HMS Vanguard (1944)
Robert Edmonds Collection

HMS Vanguard seen at Portsmouth, England.



HMS Vanguard seen at Portsmouth, England.



HMS Vanguard seen at Portsmouth, England.



HMS Vanguard seen at Portsmouth, England.



HMS Vanguard seen at Portsmouth, England.
(All photos courtesy of Robert Edmonds)
© Robert Edmonds all rights reserved



This series of photos was probably taken in 1958 and probably quite close to her scrapping date of August 1960. In 1955 the ship was in reserve but very much manned and maintained (as the 1956 QB photos of her dressed overall show). The ship looks very much ready for the scrap yard in this series of photos and my suspicion is that it shows when VANGUARD had been brought alongside to be stripped of useful material and stores before being towed away. She spent most of her life in Portsmouth at a buoy as far as I am aware. The clinching point, however, is the carrier in the background. Fitted with 984 radar it is either VICTORIOUS or HERMES (EAGLE was later in this regard). The HERMES was not completed until 1959, but even VICTORIOUS would not have had the 984 radar fitted in 1955 by that stage of her refit - which lasted until 1958. In all, I reckon that the shots are 1959-60.
Rear Admiral James Goldrick, A.M., C.S., R.A.N.





Page published Feb. 15, 2007