H.M.S. RAVAGER Gllery

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HMS RAVAGER gallery

Image marked ‡ are from the private collection of Mrs Rona Holmes, Rona's father JX/62602H Able Seaman Gordon Christie served aboard HMS Ravager from December 1943 till January 1946. Image marked ῼ are from the private collection of Mr. R. J. B. Kenna; Ray's late father Lt(E) C. J. Kenna RNR served as an Engineer on HMS RAVAGER he also served on H.M. Ships 'THANE' and 'TRACKER'. Additional Images, marked © IWM, are reproduced under the terms of the IWM Non-Commercial Licence.

Most of these images are sized to fit the screen, however where possible those containing groups of personnel will open large enough to see individuals. Many, but not all, of these images are available in larger, high-res versions and copies can be supplied upon receipt of a photo request. If you have pictures or other memorabilia that you can contribute to this project please contact the Webmaster using the Offer of assistance form.

The Royal Navy Research Archive is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License See our terms of use for conditions regarding using these images in other works.

Builders' sea trials and Admiralty acceptance, April 1943

April 9th 1943: It's early morning and ACV-24 is moored alongside the pier at the Commercial Iron Works yard, Portland, Oregon, preparing to sail on her builder's sea trials/ (1)

April 9th 1943: It's early morning and ACV-24 is moored alongside the pier at the Commercial Iron Works yard, Portland, Oregon, preparing to sail on her builder's sea trials. (2)

April 9th 1943: ACV-24 has departed the Commercial Iron Works yard, Portland, Oregon, and is passing down the Willamette River, to start her builder's sea trials. (1)

April 9th 1943: ACV-24 has departed the Commercial Iron Works yard, Portland, Oregon, and is passing down the Willamette River, to start her builder's sea trials. (2)

April 9th 1943: ACV-24 on the Columbia River, during her builder's sea trials. (3)

April 9th 1943: ACV-24 on the Columbia River, during her builder's sea trials. ‡

Maiden voyage: embarking 846 quadron and ferry laod to Glasgow April - June - July1943

c. July 1943: An Avenger from 846 squadron comes into land during the ship and squadron flying workup in Chesapeake Bay.

An Avenger ditched in Chesapeake Bay due to engine failure on take-off from RAVAGER: this was either the FN787 on July 3rd, or FN790 on July 7th; in both cases, the crew were safely rescued.Gordon Christie

July 4th 1943: Avenger FN788 of 846 squadron has stalled on take-off from RAVAGER in Chesapeake Bay. Sadly, the crew, Lt E. T. Trotman RNVR, Sub-Lt D. F. Ellwood RNVR & Ldg Airman D. Ritchie were all killed. © IWM (A 21292) incorrectly dated on IWWM site as 28.1.2.43 but listing the correct pilot.

August 12th 1943: RAVAGER moored at Greenock.

Allocated to Western Approaches Command for DLT and Ferry duties

The air department flight deck personnel: In front are the DLCO (Deck Landing Control Officer), known as 'Bata', and his team; behind them is the aircraft movements party. From the far left: handlers and a flight deck tractor, and an aircraft starter trolley, centre handlers and their chocks; from the far right: the crash and fire crew with their extinguishers and asbestos suits, and handlers with manual aircraft starting arms for manhandling aircraft on the deck. . ‡

C. December 1943: RAVAGER’s deck was seen from an Avenger from 846 Squadron, from RNAS Machrihanish in the landing circuit during a deck landing qualification session.

The scene in RAVAGER’s hangar during an intensive period of training for pilots from 768 squadron at RNAS Ayr. Identifiable aircraft types in the picture are a Hellcat and two Avengers along the left wall; in the foreground is a Fulmar, and behind it is a Barracuda.

Ferry trip to Gibraltar: June 1944 RAVAGER was mainly carrying Seafires, Mk.II (non-folding wings parked along the deck edge) and Mk.III (folding wing versions) for delivery to the RN Air Section at RAF North Front

November 11th 1944, RAVAGER on passage from the U.S. Navy Yard at Norfolk, Virginia, to New York with a ferry load of Lend-Lease Corsairs and Hellcats. (1) ‡

November 11th 1944, RAVAGER on passage from the U.S. Navy Yard at Norfolk, Virginia, to New York with a ferry load of Lend-Lease Corsairs and Hellcats. (2)

c. November 1944, the scene inside RAVAGER’s hangar on passage from the U.S. Navy Yard at Norfolk, Virginia, to New York with a ferry load of Lend-Lease Corsairs and Hellcats. She is carrying the maximum number of airframes she can, utilising both hangar space and the flight deck; she is carrying approximately 70 aircraft.

Flight deck parties bringing a Seafire Mk.III up from the hangar deck for ranging on deck with other aircraft from 768 DLT Squadron. Date unknown.

Avenger Deck Landing Training

C. December 1943: Avengers from 846 Squadron flew out to the ship from RNAS Machrihanish to maintain their pilots' deck landing qualifications while operating in the Clyde training areas.

May 4th 1945, Operation d of the 5,000-ton U-boat depot shipA 28656).

Seafire Deck Landing Training

RAVAGER at Greenock March 1944 © IWM A 22178

Seafire Mk.Ib MB364 (ex RAF EP146 conversion) from 768 Squadron after an unsuccessful landing on RAVAGER. Date unknown.

A successful deck landing, the arrestor hook has caught a wire and, barring mechanical failure, the aircraft will be brought to a stop before engaging the crash barrier. (1)

A successful deck landing, the arrestor hook has caught a wire and, barring mechanical failure, the aircraft will be brought to a stop before engaging the crash barrier. (2)

December 31st 1943: Hooked Spitfire Mk.Vb P8537 of 768 Squadron passes over the flight deck attempting to land after hitting the tail on the rounddown. The impact has knocked off the tail wheel and has distorted the rear fuselage. ‡

December 31st 1943: Hooked Spitfire Mk.Vb P8537 of 768 Squadron has crashed on deck after the tail wheel had been knocked off and the rear fuselage distorted after striking the rounddown on approach to land. The pilot, Sub-Lt G. C. Morris RNVR, was OK. ‡

November 11th 1943: Hooked Spitfire Mk.Vb BL238 from 768 Squadron breaks through the crash barrier and lands on RAVAGER. The pilot Sub-Lt J. E. Jones, RNVR, was OK.

Half a Seafire? A seriously damaged Seafire being recovered after a barrier crash. The crash appears to have broken the aircraft in two; the front half looks to be held up by one of the propeller blades. Date unknown.

An unidentified Seafire stalls on approach to land and falls onto the stern Bofors mounts and directors. (1)

An unidentified Seafire stalls on approach to land and falls onto the stern Bofors mounts and directors. (2)

An unidentified Seafire had stalled on approach to land and struck the rounddown to fall onto the stern Bofors mounts and gun directors. Note the force of the impact has torn the engine out of its mounts. The aircraft was later jettisoned. The fate of the pilot is unknown. (1)

MJune 13th 1945: LR841 from 768 Squadron has drifted on landing and gone over the starboard side, and become entangled in the radio aerials and masts. The pilot, Sub-Lt G. O. Jones RNVR, was OK but the aircraft was a write-off and cut free to be petitioned. (1)

June 13th 1945: LR841 from 768 Squadron has drifted on landing and gone over the starboard side, and become entangled in the radio aerials and masts. The pilot, Sub-Lt G. O. Jones RNVR, was OK but the aircraft was a write-off and cut free to be petitioned. (2)

August 21st 1945: NN329 from 768 Squadron spun into the sea making a steep turn on final approach to RAVAGER, killing the pilot Sub-Lt C. C. Libeau RNZNVR. ‡

PApril 4th 1945: LR817 ('P5H') from 887 Squadron caught No.8 wire but drifted to port and hit the barrier post, causing the aircraft to topple into the catwalk. The pilot, Sub-Lt C. R. Thomas RNVR, was OK.

April 4th 1945: Preparations are made to extract LR817 ('P5H'), which is stuck in the port catwalk after it caught No.8 wire and drifted to port, hitting the barrier post. The pilot, Sub-Lt C. R. Thomas RNVR, was OK

November 25th 1943? This is probably Hooked Spitfire Mk.Vb W3796 from 768 Squadron which drifted to port on landing and went over the side landing on RAVAGER. The pilot, Sub-Lt P. E. Love RNVR, was OK.

August 10th 11944: Hooked Spitfire Mk.Vb BL818 from 768 Squadron has broken through the barrier and fallen over the end of the flight deck and into the Oerlikon guns in the bows. The pilot, Sub-t J. A. Marriott RNVR, was OK. (1)

May 30th 1945 Seafire LR838 ('H5S'), from 887 Squadron, failed to close the throttle on catching a wire and was arrested by the barrier. The pilot, Sub-Lt R. W. Lewis RNVR, was OK.

Sea Hurricane Deck Landing Training

October 4th 1944, Sea Hurricanes from 760 Squadron: NF722 bounced over the barriers, and its nose wedged under the tail of Sea Hurricane NF728 coded 'KI-F', which was parked in the forward aircraft park. The impact force has caused both aircraft to bury their noses in the flight deck, NF722 under NF728. (1) ‡

October 4th 1944, Sea Hurricanes from 760 Squadron: NF722 bounced over the barriers and collided with Sea Hurricane NF728 coded 'KI-F', which was parked in the forward aircraft park. The impact force has caused both aircraft to bury their noses in the flight deck. (2) ‡

October 4th 1944, Sea Hurricanes from 760 Squadron: NF722 has been removed from the crash site, leaving NF728 c( 'KI-F') on its nose on the flight deck awaiting retrieval. ‡

Barracuda Deck Landing Training

A Fairey Barracuda rolls down the flight deck for an unassisted take-off from RAVAGER. Date unknown.

The Commander Flying observes a Fairey Barracuda as it leaves the flight deck after an unassisted take-off from RAVAGER. Date unknown.

The Deck Landing Control Officer “Bats” guides a Fairey Barracuda down onto the flight deck aboard RAVAGER. Date unknown. (1)

The Deck Landing Control Officer “Bats” guides a Fairey Barracuda down onto the flight deck aboard RAVAGER. Date unknown. (21)

Touchdown: the Deck Landing Control Officer “Bats” has successfully guided a Fairey Barracuda down onto the flight deck aboard RAVAGER and the pilot has caught an arrester wire. Date unknown. (1)

July 12th 194: Barracuda II, LS691 of 768 Squadron, hits the barrier and falls onto its nose on HMS RAVAGER, off the Scottish east coast. ‡

Hellcat Deck Landing Training

This, and the next three images, show a Hellcat coming in to land on RAVAGER; the DLCO is signalling the pilot from behind the screen near the aft of the flight deck. He uses his bats or paddles to signal (you can see his arm sticking out in the first two shots) and only emerges once the aircraft is about to touch down. Notice how the aircraft drifts to starboard as it nears the deck after passing over the round-down and then corrects itself before touchdown.

(2))

(3)

(4)

This Hellcat has landed safely and caught an arrester wire which will stop the aircraft before it reaches the crash barrier further up the flight deck. © IWM (A 21293)

This Hellcat has caught an arrester further down the flight deck and has not been stopped before it reaches the crash barrier, where its undercarriage is entangled. This protects aircraft parked at the forward end of the flight deck, and in most cases, barrier crash damage is repairable.

This is probably Hellcat FN340 of 804 Squadron on October 22nd 1943: The pilot, Sub-Lt J. G. Pettigrew RNVR, crossed the rounddown too low, striking and badly damaging the tail assembly. This was almost severed by the additional force of the aircraft being pitched onto its nose. The pilot was OK, but the aircraft was a write-off. © IWM (AX78B)

Hellcat FN371 (‘N’) of 768 Squadron being struck below into the hangar after completing fight operations. Date unknown.

Firefly Deck Landing Training

A Firefly, possibly MB560, from the Empire Central Flying School (ECFS) at RAF Hullavington crashes on landing. This aircraft conducted Deck landings on April 30th 1945.

A Firefly, possibly MB560, from the Empire Central Flying School has come to a stop after crashing on landing, and the task of disengaging arrester wires and making it safe for recovery gets underway. (1)

Miscellaneous Deck Landing Training

December 1943: A Taylorcraft Auster light observation aircraft from 652 Air Observation Post Squadron, RAF, landing on RAVAGER whilst she is at sea. © IWM (A 21295)

December 1943: A Taylorcraft Auster light observation aircraft from 652 Air Observation Post Squadron, RAF, warming up for take-off on RAVAGER whilst she is at sea. © IWM (A 21289)

Personnel from 652 Air Observation Post Squadron, RAF, which operated and conducted experimental trials from RAVAGER in December 1943. Personnel from 652 Air Observation Post Squadron, RAF, which operated and conducted experimental trials from RAVAGER in December 1943. © IWM A 21296

February 23rd, 1944: Fulmar DR726 of 768 Squadron, flown by Sub-Lt I. C. Faulconer RNVR, has crashed making a night deck landing.

The ship's company and recreation

Captain A. A. Murray RN, commanding officer HMS RAVAGER, and Paymaster Lieutenant Commander P. B. Chambers RNR at reception held on the hangar deck. Date unkown.

Junior rates of the radio and radar departments; Able Seaman Gordon Christie is seated second from right. Probably taken off Greenock. ‡

Members of the radio and radar departments of RAVAGER, including some RAF personnel. Believed to be taken at Gibraltar. ‡

Church service in the hangar. Date unknown ‡

May 8th 1945: Victory in Europe Day celebrations. ‡

A Tug-of War competition held on the flight deck. Date unknown ‡