H.M.S. Vindictive (1918)

H.M.S. Vindictive (1918)
Pendant Number:	31 (Oct 1918) 48 (Sep 1919)
Builder:	Harland & Wolff
Laid down:	29 Jun, 1918
Launched:	17 Jan, 1918
Commissioned:	Oct, 1918
Converted:	1925
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.

She paid off to a C. & M. Party on 10 February, 1925. 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.

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.

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

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

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.

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.

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

Captains

Dates of appointment are provided when known.

• Commander James G. P. Ingham,  – 13 October, 1920  (took command upon reducing to reserve, was in ship before and after this command)
• Captain Henry E. Grace, 21 September, 1918 – 25 August, 1920
• Commander James G. P. Ingham, 30 November, 1920 – 1 January, 1921
• Commander Alan J. Mackenzie-Grieve, 13 October, 1920 – 1 January, 1921
• Captain Frank Powell, c. 1 June, 1921 – 15 June, 1921
• Captain Reginald J. N. Watson, 12 July, 1921 – 18 August, 1921  (lent from Monarch)
• Commander Charles A. Carey, 18 August, 1921 – 1922
• Captain Cathcart R. Wason, 10 March, 1922 – 8 August, 1922
• Captain Ronald Howard, 8 August, 1922 – February, 1923
• Captain George Francis Hyde, 22 October, 1924 – October, 1925
• Captain Ronald Howard, 2 October, 1925 – April, 1927
• Captain Douglas B. Le Mottée, April, 1927 – late 1928
• Captain Francis T. B. Tower, 16 May, 1927 – 16 May, 1929  (and as Flag Captain and Chief Staff Officer)
• Captain Lancelot E. Holland, 16 May, 1929 – 31 December, 1929  (and as Flag Captain and Chief Staff Officer to R/A Best)
• Commander Frederick M. C. Curtis, 31 December, 1929 – 17 January, 1930  (upon reducing to reserve)
• Commander Percy R. P. Percival, 17 January, 1930 – 19 September, 1930
• Captain Charles G. Stuart, 22 February, 1930 – 24 July, 1930
• Commander Rodolph H. F. De Salis, 3 February, 1931 – 28 July, 1931
• Captain Reginald St. P. Parry, 18 February, 1931 – 7 April, 1931^[Inference]
• Captain Arthur M. Lecky, 29 July, 1931 – 1 February, 1932
• Captain Edward McC. W. Lawrie, 1 February, 1932 – June, 1932
• Captain Cecil B. Prickett, 20 June, 1932 – 30 September, 1932
• Commander Colin A. G. Hutchison, 30 September, 1932 – 25 January, 1933
• Commander Henry J. Egerton, 25 January, 1933 – February, 1933  (temporary)
• Captain Albert J. Robertson, c. mid February, 1933  (undated, took command upon recommissioning)
• Commander Henry J. Egerton, July, 1933 – 17 July, 1933  (temporary, on reducing to reserve)
• Commander Frank D. Morris, 17 July, 1933 – 1 July, 1935  (and as Senior Officer Reserve Fleet, Nore)
• Captain Hamilton C. Allen, 1 July, 1935 – 24 July, 1935  (and as Senior Officer Reserve Fleet, Nore)
• Commander Frank D. Morris, 24 July, 1935  ("vice Allen")
• Commander Charles E. S. Farrant, early 1936 – 15 May, 1936
• Captain Ernest J. Spooner, 15 June, 1937 – 17 December, 1938
• Captain Henry C. Bovell, 17 December, 1938 – c. October, 1939
• Captain Arthur R. Halfhide, 2 January, 1940 – late 1940
• Captain Hubert G. D. Acland, 15 March, 1941 – 15 December, 1942
• Captain Herbert W. Williams, 15 December, 1942 – 30 January, 1943
• Captain Geoffrey R. S. Watkins, 30 January, 1943 – 1943  (superseded in command for undiscovered reasons)
• Acting Captain (retired) Edmund H. Hopkinson, 4 December, 1943

There is some confusion between Ingham and Mackenzie-Grieve.

Robert Bertram Ramsay was appointed in command on 24 February, 1927, but his service record indicates that this was canceled. I am unsure what happened to Parry – de Salis's Service Records agree he held the command throughout.

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

See Also

• Hawkins Class Cruiser (1917)
• Wikipedia

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