Naval Operations in WWII

Black and white images depicting naval activities during World War II, including ship operations, torpedo exercises, and fleet actions in the sea.

Italian Fleet Moves East -- Under a powerful air umbrella put up by the Royal Air Force, and escorted by ships of the Royal Navy, Italian naval units have made an uneventful voyage form Malta to Alexandria. Here are some of the warships photographed from the air as they near their destination. October 15, 1943. (Photo by R.A.A.F. Directorate of Public Relations).

Europe, italy, Tuscany, livorno, exercises of the torpedoes of the naval academy, 1920-30.

Operation Pedestal, August 1942 11 August: The loss of HMS EAGLE and the first air attacks: The salvage tug JAUNTY heads toward the sinking HMS EAGLE.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War HMS SOUTHAMPTON firing during the fleet action off Sardinia. The flash of the guns can be seen, as can the splashes of the enemy shells seen falling short and astern. Photograph taken from HMS SHEFFIELD. One Italian cruiser and two Italian destroyers were damaged in this action.

Italian Fleet Moves East -- Under a powerful air umbrella put up by the Royal Air Force, and escorted by ships of the Royal Navy, Italian naval units have made an uneventful voyage form Malta to Alexandria. Here are some of the warships photographed from the air as they near their destination. October 15, 1943. (Photo by R.A.A.F. Directorate of Public Relations).

Boom Defense - British Navy. November 1, 1943.

The German Navy in the Second World War A flotilla of German R-boats on minesweeping duty in the North Sea, January 1941.

Ms Empire Spray Underway, at sea.

Anefo photo collection. Exercise Marines on Texel. General Noble (US Marine Corps) from board HR. Ms. "BANCKERT". October 8, 1952. Noord-Holland, Texel

U. S. Engineers Arrive in France. Photographs of Marshall Plan Programs, Exhibits, and Personnel

Anefo photo collection. Reporting of boat trip with Karel Doorman. July 8, 1962

To DC with hearty greetings and thanks from H M Wrangel officers .. to DC with hearty greetings and thanks from H M Wrangel officers.

Panorama Of The Harbour Of Tallinn: In the utmost left, in the inner harbour, an Estonian trader, with two Estonian submarines by its side centre and on right, German and Russian snips. In the Background Russian warships. January 8, 1940.

More hunters on the road ..

Motor Minesweeper. March 1943, Devonport. MMS 87 at work off the South West Coast.

A Japaneseanese destroyer in the South Pacific receives a battering from a 75 mm cannon-firing B-25 Mitchell Bomber, manufactured by North American Aviation Inc., Arrow points to damage caused by a cannon shell.

Destroyers In Procession: Destroyers in procession as they went into "action" during the annual manoeuvres of the British Navy in the North Sea. September 26, 1933.

Anefo photo collection. HR. Ms. "Van Galen" exercises. 1940-1945}

The Royal Navy during the Second World War Depth charges being dropped from HMS JAGUAR.

Oblique aerial photograph taken from Short Sunderland Mark III, W4030 'H', of No. 10 Squadron RAAF, while attacking German type VIIC submarine U-243, west of St Nazaire in the Bay of Biscay. Depth charges dropped by W4030, one of which crippled the U-boat, explode by its stern. Splashes from machine gun fire from the Sunderland's rear turret, which put both the submarine's 37-mm and port twin 20mm guns out of action, can be seen leading across the water below the DC explosion. After further attacks by another Sunderland of 10 Squadron RAAF and a Consolidated Liberator of the US Navy, U 243 was abandoned by its crew and sank. The U-boat lost 11 dead and had 38 survivors. A dinghy and food-pack were dropped for the survivors.

A U.S. Navy Grumman TBM-3 Avenger from Torpedo Squadron VT-27 from the aircraft carrier USS Independence (CVL-22) flies over the Japanese battleship Nagato at Yokosuka Naval Base, probably after the Japanese surrender, circa August 1945

The Royal Navy during the Second World War Fleet minesweepers on their way out to sweep the convoy channel. The 750 tons fleet minesweepers, mostly built in Canada, escorted convoys, assisted in the destruction of U-Boats, and acted as rescue ships between spells of minesweeping.

Alarm message investigation and rescue service. 39 nautical miles to the west of Helgoland is a collision between the Norwegian tanker Anne Mildred Brøvig and the English coastal Pentland. The Norwegian tanker is sinking. On the left of the photo, the German tonnes of Walter Körte, which is engaged in oil control. Around 16,000 tons of crude oil in the North Sea has ended up in the collision. A grumpman tracker of airplane squadron 2 (4) and a Neptune of airplane squadron 320 are on the spot.

Midway Island, Pacific Ocean: June, 1942 Smoke and waterspouts from falling bombs obscure a U.S. Navy ship at the right during a Japanese aerial attack during the battle of Midway Island.

Jap Dive Bomber Crashes into Sea, ***** - A black smudge of flame and smoke marks the end of a Jap Dive Bomber, one of a force of enemy planes which attempted unsuccessfully to disrupt the Nov. 11 attack on Rabaul, Jap stronghold on New Britain, by U.S. Carrier-based aircraft. November 26, 1943. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

The King Reviews His Fleet - The Royal yacht Victoria and Albert passing down the line of battleships. In the background left to right are: H.M.S. Royal Oak, H.M.S. Rodney, H.M.S. Nelson, U.S.N. New York, Dunkerque (France) Moreno (Argentine). In fore ground is the bow of the Admiralty yacht enchantress.H.M.King George VI. To-day reviewed the ships of the British Navy at Spithead, Portsmouth. May 02, 1937. (Photo by The Topical Press Agency Ltd.).

The Sinking of HMS Eagle, Malta, 11 August 1942 On the horizon HMS EAGLE, Audacious class aircraft carrier is listing heavily to starboard. She is in the process of capsizing and sinking in the Mediterranean Sea, off Malta, 11 August 1942. A Dido Class Cruiser is heading towards EAGLE to rescue survivors.

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DN-SN-87-04295. Country: Unknown

Air-sea Co-Operation in Britain's Battle Fleet - A British Battleship in company with two aircraft carriers.While the battleships protect the aircraft carriers, so in their turn the carriers provide air covar for the Battle Fleet and extend the range of vision for hundreds of miles. June 07, 1943. (Photo by British Official Photograph).

Torpedo Being Fired from Starboard Bow of USS Sterett. This photograph depicts activity during missile testing in the Pacific before the ship deployed to Southeast Asia, as part of the Weapons Systems Accuracy trials in Keyport, Washington. Photographer: Boivin.. 1967-07-01T00:00:00.

Warranty section of HR. Ms. The Seven Provinces (1953-1975) from April 6 to June 2, 1954. The youngest officer and the youngest sailor stopped at De Geusstok to put the nose / safe of the bow red with the compassion of the creeper circuit. Is part of the AVDKM 540216 to 540344 object series, portion AVDKM 540229 to 540244, excl. 540242.

U.S. Navy Battleship caught in a storm at sea circa 1913.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War HMS SHEFFIELD putting up a smoke screen from her bow whilst she is at sea. One of the 6 inch gun turrets can be seen in the foreground.

Motor Minesweeper. March 1943, Devonport. MMS 87 at work off the South West Coast.

"Sea-Level" Attack On Enemy Convoy -- Royal Air Farce bombers are constantly hammering enemy convoys as they steal along the coast of occupied territory. These picture illustrate a story of a low-level attack by Blenheims on a convoy of eight ships escorted by six flak ships (flak-anti-aircraft).The action took place off the Dutch Coast near the Hague when the convoy was steaming North. August 11, 1941. (Photo by Topical Press Agency Ltd.).

The Royal Navy during the Second World War The view over the tail of a Fairey Swordfish of HMS BITER and ships of the convoy she was guarding.

American Advance Into Trobriand Islands - This picture is one of the first of the American advance and shows three ships of the convoy sailing northward under sullen skies. July 14, 1943.

Royal Air Force Coastal Command, 1939-1945. Three Bristol Beaufort Mark Is of No. 86 Squadron RAF Detachment based at St Eval, Cornwall, flying in formation over the sea..

The Royal Navy during the Second World War The escort carrier HMS AUDACITY.

03/31/1917. War at Sea. The bow of an English battleship on surveillance duty in the North Sea, Bird's eye view.

Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Bomber Command A gunner's view of a trawler burning after being hit during an anti-shipping strike by Blenheims off the Dutch coast on 18 August 1941.

U1228 , Submarines. Photographs of the First Naval District

Anefo photo collection. Den Helder Arrival Four mining sweeps from Indonesia M801 Abraham Crynssen, M802 Abraham van der Hulst, M803 Jan van Gelder, M804 Pieter Florisz. Aerial recording. October 27, 1951. Den Helder

High oblique stern-on view of the Russian Northern Fleet Krivak II class guided missile frigate Rezvy (FFG-916) underway. Country: Baltic Sea

The Royal Navy during the Second World War HMS HOWE on Atlantic patrol in choppy seas during winter weather, seen from the battleship HMS KING GEORGE V.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War A camouflaged cruiser of the CAIRO class as seen from the destroyer KELVIN.

The German support ship FGS WESER (1960 - 1975).

The New British Battleship, HMS Howe.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War- Operation Overlord (the Normandy Landings)- D-day 6 June 1944 View from the cruiser FROBISHER as a Landing Craft goes up in smoke after being hit by an enemy shore battery. The cruiser had helped bombard the enemy coastal positions during the week before D-Day.

A partial port side view of the Soviet Kresta II class guided missile cruiser ADMIRAL ISACHENKOV underway, showing from just forward of the port side twin 57 mm/80-caliber gun mount to the edge of the helicopter flight deck. Country: Unknown

AMS-124 , Ships, Naval Vessels, Boats, Naval History, Navy

Jap Escape Attempt Foiled By Marines On Saipan -- Japanese ships send up billows of smoke after they were hit by Marine artillerymen on Saipan Island, in the Marianas, who foiled an attempt to evacuate Jap troops trapped north of Garapan. A dead Jap warrior lies at the water's edge after his attempt to reach the ships, anchored in the Tanapag Harbor, had been foiled, too. July 17, 1944. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

A starboard view of the bow of the Soviet Udaloy class guided missile destroyer MARSHAL VASILEVSKY underway. Visible on deck is the SA-N vertical launch missile cover plate. Country: Unknown

Anefo photo collection. Fleet exercise in the North Sea (on board "De Ruyter"). Fleet exercise in the North Sea (on board "De Ruyter"). June 15, 1956. North Sea

Aerial port view of the nuclear-powered attack submarine USS MEMPHIS (SSN 691) underway. Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)

The Pacific War- the Battle of the Coral Sea, 1942 Members of the crew jump from the American aircraft carrier USS LEXINGTON, as it sinks during the Battle of the Coral Sea.

04/30/1915. The attack on the Dardanelles. The English battleship "Triumph", which has been torpedoed and scuttled.

Anefo photo collection. Gunboat HR. Ms. "Flores" supervises allied convoy. 1940-1945}

Sidelights on the Submarine Service. 26, 27 and 28 January 1943, Malta. On the bridge of HMS UNA, Lt T N Lancaster, RN, Navigator, and Coxswain C Falck. UNA is changing berth.

A convoy mines sweeps in Kiellinie with second from left hr.ms. Bruinisse (M 865). 1958.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War Distant view of EMPIRE MACRAE.

A Hudson aircraft of the R.A.F Coastal command sighted and attacked a U-boat in the Atlantic. Close-up of the U-boat as she lay helpless in the heavy seas awaiting a boarding party from H.M. ships.

With The Mediterranean Fleet: British destroyers company with H.M.S. Coventry during exercises now in progress in the Mediterranean. June 26, 1934. (Photo by Fox Photos).

DN-SN-87-09949. Subject Operation/Series: SOLID SHIELD Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)

With Force 'h' in the Mediterranean. 29 and 30 April 1943, on Board HMS Formidable. A destroyer laying a smoke screen against air attack around HMS FORMIDABLE.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War A very distant view showing a formation of Fairey Barracuda naval torpedo bombers flying over the aircraft carrier HMS FURIOUS after a raid in northern waters.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War The damaged submarine HMSM ROVER being towed by the CITY OF PRETORIA on the return trip from Batavia to Trincomalee for repair. The photograph was taken from the troopship DEVONSHIRE which was returning after what was part of probably the last convoy to reach Singapore with troops and stores. Apart from one air raid by Japanese planes while passing through the Bangka strait, the voyage was uneventful.

In spite of continued Naval shelling, Jap guns kept shooting. One of the near misses.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War Operation Husky: The Sicily Landings 9-10 July 1943: Landing craft (a Landing Craft Mechanised (mark 3)) going ashore in the early morning during the start of the invasion of Sicily.

British Helicopters for Australian Navy - The three Bristol Sycamore Mark 50 helicopters which are going into service with the Royal Australian Navy, are seen in this picture coming in to land aboard the aircraft carrier "Vengeance" off Weymouth, Dorset, January 16th.The Aircraft were ordered by the Australian navy for air-sea rescue and general communications duties after a Sycamore Mark 50 helicopter had successfully completed take-off and landing trials aboard the aircraft carrier triumph. January 16, 1953. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

Aircraft of the Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Short S.25 Sunderland of No. 210 Squadron RAF, identified by squadron code DA on fuselage, on convoy duty.

What Comes Out Her Anyway! -- This unusual bow-on photograph of the mighty battlewagon New Jersey, taken while the ship lay at anchor in a Japanese port prior to moving into action with the 7th Fleet, makes the 45,000 ton capital ship look like anything but the battleship she is. New Jersey is serving with 7th Fleet and Task Force 77 in Korean waters in the he campaign against the Chinese Communists. May 19, 1951. (Photo by Official U S Navy Photograph).

U.S. Navy Takes Over German U-Boat - A navy boarding party takes over the German submarine U-858 after it surrendered to the Americans off Cape May, N.J., may 14. A navy blimp hovers overhead as other navy craft patrol the waters nearby. The enemy underseas craft was the first to surrender to the Americans since the Capitulation of Germany. May 14, 1945. (Photo by Associated Press Photo).

German Training school for submarine boat - The ***** at the telescope in the ***** tower of the submarine boat. July 26, 1939. (Photo by Orbis-Photo).

JAP CHASER SUNK OFF PARAMUSHIRU, when Mitchell bombers of the U.S. Army 11th Air force caught a pair of the 100-ofot craft five miles off the northern tip of Paramushiru Island, and within close range of the enemy's coastal defenses and air fields

Anefo photo collection. Arrival O.24 and seal in Rotterdam. April 6, 1949. Rotterdam, South Holland

The Royal Navy during the Second World War HMS NELSON fires her 16 inch guns during gunnery trials and exercises after her repair.

Royal Navy MTBs (motor torpedo boats) returning from a dawn E-boat patrol off Cherbourg, June 1944. Silhouetted by the sun, motor torpedo boats returning after dawn from an anti-E-boat patrol off Cherbourg.

US aircraft-carrier Tarawa, berthing at Woolloomooloo today. Carrier planes with wings folded, can be seen on flight deck. Tarawa is here to take part in Coral Sea Victory celebrations. April 30, 1954.

CV 18 , Ships, Naval Vessels, Boats, Naval History, Navy

The Italian Naval Air Service in the Mediterranean, 1915-1918 A naval airship escorting a convoy.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War A Fairey Fulmar about to land on the flight deck of HMS VICTORIOUS at Hvalfjord. The American cruiser USS WICHITA is astern.

HMSM Triumph Underway after reconstruction.

Consolidated B-25's taking off from Unmak Island for raid on the Japanese base at Kiska. It is murky most of the time on Unmak and the ceiling is very low. 27th Divisional Squadron.

The Royal Navy during the Second World War The submarine HMSM AURIGA, after being launched by Mrs Geoffrey Eley (elder daughter of the Third Sea Lord and Controller of the Navy Vice Admiral Sir William Frederic Wake-Walker, KCB, CBE) at the Barrow Shipyard of Messrs Vickers Armstrong..

Alarm message investigation and rescue service. 39 nautical miles to the west of Helgoland is a collision between the Norwegian tanker Anne Mildred Brøvig and the English coastal Pentland. The Norwegian tanker is sinking. Around 16,000 tons of crude oil in the North Sea has ended up in the collision. A grumpman tracker of airplane squadron 2 (4) and a Neptune of airplane squadron 320 are on the spot.

Royal Air Force 1939-1945- Coastal Command Sunderland EK573/P of No 10 Squadron RCAF 'unsticks' after picking up three survivors from a Wellington shot down in the Bay of Biscay, 27 August 1944. Despite a heavy swell - and the knowledge that many such landing attempts had ended in disaster - Flight Lieutenant W B (Bill) Tilley executed a successful rescue. The No 172 Squadron Wellington had crashed after being hit by return fire during an attack on U-534 the previous night.

Captain Carlson waves from the deck of his listing ship to a plane which flew over him yesterday. January 04, 1952. (Photo by Daily Mirror).

Photograph of Gun Crews during the Japanese Attack on Pearl HarborGun crews during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, Dec. 7 1941. Sailors on the alert at their battle stations in NAS.

DD-458 Macomb , Ships, Naval Vessels, Boats, Naval History, Navy

A starboard amidships view of the Soviet Udaloy class guided missile destroyer MARSHAL VASILEVSKY underway. Visible on deck, from left to right, are two RBU-6000 rocket launchers, two quad 21-inch/533 mm torpedo tubes and two 30 mm gatling guns. Country: Unknown

Royal Air Force Operations in the Far East, 1941-1945. High Speed Launch HSL 164 of No. 203 Air Sea Rescue Unit heads out from Colombo, Ceylon, into the Indian Ocean, guided by a Hawker Hurricane search aircraft of No. 222 Group RAF.

The sinking of the Austrian battleship S. Stefano off the island of Premuda. Circa 1918.

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