HMS Glory (R62)

HMS "Glory" (R62) was a "Colossus"-class aircraft carrier of the Royal Navy laid down on 8 November 1942 by Stephens at Govan. It was launched on 27 November 1943 by Lady Cynthia Brookes, wife of the Prime Minister of Northern Ireland. The ship was commissioned on 2 April 1945, and left for the Pacific with an air wing of Barracudas (837 Naval Air Squadron) and Corsairs (1831 Naval Air Squadron). At Sydney, it joined the 11th Aircraft Carrier Squadron of the British Pacific Fleet as the war was ending. "Glory" came to Rabaul shortly thereafter on 6 September 1945 to accept the surrender of the Japanese garrison there.

After the surrender at Rabaul, "Glory" assisted in the retaking of Hong Kong, and then went to Australia and Canada in the British equivalent of Operation "Magic Carpet". The ship returned to the United Kingdom in 1947 and was then placed in reserve. In November 1949, the ship was taken out of reserve and fully returned to service just over a year later in December 1950.

"Glory" then deployed to Korea in April 1951 for the first of three wartime deployments. The first deployment ended in September of that year, but Glory was back on station from January to May 1952 and November 1952 to May 1953. After the very active service of the Korean War, "Glory" saw out 1954 as a ferry, troop carrier and helicopter base. 1956 saw the end of the ship's active career, as it was placed in reserve. In 1961, "Glory" was sold to an Inverkeithing scrap merchant.

External links

* [http://www.maritimequest.com/warship_directory/great_britain/pages/aircraft_carriers/hms_glory_62.htm Maritimequest HMS Glory photo gallery]