naval Archives - Page 18 of 19 - Destination's Journey

French Battleship Voltaire

Voltaire was a French semi-dreadnought battleship of the Danton-class. Launched on 16 January 1909, she was commissioned into the Marine Nationale on 1 August 1911.

On 16 August 1914, Voltaire participated in the Battle of Antivari along with a large Fleet of British and French ships. She participated in the sinking of the Austro-Hungarian protected cruiser Zenta.

For the remainder of the First World War, she helped blockade the Straits of Otranto and the Dardanelles to prevent German, Austro-Hungarian and Turkish warships from breaking out into the Mediterranean. On 10 October 1918, while returning to Mudros following an overhaul, she was torpedoed by the German U-boat UB-48. Although struck by two torpedoes, she was able to make temporary repairs at Mudros and then sail to Bizerte for permanent repairs.

She was modernised post-war from 1922 to 1925, being used as a training ship from 1927. She was condemned in 1937 and scuttled in Quiberon Bay (France) on 31 May 1938 for long-term use as a target. The wreck was sold in December 1949 and broken up from March 1950 onwards.

Voltaire in Toulon — Voltaire being launched

Dutch Aircraft Carrier Karel Doorman QH1

HNLMS Karel Doorman QH1

Karel Doorman QH1 was an escort carrier of the Royal Netherlands Navy. Previously HMS Nairana of the British Royal Navy, she was transferred to the Netherlands after World War Two. As part of the re-occupation of the Netherlands East Indies, the Karel Doorman ferried 15 Fairey Firefly fighters of 860 Squadron to Soerabaja along with freight and supplies.

On the return journey, the Karel Doorman transported a Japanese Aichi E13A and a Kawanishi N1K1 back to the Netherlands for evaluation.

Karel Doorman was used to evaluate the operation of Auster light aircraft and Sikorsky S-51 helicopters from an aircraft carrier. In 1948 she was returned to the UK and converted to a merchantman Port Victor. She was scrapped in 1971.

She was replaced in service by HNLMS Karel Doorman R-81 a Colossus-class aircraft carrier.

Photos of HNLMS Karel Doorman QH1

Armament

Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft gun — 40mm Bofors anti-aircraft gun

Aircraft Operations

Aichi E13A

Auster

Fairey Barracuda

Fairey Firefly

Kawanishi N1K1

Sikorsky S-51

Escort Carrier USS Card CVE-11

USS Card ACV-11 underway in February 1943

Escort Carrier USS Card CVE-11

The USS Card (CVE-11) was launched as AVG 11 on February 21, 1942 by Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corporation under a Maritime Commission contract. She was was reclassified as ACV-11 on August 20, 1942 and commissioned on November 8, 1942 with Captain J.B. Sykes in command.

Card’s first operational sortie in late May 1943 was an aircraft ferrying trip from New York to Casablanca in French Morocco. Card then made the return voyage to Norfolk arriving on June 5, 1943. Ten days later she was reclassified as Escort Carrier Card (CVE-11). She became one of the first of fourteen US CVEs around which US anti-submarine hunter killer groups would be centered. During her participation in the Battle of the Atlantic, Card and her escorts sank 11 German U-boats.

After the war, she was reclassified as a helicopter escort carrier CVHE-11, 12 June 1955; a utility carrier CVU-11, 1 July 1958; and an aviation transport AKV-40, 7 May 1959.

In 1964, while operating as an aircraft ferry, Card was sunk with explosives planted by two Viet Cong commandos in the Harbor of Saigon, South Vietnam. She was refloated 17 days later and returned to service after extensive repairs.

Card was placed in reserve, on 10 March 1970, was sold for scrapping on 14 May 1971.