Were any British aircraft carriers sunk by German U-boats or Japanese kamikaze attacks during World War II?
Were any British aircraft carriers sunk by German U-boats or Japanese kamikaze attacks during World War II? Yes, during World War II, British aircraft carriers were sunk by both German U-boats and Japanese kamikaze attacks.
Sunk by German U-boats:
HMS Courageous:
This British aircraft carrier was sunk by the German U-boat U-29 on September 17, 1939, just a few weeks after the war began. The sinking occurred in the Atlantic Ocean while the carrier was on an anti-submarine patrol. The attack resulted in the loss of 519 crew members.
HMS Ark Royal:
On November 13, 1941, HMS Ark Royal was torpedoed by the German U-boat U-81 while returning to Gibraltar after a mission. Despite efforts to save the ship, it sank the next day. Fortunately, only one crew member was lost.
Damaged or Sunk by Japanese Kamikaze Attacks:
HMS Formidable and HMS Illustrious:
These carriers were damaged by kamikaze attacks during operations in the Pacific. However, they were heavily armored and survived the attacks, though requiring repairs.
HMS Indefatigable:
This aircraft carrier also sustained damage from a kamikaze attack during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945. The damage was not enough to sink the ship, and it remained operational after repairs.
No British carriers were sunk directly by kamikaze attacks, but they were seriously damaged on multiple occasions by these suicide missions.