Jul and Oct 1982 - Navy League of Australia

All the signs point
to Birkenhead
BIRKENHEAD POINT
By the Iron Cove Bridge off Victoria Road at Drummoyne
(Open 7 days)
After the battle .he destroyer limped into
Gibraltar where her dead were buried
with full military honours. Members of
ALBATROSS' crew formed part of the
cortege for the funeral.
As ALBATROSS arrived in the UK
events in other parts of Europe were
pointing towards an outbreak of war. So
the ship's company were quickly
transferred to and commissioned HMAS
HOBART whilst the RN commissioned
HMS ALBATROSS. Once the Munich
Crisis was over the Royal Navy
decommissioned ALBATROSS and
placed her in reserve, after removing her
slightly used catapult.
ROYAL NAVY SERVICE
ALBATROSS was
reeommissioned in September,
1939, shortly before the
outbreak of the Second World
War.
After embarking six Walrus aircraft of
710 Squadron ALBATROSS sailed for
Freetown from where her aircraft were to
carry out anti-submarine patrols into the
South Atlantic. Naval aircraft were used
for this purpose because the RAF did not
iiave the aircraft numbers or types to do
the job.
When she arrived in Freetown
ALBATROSS was the only aircraft
carrier on the South Atlantic Station.
Unfortunately as she did not have her
catapult ALBATROSS' aircraft were of
little use in the South Atlantic.
On June 24, 1940. Vice-Admiral
George D'Oyly Lyon, C in C South
Atlantic embarked in ALBATROSS and
sailed for Dakar. Upon arrival he
attempted to negotiate the neutralisation
of the Vichy French Fleet in Dakar.
Whilst these negotiations were being
carried out. Walrus aircraft from
ALBATROSS were shadowing the French
battleship RICHELIEU which was
cruising off the coast. The negotiations
being carried out in Dakar eventually
broke down and Vice-Admiral D'Oyly
Lyon returned to Freetown. The French
Fleet at Dakar was later neutralised by an
attack by Royal Navy task force based
around the aircraft carriers HMS
HERMES And HMS ARK ROYAL.
After returning to Freetown
ALBATROSS' aircraft re-commenced
their lonely Atlantic patrols. Yet once
again, the lack of a catapult hindered
ALBATROSS from fully performing
assigned roles.
In May, 1941, ALBATROSS
disembarked 710 Squadron to RNAS
HASTINGS, the newly established air
base in W'cst Africa and prepared for a
well earned refit. ALBATROSS sailed for
Simonstown, in June. 1941, where she
commenced a three month refit after her
arrival. During this refit a catapult from
Rebuilt M HBLENtC PRINCE, passenger ship. (Photo — RA N).
HMS ORION was fitted to the ship. On
completion ALBATROSS returned to
Freetown and once again assumed her
duties as the resident aircraft carrier in the
South Atlantic.
After only three months on station
ALBATROSS sailed from Freetown, this
time for Mobile, USA, to undergo
another refit. She arrived in Mobile on
January 13, 1942, after calling in at
Trinidad for a brief visit. Whilst
ALBATROSS was undergoing her refit in
Mobile, aircraft from the RAF finally
arrived at Freetown to assume the
trade protection duties which ALB­
ATROSS' aircraft had been carrying out.
ALBATROSS sailed from Mobile on
April 2. 1942. and returned to Freetown
to embark her aircraft. After the embarkation
of 710 Squadron, now increased tc
nine aircraft, ALBATROSS sailed for her
new war station on the east coast of
Africa.
Shortly after she arrived at her new
base at Kilindini (near Mombasa) two of
ALBATROSS' aircraft were fitted with
ASV radar to assist in their work. From
May till August, 1942, ABATROSS' aircraft
carried out regular but uneventful
patrols along the coast and into the
western Indian Ocean. In September.
1942. ALBATROSS sailed for
Madagascar where she was to act as
command ship for the final operation
phase of the capture of the southern part
of the island. ALBATROSS was to
remain in Madagascan waters till
November, 1942. During this time her
aircraft were employed in carrying out
reconnaissance and photographic patrols
in support of the military operations.
After the conclusion of the Madagascar
campaign ALBATROSS sailed for
Durban where she commenced a repair
and maintenance period on November 30,
1942.
At the end of this maintenance period
(on March 4. 1943). ALBATROSS sailed
from Durban for Bombay. During part of
the voyage she was escorted by HMAS
QUICKMATCH. arriving on March 27,
1943. Whilst operating off (he Indian
coast. ALBATROSS served as a headquarters
and training ship for Combined
Operations. During this period she also
carried out cruises to the Gulf of Kutch to
locate suitable areas for Combined
Operations training. ALBATROSS
returned to Mombasa in August, 1943.
This stay, however, was a very short one as
she sailed as soon as all aircraft and aviation
stores had been landed. Carrying 7)0
Squadron personnel and other passengers
ALBATROSS departed Mombasa for the
UK on August 17, 1943.
Shortly after arriving at Devonport. on
October 6. 1943, ALBATROSS sailed for
sea trials with the new Supermarinc Sea
Otter amphibian. At the conclusion of
these trials she relumed lo Devonport and
disembarked the last of "in Squadron
personnel. With all aviation equipment
removed and the last of 7)0 Squadron
ashore ALBATROSS again paid off into
reserve, on November 5. 1943. However,
on April 17. 1944, the ship was converted
to a landing Craft Repair Ship,
recom missioning in May, 1944.
ALBATROSS was ideally suited for her
new role as a repair ship being fitted with
her high capacity cranes and a large
hangar, which was converted into workshops
containing lathes, milling machines
and a forge.
After completing her refit
ALBATROSS sailed for Portsmouth in
May, 1944. where she was allocated to
SWORD Force for the invasion of
Normandy. Once the invasion was underway
ALBATROSS sailed for the beach
head area where she was to provide invaluable
assistance repairing damaged
landing craft. Whilst carrying out her
repair work ALBATROSS was attacked
October. 1982 THE NAVY Page Twenty-One