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HMS Riviera (1914) CV  (1st)

    
This the only ship to carry the name HMS Riviera was a seaplane carrier.

Originally a South-East & Chatham Railway Company, cross-Channel packet, built by William Denny & Brothers of Dumbarton, launched 01-Apr-1911, 316ft long, 41ft wide, drawing 13ft 8in and displacing 2550 tons.

Requisitioned 11-Aug-1914. Converted to a seaplane carrier at Chatham Dockyard by installing canvas screens fore and aft. Work including sea trial completed by 06-Sep-1914. Joined similarly converted Empress and Engadine at Harwich Oct-1914, Took part in operations in the North Sea including the Cuxhaven raid 25-Dec-1914.

Modified by Cunard of Liverpool 14-Feb/07-Apr-1915 with a large permanent hangar aft.

Joined the Dover patrol and undertook operations off the Belgian coast based at Dover and Dunkirk mid-1915-Jul-1917. Moved to Falmouth for anti-submarine work and early 1918 went to the Mediterranean for the remainder of WW1.

Returned to her owners 1919 and sold 1923 to the Southern Railway and then 1932 to the Burns and Laird Lines. Renamed Lairds Isle. Requisitioned again Sep-1939 and used as a torpedo training ship, armed boarding vessel and infantry training ship,

Returned to her owners 1945 and sold for scrapping 1957.

Won the Battle Honour: Belgian Coast 1915.

 

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This page last edited - 08 April, 2013.

Copyright © Ian M King, except where otherwise indicated.