The last surviving British built aircraft carrier Vengeance, and the Friends of Vengeance have lost the fight to purchase her, bring her back to England, and turn her into a floating museum. She is being broken up for scrap in an Indian Shipbreakers yard.
Built in England.
Built by Swan Hunter at Wallsend UK, laid down on the 16th. of November 1942, launched on the 23rd. of February 1944, and commissioned as HMS Vengeance, a Colossus Class Light Fleet Carrier on the 11th. of January 1945. She served out the war in the Pacific, and the Japanese signed the surrender of Hong Kong on board her at the end of WW2.
On loan to the Royal Australian Navy.
The ship was loaned to the Royal Australian Navy from 1953 to August of 1955, and did a tour of duty in the Korean war, she was the RAN flagship for Queen Elizabeth's Royal Tour of Australia in 1954, and I served in her as a Lieutenant Commander and the Fleet Torpedo Anti-Submarine Specialist on the Flag Officer Commanding the Australian Fleet's staff over 1953/1954.
HMAS Vengeance was my last appointment in the RAN, I resigned my Commission in 1954, and left the Navy from her when she was berthed at Station Pier Port Melbourne in September of 1954.
Another life in the Brazilian Navy.
My old ship was sold to the Brazilian Navy, in 1956, and renamed Minas Gerais. She was decommissioned in October 2001, and languished at anchor off Rio.
Vengeance as the Brazilian Navy Minas Gerais, refitted with an angle deck, in 2000.
A4 Skyhawks fly close by.
Plans to purchase the Carrier and return her to England.
The Friends of Vengeance in England, had plans to purchase the Carrier, sail her back to UK, and turn her into a floating Museum, but the price wanted, fell beyond the capacity of her admirers to raise.
Alas, the ship was sold for scrap, and the once proud Carrier is now rapidly being torn apart on a squalid beach at Alang Shipyard in India.
RN Nuculear powered Submarine HMS Vengeance to carry on the name.
The nuclear powered Vanguard Class Missile Submarine, HMS Vengeance will continue to carry this proud name as a commissioned ship of the Royal Navy.
Former HMAS Vengeance in ship breaker's hands India.
A very sad sight for one who served in this fine ship when she was Flagship of the Royal Australian Navy.
