HMS Ocean (1945)

The fifth HMS Ocean was a Royal Navy Colossus-class light fleet aircraft carrier of 13,190 tons built in Glasgow. Her keel was laid down in November 1942, and she was commissioned on June 30, 1945.

On December 3, 1945, a Sea Vampire landed on board, the first jet aircraft to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier. Earlier, in October 1945, the last Fairey Swordfish to make an official flight from a Royal Navy aircraft carrier did so from the deck of Ocean. In 1948 Ocean supported the withdrawal from Palestine. From May to October 1952 and May to November 1953 she took part in operations off Korea.

In August 1954 she joined the Home Fleet Training Squadron but saw an active role in the Suez crisis. Westland Whirlwind and Bristol Sycamore helicopters from Ocean and HMS Theseus landed 425 men of 45 Commando and 23 tons of stores into Port Said in 90 minutes. The ship went into Extended Reserve in 1958 and was scrapped in 1962 at Faslane.

See HMS Ocean for other Navy ships of the same name.