A History of HMS CAMPANIA

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HMS CAMPANIA |
The ship that was
to become HMS CAMPANIA one of a pair of passenger cargo vessels of
12.000 tons ordered by the Shaw Savill Line in 1940 form Harland &
Wolff, Belfast. One vessel was launched as the SS WAIWERA (III) the
other was requisitioned by the Admiralty.
CAMPANIA's keel was laid down on August 12th 1941 in the Belfast
dockyard of Harland & Wolff. On July 29th 1942, while still on the
stocks, her hull was requisitioned by the Admiralty for completion
as an as an Escort Aircraft Carrier, part of a programme to convert
five merchant vessels into escort carriers in British dockyards
(ACTIVITY, CAMPANIA, NAIRANA, PRETORIA CASTLE and VINDEX).
CAMPANIA was the
last of the five merchant conversions to be completed and she
benefited from the extra time in the dockyard by becoming the first
British carrier to be fitted with an Action Information Organization
(AIO) suite and the more capable type 281B aircraft warning and
control, type 277 aircraft height-finding, and type 276 surface
warning radar arrays. Because her hull was still under construction
when requisitioned it was possible to make further modification to
her internal structure, such as adding additional transverse
bulkheads and incorporating the hanger and other elements that where
'bolted on' in the US built carriers, to be incorporated into the
structure of the ship. She was fitted with a modern Air Direction
Room (ADRwhich coupled with her radar outfit proved invaluable for
directing both her own and other carrier's aircraft, and light deck
lighting giving her night flying capabilities. She was however
equipped with only one aircraft lift, this coupled with a narrow
flight deck would restrict her to a capacity of only 20 aircraft.
She was launched on June 17th 1943 and remained at Belfast during
her fitting out. During this time her crew would have arrived in
Belfast, towards the end of 1943, to begin working on the ship and
preparing her various departments prior to her builder's Trials.
During this time her ship's company were held 'on the Books of HMS
CAROLINE' the local Naval Base. Commander J.M. Robb RN was appointed
was as Executive Officer in October 1943, and was the senior officer
aboard the ship until her commanding officer, Captain K.A. Short RN,
arrived on November 29th HMS CAMPANIA was commissioned in Belfast on
February 9th 1944 and was allocated the pennant number D48. She
began her builder's trials in late February and her build was
completed on March 7th. She sailed for the Clyde to begin her work
up period the following day.
Working up March - May 1944
She received her
first aircraft on March 13th when the 3 Fulmar NF.IIs of 784
squadron B3 flight embarked from RNAS Drem. Although a second line
squadron its aircraft were to operate as part of 813 which was to
join the ship later in April. On April 3rd they disembarked to RNAS
Ballyhalbert. Three days later 4 Wildcat Vs embarked from RNAS
Eglinton, these were formerly 'F' flight of 1832 squadron and they
were to form the fighter element of 813 composite naval air
squadron. Engine problems halted her work up in mid-April; CAMPANIA
was forced to return to Harland & Wolff's yard for defect
ratification on the 16th.
The ship was back
at sea on April 26th when the 9 Swordfish IIs of 813 squadron flew
out from RNAS Maydown to join the ship, 784 B3 flight rejoined from
RNAS Ballyhalbert on the same day. The beginning of May brought the
ship's first deck crashes; both involved Wildcat Vs of 813 and both
were flown by Sub. Lt J.A. Quigg RNZN. He missed all the wires and
entered the barrier in JV575, and repeated his performance later
that day in JV577. On May 6th Sub. Lt J.A. Quigg RNZN again pranged
the same two aircraft; He caught the trickle wire, pulled out his
arrestor hook and entered the barrier in both JV575 and JV577
Swordfish NE922 piloted by Lt J.T. Courlander also suffered a
barrier crash on this date, missing all the wires during a night
deck landing.
There were two more Swordfish incidents on the 13th; Sub Lt. M.A.
Mitchell flaying in NF200 hit the barrier, and Sub Lt. J. Rooke
taxied NE983 into the tail of an aircraft parked forward of the
barrier. The work up period had only one other flying incident, on
19th Wildcat V JV580 piloted by Lt D.E. Leamon struck the DLCO's
windshield with his Port wing landing on, non one was injured. Her
work up was completed on May 23rd but flying training continued
several more days before the ship returned to the Clyde to store
ship. One of 784 squadron's Fulmars, DR738 flown by Lt M.B.W. Howell
crashed on landing on May 25th.
She served as an escort on Russia convoys and as an ASW
carrier in the Arctic. Deployed to the Baltic after the German
surrender; operated as a transport post-war.
Decommissioned to reserve 30 December 1945. Possible
reactivation as a civilian-manned ferry carrier cancelled 1947. Served
as an exhibition ship in 1951, with the hangar converted to an
exhibition area; It docked at 10 ports around the UK from Glasgow to
Southampton and was open to the public from 4th May to 6th October 1951.
Briefly in reserve following the exhibition, then reactivated as
transport and headquarters ship for atom bomb tests.
Decommissioned to reserve 12/1952. Sold 10/1955 and
scrapped at Blyth starting 11 November 1955
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HMS CAMPANIA after her conversion to a floating
exhibition for the Festival of Britain |

A fuller account of this ships history will be added at some time in the
future.
Content revised:
11 June 2020
Sources used in compiling this account:
Click here for a list of
Primary sources
Additional sources:
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