Colossus Class Light Fleet Aircraft Carriers

In the first years of the Second World War (1939-1945) the Royal Navy lost five of its Aircraft Carriers. In June 1939 Courageous had been sunk by a German U-boat, the following year sistership Glorious fell victim to the battleships Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, Ark Royal was torpedoed in November 1941, whilst in 1942 Hermes lost to a Japanese air attack and Eagle was torpedoed. At the same time the true value of the Aircraft Carrier was coming to be fully appreciated. The 1942 Defence Estimates recognised "The aircraft carrier is now second to none among fighting ships of the Royal Navy". Considerations were made into converting existing warships or merchant vessels but these losses, coupled with the lengthy construction of fleet carriers, prompted the requirement for a new class of light fleet carriers to be built in large numbers, as quickly as possible.

Essentially, the Colossus Class was a smaller version of the Illustrious Class, yet much more capable and sophisticated than the Escort Carriers. The design was tailored to reflect the need for hurried assembly. They would have no armoured fight deck, limited anti-aircraft defences, a single hangar running the length of the ship, a single catapult and two aircraft lifts. Additionally they were designed to Lloyds Register Standards, enabling construction to occur in commercial shipyards, relieving pressure on naval yards already occupied with other warship building programmes. Sixteen ships were planned and the hull would be built to a mercantile design so that after the war they could be converted into commercial vessels.

The Colossus Class was designed with a displacement of 18,300 tons and measurements of 630ft in length, 80ft in breadth and 23ft in draught. They were designed with a main battery of four 3-pounder pompoms and an additional twenty-four 2-pounder pompons and nineteen 40mm anti-aircraft guns, while the absence of armour enabled space for around 40 aircraft. Four Admiralty 3 drum type boilers and Parsons geared steam turbines would provided a maximum speed of 25 knots while complement would number approximately 1300, including air crews from the Fleet Air Arm (FAA).

Of the sixteen vessels ordered under the 1942 building programme, only eight were completed as ‘Colossus Class’ Light Fleet carriers. Firstly, The requirement for afloat aircraft maintenance facilities, and the success of HMS Unicorn in this role, prompted the completion of two as escort maintenance vessels. Edgar and Mars were chosen and renamed Perseus and Pioneer, respectively. Aircraft cranes, workshops, deck houses and defensive anti-aircraft weapons were added to the flight deck and although space was provided for aircraft deck parking, all equipment necessary to operate aircraft was absent, and consequently aircraft were hoisted aboard. Secondly, at the end of the war the design was revised to incorporate improvements gained through experience in the war. Hence the last six vessels were completed as the Majestic Class and featured improved accommodation and mess facilities, uniform close range AA batteries and the ability to operate heavier aircraft, through more capable cranes and catapults. Despite these modifications, in terms of external appearance they differed little from the eight Colossus Class Carriers.

Only four vessels were fully operational before the end of the war with a fifth working up in home waters. Colossus, Glory, Venerable and Vengeance joined the 11th Carrier Squadron at Sydney. Despite joining the British Pacific Fleet in the closing stages of the war, none saw significant war service, although in the aftermath of the Japanese surrender they were used to repatriate prisoners of war and to dispose of lend-lease aircraft, which Britain could not afford to return to the Americans.

When hostilities ended the Royal Navy had a large number of carriers in service, under construction or on the drawing board. In addition to the Colossus and Majestic Classes of Light Fleet Carrier, there were the sixteen Fleet Carriers of the Audacious Class, the Centaur Class and the Malta Class. The absence of war coupled with the poor state of the British economy meant the Royal Navy could not afford to operate so many vessels. The Malta Class was cancelled altogether while plans for later Audacious Classes were abandoned. The eight Colossus class carriers were not units of the Centaur and exempt from the cuts, particularly as they were slower and carried fewer aircraft than other classes. In the short term, Warrior and Vengeance were loaned to Canada and Australia for brief periods before being returned to Britain, then between 1946 and 1959 five were commissioned into foreign navies: Colossus went to France as Arromanches, Venerable to the Netherlands as Karel Brazil at Minas Gerais, and Warrior to Argentina as Independencia.Doorman, Vengeance to

Despite the post-war rundown, the development of new technology and equipment did not stop and several Colossus Class vessels were employed in trails and experiments. Most significant was the first ever landing of a jet aircraft on an aircraft carrier aboard HMS Ocean in 1945. Flexible deck landing trials were undertaken by Warrior, Perseus was fitted with an experimental steam catapult and Triumph conducted angled flight deck trials.

Aircraft Carriers were vital in the Korean War (1950-3), providing mobile airfields for allied warplanes and four Royal Navy Colossus Class vessels participated in the three year conflict. The first British carrier on the scene, Triumph, had the distinction of launching the first naval strikes with the USS Valley Forge in July 1950. She was later relived by Theseus and then by Glory and Ocean.

Theseus and Ocean, together with French sister Arromanches (previously Colossus) participated in ‘Operation Musketeer’- the invasion of the Suez Canal in 1956. Royal Marine Commandos were launched by helicopter, in the first assault of its kind. This paved the way for the conversion of Centaur Class into ‘Commando Carriers’ in the 1960s, and ultimately the design of HMS Ocean in the mid-1990s.

Of the Carriers retained for the Royal Navy, Triumph was converted into a heavy repair ship while the others spent most their remaining service as training vessels or in reserve before heading to the scrapyard by the mid 1960s. Perseus and Pioneer were used briefly as ferrying carriers before they were scrapped.

The simplicity of the design has allowed Colossus Class carriers to be operated by foreign navies for many years and at limited cost. Veinticinco de Mayo (Venerable) survived into the 1980s in the service of Argentina, while Brazil operated Minas Gerais (Vengeance) until 2001.

Ship	History
Colossus	One of only four Colossus Class carriers completed before the end of hostilities. Colossus, with Barracudas and Corsairs embarked, joined the 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron at Sydney and joined the Pacific Fleet as the war was ending. She participated in the retaking of Hong Kong and after the war repatriated prisoners of war. Decommissioning on July 23rd 1946, Colossus was lent to France for five years from August 6th 1946 with an option to purchase. Accordingly in 1951 Colossus was bought outright and renamed Arromanches, commemorating the British sector of the Normandy Landings. She made four visits to Indochina and was part of the Anglo-French invasion force of Suez in 1956. Between 1957 and 1958 Arromanches was fitted with a 4° angled flight deck. In 1968 she was converted into an Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) Carrier, capable of operating 24 helicopters and embarking French Marine corps. She spent the final years of her life serving as a training carrier. Decommissioned on January 22nd 1974 and placed on the disposal list. In 1978 she was sold for breaking up at Toulon.
Glory	Glory was launched by Lady Cynthia Brookes, wife of the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. One of only four Colossus Class carriers completed before the end of hostilities, Colossus, with Barracudas and Corsairs embarked, joined the 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron at Sydney and joined the Pacific Fleet as the war was ending. Nevertheless the Japanese surrender at Rabaul was signed aboard Glory on September 6th 1945 and she assisted in the retaking of Hong Kong. Afterwards Glory made trips to Australia and Canada, repatriating prisoners of war. Glory returned to Britain in 1947 and was placed in reserve. She was reactivated in November 1949 and recommissioned in December 1950. Glory arrived in Korea in 1951 and rotated with Ocean every six months until the war ended in 1953. During this time she underwent a refit in Australia. During the war her aircraft flew 4835 sorties, 27 aircraft and 9 aircrew were lost. In March 1952, during her second war patrol, she made her 5000th deck landing. In 1954 she was employed as a ferry, troop carrier and as a helicopter base and then entered reserve between 1956 and 1961, laid up at buoys on the Forth. In 1961 she was sold for breaking up, arriving at Inverkeithing on 23rd August.
Venerable	One of only four Colossus Class carriers completed before the end of hostilities. Venerable, with Barracudas and Corsairs embarked, joined the 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron at Sydney and joined the Pacific Fleet as the war was ending. She participated in the retaking of Hong Kong and after the war repatriated prisoners of war to India and Australia. On April 1st 1948 she was sold to Netherlands and commissioned as HMNLS Karel Doorman on May 28th 1958. She underwent a modernisation between 1955 and 1958 with an angled flight deck and capability to operate jet aircraft. Some equipment, including engines, was used from Majestic Class Leviathan, laid up at Portsmouth without completion. On April 29th 1968 suffered a boiler room fire and sustained severe damage that was deemed beyond repair. She was sold on October 15th 1968 to Argentina and after a refit at Rotterdam, commissioned on March 12th 1969 as ARA Veinticinco de Mayo. Between 1980 and 1981 she underwent a major refit in preparation for the arrival of new Dassault Super Etendards: her flight deck was strengthened, space was added for more aircraft. By the time of the Falklands conflict the Etendards were not fully in service and so she carried eight McDonnell Douglas Skyhawks, six Grumman Trackers and four Sikorsky sea kings. She participated in the invasion of the Falklands Island and in early May prepared to launch a strike against the British fleet, which was prevented by bad whether. The sinking of the cruiser General Belgrano confined her to coastal waters, where she would be safe from British fleet submarines, and ruled out any further participation in the war. Her air group was landed and undertook land based operations. In the late 1980s her Parsons steam turbines were replaced by diesel engines. After equipment was removed from her for sale to Brazil, who operate a sistership, she was sold for a reported £321,000 and arrived at Alang, India on March 15th for breaking up after a 8,000 mile tow.
Vengeance	One of only four Colossus Class carriers completed before the end of hostilities. Vengeance, with Barracudas and Corsairs embarked, joined the 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron at Sydney and joined the Pacific Fleet in the final stages of the war. She participated in the retaking of Hong Kong and after the war repatriated prisoners of war. Between 1950 and 1951 Vengeance served as Flagship of the 3rd Aircraft Carrier Squadron. On November 13th 1952 she was transferred to the Royal Australian Navy at Devonport on loan and was renamed HMAS Melbourne. She returned to Devonport on August 12th 1955. On December 14th 1956 she was sold to Brazil and between 1957 and 1960 was rebuilt at Rotterdam- she was fitted with an 8.5 degree angled flight deck, mirror sight deck landing system, a steam catapults, the latest US radar’s, two aircraft lifts and her island superstructure was remodelled. Commissioning on December 9th 1960 as Minas Gerais she left Rotterdam on January 13th 1961. She has since undergone frequent upgrades while in the service of Brazil. In 1998 A4 Skyhawk jets were purchased for use on her and her arrester and catapult gear was upgraded. It was planned to operate her well into the new century. However in 2000 the French sold their veteran carrier Foch to Brazil for just US$12 million and she commissioned as Sao Paulo in November 2000. Brazil is unable to operate two carriers and so when Foch enters full operational service Minas Gerais will leave service. The Brazilian press has speculated she may be offered to Argentina, although it is unlikely that she could afford to operate such an elderly carrier.
Pioneer	Ordered and laid down as Mars and then renamed Ethalon. The requirement for afloat aircraft maintenance facilities, and the success of HMS Unicorn in this role, prompted her completion as an Aircraft Maintenance vessel and she was renamed Pioneer. Upon completion in February 1945 Pioneer sailed to join the British Pacific Fleet and she was present at the Japanese surrender on Manus. Upon the end of hostilities in the Pacific she returned to home waters and was laid up in reserve. After seven years idle, Pioneer was reactivated in 1953 for service as a ferry carrier. Her pennant number changed from ‘R97’ to ‘A198’. Sold in September 1954 to TW Wards of Inverkeithing for breaking up.
Warrior	Laid down as Brave but renamed Warrior in 1942. Loaned to the Royal Canadian Navy (R.C.N) between 1946 and 1948. Used for flexible deck landing trials between 1948 and 1949. Between 1950 and 1951 she served as a troop ship in the Far East and she underwent modernisation in 1952-3 and again in 1955-6. Between February and October of 1957 she acted as headquarters for the Christmas Island tests. She was sold to Argentina in July 1958, leaving Portsmouth on December 10th. She commissioned at Puerto Belgrano on January 26th 1959 as ARA Independencia.
Perseus	Ordered and laid down as Edgar, the requirement for afloat aircraft maintenance facilities, and the success of HMS Unicorn in this role, prompted her completion as an Aircraft Maintenance vessel and she was renamed Perseus. In 1949-50 she was refitted in order for trials steam catapult. In 1953 she was redesignated as a ferry carrier. In 1955 she underwent a refit at Harland & Wolff, Belfast. entered reserve in 1957 and sold in May 6th 1958 for breaking up at Port Glasgow by Smith and Houston
Theseus	Theseus relived Triumph in Korean war and in 1951 was relieved herself by Glory. 1951 relived Warrior on trooping duties. Theseus was converted for helicopter use and in 1956 Theseus and Ocean landed Royal Marine commandos in Suez, the first ever assault landing by helicopter. Theseus entered reserve in 1958 and was sold in 1962 for breaking up by TW Wards, arriving at Inverkeithing on May 29th 1962.
Ocean	Ocean, with Hellcats and Fireflies embarked, was preparing for active service in Home waters when hostilities ended. On December 4th 1945 the first ever deck landing by a jet on an aircraft carrier took place aboard Ocean. The aircraft a, de Havilland Vampire, was flown by Lieutenant Commander E. Brown, whilst Ocean was off the Isle of Wight. In 1949 she assumed the role of Flagship Flag Officer (Air) and second-in-command Mediterranean Fleet. Ocean rotated operations of Korea with HMS Glory every six months until the war ended in 1953. In 1952 a propeller driven Sea Fury flying from Ocean shot down a MiG-15 Jet powered fighter. In 1954 she was refitted for service as a Training Ship. Ocean was converted for helicopter use and in 1956 Ocean and Theseus landed Royal Marine Commandos in Suez, the first time troops had be landed by helicopters. In 1957 assumed the role of Flagship of Flag Officer, training Squadron Home fleet. She was placed on reserve in 1958 and laid up on the River Tamar. Sold in 1962 for breaking up, arriving at Faslane on May 6th.
Triumph	Triumph was used for trials of the angled flight deck. New landing paths were marked out on her deck and although the arrested gear wasn’t in place, aircraft were able to make touch down landings and prove the concept a success. In 1947 she assumed the role of Flagship of Flag Officer (Air) Mediterranean Fleet. Triumph was the first of five Royal Navy aircraft carriers to participate in the Korean War. She sailed from Hong Kong with Seafires and Fireflies embarked to join the USS Valley forge in making the first naval airstrikes on July 3rd 1950, bombing a North Korean railway train, south of Pyongyang. She was later relived by Theseus. In 1953 she underwent the necessary modifications to serve as a Training Ship. Triumph underwent a £10 million conversion into a Heavy Repair ship at Portsmouth between 1958 and 1965- the conversion took seven years as other work was given priority. Upon completion she relived HMS Hartland Point as Escort Maintenance vessel at Singapore. In 1971 she joined other Royal Navy warships in assisting east Pakistan after terrible floods. Returned to Britain in 1972 and paid off into reserve at Chatham. Kept in good condition and put on disposal list in 1980. In reserve until December 9th 1981 when she left Chatham for breaking up at Castellon de la Plana, Spain.

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Ship	Pennant	Builder	Laid Down	Launched	Commissioned
Colossus	R61	Vickers Armstrong (Tyne)	June 19th 1942	September 30th 1943	December 16th 1944
Glory	R62	Harland & Wolff (Belfast)	August 27th 1942	November 27th 1943	April 2nd 1945
Ocean	R68	Stephen (Govan)	November 8th 1942	July 8th 1944	August 8th 1945
Vengeance	R71	Swan Hunter (Wallsend)	November 16th 1942	February 23rd 1944	January 15th 1945
Pioneer	R76	Vickers Armstrong (Tyne)	December 2nd 1942	May 20th 1944	February 8th 1945
Venerable	R63	Cammell Laird (Birkenhead)	December 3rd 1942	December 30th 1943	January 17th 1945
Warrior	R31	Harland & Wolff (Belfast)	December 12th 1942	May 20th 1944	November 1948
Perseus	R51	Vickers Armstrong (Tyne)	January 1st 1943	March 26th 1944	October 19th 1945
Theseus	R64	Fairfield (Govan)	January 6th 1943	July 6th 1944	February 9th 1946
Triumph	R16	Hawthorne Leslie (Hebburn)	January 27th 1943	October 2nd 1944	May 9th 1946