HMS Ark Royal holds a place of high esteem within the annals of British naval history. The fifth vessel to bear the illustrious name, HMS Ark Royal’s legacy spans over four centuries, with each incarnation playing a pivotal role in shaping Britain’s maritime dominance.
The first HMS Ark Royal, built in 1587 and famously associated with Sir Walter Raleigh, led the charge against the Spanish Armada as the flagship of the English fleet. Over the years, subsequent vessels named Ark Royal continued to uphold this heritage of strength and innovation. The ship’s tradition carried through to the First World War, where the second Ark Royal, initially a merchant ship, was converted into a seaplane carrier, providing critical service in the Dardanelles campaign.
It was the third Ark Royal, however, a 22,000-ton aircraft carrier launched in 1937, that solidified the name’s legendary status. Renowned for her vital contributions to various World War II operations, such as the search for the German Pocket Battleship Graf Spee and the Norway Campaign, the third Ark Royal was an engineering marvel of her time. She boasted design features ahead of her predecessors, such as a full-length flight deck, armored hangar protection, and a distinctive “island” superstructure.
Ark Royal’s aircraft played a critical role in the sinking of the Bismarck, with a torpedo from one of its Swordfish aircraft incapacitating the mighty German battleship’s steering gear. This triumph underscored the strategic significance of air power in naval warfare and the aircraft carrier’s role as a vital asset.
Tragically, on November 13, 1941, while the carrier was en route from Malta, the Ark Royal met its fate at the hands of German submarine U-81. A single torpedo struck her, causing catastrophic damage that led to her sinking the following day, southeast of Gibraltar. The loss was mourned as a grievous blow to the Royal Navy and British morale. Yet, the legacy of Ark Royal endured, with the ship’s name continuing to inspire future naval vessels, such as the HMS Ark Royal of the Invincible class, which entered service in 1985, and was part of the Royal Navy until its decommissioning in 2011.
The fifth HMS Ark Royal’s keel was laid in 1978 at Swan Hunter’s yard, underscoring Britain’s commitment to maintaining its naval prowess. This vessel joined the ranks of the Invincible class carriers, alongside HMS Invincible and HMS Illustrious, showcasing advancements in carrier design and technology, and contributing to Britain’s naval capabilities in modern conflicts, including operations in the Balkans and the Iraq War.
The discovery of the wreck of the third HMS Ark Royal in 2002 by C & C Technologies using their HUGIN 3000 Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) brought closure to one of the most poignant chapters in Royal Navy history. Found resting at a depth of 1,066 meters in the Mediterranean, the survey revealed the remains scattered over an extensive area, with significant structural damage and debris that painted a picture of the vessel’s final moments.
Relevant articles:
– HMS Ark Royal, British aircraft carrier, WW2, naval-history.net
– Discovering H.M.S. Ark Royal, hydro-international.com
– HMS Ark Royal, Royal Museums Greenwich
– HMS Ark Royal: Explore The Life and Legacy of a Naval Giant, Naval Historia, Jul 22, 2023
HMS Ark Royal was built by Sir Walter Raleigh and was originally named Ark Raleigh. It was renamed when Raleigh donated it to the Queen. This was before the establishment of the Royal navy by Henry VIII.
The carrier HMS Ark Royal was sunk During WWII, but an Ark Royal was in commission when I was an apprentice and worked aboard her in the early 1960s. We installed a new ring main in the ship when it was being refitted, I believe in Devonport Dockyard. HMS Eagle was also a British carrier at the time and I worked on the Deck Landing lights on that ship.