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HMS Eagle (1918)

Coordinates: 38°3′0″N 3°1′12″E / 38.05000°N 3.02000°E / 38.05000; 3.02000
From Alfawiki
HMS Eagle
Company typeAircraft carrier
IndustryNaval military
PredecessorAlmirante Cochrane (as battleship)
Founded20 February 1913 (keel laid down)
FateTorpedoed and sunk on 11 August 1942
Headquarters
Newcastle upon Tyne
,
United Kingdom
ProductsAircraft carrier (naval warship)

HMS Eagle

HMS Eagle was among the Royal Navy's pioneering aircraft carriers. Initially commissioned by Chile amid the South American dreadnought race as the battleship Almirante Cochrane, she was laid down prior to the outbreak of World War I. In early 1918, the British government acquired her to convert into an aircraft carrier, a process that concluded in 1924. The vessel’s completion faced delays due to labour disputes, speculation about a potential resale to Chile for reconversion into a battleship, and the necessity for comparative trials to establish the most effective aircraft carrier design. Upon commissioning, she was assigned first to the Mediterranean Fleet and subsequently to the China Station, spending minimal time in British home waters except for routine refits.

During the initial nine months of World War II, Eagle operated in the Indian Ocean, tasked with seeking out German commerce raiders. At this stage of the conflict, the Fleet Air Arm suffered from a critical shortage of fighters, resulting in Eagle being outfitted exclusively with Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers until late 1940. In May 1940, she was redeployed to the Mediterranean, where she provided escort for convoys bound for Malta and Greece, while also conducting strikes against Italian naval forces, shipping, and shore installations throughout the Eastern Mediterranean. The carrier took part in the Battle of Calabria in July; however, her aircraft were unsuccessful in hitting Italian cruisers during torpedo attacks. When not at sea, her air wing was frequently disembarked and operated ashore.

In March 1941, Eagle was relieved by a newer aircraft carrier and redirected to patrol for Axis maritime traffic in both the Indian Ocean and the South Atlantic. During mid-1941, her aircraft sank a German blockade runner and damaged a German oil tanker, but no further Axis vessels were located before she returned home for a refit in October. After completing an extensive overhaul early in 1942, Eagle undertook missions delivering fighter aircraft to Malta to reinforce its aerial defences during the first half of that year. On 11 August 1942, while escorting a convoy to Malta as part of Operation Pedestal, she was torpedoed and sunk by German submarine U-73, resulting in the loss of 131 crew members.

Construction and conversion

In 1911, the Chilean Navy placed an order for a single 28,000-long-ton (28,450 t) super-dreadnought battleship, with an option to acquire a second vessel. Both were to be equipped with ten 14-inch (356 mm) and sixteen six-inch (152 mm) guns, and were named Almirante Latorre and Almirante Cochrane. The keel of Almirante Latorre was laid in December 1911, followed by Almirante Cochrane at the Armstrong shipyards in Newcastle upon Tyne on 20 February 1913. Construction on both ships was halted at the onset of the First World War. The British Admiralty acquired the nearly finished Almirante Latorre, which entered service in 1915 as HMS Canada. At the war’s outbreak, Almirante Cochrane had progressed to nearly complete forecastle construction, although her side armor remained uninstalled. Work ceased during the war until British authorities decided to complete her as an aircraft carrier for the Royal Navy. On 28 February 1918, they purchased her from Chile for conversion into HMS Eagle. This vessel became the fourteenth Royal Navy ship to carry that name.

Preliminary design efforts were initiated by the Director of Naval Construction even before the purchase was finalized, with an initial concept submitted on 8 February 1918. The design featured a full-length flight deck, distinguished notably by two separate islands positioned along its span. Each island measured approximately 110 feet (33.5 m), housing two funnels and a tripod mast. Their staggered arrangement aimed to complicate enemy attempts to determine the ship’s heading and was reinforced with robust bracing connecting both islands. The bridge was situated atop this bracing, providing a clearance of about 20 feet (6.1 m) above the flight deck for aircraft operations. Between these islands lay a 68-foot (20.7 m) wide area designated for aircraft assembly prior to takeoff. Two aircraft lifts would facilitate movement between the hangar and flight deck. Cranes were planned at each island’s aft end to assist with aircraft handling and seaplane recovery. Fuel storage comprised 15,000 imperial gallons (68,000 L; 18,000 US gal) held in 2-imperial-gallon (9.1 L; 2.4 US gal) tins secured on the forecastle deck beneath 1-inch (25 mm) armor plating. Additionally, two ready-use tanks near the islands enabled refueling on the flight deck. Armament was intended to include nine 6-inch guns plus four 4-inch (102 mm) anti-aircraft guns mounted on a platform between the islands. The ship retained a mixed coal and fuel oil propulsion system from its battleship origins; however, fuel capacity increased to 3,200 long tons (3,300 t) of coal and 1,750 long tons (1,780 t) of oil by converting former forward and aft 14-inch magazines into oil tanks.

File:Brassey's HMS Canada Plan (1915).jpg
Line drawing of Almirante Latorre, depicting how Eagle would have appeared if completed as originally designed. Shaded sections indicate armor coverage.

Following operational trials aboard HMS Furious, which revealed that pilots tended to turn portside after aborted landings, the design was modified in April 1918 by removing the port island altogether. The starboard island was extended to approximately 130 feet (39.6 m) in length while its width was narrowed to about 15 feet (4.6 m) to reduce air turbulence effects. This island incorporated the bridge, both funnels, and a tripod mast equipped with fire-control directors for weaponry management. At Admiral David Beatty’s request—commander of the Grand Fleet—the main battery was augmented to twelve six-inch guns, including one mounted on the island itself. Additionally, eighteen torpedo tubes were installed in three triple fixed mounts per broadside as a precaution against encounters with German light cruisers during nighttime engagements. The anti-aircraft weaponry was scaled back to a single 4-inch gun positioned on the island between funnels, reflecting Beatty’s belief that onboard fighter aircraft would provide sufficient aerial defense. This revised configuration received approval in June, though construction had commenced earlier.

The planned upper Belt armor thickness of approximately 4.5 inches (114 mm) was applied to safeguard the waterline area. Previously completed superstructures were dismantled along with the barbettes intended for 14-inch guns. HMS Eagle launched on 8 June 1918 and was subsequently moved downstream ten days later to Armstrong Whitworth’s High Walker facility for final outfitting. Modifications included rerouting boiler uptakes and sealing existing openings. The former upper deck—measuring around 1.5 inches (38 mm) in thickness—was repurposed as the hangar deck floor, above which a new superstructure was erected. The flight deck itself measured about 1 inch (25 mm) thick and functioned as the ship’s uppermost strength or main supporting deck. By November 1918, when hostilities ceased, construction remained roughly nine months from completion.

Post-war industrial disputes delayed progress further, culminating in work suspension on 21 October 1919 due to Chile’s interest in repurchasing and reconverting the vessel back into a battleship. However, converting it again would have cost £2.5 million—exceeding Chile’s £1.5 million offer—prompting the Admiralty to retain ownership. Recognizing a need for carrier trials involving an island-equipped ship, they authorized use of Eagle on 11 November. Armstrong Whitworth sealed off openings intended for undelivered lifts that failed specification compliance, completed construction of the rear funnel, removed torpedo tubes, and plated over forward funnel uptakes before transferring her to Portsmouth Royal Dockyard on 20 April 1920 for trial preparations. Only two boilers—converted exclusively for fuel oil use—were operational during these tests.

Flight trials

File:Aircraft carrier HMS Eagle - IWM Q 75343.jpg
Eagle undergoing trials

The primary focus of the trials was to evaluate the longitudinal arresting gear system previously utilized on the smaller carrier Argus.[1] These tests were not designed to halt aircraft during landing, as the relatively low approach speeds combined with adequate headwinds made stopping unnecessary at that time.[2] Instead, the arresting gear aimed to prevent aircraft from veering sideways and potentially falling off the flight deck.[3] Initially, the arresting system measured approximately 170 feet (51.8 m) in length and was installed too far forward on the deck. Throughout the trial period, it was repositioned further aft and extended to a total length of 320 feet (97.5 m).[4]

During these trials, command of the vessel was held by Captain Wilmot Nicholson, who had previously been in charge of Furious in 1918. The Royal Air Force's representative was Group Captain Charles Samson.[5] Taxiing tests commenced on 10 May using Sopwith Camel fighters and Parnall Panther reconnaissance planes while the ship remained docked. Soon after, flights conducted over and around the ship assessed airflow patterns over the flight deck and island structure, with the first onboard landing occurring on 1 June. Larger aircraft such as the Bristol F2B fighter, Sopwith Cuckoo torpedo bomber, and De Havilland DH.9 bomber were also part of these evaluations. Overall, the trials were successful, with only 12 minor incidents occurring out of 143 landings under diverse weather conditions,[1] though it became clear that aircraft operating from carriers would require landing gear equipped with shock absorbers to cope with impacts on a moving deck.[6] Group Captain Samson advocated for completely removing the island, whereas Nicholson supported retaining the ship for service despite dissatisfaction with the island's dimensions and shape.[1] Nicholson further suggested converting Eagle to exclusively burn fuel oil and replacing the 6-inch guns with anti-aircraft artillery, which would permit removal of the tripod mast from the island since it would no longer be necessary for fire control.[7]

Description

The vessel was formally decommissioned on 16 November but construction based on a revised design did not commence until 24 March 1921 at Portsmouth. The Admiralty incorporated some of Nicholson's recommendations but rejected others. Modifications to the island’s size and shape were made following wind tunnel testing conducted by the National Physical Laboratory, though the 6-inch guns remained installed. The flight deck’s forward edge was smoothly integrated into the bow to improve airflow over that area, while 4-inch anti-aircraft guns were positioned on and around the island. The forward aircraft lift was relocated to the front end of the hangar. After construction began, 6 feet (1.8 m) deep anti-torpedo bulges were added along with replacing a petrol storage compartment with an 8,100-imperial-gallon (37,000 L; 9,700 US gal) fuel tank. Although originally designed to carry 3,000 long tons (3,000 t) of fuel, this capacity increased to 3,750 long tons (3,810 t) after bulging; however, approximately 500 long tons (510 t) of fuel served as ballast counterbalancing the island’s weight and equipment.[8]

Eagle measured an overall length of 667 feet 6 inches (203.5 m), had a beam spanning 115 feet (35.1 m), and drew 26 feet 8 inches (8.1 m) at deep load. The ship displaced 21,850 long tons (22,200 t) when fully loaded under standard conditions. Propulsion consisted of four Brown-Curtis geared steam turbine sets, each driving a single three-bladed propeller.[9] Steam was generated by thirty-two small-tube Yarrow boilers. During sea trials on 9–10 September 1923, these turbines produced 52,100 shaft horsepower (38,900 kW), allowing Eagle to reach speeds up to 24.37 knots (45.13 km/h; 28.04 mph); however, turbine joint leaks limited operational power to a maximum of 50,000 shaft horsepower (37,000 kW) in service. The ship's cruising range was approximately 4,800 nautical miles (8,900 km; 5,500 mi) at a speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).[10]

The flight deck extended 652 feet (198.7 m) in length while the hangar measured 400 feet (121.9 m) long by 33 feet (10.1 m) wide with a minimum height clearance of 20 feet 6 inches (6.2 m). To contain potential fires within the hangar space, four steel shuttered fire curtains were installed. The forward lift measured 46 by 47 feet (14 m × 14 m)*, while the aft lift was sized at 46 by 33 feet (14 m × 10 m)*. The fore-and-aft arresting gear spanned 328 feet (100.0 m), running nearly the full length between lift edges on the flight deck.[11] A sizable crane featuring a radius of 60 feet (18.3 m) was situated aft of the island.[12] Aircraft capacity ranged between 25 and 30 planes; in 1939 her crew complement numbered 41 officers and 750 enlisted personnel excluding aircrew.[13]

For defense against hostile surface vessels, Eagle was armed with nine BL Mk XVII 6-inch guns—six arranged along both sides amidships and three positioned aft—each supplied with approximately 200 rounds. Additionally, she carried five QF Mk V 4-inch anti-aircraft guns: two mounted forward on the flight deck before the island, one located behind it, and two placed atop the island itself—one between her twin funnels—with each gun allocated around 150 rounds.[9]

Inter-war

File:HMS Eagle 1931 NAN7-78.jpg
Aerial perspective of Eagle in 1931, before undergoing refit

After her commissioning on 26 February and completion of working up, Eagle joined the Mediterranean Fleet on 7 June 1924. At that time, she held the distinction of being the largest aircraft carrier worldwide, carrying 24 aircraft organized into four flights of six planes each from the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Air Force. These included No. 402 Flight equipped with Fairey Flycatcher fighters, No. 422 Flight with Blackburn Blackburn reconnaissance planes, No. 440 Flight operating Supermarine Seagull flying boats, and No. 460 Flight flying Blackburn Dart torpedo bombers.

During her Mediterranean deployment, one flight frequently operated from land bases such as RAF Hal Far, Malta, or Aboukir, Egypt. The Supermarine Seagulls were found to be inadequate in operational service and were replaced by Fairey IIID aircraft in January 1925. For a period in late 1925, Avro Bison spotters from No. 421B Flight were embarked aboard Eagle. At the end of that year, she sailed to Devonport for a short refit during which the longitudinal arresting gear was removed due to its ineffectiveness in actual use. Additionally, two single QF 2-pounder pom-pom light anti-aircraft guns were installed forward of the flight deck’s 4-inch guns near the island structure, and the ship’s petrol storage was increased to 14,190 imperial gallons (64,500 L; 17,040 US gal).

Following completion of this refit in 1926, Eagle returned to the Mediterranean where the Bisons of No. 448 Flight replaced No. 422 Flight’s Blackburns. In 1928, she was joined by HMS Courageous, enabling the fleet to conduct experiments involving multiple carriers operating together. Early in 1929, Eagle underwent another refit during which a salt-water spray system was installed to combat hangar fires effectively. On 29 June that year, she rescued Spanish Air Force Major Ramón Franco, brother of future dictator Francisco Franco, and his crew after they had been adrift since 22 June in the North Atlantic Ocean. Their flying boat, a Dornier Do J Wal named Numancia, had been forced down due to fuel exhaustion on their westward attempt around the globe.

Later in 1929, both Flights 440 and 448 had re-equipped with Fairey IIIF reconnaissance aircraft when Eagle departed Malta on 8 January 1931 bound for Portsmouth to embark new carrier aircraft intended for display at the British Industries Exhibition in Buenos Aires, Argentina. After returning to the Mediterranean for summer fleet exercises, she proceeded to Devonport for an extended refit beginning in August.

During this overhaul, her boilers were replaced and the single 4-inch gun positioned between the funnels was substituted with an eight-barrel QF 2-pounder Mark V pom-pom mount. A single quadruple Vickers .50 machine gun mount was added on the starboard aft flight deck side while four foam-based fire-fighting generators were installed on the flight deck for enhanced fire suppression capabilities. A High Angle Control System (HACS) director was mounted at the rear end of the control top on the tripod mast for improved gunnery control. The crew complement increased to include 753 sailors and 253 airmen who also benefited from upgraded living quarters. The refit concluded on 28 November 1932; however, personnel shortages delayed her working-up until April of the following year.

File:HMS Eagle and HMS Medway at Hong Kong in the 1930s.jpg
Eagle pictured at Hong Kong during the 1930s with depot ship HMS Medway visible in the background

After completing her refit, Eagle was deployed to the Far East throughout 1934 as part of the China Station, where her air group actively engaged pirate vessels and their bases. The tropical climate presented challenges with cooling bomb magazines and food storage areas, as ventilation proved barely adequate under those conditions. During this period, an additional quadruple .50 machine gun mount was installed forward of the existing two-pounder gun on the flight deck; meanwhile, the original mounting was relocated to port side sponson positions. Her air contingent consisted of nine Hawker Osprey fighters from 803 Squadron along with twelve Fairey IIIFs from 824 Squadron, which was redesignated as 825 Squadron in October 1934. When relieved by HMS Hermes at year-end, 803 Squadron transferred ashore while Eagle returned to Mediterranean waters in February 1935 carrying Blackburn Baffin torpedo bombers from 812 Squadron. Both squadrons remained stationed at RAF Hal Far as Eagle sailed back to Devonport for another refit commencing in June.

The carrier was decommissioned until early 1936 when her refit began anew. This included installation of transverse arresting gear and replacement of two-pounder mounts forward of the island with a second octuple pom-pom. Two additional quadruple .50 machine gun mounts were fitted into sponsons located on either side near the bow. Bomb magazine capacity was increased further during this period alongside improvements to ventilation and insulation systems aboard ship. Returning to Far Eastern waters in 1937, she carried only nine Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers—fabric-covered biplanes—from 813 Squadron, supplemented by another nine Swordfish intended for re-equipping 824 Squadron when it transferred from Hermes in April that year. Captain Clement Moody assumed command from January 1, 1937 until Captain A.R.M. Bridge succeeded him on June 16, 1939. In August that year, after swapping crews while at Hong Kong, Eagle proceeded to Singapore where she began a brief refit on August 12.

1939–1941

At the outbreak of World War II the following month, the vessel had just finished undergoing a refit in Singapore. Shortly thereafter, she set sail and commenced operations alongside the light cruiser Birmingham, with escort provided by the destroyer Daring, to locate German merchant vessels. A Swordfish aircraft spotted the freighter SS Franken south of Padang on Sumatra, prompting orders for Birmingham to intercept while Eagle maintained aerial reconnaissance. Arriving at Colombo, Ceylon, on 10 September, she patrolled the Indian Ocean until 5 October, searching between India's west coast and the Maldive Islands alongside the light cruiser Liverpool. Subsequently, Eagle joined Force I with heavy cruisers Cornwall and Dorsetshire to hunt for the pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee and other German commerce raiders in the Indian Ocean. In mid-December, maintenance including boiler and hull cleaning was performed in Durban, South Africa.

File:HMS Eagle at Alexandria Dec 1940.jpg
Eagle docked in Alexandria harbour, December 1940

Throughout 1940, Eagle continued patrolling the Indian Ocean but also escorted a significant Australian troop convoy to Suez early that year. On 14 March near the Nicobar Islands, an accidental detonation of a 250 lb (110 kg) bomb resulted in 14 fatalities. Damage was mostly limited to bomb magazines and two generators were disabled. The blast surged upward through the port bomb lift, igniting a wing of a Swordfish stored in the hangar. The majority of aircraft suffered corrosion damage from salt-water spray used to extinguish the fire; only four escaped harm. Repairs took place in Singapore from 15 March until 9 May, after which she sailed for Colombo before proceeding to the Mediterranean, arriving on 26 May. In June, three crated Gloster Sea Gladiators were discovered at Dekheila, becoming the fleet’s sole fighter aircraft in the Eastern Mediterranean.

On 5 July, aircraft from 813 Squadron operating from shore bases launched a dusk attack on Tobruk harbour in cooperation with RAF forces, sinking the Zeffiro and freighter SS Manzoni, while severely damaging the destroyer Euro’s bow. Two additional merchant ships were beached to prevent sinking. During the Battle of Calabria on 9 July, 813 Squadron conducted reconnaissance on Italian naval forces while 824 Squadron executed two unsuccessful torpedo attacks on Italian cruisers without losses. On 10 July’s evening, Eagle’s aircraft struck Augusta harbour in Sicily, sinking the destroyer Leone Pancaldo. Amidst intense air assaults on 13 July, Sea Gladiator pilots shot down three Italian bombers. Later, on 20 July night operations by six aircraft from 824 Squadron based at Sidi Barrani sank destroyers Nembo and Ostro, along with freighter SS Sereno. While providing distant escort for a convoy to Greece on 29 July, Eagle’s Sea Gladiators downed one attacking Savoia-Marchetti SM.79 medium bomber.

On 22 August, three Swordfish from 824 Squadron operating out of Sidi Barrani attacked and destroyed the Italian submarine Iride and depot ship Monte Gargano in the Gulf of Bomba. These vessels were transporting eight frogmen and four manned torpedoes intended for sabotage against British shipping in Alexandria harbour. In September, joined by carrier Illustrious, both carriers launched strikes against Italian airfields on Rhodes on 9 September. However, Eagle’s twelve Swordfish took off late and attacked Maritza airfield after Italians had been forewarned by earlier raids from Illustrious. Four aircraft were lost to defending Fiat CR.32 and CR.42 fighters; nevertheless, two SM.79 bombers were destroyed on the ground and four other planes damaged—marking Eagle’s most severe single mission losses during the conflict.

While escorting another convoy to Malta on 12 October, near misses from SM.79 bombers based in Sicily inflicted damage on her aviation fuel system that went unnoticed initially. She continued convoy cover later that month and her aircraft struck Maltezana seaplane base on Rhodes during return to Alexandria on 27 October. Earlier, four Swordfish from 824 Squadron had been offloaded and flown to Fuka Landing Ground for a night raid on Tobruk harbour wherein they distracted defences with 250-pound bombs while twelve other Swordfish laid mines. On 28 October, Eagle along with Mediterranean Fleet units patrolled off Greece’s west coast anticipating Italian naval intervention during their invasion of Greece but made no contact.

An inspection on 5 November revealed leaks in her aviation fuel system necessitating repairs. Five of her aircraft were transferred to Illustrious for participation in Operation Judgement—the attack on Taranto harbour—on 11 November while Eagle remained at Alexandria; one Swordfish was lost due to intense Italian anti-aircraft fire during this operation. Throughout November she escorted multiple convoys to Greece and Malta and six of her planes bombed Tripoli harbour without loss during the night of 24/25 November. Most of December was spent docked at Alexandria but her aircraft supported ground operations notably by spotting for battleships Warspite and Barham during bombardment of Bardia on 2 January 1941.

In mid-January she covered a convoy to Greece but poor weather prevented attacks on Italian bases en route. Upon return, her air group was reorganized to include additional fighters as she assumed sole responsibility for fleet air cover following severe damage sustained by Illustrious from German dive bombers on 11 January. To accommodate more fighters, one Swordfish squadron was disembarked to support ground forces ashore. By mid-February during convoy escort duties to Malta, she carried nine Fairey Fulmars of 805 Squadron (formerly part of 813), five Sea Gladiators, and six Swordfish.

After arrival of carrier Formidable on 9 March which relieved Illustrious, plans to redeploy Eagle to South Atlantic for commerce raider hunting were abandoned; she remained at Alexandria until sailing on 9 April. Meanwhile, both Swordfish squadrons were detached to Port Sudan on 25 March for operations against Italian shipping based at Massawa in Italian East Africa with notable success before rejoining her after transit through the Suez Canal by mid-April.

Upon reaching Mombasa, Kenya on 26 April she was ordered out again on 29 April for an unsuccessful Indian Ocean search for raiders before being directed on 1 May to proceed to Durban for rendezvous with battleship Nelson prior to heading toward Gibraltar. After refuelling at Freetown on 25 May, Nelson proceeded onward while orders changed for Eagle, now tasked with hunting German supply vessels in South Atlantic waters. Command transferred from Captain A.R.M Bridge to E.G.H Rushbrooke during this period.

Beginning operations in South Atlantic from late May accompanied typically by either Dorsetshire or light cruiser Dunedin, Eagle’’’s Swordfish located and sank blockade runner Elbe on 6 June via bombing attack. Later that month on June 15th oil tanker Lothringen was captured by Dunedin after being bombed and strafed by multiple Swordfish sorties launched from Eagle. Patrols continued uneventfully except for a hangar fire occurring on 20 September that killed one aircraft mechanic and damaged most Swordfish due to fire suppression spray though ship integrity remained intact.

In October 1941 orders directed Eagle back to Britain for refit at Gladstone Dock in Liverpool arriving near Greenock late October and docked early November. During refit her quadruple .50 caliber machine guns were replaced with twelve manually operated automatic Oerlikon 20 mm cannons mounted six per side along flight deck sponsons while crews manning four-inch AA guns received splinter protection via zarebas installed around each weapon station. The High Angle Control System (HACS) was relocated forward atop control top fitted with Type 285 gunnery radar along with installation of Type 290 air warning radar system. Fuel oil capacity was reduced to increase petrol storage resulting in decreased operational range at cruising speed.

Refit completed by early January 1942 followed by five weeks working up exercises before joining convoy WS16 bound for Gibraltar mid-February arriving late February with squadrons re-embarked including Swordfish-equipped Squadrons 813 and 824 supplemented by four Sea Hurricane Mk IB fighters from a detachment of Naval Air Squadron 804 plus Fighter Flight elements from Squadron 813 aboard—although these fighters could not fold wings thus remaining permanently stationed atop flight deck lifts unused during flight operations. Upon arrival Gibraltar assignment placed her within Force H units readying for further operational deployment.

Battle of Malta

File:HMS EAGLE and HMS MALAYA in the Mediterranean during Operation 'Spotter', which delivered 16 RAF Spitfire Mk Vs to Malta on 7th March 1942. A7840.jpg
HMS Eagle and HMS Malaya, from HMS Argus serving with Force H in the Mediterranean, 7 March 1942

When Eagle reached Gibraltar, 824 Squadron was relocated to RAF North Front, while the carrier took on board 15 Supermarine Spitfire fighters that had been transported to Gibraltar by Argus.[14][15] These aircraft were partially assembled at the dockside before being lifted onto the flight deck for final assembly, as their size prevented storage below deck. Remaining on the flight deck, they restricted the operations of Eagle’s own aircraft, except for a small number also stationed there, until the transferred planes were launched.[16] On 27 February 1942, she set sail to deliver the Spitfires to Malta, accompanied by battleship Malaya, Argus, cruiser Hermione, and nine destroyers. However, the mission was aborted due to faults with the Spitfires' long-range fuel tanks. These issues were resolved by 7 March when all 15 Spitfires successfully took off for Malta. Following her return, Eagle underwent engine repairs lasting until 13 March.[17] Subsequently, nine additional Spitfires were delivered on 21 March and seven more on 29 March.[18] Upon her return from these operations, extensive repairs to her steering gear were necessary and continued until late April.[19]

File:HMS Eagle sinking 1942.jpg
Eagle listing to port and sinking, 11 August 1942

During Operation Bowery, on the night of 7/8 May, Eagle met up with the American carrier USS Wasp, which was transporting 47 Spitfires; meanwhile, Eagle had offloaded her entire air group to accommodate 17 of her own Spitfires. A total of sixty aircraft successfully arrived at Malta. For a subsequent mission on 17 May, the Swordfish and Sea Hurricanes from 813 Squadron re-embarked alongside the 17 Spitfires and six Fairey Albacore torpedo bombers destined for Malta. While the fighters launched without problems, engine failures forced all Albacores to abort and return.[20] After landing back aboard, the ship endured an attack by approximately six SM.79 torpedo bombers; none managed to hit their target. The escorting light cruiser HMS Charybdis played a crucial role by employing radar-directed gunfire that repelled the persistent Italian assault.[21]

For Operation Style on 3 June, Eagle disembarked all aircraft except four Sea Hurricanes to make space for carrying out the launch of 31 Spitfires. Another batch of 32 Spitfires was flown off during Operation Salient on 9 June. Later that month, she provided air cover during Operation Harpoon, which set out for Malta simultaneously with Operation Vigorous convoy approaching from the opposite direction. To strengthen defenses against anticipated heavy air assaults, twelve Sea Hurricanes from 801 Squadron and four Fulmars from 807 Squadron joined four Sea Hurricanes of the Fighter Flight from 813 Squadron.[22] The convoy faced intense aerial attacks from both German and Italian air forces; Eagle’s Sea Hurricanes effectively disrupted many raids, claiming nine enemy aircraft destroyed and two probably destroyed at a cost of one Sea Hurricane from 813 Squadron and three Fulmars lost.[23] The escort group reached Gibraltar on 17 June and did not undertake another aircraft delivery until flying off 32 Spitfires to Malta during Operation Pinpoint on 14 July. During this interval, her air group consisted solely of six Sea Hurricanes from 801 Squadron. On 20 July, she embarked another load of twenty-nine Spitfires along with four Swordfish from 824 Squadron; the following day saw those Spitfires flown off.[24] Earlier that same day, an attack by the Italian submarine Dandolo failed to inflict damage.[25]

In support of Operation Pedestal, Eagle operated alongside carriers Victorious and Indomitable, carrying sixteen Sea Hurricanes from both the 801 and 813 Squadrons plus four additional reserve aircraft for this mission.[26] On the afternoon of 11 August, she was struck by four torpedoes fired by German submarine U-73, under command of Helmut Rosenbaum, sinking within four minutes approximately 70 nautical miles (130 km; 81 mi) south of Cape Salinas at coordinates Lua error in Module:Coordinates at line 489: attempt to index field 'wikibase' (a nil value).; Cape Salinas marks Majorca’s southernmost point—roughly midway between Palma, Majorca and Algiers, Algeria. The disaster resulted in the loss of 131 officers and ratings predominantly stationed in her propulsion machinery compartments.[27] At that moment, four Sea Hurricanes from 801 Squadron were airborne; these landed safely on other carriers while sixteen remaining aircraft went down with Eagle.[28] Rescue efforts by destroyers Laforey, Lookout, and tugboat Jaunty saved a total of sixty-seven officers and eight hundred sixty-two sailors.[27]

Notes

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Brown, p. 252
  2. ↑ Friedman, p. 95
  3. ↑ Friedman, p. 95
  4. ↑ Friedman, pp. 79–81
  5. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named f79
  6. ↑ Friedman, pp. 81–82
  7. ↑ Friedman, p. 82
  8. ↑ Brown, pp. 252–253
  9. ↑ 9.0 9.1 Brown, p. 272
  10. ↑ Friedman, pp. 82–83, 366
  11. ↑ Brown, pp. 253–254, 273
  12. ↑ Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; no text was provided for refs named b50
  13. ↑ Friedman, p. 83, 366
  14. ↑ Sturtivant, p. 262
  15. ↑ Nailer, p. 160
  16. ↑ Shores, Cull and Malizia 1991, pp. 108–109
  17. ↑ Smith, pp. 144–146
  18. ↑ Nailer, p. 161
  19. ↑ Smith, p. 146
  20. ↑ Nailer, p. 162
  21. ↑ Smith, pp. 151–153
  22. ↑ Smith, pp. 156–158
  23. ↑ Brown, p. 268
  24. ↑ Nailer, p. 163
  25. ↑ Smith, pp. 159–161
  26. ↑ Smith, p. 163
  27. ↑ 27.0 27.1 Smith, p. 189
  28. ↑ Brown, p. 271

References

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Further reading

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External links

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