HMS Ark Royal (91)
HMS Ark Royal (91) in sinking condition
| Name | HMS Ark Royal (91) | ||
| Type: | Aircraft carrier (Ark Royal) | ||
| Tonnage | 22.600 tons (one of the largest ships sunk). | ||
| Completed | 1938 - Cammell Laird & Co Ltd, Birkenhead | ||
| Owner | The Admiralty | ||
| Homeport | |||
| Date of attack | 13 Nov, 1941 | Nationality:  British | |
| Fate | Sunk by U-81 (Friedrich Guggenberger) | ||
| Position | 36.03N, 04.45W - Grid CG 9652 - See location on a map - | ||
| Complement | ? men (1 dead and ? survivors). | ||
| Convoy | |||
| Route | Gibraltar - flying range for Malta - Gibraltar | ||
| Cargo | Hurricane aircraft | ||
| History | On 22 Jun, 1940, U-46 observed one carrier (identified as HMS Illustrious (87)) with two destroyers during a force 11 storm in grid BE 6378. Endrass fired a salvo of three torpedoes at the carrier and heard a detonation. The carrier was in fact HMS Ark Royal (91) (Capt C.S. Holland, RN), accompanied by HMS Hood (51) and two destroyers, en route to Gibraltar. The carrier was neither hit nor damaged. | ||
| Notes on loss | At 16.37 hours on 13 Nov, 1941, U-81 fired a spread of four torpedoes at HMS Malaya (01) in the Force H and heard two detonations after 6 minutes 6 seconds and 7 minutes 43 seconds. In fact one torpedo hit HMS Ark Royal (91) (Capt L.E.H. Maund, CBE, RN) amidships, which sank under tow by the tug HMS Thames with almost all of her aircraft 25 miles east of Gibraltar at 08.13 hours on 14 November. The carrier was returning from the Operation Perpetual. On 10 November, the carrier had left Gibraltar together with HMS Argus (D 49) to ferry 37 Hurricane fighters to Malta under escort by the Force H, formed by HMS Malaya (01), HMS Hermione (74) and seven destroyers (including HNMS Isaac Sweers (G 83)). Two days later they launched the fighters and turned back to Gibraltar. | ||
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