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Information.
HMS Formidable was an Aircraft Carrier of the
Illustrious class. She was built by Harland & Wolff Ltd. in Belfast, Northern Ireland
being launched on the 17th of August 1939
Her initial role during the Second World War was to accompany a convoy to Capetown from December 1940 to January 1941. Subsequently she was called to the Mediterranean to replace the damaged HMS Illustrious in February 1941.
She saw action in the Battle of Cape Matapan 27-29 March 1941, and in the two following months was involved in convoy escort. She supported Crete operations in May where she suffered serious damage on the 26th of May 1941 in air attacks by 1000kg bombs, whioch put her out of action for six months. Between June and December 1941 she underwent repairs in America and then joined the Eastern Fleet in the Indian Ocean from March until August 1942.
In October 1942 she returned to the Mediterranean taking part in the North African landings in November and the Sicily landings in July 1943 and Salerno landings in the September. In October 1943 she took part in an Arctic convoy. On the 17th of November, the German submarine U-331 was sunk in the Mediterranean north of Algiers after she had been badly damaged by a Hudson aircraft and attacked by a torpedo-equipped aircraft Albacore of 500 and 820 Squadrons flying from HMS Formidable.
HMS Formidable was refitted between January and June 1944 and then her aircraft were involved in Operation "Mascot" an attack on the German Battleship Tirpitz in Norway on the 17th July 1944. She took part in further attacks on Tirpitz between the 22nd and 29th of August. She then set sail to rejoin the Eastern Fleet on 16 September 1944, stopping at Gibraltar after machinery breakdown, which halted her voyage until January 1945. In April 1945 she joined the British Pacific Fleet in place of HMS Illustrious who had been damaged. She took part in air strikes against Sakishima Gunto in April and May 1945. In May she was hit by Kamikazes but was able to operate aircraft within a few hours of attack, her aircraft later took part in air strikes against Japanese home islands between July-August 1945.
The ship arrived in Sydney, Australia on 23 August 1945, subsequently undertook trooping voyages to the United Kingdom between September 1945 and November 1946. She was reduced to a reserve ship at Rosyth in March 1947 and sold in November 1953 being scrapped at Inverkeithing from November 1956.
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Petty Officer Frank Brady air mechanic HMS Formidable My Father-leading seaman promoted to Petty Officer air mechanic Frank Brady served on H M S Formidable for the bulk of WW2. He was assigned to maintain the aircraft of 895 Pursuit Squadron, the aircraft included U.S. built Grumman F4F Wildcats, known in the Royal navy as Martlets. While preparing for Operation “Torch” Frank painted U.S. white star markings over the British roundels on the fuselage and wings of the aircraft on the flight deck of the carrier and had photographs of the painting taking place at sea.
 Leading Seaman Frank Brady and LACW Mary Elizabeth Needham (my mother)
My Father put together quite a photograph album of his sorties around the world, Arctic, North Atlantic, in the Med and the Pacific. Unfortunately the album was lost just before he died in 1996. I would like to hear from anyone who remembers my father or may have photographs of any of the ships company.
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Stoker George Henry Smith HMS Formidable (d.26th May 1941)
George Henry Smith was a stoker on HMS Formidable in 1941 at the time when she was assisting off Crete. Formidable was bombed on May 26th 1941 and my Grandmother was told by another sailor from the ship sometime later when home on leave that George was killed during the bombing. He died of bomb blast and was buried at sea.
George was my uncle though he died 5 years before I was born. His brother Ralph Smith, my father, was according to my mother badly affected by his brothers death. I do not recall my father ever talking about George except in the briefest way. It is only recently that I have found out the circumstances of Georges death.I have never seen a photograph of George and I'd like to know more about him.
I wonder if there are any old crewmen out there who might have known George Smith?
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Armourer. William Marley HMS Formidable My late father, Wiliam Marley told me of many stories of both commitment and friendship amoungst fellow shipmates. This led me to pursue a career in the merchant service in 1975. He always reminded me of the time a plane crash landed on the deck of the Formidable with a 'bomb' still attached to the wing. Upon crashing the bomb 'released' and rolled accross the deck. to which the officer in charge shouted 'Clear That Off The Deck!' My father and friend lifted it, with some trepidation, onto a trolley for loading said bombs, and promptly pushed the bomb and trolley over the side. They thought they did well but got a severe bollocking for ditching the trolley.
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Able Sea. Ronald Ernest Phillips HMS Formidable My dad, Ron Phillips served on HMS Formidable from 1942 till 1945, he was a gunner but he did not talk a lot of what went on during the war. I know he had shrapnel wounds on his back, sadly he passed away in 1994. He was on the shipwhen they brought Prisoners of War back and I know my Dad was very proud to have served on HMS Formidable. He used to do boxing on the ship at fly weight as he was only short. |
Killick. Dave Henry "Tom" Thomas HMS Formidale My Father, Dave Thomas was in a reserved occupation until 1944 (I believe) He was then conscripted into the Fleet Air Arm. He sailed to America and travelled across the USA by Train to join HMS Formidable on the west coast, with the British Pacific Fleet.
He was a mechanic, servicing the aircraft and did a course on Seafires which were a bit too fragile for aircraft carriers although they were still used. He mainly serviced Avengers and Corsairs. I remember him telling me of one occasion when he had just finished a service on a n Avenger and the Pilot came to ask him if it was ready. Upon confirming this he was told to get in the rear gunners turret and when my father asked why, the Pilot said, well you serviced it so if I go down so do you.
He was in Sydney Australia on two occasions, I'm not sure of dates but I believe it was in 1945 and I still have some of the photo's he took of Sydney at that time, complete with Trams. When the war ended they returned to Sydney and were moored at Pier 1 alongside HMS Indefatigable. We used to have photos of this but are now long gone.
Eventually they were advised that the Indefatigable was to go home the Formidables crew were, naturally upset. But just before the ship left both ships complements were marched down onto the docks with all their personal gear and the crews swapped ships! So the Formidables crew sailed home, first on the Indefatigable.
My father achieved the rank of Killick and it was his inability to spell that stopped him becoming a Petty Officer. He died in 1984 at the age of 69 after along illness |
Jack Dewhirst HMS Formidable My grandad served on the HMS Formidable. I am in need of some pictures urgently to help him with his memory as he has just lost his wife and has started to go back in time to his navy days. I really would appreciate anyone's help in locating some pictures of his crew or stories from 1942 and before on the HMS Formidable. Thank you. |
James "Cush" Dow I am the second son of James Dow. Unfortunately I do not have much stories to tell about my father, only that he did some service as and engineer on HMS Formidable during the war years and was involved with HMS Indomitable as well I think. I left Scotland in 1972 for Australia, and I am still here. He told me then that he had been in Sydney in Australia during WW11, so I was not going to be the first Dow to put my feet on to Bondi Beach, as he had done so during the war. Dad, unfortunately died in 1992. I was wondering if there would be any records available of his service during this time and any information at all that would help me to put some pieces together on his service life at that time.
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Able Seaman Denis Alfred Remnant HMS Formidable My father had few funny stories of serving on board the Formidable. One I can reveal is about landing in Gibralter. Coming down the gangplank he was greeted by an ape taking hold of his hand. The only way you could get the ape to let go of you was to buy it a banana obviously from the ape's owner.He said he was quite scared of the ape at the time. He trained as a range finder and a kamikaze plane landed on his turret and he was engulfed in flames. He was wearing a fire suit but his friend removed top first so my father lost hair to all of his head and face and arms. He was removed to an American Hospital ship and he always recalled how good the Americans had it, with coke and icecream on tap and lots less sharing of accommadation. He only told us of his comrades and how they all made the best of things. He had sad memory of being on duty for preparing bodies for burial at sea. He performed this duty with a fellow from his mess and when they returned to their mess realised they had been preparing quite a few from their own friends. |
James Dow Fleet Air Aarm My father, James Dow was in the Fleet Air Arm during the war, I know he was In Sydney, Australia during 1944-45 he was on the ship HMS Formidable. He never spoke much about the war, but I would like to know his story. |
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I have photos of H.M.S.Formidable, and of my father John Young,CPO, his friends and many places they visited or battle locations. In particular I have many poems and prose about sea battles, his shipmates and the experience of war at sea. Some of these can be found in a published book "Poems" by John Young - Torrance Publishing U.S.A. He was a native of Burntisland, Fife. When H.M.S.Formidable was badly damaged and in Belfast for repair he met my mother Veronica. After the war he continued his involvment with ships and the sea by becoming the General Manager of the Liffy Dockyard in Dublin, Ireland. I followed in my fathers example by joining the W.R.N.S.
Francesca Young
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My Father served on HMS Foridable during the 2nd World War - CPO Alexander William Steele.
He was an Artificer. I have a very large collection of photographs, ships crew, under attack, burial at sea etc.
John Alexander Steele
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