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Royal Navy
HMS Stronghold
by
Ronnie Taylor and Tom Jowett
Keeping their Candle Burning
HMS Stronghold was an S-class destroyer, and was one of the first vehicles to deploy an unmanned aircraft. Launched on the 6th May 1919, the destroyer was fitted with a simple catapult in 1924, which used a bag of sand as a weight, to launch unmanned aircraft. In total, more than twenty test flights were undertaken before the catapult was removed and the destroyer was fitted out as a minelayer.
HMS Stronghold
In World War 2 the HMS Stronghold was based at Singapore and helped rescue the Supermarine Walrus (fleet spotter) from the Repulse, which had been sunk on the 10th December 1941 by the Japanese.
Supermarine Walrus
The Supermarine Walrus could be fired from a catapult aboard ship. It was used extensively as a Fleet Spotter before radar. The Supermarine Walrus had been launched from the Repulse prior to the Japanese aerial attack on the Repulse off Kuantan, Malaya. The Stronghold took the flying boat in tow back to Singapore.
On the 16th January 1942, the Stronghold formed part of the Far Eastern Squadron, or China Force. led by the light cruisers Danae, Dragon and Durban.
Repatriations are included in the HMS Stronghold Roll
Information
Tom Jowett
Proofread by Tim Lloyds
Z Force
British Repatriation Rolls
Commonwealth War Graves
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