HMS Albion (R07)

The eighth HMS Albion was a 22,000 ton Centaur-class light fleet carrier built on the Tyne by Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson;. Her keel was laid down in 1944, with her being launched in May 1947, but she was not fully completed until May 1954, and after an initial work up with her air group, joined the Mediterranean Fleet in September that same year, becoming flagship of Flag Officer Aircraft Carriers. Two years later, after refitting at Portsmouth, returned once again to the Mediterranean for operations relating to the Suez Crisis where her air group struck key Egyptian airfields, and covered the paratroopers landings.

In July 1958 the Albion had a sample of what she would one day become, when she embarked 42 Commando, Royal Marines, with all it's vehicles and additional equipment to the Middle East.

The next two years saw her visit the Far East, Australia, New Zealand and the South Atlantic and Indian Oceans, before she returned to Portsmouth to pay off. In January 1961 conversion begun for her to become a commando carrier. She re-commissioned in 1962, training with two helicopter squadrons as well as 40 Commando, Royal Marines before she joined the Far East Fleet. She was a vital asset in supporting operations ashore in Borneo during the Indonesian Confrontation. In 1967 she was part of the RN task force that covered the withdrawal from Aden, and in 1971 was part of another withdrawal of British forces, this time in Singapore and the disbandment of the Far East Fleet.

In 1973 she was sold for conversion to a heavy lift vessel for North Sea oil exploration, but the plan collapsed, and she was broken up for scrap at Faslane.

Centaur-class aircraft carrier

Centaur | Albion | Bulwark | Hermes

List of aircraft carriers of the Royal Navy