Royal Tour— Working up Cruise For H.M.S. “Vanguard”

Grey River Argus, 1 September 1948, Page 3

Royal Tour— Working up Cruise For H.M.S. “Vanguard”

LONDON, August 30. Before taking Their Majesties the King and Queen and Pier Royal Highness Princess Margaret to Australia and New Zealand early next year, H.M.S. Vanguard is to sail from Devonport for trials and a workingupcruise in the Mediterranean. The battleship has recently been recommisisoned after refit. The Vanguard sails' from Devonport on August 31 for trials and on September 17 will sail for Gibraltar, arriving three days later. Various eexrcises will be carried out from Gibraltar and on October 1 she will sail for Maltar for further exercises. The ship is expected back at Plymouth on November 12. The Vanguard sails from evonport for New Zealand and Australia on January 27. The Vanguard is the ninth ship of her name in the Royal Navy. The battle honours list aboard the present ship which commemorates successes from 1586 to 1946, includes the victories of the Armada, Cadiz, Barelur, Quebec, the Nile and Jutland. She is the most powerful ship in the Royal Navy to-day with her main armament of 8 15-inch guns. She is over four times the length of Nelson’s column and has a. standard displacement of 42,000 tons. On the trip to Australasia she will carry three months’ stock of rum —1400 gallons. The Royal voyage to South Africa last year was undertaken in the Vanguard. On the way home from the Australasian tour, she will call at Capetown, where it is possible the Royal party go ashore for an informal visit.