| Records at the best of times can be | | | | launched against the Vichy-controlled |
| thoughtlessly cruel. One which I feel | | | | Madagascar which it was believed the |
| never really accounted for the sterling | | | | Japanese intended to occupy to use as a |
| service delivered by a ship during | | | | submarine base from which to attack |
| wartime was that in which the Admiralty | | | | allied convoy routes in the Indian |
| record concludes the history of HMS | | | | Ocean. |
| Indomitable. No reference to | | | | The Indomitable, along with her sister |
| descommisioning, merely the word | | | | ship Illustrius and a vast fleet of |
| scrapped. | | | | other ships converged on Durban in South |
| I can find no record that the | | | | Africa in preparation for an invasion. |
| Indomitable was ever decommissioned; | | | | This commenced on 5th May at Courrier |
| though many sources report her earlier | | | | Bay and after bitter fighting lasting |
| history. By the time I came to know her, | | | | almost two days the strategic town was |
| in 1952, she was already feeling her | | | | taken. |
| age. I only learned of her distinguied | | | | In July the Indom' returned to the UK, |
| career much later. She was ordered in | | | | but was soon off again into action, this |
| 1937 as war loomed ever closer. As a | | | | time for Operation Pedestal as part of |
| modified version of the Illustrious | | | | the largest convoy ever to head for |
| Class Aircraft Carriers already in | | | | beseiged Malta: fourteen merchant ships |
| service Indomitable would carry more | | | | were escorted by, as well as the |
| aircraft than the older ships. This | | | | Indomitable, Cairo, Charybdis, Eagle, |
| would prove a real advantage during the | | | | Victorious, Kenya, Manchester, Nelson, |
| coming wartime forays. Her first real | | | | Nigeria, Phoebe, Rodney, Sirious and 32 |
| venture into the maritime world came in | | | | destroyers. The plan was for HMS |
| November 1941 when her maiden voyage | | | | Furious, which had also joined the other |
| took her to the West Indies. A not very | | | | ships, to launch Spitfires headed for |
| auspicious start in fact, as whilst | | | | Malta to reinforce the air defences to |
| there she ran aground on a coral reef | | | | enable an offensive to take place. This |
| near Jamaica. Not badly damaged, | | | | time the mission was a complete success |
| however, she was able to make a quick | | | | ending on 11th August. |
| return to service. In January 1942 she | | | | However during the operation an 1100 |
| joined the Eastern Fleet based in Ceylon | | | | pound bomb had pierced Indomitable's |
| (now Sri Lanka) where she ferried 48 RAF | | | | armoured flight deck putting her out of |
| Hawker Hurricans for Singapore via Java. | | | | action for the remainder of Operation |
| Here started her World War Two career | | | | Pedestal. She was hit twice, but |
| and she became ever more indispensible | | | | thankfully evaded three later attacks. |
| as the other carriers in the Eastern | | | | Limping to the United States she |
| Fleet went out of service. Hermes could | | | | remained there for repairs until |
| already be said to be obsolete. Though | | | | February 1943 when she returned to the |
| still in action at that time she would | | | | Mediterranean. Again tragedy. She was |
| be sunk in the Indian Ocean before too | | | | torpedoed on 15th June whilst covering |
| long, along with the Vampire, an | | | | the Sicily Landings and again returned |
| Australian destroyer, and a corvette. | | | | to the USA for repairs, this time |
| In May 1942 Operation Ironclad was | | | | remaining there until February 1944. |