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 will include 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  21 January 2012]

• Royal Navy Escort Carriers - the histories of the 45 vessels of this type to serve with the Royal Navy
  [Last updated  24 November 2011]

• The British Pacific & East Indies Fleets - the story of the  units of the British Pacific & East Indies Fleets
  [under reconstruction - last updated  19 January 2010]

• 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]

• HMS LIZARD - a brief account of the Combined Operations Landing craft base at Shoreham, East Sussex during WW2   

• The Avro Lancaster Bomber in RN Service - an account of the handful of Lancaster bombers operated by 780 Squadron from Royal Naval Air Station Peplow, Shropshire during 1946.

• “The Forgotten Cruise” †
  An account of HMS Triumph and the 13th Carrier Air Group, the first Royal Navy Carrier Force in the Korean War

• An analysis of the loss of HMAS SYDNEY By David Kennedy **NEW**
  In his analysis of the factors surrounding the sinking of HMAS Sydney in November 1941 David Kennedy looks at what part Churchill’s personality may have played in her loss. It is known that Churchill was very anti-Australian, a trait which presented itself during WW1, he was also a very secretive man who ruthlessly controlled the flow of military intelligence as Prime Minister during WW2. These two factors together may have seriously compromised the safety of commonwealth warships, especially in relation to German disguised raiders.

• Eleven months aboard HMS INDOMITABLE  **NEW**
  One sailors diary of his first eleven months at sea on the new Fleet Carrier HMS INDOMITABLE covering September 1941 to August 1942 - combined with another sailors photographs this gives an insight into the  first year of the ship's commission.

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:

• WRNS Ldg Officer's Steward Lois Lade **NEW**
  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:

• 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]

• Officers of the WW1 Cruiser HMS CONSTANCE taken in 1918 **NEW**

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

• Veteran returns to former HMS SIMBANG, 65 years on

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.

ALERT ME WHEN NEW CONTENT IS ADDED

This site has been neonate for inclusion in the British Library's Web Archiving Programme and will appear as part of the collection later this year