Shah's crew journey from the UK to Vancouver

The RN Receiving Barracks at Asbury Park, New Jersey - The 'X' shaped Berkley Carteret Hotel (front) and the Monterey Hotel (behind) which together  formed HMS ASBURY. This was the temporary home for thousands of RN crew members joining ships building or being repaired in the US.

The six photos below are taken on the journey across the U.S. from New York to Vancouver, British Colombia.

HMS Shah alongside in San Francisco having embarked a ferry load of 29 Wildcats, 3 Avengers and 22 Curtiss P-40 Warhawks for transport to Ceylon in January 1944.  (Photo Author's collection)

Crew photos

Some of the crew pose with a Wildcat on the flight deck during the ferry voyage acros the Pacific.

Peter Howard poses with an Avenger on Shah's flight deck in Ceylon. In the photo on the left he is with Ray and Jack.

Mombasa, Kenya: Peter and Eric (rear), Geordie and Ginger  (front).

Christmas Dinner 1944 - this photo shows off the American canteen style of messing.

Christmas 1944 - a film show in the hanger.

A belated 'Crossing of the Line' ceremony

(above) A procession make their way past Avenger aircraft of 831 squadron on the flight deck in the opening drama of the crossing of the line ceremony. (Below) 'victims' await their judgment at the court of King Neptune before receiving a dunking in foul liquids as penance. It seems that this was a joint ceremony initiating crew members of both SHAH and her operating mate BEGUM.

On the voyage to Australia and Ceylon SHAHs flight deck and hangar were full of  aircraft  so the ceremony was held on the second occasion of the ship crossing the equator while operating off the East African coast.