HMS Invincible arrives

[Paul K]

Along with the old Ark Royal (R09) and possibly one of Victorious/Indefatigable or even HMS Furious carriers we could/should have saved any of the following but didn't.

I agree 100% though I can appreciate that in the austere 1950s, when a lot of these ships were being disposed of, there simply wasn't the money around to preserve them. Its a shame that the country that invented the Dreadnought now has nothing bigger than a light cruiser on display. As you say, HMS Warspite would have been a prime candidate, given her war record.

I also wish the Americans had preserved the Saratoga ( CV3) and the Enterprise (CV6) too. It would have been interesting to be able to examine the evolution of their fleet carrier designs.

[DarrenL]

We do have a good pre-1920 scrapping selection though.

HMS Mary Rose (sort of)
HMS Victory
HMS Trincomalee (Nelson era Frigate)
HMS Unicorn (Nelson era Frigate) unique as a "laid up in ordinary" ship of the line, as in roofed over and de-masted. In a reserve condition. As Victory was herself for 13 years.
HMS Warrior
HMS Gannet

And in the not too distant future the light cruiser HMS Caroline, the only veteran of the Battle of Jutland, still afloat and still in commission in Belfast will be restored as a museum ship. But then so would HMS Warspite have been if we had saved it.

Good recent HMS Caroline pics here on Maritime Quest - http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_di ... page_1.htm

Japan saved the Mikasa, Russia saved the Aurora (of sorts as it's not 100% original), even the Greeks saved the Georgios Averoff!

[Paul K]

Darren, I am utterly astounded. I had no idea that HMS Caroline even existed !

Off to learn more about her...thanks muchly!

[John]

We do have a good pre-1920 scrapping selection though.

HMS Mary Rose (sort of)
HMS Victory
HMS Trincomalee (Nelson era Frigate)
HMS Unicorn (Nelson era Frigate) unique as a "laid up in ordinary" ship of the line, as in roofed over and de-masted. In a reserve condition. As Victory was herself for 13 years.
HMS Warrior
HMS Gannet

Don't forget HMS Monitor...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_M33

She's almost hidden away in a Drydock at Portsmouth Historic Dockyard

I suppose we could include HMS President and HMS Wellington?
http://static.panoramio.com/photos/orig ... 144160.jpg
http://lh3.ggpht.com/_r93VAWoGDoE/ShmiB ... CF1677.JPG

oh and there's the Holland... http://www.armchairgeneral.com/images/subs/RNSM002.JPG

Kind regards

John

[SkippyBing]

Don't forget HMS Monitor...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_M33

Oh that's what that is. I had wondered every time I walked past on the way ashore!

There's also HMS Alliance http://www.submarine-museum.co.uk/hms-a ... nce-appeal.

[John]

Here's hoping that HMS Stalker makes it through...
http://www.maritimesteamrestorationtrus ... llery.html

Although every time i drive by it's hard to imagine that she'll be saved

JR

[Jon.M]

The scrapping of HMS Warspite didn't go according to plan of course.

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=48148

http://www.britishpathe.com/record.php?id=57887
Shots take from a Dragon Rapide?

Jon

[John]

It'd be nice to see HMS Plymouth in the Historic Dockyard
http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/marit ... ymouth.htm

And maybe HMS Bronington
http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_uTXJHe8KTQ4/S ... ited-1.JPG

Here's hoping that the rescue of HMS Onyx works out!
http://www.theheritagetrail.co.uk/marit ... 20onyx.htm
http://www.submarineheritage.com/onyx.html

We shall see!

Oh there is one ex RN carrier (sort of) reserved... The ex-HMS Hercules
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... m_Ship.jpg

And of course HMS Hermes is still in service (ish)
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c ... _ships.jpg

Kind regards

JR

PS nearly forgot...
http://www.thedockyard.co.uk/NetsiteCMS ... llery.html

[DarrenL]

You could add in the Breastwork Monitor Cerberus, built at Jarrow and in service with the Australian Navy (when it was still part of the Empire)
It's been fighting to survive since 1926. - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hmvs_cerberus

I have always thought about the possibility of raising an old Navy ship, of course you have to desregard and war graves which leave accidental losses (with no loss of life) like HMS Audacious that sank slowly after hitting a mine in 1914, the 1920s gunnery targets like HMS Monarch and the scuttled Battlecruiser HMAS Australia that was deliberately sunk outside Sidney harbour in 1924 as part of the fleet reductions.

HMS Audacious dive videos - http://www.google.com/search?q=hms%20au ... GB&tbm=vid

No idea about the condition of HMS Monarch or any of the other gunnery targets such as the SMS Baden. I always hope one has survived well in favourable sea conditions.

HMAS Australia -wikipedia - "In 2007, the wreck of Australia was located and photographed. Following the successful use of a remote operated vehicle (ROV) to locate a Black Hawk helicopter which crashed during the Australian response to the 2006 Fijian coup d'état, the New South Wales Heritage Office requested that the ROV be used to verify the location of the battlecruiser and inspect the wreck. The location was correct, and the wreck was found resting upside down and covered in marine growth, 400 metres (1,300 ft) below sea level. The gun turrets could not be found, but the superstructure and masts were present and confirmed the ship's identity"

HMAS Australia sinking

[John]

Now if only we could find these missing RN vessels!

http://www.luxe-motor-kei.co.uk/images/RN%20Fleet.JPG

Kind regards

JR

PS this looks like a crying shame!!!
http://theflowerclasscorvetteforums.yuku.com/topic/904