Service Record: Ron Mitchell

[Jinxjay]

Hi,

Just a message to introduce myself.

I am looking for some info on my Uncle. His name was Ron Mitchell, I believe he left the Navy as a Commander or Commodore. He served on a few ships, and I remember him showing me photos of an aircraft carrier he was serving on. This would have been back the early sixties when he showed me them.

The interesting detail was that the aircraft carrier had been involved in a collision with another ship and suffered severe damage to the bow.

I don't have any idea of name/class/year of the above mentioned craft. Anyone have any ideas?? Thanks:D

Steve

[kc]

Welcome to the forum :)

Could HMS Glorious be the carrier you mean? We have a page of photos of a collision which damaged the bow in April 1931, when the carrier collided with the SS Florida off Gibraltar. Maybe it's too early, being in 1931, but we do have a few photos which would hopefully tell you either way.

The page is :
http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/hms_glorious_collission.htm

and here are a couple of the photos:

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/images/hmsglorious23.jpg

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/images/hmsglorious6.jpg

http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/images/hmsglorious8.jpg

Good luck!

[Melv.]

Ooops! A classic collision.
I wonder what the outcome of the Court Martial was?

HMS Glorious was lost 8/6/1940 in the ill fated Norway Campaign.
A controversery and discussion that still goes on even today.

[Jinxjay]

Thanks for the quick response kc!!

I believe the collision was later, probably in late '50s or early '60s. The bow damage was not so severe as your photo. The overhang of the deck was sort of folded flat!:)

I have been making some enquiries elsewhere thru family and maybe someone will find out some details. I will keep you posted.

Steve

[jonti]

I know this is a long shot but could your relative have been serving/on loan to the Royal Australian Navy? HMAS Melbourne, aircraft carrier, collided with the destroyer HMAS Voyager in 1963 off the East Coast of Australia at night and Melbourne's bow was damaged but was able to make port under her own steam.