HMS SMITER ferrying aircraft, July 1944

Esquimalt, Vancouver Island, British Colombia

Esquimalt, Vancouver Island, British Colombia April 1944: The Governor of Canada, Major General Alexander Cambridge, Earl of Athlone and his wife Princess Alice and party on the flight deck during their visit to the ship.

Esquimalt, Vancouver Island, British Colombia April 1944: The Governor of Canada, Major General Alexander Cambridge, Earl of Athlone with Captain Richardson (left); the Ship’s Doctor is in the foreground.

Esquimalt, Vancouver Island, British Colombia April 1944: The Guard of Honour awaits the arrival of the Governor of Canada and party on their official visit to the ship.

Esquimalt, Vancouver Island, British Colombia April 1944: Visit to the ship by the Governor of Canada, Major General Alexander Cambridge, Earl of Athlone and his wife Princess Alice. The ship’s company and senior officers on the flight deck; Captain Richardson is seated to the right of Princess Alice, Commander Pelly to the left of the Governor.

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Operations as a Deck Landing Training Carrier

Full circle: a Swordfish of 768 Squadron takes off form SMITER in the Clyde exercise area, circles the ship and then approaches for a deck landing. This sequence of photos shows how limited the pilot’s view of the deck is as he comes in to land.

The Observers view from a Swordfish of 768 Squadron just after take off form SMITER in the Clyde exercise area. A second machine waits ready to follow at the start of a session of deck landing practice.

A variety of aircraft types operated from SMITER in the Clyde exercise area for deck landing training – above a Corsair takes off – below left a Firefly is guided in by the Deck Landing Control Officer ‘Bats’- Below right a Barracuda comes in to land.