The Royal Navy Research Archive aims to provide access to a range of web pages related to RN ships, establishments, units, and personnel, from the start of World War Two through to the post-war years and into the 21st century. Content includes articles, short histories and the reminiscences of the men and women who served in the Royal Navy, WRNS, and Royal Marines.

Links marked †  are to material  produced by others but hosted by the Royal Navy Research Archive.
 

Web Sites:

• The MONAB Story - a history of the Mobile Naval Air Bases of the Royal Navy
  [Last updated  24 September 2012]

• Royal Navy Escort Carriers - the histories of the 45 vessels of this type to serve with the Royal Navy
  [Last updated  25 May 2013]

• The British Pacific & East Indies Fleets - the story of the  units of the British Pacific & East Indies Fleets
  [under reconstruction - last updated  05 June 2012]

• HMS SLINGER † - John Lawson's pages devoted to the WW2 escort carrier on which he served during WW2
  [Last updated 23 August 2010]

Short Unit Histories & Articles :

• HMS VERNON (R) - the story of the Torpedo, Mine & Electrical training establishment  at Roedean, Brighton during WW2

  [Last updated 07 August 2011]

• HMS KING ALFRED -  the story of the RNVR Officer training establishment at Hove, East Sussex during WW2
  [Last updated 17 September 2010]  

• Shipwrecked in the South China Sea
  In December 1946 the frigate HMS AIRE was caught in a typhoon that blew her onto a coral reef miles off the shipping lanes. This article tells the story of her loss and the rescue of her crew on Christmas Eve drawing on the memories of Telegraphist Tony Elliott.

• Admiralty Wi/T Training School, Brighton
  A short account of the RN school for training ratings of the Telegraphist (Specialist) branch during World War Two

  [Last updated November 6th 2012]

• 'Hove's Adopted Submarine' H.M.S. UNBEATEN **NEW**
  A short article about the U-Class submarine 'adopted' by the borough of Hove after a successful National Savings 'Warship Week' campaign in the spring of 1942.

• H.M.S. TAMAR, R.N. Base Hong Kong **NEW**
  A look at the history of the RN base in Hong Kong which became H.M.S. Tamar from October 1st 1897 until it was paid off on April 30th 1997.

• The Joint Services Schools for Linguists 1951-60 **NEW**
  An article examining the training of RN Coder (Special) and other National Servicemen as they prepared for war as Russian linguists in the 'Cold War' era

• The Flower Class Corvette HMS FRITILLARY **NEW**
  A short history of the ship that served in the South Atlantic and Indian oceans as an anti-submarine vessel and  convoy escort.

MORE...

Reminiscences:

• Leading Coder (S) Dennis Mills
  Dennis recalls his life in the royal navy as a national service entrant 1952-54, He trained as a Coder (Special) and served at H.M.S. Royal Albert in Germany before his demob and then ten years in the reserves.

• Royal Naval Hospital Chatham X-Ray Department Staff 1943 
  Dr Ken Hines recalls how his parents met while working in the X-Ray department, and how his mother went on to do work for some of the most senior members of the naval medical staff.

• Sub Lt. (A) Peter Hyde RNVR
  In ‘'Trapped Above the Clouds by Coincidence'’  Peter  recalls how a chain of coincidences led led him to the war in the Pacific and eventually, to an encounter in a bar in London after the war.

MORE...

People:

• Lieutenant Pearce Trewhella Lovelock DSC, RNVR **NEW**
  One of the first RNVR officers to see active service, Lt. Lovelock commanded several small ships and spent most of his service with the Eastern Fleet operating out of East Africa and Ceylon in minesweeping trawlers.

• WRNS Ldg Officer's Steward Lois Lade
  A short piece about Lois; time as an 'immobile' Wren working at HMS Vernon (R) in Brighton during WW2

• Paymaster Lieutenant Commander Edward N. Hopkns 
  A short account of a naval carrier which began in 1896 and saw him serve in the troubles in Benin , the 4th Boxer Rebellion and the First World War.

• WRNS Torpedoman Barbara Sugden
  Barbara enlisted in the WRNS with no expectation of what role she would play in the war effort; imagine her surprise when she was allocated to a branch newly opened to women. She was to train as a Torpedoman and soon found herself working on depth charges and gyro compasses, sometimes even at sea.

• Telegraphist (S) Clifford Dennison
  Trained as a specialist Telegraphist Clifford found himself at a remote radio station in India working as part of the naval signals intelligence organisation based at HMS Anderson in Colombo, eavesdropping on Japanese morse code transmission.

MORE...

Miscellaneous photographs:

• Photographs from the album of Petty Officer Cyril Poole **NEW** Cyril served on HMS Berwick in the mid 1930s on the China Station.   He was lost when HMS Wryneck was sunk April 127th 941.

• Officers of the WW1 Cruiser HMS CONSTANCE taken in 1918

• A collection of pictures showing HMS WARSPITE on  D-Day

• Veteran returns to former HMS SIMBANG, 65 years on

• MYSTERY PHOTOS QUIZ PAGE
  Can you identify places, people and ships? Some will be genuine unidentified pictures, some just for fun but either way we hope you'll join in.
  [Last updated  29 January 2012 - new picture added]

Short histories of individual vessels or details of flotillas, fleets or Task Forces.

The histories of Naval shore bases around the globe, from Air Stations to Naval bases and dockyards.

The stories of men and women who served at home and abroad in all branches of the RN and RM.

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