HMCS Magnificent (CVL 21)

HMCS "Magnificent" (CVL 21) was a "Majestic" class light aircraft carrier that served the Royal Canadian Navy from 1946–1956.

History

The third ship of the "Majestic" class, "Magnificent" was built by Harland and Wolff, laid down 29 July 1943 and launched 16 November 1944. Purchased from the Royal Navy (RN) to replace HMCS "Warrior", she served in a variety of roles, operating both fixed and rotary-wing aircraft. She was generally referred to as the "Maggie". Her aircraft complement included Fairey Fireflies and Hawker Sea Furies.

On March 20, 1949, while on fleet manoeuvres in the Caribbean, thirty-two aircraft handlers on the "Magnificent" briefly refused an order to turn to morning cleaning stations to protest various grievances.

The captain acted with great sensitivity to defuse the crisis, holding an informal discussion with the disgruntled crew members and carefully avoiding using the term "mutiny" which could have resulted in severe legal consequences for them.

At almost the same time, similar incidents happened on "Crescent", at Nanjing, China and on "Athabaskan" at Manzanillo, Colima, Mexico, both of whose captains acted similarly to that of the "Magnificent" [Dr Richard Gimblett, Research Fellow with Dalhousie University's Centre for Foreign Policy Studies, "Dissension in the Ranks,'Mutinies' in the Royal Canadian Navy" [http://www.navalandmilitarymuseum.org/resource_pages/controversies/rcn_mutinies.html] ] .

Her last role was as a transport during the Suez Crisis, carrying a large part of the Canadian peacekeeping force to Egypt, its vehicles parked on her deck.

Magnificent was decommissioned by the RCN in 1956 and was returned to the RN in 1957 and placed in reserve. She was stricken by the RN in 1965. Magnificent was replaced in RCN service by HMCS "Bonaventure".

See also

* List of aircraft carriers
* List of ship launches in 1944
* List of ship commissionings in 1946
* List of ship decommissionings in 1956
* List of ships of the Canadian Navy
* Royal Canadian Navy#"Mutinees" in 1949

References

External links

* [http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/canada/maggie/ The Canadian Navy of Yesterday & Today Photo Gallery: HMCS "Magnificent"]
* [http://www.fleetairarmarchive.net/ships/MAGNIFICENT.html HMCS "Magnificent" Light Fleet Carrier]
* [http://www.aircraft-carriers.webs.com My experience aboard the "HMCS Magnificent" by Lieutenant Robert Grenier]