Originally Posted by cazatou
What WEBF has not mentioned is that during WW2 the Royal Navy lost no less than 10 Aircraft Carriers due to Enemy Action. Those losses were sustained in a era where "Guided Weapons" existed only in Science Fiction.
1939 HMS Courageous
1940 HMS Glorious
1941 HMS Ark Royal, HMS Audacity
1942 HMS Avenger, HMS Eagle, HMS Hermes
1943 HMS Dasher
1944 HMS Nabob
1945 HMS Thane
Carriers served in every theatre throughout almost six bitter years of war at sea. HMS Courageous, for example, was sunk on 17 Sep 1939, almost a year before the Battle of Britain.
However, on behalf of WEBF, I thought it only fair to list the RN aircraft carriers that WEREN'T lost to enemy action:
HMS Acavus
HMS Activity
HMS Adula
HMS Albatross
HMS Albion
HMS Alexia
HMS Amastra
HMS Ameer
HMS Ancylus
HMS Arbiter
HMS Archer
HMS Argus
HMS Ariguani
HMS Assistance
HMS Atheling
HMS Athene
HMS Attacker
HMS Audacious
HMS Battler
HMS Begum
HMS Biter
HMS Bulwark
HMS Campania
HMS Centaur
HMS Charger
HMS Chaser
HMS Colossus
HMS Cullin Sound
HMS Deer Sound
HMS Emperor
HMS Empire Faith
HMS Empire Lawrence
HMS Empire MacAlpine
HMS Empire MacAndrew
HMS Empire MacCabe
HMS Empire MacCallum
HMS Empire MacColl
HMS Empire MacDermott
HMS Empire MacKay
HMS Empire MacKendrick
HMS Empire MacMahon
HMS Empire MacRae
HMS Empire Morn
HMS Empress
HMS Engadine
HMS Fencer
HMS Formidable
HMS Furious
HMS Gadila
HMS Glory
HMS Hercules
HMS Holm Sound
HMS Hunter
HMS Illustrious
HMS Implacable
HMS Indefatigable
HMS Indomitable
HMS Khedive
HMS Leviathan
HMS Macoma
HMS Magnificent
HMS Majestic
HMS Maplin
HMS Michael E
HMS Miralda
HMS Nairana
HMS Ocean
HMS Patia
HMS Patroller
HMS Pegasus
HMS Perseus
HMS Pioneer
HMS Powerful
HMS Premier
HMS Pretoria Castle
HMS Puncher
HMS Pursuer
HMS Queen
HMS Rajah
HMS Ranee
HMS Rapana
HMS Ravager
HMS Reaper
HMS Ruler
HMS Searcher
HMS Shah
HMS Slinger
HMS Smiter
HMS Speaker
HMS Springbank
HMS Stalker
HMS Striker
HMS Terrible
HMS Theseus
HMS Tracker
HMS Triumph
HMS Trouncer
HMS Trumpeter
HMS Unicorn
HMS Venerable
HMS Vengeance
HMS Victorious
HMS Vindex
HMS Vindex (Seaplane carrier)
HMS Vindictive
HMS Warrior
Incidentally, did I mention that FAA pilots shot down the first and last enemy aircraft of the war?