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HMCS Warrior
Colossus-class light aircraft carrier in Royal Canadian Navy |
History and current status |
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| HMCS Warrior |
| Photo from www.navyphotos.co.uk/warrior.htm |
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Aircraft Carrier |
| Name: HMS Warrior (R31) |
| Class:Improved Colossus Class Light Fleet Carrier |
| Ordered to the Royal Navy |
| Builder: Harland and Wolff |
| Laid down: 12 December 1942 |
| Launched: 20 May 1944 |
| Commissioned: 2 April 1945 |
| Completed on 24 January 1946 and transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy |
| Commissioned to the Royal Canadian Navy 14 March 1946 |
| Decommissioned: 23 March 1948 |
| Complement: 1,075 to 1,300 |
| Homeport: |
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| Displacement: 18,300 tons (later 18,400 tons) |
| Length: 695 feet (212 m) |
| Beam: 80 feet (24 m) |
| Draft: 23 feet (7.0 m) |
| Propulsion: Four boiler, twin screw steam turbine. 40,000 Horsepower (30 MW) |
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| Speed: 25 knots (46 km/h) |
| Range: 12,000 nautical miles at 14 knots |
Armament: 6 × quad QF 2 pounder naval guns AA
32 × 20 mm anti-aircraft cannon |
| Camouflage: |
| Fate: Returned to Royal Navy |
| Sources for this site: |
| http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aircraft_carrier |
| Navy site: |
| www.navy.forces.gc.ca |
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| She was launched on 20 May 1944 and completed on 24 January 1946. She was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy and commissioned as HMCS Warrior. The RCN experienced problems with the unheated equipment during operations in cold North Atlantic waters off eastern Canada during 1947. The RCN deemed her unfit for service and made arrangements with the Royal Navy to trade her for a more suitable aircraft carrier of the Majestic class which became, HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21) on commissioning, rather than retrofit her with equipment heaters. |
Detailed information about HMCS Warrior
In A HISTORY OF CANADIAN NAVAL AVIATION 1918-1962
by
J. D. F. KEALY
and
E. C. RUSSELL
we can find this story of HMCS Warrior
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At Belfast in Northern Ireland on 24 May, 1944, a large crowd of visitors and workmen had gathered in the ship-building yard of Harland and Wolff, to see a new light fleet carrier take to the water.
On the launching platform stood Mrs. Richard Bevan, wife of the Flag Officer Northern Ireland, and at the appointed time, as she broke a bottle over the bows and repeated the time-honoured phrase, “I name this ship Warrior and may God bless all who sail in her,” the carrier began to move down the slipway.
To the accompaniment of cheers and the hoot-ing of ships’ sirens she floated out on the stream and was then taken by tugs to the fitting-out jetty.
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The name Warrior already had a long record of action in naval warfare dating back to the eighteenth century when the first ship to be so called took part in the Battle of the Saints in 1782.
From HM ships that had borne this name the new aircraft carrier, the first to be entirely manned by Canadians, had inherited a fine and colourful tradition.
Here flying concerned being entirely satisfied with the ship, Captain Houghton signed the acceptance papers thus ending Harland and Wolff’s liability.
The carrier was next at sea for a couple of days so that 803 and 825 Squadrons could get some deck-landing practice whilst still based ashore at a naval air station.
Personnel from 826 and 883 Squadrons, which had paid off, and about thirty tons of stores were embarked when the ship was secured along-side South Railway Jetty, Portsmouth, and on 23 March Warrior steamed into the wind off the Isle of Wight to receive both squadrons.
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| Aircraft carried: 34 |
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803 and 825 Squadron
13 Seafire XV
9
Fire-flies Mark I
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In the last months of 1945 the number of key officers and men standing by Warrior steadily increased. Forty ratings were serving, temporarily, in HM Escort Carriers Battler and Ravager to gain experience, and a further 250 were attached to
HMCS Niobe, the majority taking various courses.
The complement of the ship had arrived in Belfast by 24 January, 1946, and at 1530 on that date Warrior was commissioned into the Royal Canadian Navy under the command of Captain F. L. Houghton, CBE, RCN, the appropriate ceremonial being observed. Work-up routine began the day following with general familiarization by personnel of all departments.
There was a brief period of rare sunshine on 21 Feb-ruary when Warrior, with band playing and hands fallen in on the flight deck, slipped her lines and sailed for the first time.
At the beginning of March the carrier was back at Belfast, having completed trials and embarked reserve aircraft, consisting of 13 Seafire XV and 9 Fire-flies Mark I, at Glasgow. She bade farewell to her build-ers and two days later anchored at Spithead.
Read more about HMCS Warrior
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Main source for this page is
A HISTORY OF CANADIAN NAVAL AVIATION 1918-1962
by
J. D. F. KEALY
and
E. C. RUSSELL |
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please contact webmaster@waships.name
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