H.M.S. Vindictive (1918)

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H.M.S. Vindictive (1918)
Pendant Number: 31 (Oct 1918)
48 (Sep 1919)[1]
Builder: Harland & Wolff[2]
Laid down: 29 Jun, 1918[3]
Launched: 17 Jan, 1918[4]
Commissioned: Oct, 1918[5]
Converted: 1925[6]
Fate: back to a cruiser

Started construction as H.M.S. Cavendish, as one of the Hawkins class cruiser, but completed as an aircraft carrier, H.M.S. Vindictive. Between 1923 and 1925, she was converted back to a cruiser. Finally, in 1939-40, she was converted into a repair ship. In light of this meandering identity, we treat her as a distinct class.

Service

Vindictive was reduced to Reserve on 30 November, 1920.[7]

She paid off to a C. & M. Party on 10 February, 1925.[8] In that year, she became the first Royal navy ship with a catapult for launching aircraft, though by mid 1932, this would no longer be in place.[9]

Following conversion back into a cruiser with a reduced aircraft capacity, she sailed from Chatham the Fifth Light Cruiser Squadron on the China Station early in 1926.

Commissioned at Chatham on 20 August, 1928 with Fleet Air Arm Flight No. 444 embarked.[10]

Commissioned at Chatham for a trooping trip on 18 February, 1931.[11]

Re-commissioned in Reserve at The Nore on 5 July, 1933.[12]

She was taken under Dockyard Control at Portsmouth on 29 May, 1936 to undergo conversion, which was expected to take until July 1937. Commander Robert J. Shaw was appointed to her on 22 February, 1937 and remained with her upon her commissioning, presumably as executive officer.[13]

On 9 September 1937, she took Naval Cadets to sea for training from Portsmouth, taking the place of H.M.S. Frobisher as sea-going training ship. The cruise took her to Portland from 9-13 September, San Tropez 20-29 September, Naples 1-4 October, Capri 4-5 October, and then Malta from 6-13 October. She was later to visit Haifa and Gibraltar before returning to Chatham on 6 December.[14]

In 1939-40, she was converted into a repair ship.

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

Robert Bertram Ramsay was appointed in command on 24 February, 1927,[66] but his service record indicates that this was canceled.

Armament

  • Four 7.5-in/45cal Mark VI guns
  • Four 3-in
  • Four 12-pdr H.A. guns
  • Six 21-in tubes, two submerged and four fixed A.W. tubes, three to a side
  • Six folding-wing aircraft

Fire Control

See Also

Footnotes

  1. Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 52.
  2. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 63.
  3. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 63.
  4. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 63.
  5. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 69.
  6. Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906–1921. p. 69.
  7. The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 890.
  8. The Navy List. (April, 1925). p. 283.
  9. "Warship Catapults." The Times (London, England), Saturday, May 7, 1932, Issue 46127, p.18.
  10. The Navy List. (February, 1929). p. 282a.
  11. The Navy List. (July, 1931). p. 282a.
  12. The Navy List. (October, 1935). p. 288.
  13. The Navy List. (July, 1937). p. 288.
  14. "Royal Navy." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Aug 28, 1937; pg. 15; Issue 47775.
  15. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 890.
  16. The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 935.
  17. The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 890.
  18. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  19. Powell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/242. f. 274.
  20. Watson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/342. f. 385.
  21. Watson Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/342. f. 385.
  22. Carey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/30. f. ?.
  23. Carey Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/30. f. ?.
  24. The Navy List. (January, 1923). p. 836.
  25. Month is not wholly clear. Is 1, 2 or 3.
  26. The Navy List. (April, 1925). p. 283.
  27. Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  28. The Navy List. (February, 1926). p. 283.
  29. Mackie, Colin. ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS.
  30. Two-digits month is illegible in his service record.
  31. The Navy List. (February, 1929). p. 282a.
  32. Holland Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/23. f. 23.
  33. Holland Service Record The National Archives. ADM 196/51/23. f. 23.
  34. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  35. Percival Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50/255. f. 303.
  36. Stuart Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/3. f. 3.
  37. Stuart Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/51/3. f. 3.
  38. Parry Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45. f. 34.
  39. Parry Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45. f. 34.
  40. Lecky Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/54. f. 54.
  41. Lecky Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/46/54. f. 54.
  42. Lawrie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/38. f. 441.
  43. Lawrie Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48/38. f. 441.
  44. The Navy List. (January, 1933). p. 286.
  45. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Friday, Jan 20, 1933; pg. 17; Issue 46347.
  46. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Thursday, Jul 06, 1933; pg. 20; Issue 46489.
  47. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Jul 11, 1933; pg. 19; Issue 46493.
  48. The Navy List. (October, 1935). p. 288.
  49. Allen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48. f. 408.
  50. Allen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48. f. 408.
  51. Allen Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/48. f. 408.
  52. Farrant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/54/41. f. 41.
  53. Farrant Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/54/41. f. 41.
  54. "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Jun 16, 1937; pg. 21; Issue 47712.
  55. Bovell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55/28. f. 28.
  56. Bovell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55/28. f. 28.
  57. Uboat.net page on the ship.
  58. Uboat.net page on the ship.
  59. Uboat.net page on the ship.
  60. Uboat.net page on the ship.
  61. Uboat.net page on the man.
  62. Uboat.net page on the man.
  63. Uboat.net page on the ship.
  64. Uboat.net page on the ship.
  65. Uboat.net page on the ship.
  66. The Navy List. (July, 1927). p. 283.

Bibliography

British Aviation Ships
Experimental Cruiser Platform, 1913
Hermes
Seaplane Carriers from Converted Steamers
Ark Royal Empress Riviera Engadine Campania Pegasus
Ben-my-Chree Vindex Manxman Nairana Vindictive
Seaplane Carriers from Seized German Steamers
Anne Raven II
Flat Decked Conversions
Argus Furious
Through-Deck Carriers
Eagle Hermes
Kite Balloon Ships
Canning City of Oxford Hector Manica Menelaus