×
Home Intro People Events Equipment Places Maps Books Photos Videos Other Reference FAQ About
     

World War II Database

Albatross file photo [1095]

Albatross

CountryUnited Kingdom
Decommissioned12 Aug 1954
Displacement6,350 tons standard
Length443 feet
Beam61 feet
Draft17 feet
Speed21 knots
Crew450

Contributor:

ww2dbaseThe Royal Navy transferred this originally Australian seaplane carrier with nine-aircraft capacity to British in 1938 due to the impending conflict with Germany. She operated as escort to trade ships for a part of her career off West Africa and in the Indian Ocean, and also as a miscellaneous axillary ship later on in her career (repair ship, general escort, hulk). She was scrapped in Hong Kong in 1954.

ww2dbaseSource: Fleet Air Arm Archive

Last Major Revision: Jan 2005

Photographs

Albatross underway, 1938

Albatross Operational Timeline

12 Aug 1954 Albatross was decommissioned from service.




Did you enjoy this article or find this article helpful? If so, please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 per month will go a long way! Thank you.

Share this article with your friends:

 Facebook
 Reddit
 Twitter

Stay updated with WW2DB:

 RSS Feeds




Visitor Submitted Comments

1. Elaine Sharp says:
30 Jul 2016 10:51:55 AM

Sitting beside my Uncle's hospital bed today awaiting his transfer to a nursing home, I was deeply moved by his account of the morning the Albatross was torpedoed. He was 18 years old and missed being killed as he was on duty at the switchboard. As bunks were shared it was his fellow seaman who was off-duty and asleep who was killed, when it could so easily have been him. The harrowing tale of closing the hatches on live crew members in order to save the ship haunt him to this day when he is 90 years old. The event cast a shadow over his life which has been lived reclusively since the event.
2. Anonymous says:
14 Jan 2020 11:24:39 AM

My Great Uncle Able Seaman Lesley Gordon Frost was sadly one of the 66 men who lost their lives during the torpedo attack, as described above. It is incredibly moving to read a first hand account of this. As a family we would often speak of our uncle and have visited the Portsmouth memorial site where his name is listed.
3. James Davies says:
6 May 2020 04:23:23 AM

After extensive research I was able to establish my dear Great Uncle, William E. (Edgar) Davies was sadly one of the lost 66 men on Albatross. Little was known to the family of the incident that killed part of the crew and the personal account referenced already is indeed moving and sadly harder to comprehend if he was not taken directly from the torpedo hit. If anyone perhaps has any other info, would be much appreciated. His sister of 96 years is still going strong today. RIP William and forever in our thoughts.
4. Mary says:
5 Jan 2023 04:14:27 PM

Researching our family, I now know my uncle lost his life on the Albatross. Thank you for posting these messages. He was the youngest of 4 brothers Hugh Fowler age 19 from Liverpool. We Went to Plymouth just to see her name on the plaque there. If anyone can let us know more details, it would be most appreciated. Thank you. The Fowler Family. x

All visitor submitted comments are opinions of those making the submissions and do not reflect views of WW2DB.

Posting Your Comments on this Topic

Your Name
Your Email
 Your email will not be published
Comment Type
Your Comments
 

Notes:

1. We hope that visitor conversations at WW2DB will be constructive and thought-provoking. Please refrain from using strong language. HTML tags are not allowed. Your IP address will be tracked even if you remain anonymous. WW2DB site administrators reserve the right to moderate, censor, and/or remove any comment. All comment submissions will become the property of WW2DB.

2. For inquiries about military records for members of the World War II armed forces, please see our FAQ.

Change View
Desktop View

Search WW2DB
Albatross Photo Gallery
Albatross underway, 1938


Famous WW2 Quote
"Among the men who fought on Iwo Jima, uncommon valor was a common virtue."

Fleet Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, 16 Mar 1945


Support Us

Please consider supporting us on Patreon. Even $1 a month will go a long way. Thank you!

Or, please support us by purchasing some WW2DB merchandise at TeeSpring, Thank you!