Said I would do this a while ago but I want to do a series of threads on Royal Navy Ships built in my home city. I'm starting with HMS Albion

HMS Albion was a Centaur-class aircraft carrier aircraft carrier for the Royal Navy. The design & idea for this class of carriers came about as WW2 drew to a close, the Royal Navy planned for 8 vessels in total to be constructed. Only 4 were ever built. They included HMS Centaur,

HMS Albion, HMS Bulwark & HMS Hermes. Hermes was modified design allowing her to operate fast jets such as the Sea Harrier.

The keel for the vessel was laid down in 1944 & the vessel was launched in 1947 from Swan Hunter in Newcastle Upon Tyne. The vessel had a number of issues following her launch such as colliding with SS Maystone off the coast of Northumberland along with other issues.

Albions first operational duty saw her join the Mediterranean Fleet in 1954. After serving for a few years she went for a refit. In 1956 the Suez Crisis broke out. Gamal Abdel Nasser nationalised the Suez Canal taking it out of British & French control.

This situation was unacceptable to the British & French along with Nassers growing alignment to the USSR. Britain & France along with Israel designed an operation to gain control of the Suez Canal back. In 1956 Albion was sent to the Mediterranean to participate in the crisis

The only information on her compliment around this time comes from Wikipedia which is from the period of around 1959. Which included:
8 Sea Hawks
12 Sea Venoms
4 Skyraiders AEW
8 Whirlwinds
1 Dragonfly

During the 1960s the carrier was considered to eventually become a replacement for HMAS Melbourne. As this was rejected the carrier was converted into a commando carrier & would be operating helicopters from this point.

Albion was first used as a commando carrier during the Indonesian confrontation along with HMS Bulwark another commando carrier. Their role during this time proved to the Royal Navy the benefits of a commando carrier as the concept was

still relatively new to the navy at this point. Both carriers took alternating roles off the coast of North Borneo. Their duties included bringing Royal Marines & their supplies into the jungle. Between 1965 & 1966 Albions 18 Wessex & 2 Whirlwind helicopters performed 5,000

5,000 flight hours which included transporting 12,000 men & 5,000,000 of cargo. Albion made her way back to Singapore in December 1965 as she was now part of the Far East Fleet. During this voyage she came under attack by an Indonesian gunboat. The Indonesian vessel engaged

Albion with 40mm cannons. In response the Captain of Albion, Godfrey Place rammed the Indonesian & sank it. Albion went for repair due to the engagement. Captain Godfrey Place had earned a Victoria Cross for his actions against the German Battleship Tirpitz in WW2.

Albion then took part in operations in the Aden &
Radfan using her Wessex helicopters. Pictured bellow is Albion off the coast of Aden. Albion also was present from the 9th June - 23rd June off the coast of Nigeria to protect & help evacuate British nationals.

due to the Nigerian civil war. Albion later visited Durban, South Africa on her journey back to Aden to help with the evacuation. Her Wessex helicopters had been modified with extra armour & GPMGs for the operation. Royal Marines that were landed by Albion were the last to leave.

As 45 commando were the last garrison to leave but 42 commando from Albion were landed to cover the withdrawal & they were the final British forces to withdraw from the Aden.

After the Indo-Pakistan war broke out in 1971 Albion was ordered to head for the Bay of Bengal. Albion embarked Royal Navy Sea Kings as the British government began plans to evacuate British nationals from East Pakistan.

This was the last major action for Albion as she was broken up in 1973

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