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On August 22, HMS illustrious headed down the river Clyde and set course for Gibraltar.
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Illustrious would return to her home port on July 26.įully fuelled, stocked and nesting a full complement of aircraft, HMS Illustrious would receive Admiral Lyster aboard on the 19th of August. The pilots discovered the slow but nimble biplane could quickly be stalled – virtually hanging in the air by its propeller at low level before flicking off to one side – causing the attacking aircraft to overshoot and become disoriented.ĭuring one such fighter evasion exercise the ‘enemy’ aircraft – an FAA machine - became disoriented and crashed into the sea. It was a tactic to be reproduced effectively several times in the heat of real combat. It was during these exercises that the more experienced Fleet Air Arm pilots determined to find ways to enhance the survivability of their lumbering Swordfish. Like most RN carriers, she immediately set sail for Bermuda to conduct an intensive working-up program for both ship and aircrew. The name-ship of a new class – and a new concept – of aircraft carrier, HMS Illustrious had been launched in 1939 and completed in May 1940. He did not relay the idea to his Admiralty superiors.Īs tensions diminished once again, interest in the raid diminished.īut Glorious’ Mediterranean foray would have lasting influence on the FAA: Those who served in her pre-war would win a total of 5 DSOs and 28 DSCs. As a result he deemed such a raid to be a contingency instead of an active plan. The risk to his ships, he thought, was also prohibitive. He believed losses to both aircraft and aircrew would be much higher. HMS Glorious’ air command staff calculated a casualty rate of roughly 10 per cent.Īdmiral Pound, however, was not convinced. All would be illuminated by air-dropped flares. A bomb attack on the shore installations would act as a diversion as the main attack – by torpedo – developed. The outline of a plausible plan soon emerged: The attack would have to take place at night (for which HMS Glorious’ air group had been in training). Lyster, with the assistance of Commander (Flying) Guy Willoughby and Senior Observer Commander Lachlan Mackintosh, put HMS Glorious’ air group through an intense period of tests and training all designed to evaluate the chances of successfully striking the Taranto facility. His job was to draw up a new plan accommodating fresh developments in both Italian and British defences and technologies. HMS Glorious’ Captain, Lumley St George Lyster, was summoned aboard the flagship HMS Queen Elizabeth to pour over the old Abyssinian Crisis notes.
Operation Husky: HMS Indomitable, July 16, 1943.+ ADM 267/84 HMS Indomitable Damage Report.+ ADM199/1242: Report from Commanding Officer HMS Indomitable.+ ADM199/1242: Report from Commanding Officer HMS Victorious.Operation Pedestal: HMS Indomitable, August 10-12, 1942.+ ADM 267/84 HMS Formidable Damage Report.+ ADM 199/810: Formidable, Report from Commanding Officer.Operation MAQ3: HMS Formidable, May 26, 1941.
Matapan to Tiger: HMS Formidable March to May, 1941.+ ADM 267/87 HMS Illustrious Damage Report.+ ADM 3363/0197: Gunnery Report, HMS Illustrious, February 7, 1941.+ ADM267/83: Report from Commanding Officer, HMS Illustrious.Malta Blitz: HMS Illustrious, January 12-21.Operation Excess: HMS Illustrious off Malta, January 10, 1941.+ ADM199/167: Letter from Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean.+ ADM199/167: Report from Commanding Officer.