OPERATIONS

OPERATIONS - POST WAR

HIGHLIGHTS

1945 - 1956

1945

AUGUST

15                           * VJ DAY    -   Spiced the Mainbrace

SEP

5                               * Tokyo Bay

8                               * Sailed Tokyo for Sydney via Manus

18                            * Arrived Sydney

NOV/DEC            * Tour of New Zealand with HMS Wizard and HMS Urchin.

                                *    Sydney for Christmas !

1946

JAN

15                            *    Wardroom Officers private dance in B and C Hangers and on the flight deck.

16                            *    Ships Company Farewell Dance in B and C Hangers and on the flight deck

20                            * Left Sydney for Home with HMS Undaunted via Melbourne and Fremantle

FEB

24                            * Cape Town

28                            * St. Helena

MAR

2                             * Ascension Island

11                             * Gibraltar

16                        * Portsmouth - entered harbour with paying-off pennant flying to a great reception -                                                                                one of the Forgotten Fleet !

APR

25                    * Sailed Portsmouth with depleted crew - but with 130
                            "Bush Brides" via Suez Canal, Aden, Colombo and Fremantle

MAY

26                            * Arrived Sydney

JUN

9                              * Departed Sydney with 1650 servicemen, WRNS, VAD's and 200 patients
                                     ex - RNH Herne Bay. Fremantle, Aden, Malta, Gibraltar, Plymouth

JUL

8                              * Arrived Portsmouth

29                            * Sailed Portsmouth, Gibraltar, Malta, Aden, Colombo and Return

SEP

9                              * Arrived Portsmouth

19                           * Ship's Battle Ensign presented to Borough of Holborn. Ship's Company                                       marched to Holborn Town Hall - Official Luncheon.

OCT

2                             * Sailed Portsmouth for Far East -70 women and children as passengers plus 600                                       naval personnel for Gib, Malta, Aden, Colombo, Trincomalee and Singapore

28                           * Arrived Singapore

NOV

5                             * Sailed Singapore for UK

27                           * Arrived Portsmouth

DEC

5                             *   Sailed for Norfolk Virginia USA to bring home 700 - 800 sailors, Nursing Sisters,                                                                                ATS and a soldier for Christmas

12                           * Arrived Norfolk

14                           * Sailed (one day earlier than planned)

21                           * Arrived Portsmouth (Average speed 23 knots) - Entered C Dock

THE TRAINING SQUADRON

1949

    On August 29th the ship went to sea for the first time since December 1946 and
     returned to Devonport . Ship went into dry dock refitting for her future role in the Home Fleet Training squadron.

1950

        JUNE

Engine Trials

JULY 3

       FOTS inspection and received first men under training.    Ship based at Portland.

               During the year, the ship took part in cruises and exercises with the Training Squadron

    including visits to Douglas Isle of Man, Gibraltar, Scapa Flow, Brighton, Invergordon, Arhus and Bournemouth.

1953

JUN 9 - 16          * At Spithead for the Coronation Review

JUL/SEP                * At Portland and exercises at sea with
                                              HMS Implacable

1954

FEB                        * Operations with HMS Implacable and HMS Eagle.
                                Visit to Casablanca and Gibraltar

APR 1                    * Arrived Portland

MAY 14              *   At sea with Home Fleet Units to welcome the Royal Yacht
                                 Britannia with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh
                                 embarked on their return from the Commonwealth Tour

JUN 9                     * Took part in Home Fleet Exercises

JUL 19                    * CinC Home Fleet inspected ship's company and trainees at
                                Divisions. At Portland

AUG 15 - 25            * Indefatigable transferred officers, training staff, equipment and
                                 stores to HMS Ocean. Ship's company reduced to just over
                                 400.

31                         *    Ship left Portland flying her paying-off pennant on her
                                  final voyage to the breaker's yard.

SEP 2                    *     Arrived Rosyth. Destoring and deammunitioning commenced.

3                           *   Commander J.R.A. Seymour OBE DSC assumed command.
                                 Captain H.C. Browne left ship, to be followed by nearly 400
                                  ratings, who left by train for Devonport.

================================================================

THE END OF A PROUD SHIP

31st October 1954

               2359 HMS Indefatigable reduced to Reserve and Paid Off

June 1955

             Ship towed from Rosyth to Gareloch and laid up

September 1956

             Sold to British Iron and Steel Corporation for breaking up at Faslane

October

         To Faslane Shipping Company to be broken up for scrap

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