British aircraft carriers in service mid December 1938

Courageous

Eagle

Ark Royal

Argus

American Naval Attaché at London, England reported on 14 December 1938 No. 1199 that the Parliamentary Secretary to the British Admiralty supplied the following information about the aircraft carriers at that moment commissioned:

HMS Courageous-120 officers-1.239 men-3 squadrons (1)

HMS Glorious-123 officers-1,237 men-4 squadrons (2)

HMS Eagle-77 officers-765 men-2 squadrons (3)

HMS Ark Royal-138 officers-1,355 men-6 squadrons (4)

HMS Argus-39 officers-452 men-1 squadron (5)

Notes

1. Building ordered on 14 March 1915, laid down as a battle cruiser by Armstrong Whitworth with yard number 895 on 26 March 1915, launched on 5 February 1916, completed on 4 November 1916, converted into an aircraft carrier June 1924-Feburary 1928 and sunk by the German submarine U-29 on 17 September 1939.

2. Building ordered on 14 March 1915, laid down as a battle cruiser by Harland&Wolff, Belfast, Northern Ireland with yard numbers 482-84 on 1 Ma7 1915, launched on 20 April 1916, completed on 31 December 1916, commissioned in January 1917, converted into an aircraft carrier 1924-1930 and sunk by the German battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau on 8 June 1940.

3. Building ordered as Chilean battle ship Almirante Cochrane on 29July 1912, laid down by Armstrong Whitworth with yard number 858 on 20 February 1913, launched on 8 June 1918, purchased on 28 February 1918, commissioned on 20 February 1924 and sunk by the German submarine U-73 on 11 August 1942.

4. Preceded by Courageous-class succeeded by Illustrious-class, building under 1934 programme, laid down by Cammell Laird on 16 September 1935, launched on 13 April 1937, commissioned on 16 December 1938 and sunk by the German submarine U-81 on 14 November 1941.

5. Laid down by William Beardmore, Dalmuir, Scotland with yard number 519 in 1914, acquired in September 1916, launched on 16 September 1918, accommodation ship since December 1944, sold to be broken up on 5 December 1946 which was executed in 1947.

Source

National Archives USA. Record Group 38: Records of the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. Series: Secret Naval Attaches Reports. Estimate of potential military strength (pt.). Summaries. Reports from London, Paris, Brussels, Rome and Berlin. Roll M975-001.