChannelBeira Patrol Beira Patrol, off Mozambique to enforce UN sanctions against Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Relieved HMS Eagle and operated until 25 May.
1966-oct-5
Refit
Phantom upgrade refitair direction radar Type 982 until Dec 1969, strengthening the flight deck and angling at 8.5 deg, water-cooled Jet Blast Deflectors, perforated cylinder Direct Acting Gear for the arrests, installation of Type 982/3 radars, replacement of the Type 963 radar by the SPN-35 CCA radar, Corvus chaff and fitting the Seacat missile launchers. Re-commissioned on 25 Feb 1970.
1967-aug-26
Deployment
HMD DevonportNavy Days 1967 present at Plymouth Navy Days 1967
1969-jun-12
Refit
during refit, fire broke out while in HMD Devonport. Subsequently recommissioned on 25 Feb 1970.
1970-jan-6
Aircraft
RNAS CuldroseSAR Flight Ark Royal SAR Flt reformed with two Wessex HAS.1 at RNAS Culdrose.
HMD DevonportNavy Days 1970Ship open to visitors at Plymouth Navy Days 1970.
1970-oct-26
Port Visit
Grand Harbour / il-Port il-Kbir / VallettaMalta visited Valetta in preparation for Exercise Lime Jug. Departed for Phase 1 exercise area on 29 Oct, in company with other ships.
1970-nov-2
Deployment
Exercise Lime Jug struck by Russian Kotlin class vessel Bravvy on 9 Nov while shadowing HMS Ark Royal during Mediterranean Exercise Lime Jug, off Crete.
until 15 Apr 1971 in refit at HMD Devonport, including repairs to holes above waterline from damage by Kotlin in Mediterranean collision.
1971-jun-2
Deployment
departed HMNB Devonport for 2 month Caribbean and North Atlantic deployment, returning 30 Jul
1971-aug-28
Port Visit
HMD DevonportNavy Days 1971Ship open to visitors at Plymouth Navy Days 1971.
1971-sep-27
Deployment
Exercise Royal Knight participated in Royal Knight in Norwegian Sea and off North Cape, with USS Independence and USS Intrepid carrier groups and USS Newport News (CA-148), until 4 Oct.
1971-oct-30
Deployment
departed from HMNB Portsmouth for a 5 week Mediterranean deployment, returning to HMNB Devonport 7 Dec
1972-jan-20
Deployment
departed HMNB Devonport for 6 week Caribbean and North Atlantic deployment, returning 9 Mar
1972-jan-26
Deployment
Bermuda areanear Bermuda detached from exercise with US Navy and ordered towards British Honduras, together with HMS Bacchante as escort. On 26 Jan she launched 4x Buccaneers of 809 NAS at extreme range to overfly the capital to deter Guatemalan ambitions.
Wessex HAS 1 XS875 suffered complete engine failure due to shedding a blade in the 7th stage of the compressor. It was in the English Channel, about 60 miles West of the Isle of White in a storm force 9. It had launched to rescue the crew of a small coastal ship carrying gravel which had shifted in the heavy seas and capsised, the crew of 5 had taken to the life raft. I know this because I was the pilot involved!
1974-sep-7
Aircraft
Accident SAR Flt Wessex HAS.1 XS875 / 047-R crashed on deck on take-off, while off Scotland. Wreck air-lifted to RAF Lossiemouth by Sea King.
1975-aug
Aircraft
Wessex HAS.1 XP112 assigned as SAR Flt/047-R until 17 Sep 1975.
1975-sep-17
Aircraft
32nm S of PlymouthAccident Wessex XP112 ditched c 32nm S of Plymouth and sank during recovery attempt.
1976-feb-5
Deployment
departed HMNB Devonport on Western Atlantic deployment with 824 NAS Sea Kings embarked, returning on 16 Jul.
Fort Lauderdale200th Anniversary Present for week of 200th Anniversary Independence Day celebrations, until 6 Jul.
1976-aug-28
Port Visit
HMD DevonportNavy Days 1976Ship open to visitors at Plymouth Navy Days 1976.
1976-oct
Refit
refit at HMD Devonport, with works on catapults and focus on sub-surface improvements, until Feb 1977
1977-jun
Royal Fleet Review - HM Queen Elizabeth Silver Jubilee
Tasked with manning the side, as the Royal Yacht Britannia and escort reviewed the line, Ark Royal was the last in that line.
I reported to the bosun who said, we ve no more space on the flight deck, just go and stand on the cable deck mate...
The cable deck was two decks below the flight deck (2A0) and I was the only person assigned to that deck, not sure where I should stand, I decided it was probably neat and appropriate to stand on the anchoring platform that jutted out of the stem of the ship, accessed by a deck portal in the stem. I was standing on a 4 x3 grating held in place by its hinges and two chains, the view down the ships stem to the Solent below. I decided I could not remove my cap, (as every other rating was doing above me, due to the limited space and concerns over losing my cap in the drink, so as the Britannia hove into view and passed, I stood to attention and decided to just salute instead.
I would have been the only rating to salute the monarch as they passed, on any of the ships present.
Somewhere, someone probably has a picture of this and maybe wondering who that chap was on the nose of the ship - appearing as her figurehead . Well it was Radio Operator First Class D.B West. 6J2 Mess, HMS Ark Royal - 1976 to 1979, My final job being destore team , prior to joining the Silent Service where I finally left the RN in 1981.
Hampton Roads 
International Fleet Review, Virginia 1957 Visited Virginia, USA for the International Naval Review
air search radar Type 965 Refit at HMD Devonport, removed deck edge lift, added Type 965 radar (replacing Type 293). Fire broke out 9 Apr 1959 during the refit, delaying completion to 28 Dec 1959.
Saint-Mandrier Detachment Whirlwinds of 820 and 824 NAS detached to Toulon, while a FN Aquillon unit deployed to the ship for 2 days.
Grand Harbour / il-Port il-Kbir / Valletta Grand Harbour to Grand Harbour, Malta, until 5 Jan 1962
Aden Harbour Aden relieved HMS Centaur in Aden as East of Suez carrier
Sembawang naval base Singapore arrived on Far East Station at Singapore
Pulau Tioman South China Sea 
Haakonsvern Naval Base to Bergen for short visit, with other NATO warships after Exercise Pilot Light
Port Mombasa alongside in Mombasa, until 3 Mar
Naples Harbour visit to Naples, until 8 Dec.
Cammell Laird, 
