Australian Naval History on 13 November 1952

The Colossus class aircraft carrier HMS VENGEANCE, (CMDR C. M. Hudson, RAN), was commissioned. VENGEANCE was laid down in Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson Ltd, Wallsend on Tyne, England, on 16 November 1942, and launched on 23 February 1944. Lady Boyd, (Wife of ADML Sir Denis Boyd, RN), performed the launching ceremony. VENGEANCE served in the RN 1945-1952, and was transferred to the RAN pending the completion of HMAS MELBOURNE. Aircraft from HMAS SYDNEY (III) were in action spotting the fall of shot for the US Navy battleship USS New Jersey. SYDNEY completed her third patrol on this day, her strikes having made inoperable all of the railway lines in her target area.