H.M.S. Argus (1917)
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| H.M.S. Argus (1917) | |
|---|---|
| Pendant Number: | N.96 (1919) 49 (Sep, 1919)[1] |
| Builder: | William Beardmore & Company[2] |
| Launched: | 2 Dec, 1917[3] |
| Commissioned: | Sep, 1918[4] |
| Sold: | 5 Dec, 1946[5] |
H.M.S. Argus was an aircraft carrier completed for the Royal Navy in 1918, but which was originally designed to be the Italian ocean liner Conte Rosso. Despite her odd genesis, she boasted a continuous flight deck and more accurately reflected a mature aircraft carrier than any previous vessel.
She was purchased for conversion in August, 1916.[6]
Construction & Service
Argus was designed by Lt.-Col. Holmes of the R.A.F.. Her hangar could accommodate one of the new eighteen-plane Torpedo Aeroplane Squadrons equipped with Sopwith T.1s and provided for storage of thirty torpedoes. A torpedo shop could store another twenty-eight weapons, which were presumably the 18-in Mark IX torpedo. Steam lines on the flying deck could warm torpedoes as aircraft awaited launch, to try to ensure a stable operating temperature when an attack was launched.[7]
Argus was re-commissioned at Portsmouth on 24 January, 1924.[8]
She paid off into Dockyard Control on 2 November, 1925.[9]
She re-commissioned at the Nore on 19 January, 1927 for service in the Atlantic Fleet, with a Headquarters Flight and Flights 401, 422, and 441 embarked.[10]
Argus was reduced to Reserve at Portsmouth on 7 May, 1930.[11]
She was reduced to Maintenance Reserve at Rosyth on 15 December, 1932.[12]
Argus arrived at Devonport on 4 July, 1936[13] was taken into Dockyard Control on 6 July.[14]
Argus was commissioned at Devonport on 30 July, 1938.[15]
Captains
Dates of appointment are provided when known.
- Captain Humphrey H. Smith, 14 September, 1918[16] – 31 July, 1920[17][18]
- Captain Anselan J. B. Stirling, 31 July, 1920[19][20] – 15 August, 1922[21]
- Captain Francis G. G. Chilton, 15 August, 1922[22] – 15 August, 1924[23]
- Captain Stanley L. Willis, 15 August, 1924[24] – 9 August, 1926
- Commander Maitland W. S. Boucher, 14 October, 1926[25] – 5 November, 1928[26]
- Captain James W. Murray, 21 November, 1926[27] – 17 January, 1927[28] (loaned from Ark Royal for trials)
- Captain Alexander R. Palmer, 17 January, 1927[29] – 16 June, 1928[30]
- Captain Cyril St. C. Cameron, 16 June, 1928[31] – August, 1929[Inference]
- Captain Colin A. M. Sarel, 27 August, 1929 – 22 April, 1930
- Commander Basil L. Johnston, 22 April, 1930[32] – 15 July, 1930[33]
- Commander Ernest R. Archer, 14 July, 1930[34] – 9 September, 1930[35] (ship is in reserve)
- Commander Arthur E. Buckland, 9 September, 1930[36]
- Commander James C. J. Soutter, 3 March, 1931[37][38] – 22 May, 1931[39]
- Commander Claud A. Merriman, 22 May, 1931[40][41] – 4 September, 1931[42]
- Commander Cecil C. B. Vacher, 3 September, 1931[43] – 14 October, 1931[44] (ship is in reserve)
- Commander Paul F. P. Berryman, 14 October, 1932[45] – 5 June, 1934
- Commander Gerald E. Boultbee, 8 June, 1934[46][47] – 21 January, 1936[48]
- Lieutenant-Commander William D. G. Weir, 21 January, 1936[49] – 28 January, 1936[50] (temporary command)
- Commander Henry J. Johnstone, 22 January, 1936[51] – July, 1936 (placed into Dockyard Hands for conversion to target drone carrier)
- Commander John F. H. Sawyer, 29 March, 1938[52] – 26 May, 1938[Inference]
- Captain William G. Benn, 26 May, 1938[53] – 3 July, 1939[54]
- Captain Henry C. Bovell, 7 October, 1939[55] – 16 August, 1940[56]
- Captain Edmund G. N. Rushbrooke, 16 August, 1940[57] – 12 April, 1941[58]
- Captain Tom O. Bulteel, 12 April, 1941[59] – 29 October, 1941[60]
- Captain George T. Philip, 29 October, 1941[61] – 15 January, 1943[62]
- Captain Henry L. St. J. Fancourt, 15 January, 1943[63][64] – 6 October, 1943[65][66]
- Captain Villiers N. Surtees, 6 October, 1943[67] – 3 January, 1944[68]
- Acting Commander Henry B. C. Holmes, 3 January, 1944[69] – 17 January, 1944[70]
- Captain Villiers N. Surtees, 17 January, 1944[71] – 27 July, 1944[72]
- Captain R.N.R. Robert H. C. Crawford, 27 July, 1944[73] – 20 November, 1944[74]
- Commander R.N.V.R. Alan D. Bruford, 20 November, 1944[75] – mid 1945[76]
See Also
Footnotes
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 52.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 52.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 52.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 52.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 52.
- ↑ Dittmar; Colledge. British Warships 1914–1919. p. 52.
- ↑ Annual Report of the Torpedo School, 1918. pp. 94-5.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1925). pp. 215, 216.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1926). p. 215.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1929). pp. 215-6.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1931). p. 216.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1934). p. 215.
- ↑ "Movements of Ships." The Times (London, England), 7 July 1936, p. 11.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1937). p. 216.
- ↑ The Navy List. (May, 1939). p. 257.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1920). p. 727.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1920). p. 727.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 727.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1921). p. 727.
- ↑ Stirling Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/157. f. 175.
- ↑ Stirling Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/44/157. f. 175.
- ↑ Chilton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45. f. 86.
- ↑ Chilton Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45. f. 86.
- ↑ The Navy List. (April, 1925). p. 215.
- ↑ Boucher Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/63. f. 421.
- ↑ Boucher Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/63. f. 421.
- ↑ Murray Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/245. ff. 248.
- ↑ Murray Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/245. ff. 248.
- ↑ Palmer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/46. f. 46.
- ↑ Palmer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/45/46. f. 46.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1929). p. 215.
- ↑ Johnston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/108. f. 465.
- ↑ Johnston Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/108. f. 465.
- ↑ Archer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53/141. f. 140.
- ↑ Archer Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/53/141. f. 140.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Wednesday, Aug 27, 1930; pg. 15; Issue 45602.
- ↑ Soutter Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/127/8. f. 8.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Friday, Jan 23, 1931; pg. 6; Issue 45728.
- ↑ Soutter Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/127/8. f. 8.
- ↑ Merriman Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/53. f. 408.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1931). p. 216.
- ↑ Merriman Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/53. f. 408.
- ↑ Vacher Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 313.
- ↑ Vacher Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/50. Book 9, f. 313.
- ↑ The Navy List. (January, 1933). p. 215.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1935). p. 216.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Friday, May 11, 1934; pg. 26; Issue 46751.
- ↑ Weir Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/123/98. f. 98.
- ↑ Weir Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/123/98. f. 98.
- ↑ Weir Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/123/98. f. 98.
- ↑ "Naval Appointments." The Times (London, England), Saturday, Dec 21, 1935; pg. 15; Issue 47253.
- ↑ "Completion of the Argus." The Times (London, England), Tuesday, Mar 29, 1938; pg. 11; Issue 47955.
- ↑ Benn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/66. f. 424.
- ↑ Benn Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/66. f. 424.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Bovell Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55/28. f. 28.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Fancourt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/123/43. f. 43.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Fancourt Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/123/43. f. 43.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
- ↑ Uboat.net page on the ship.
Bibliography
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