36.
Apr. 27, 2013

My father, (Ted) Clarence Edward Cleverdon, served on HMS Implacable as a mechanic, probably aircraft mechanic, during WWII.  Not sure when he joined the ship, but I do know he served during the ship's deployment to take on the Japanese near the end of the war.  The ship was dry docked in Sydney, Australia I believe in 1945.  He may have been sent to Melbourne by train and billeted with my mother's family.  This is the extended period in which I believe he met my mother. The ship was repaired and refitted to take allied POWs from Japan to Vancouver, Canada after Japan's surrender.

The ship visited Melbourne twice in 1946.  In January with carriers HMS Glory and HMS Indefatigable and destroyers HMS Armada and Tuscan. In March with carrier HMS Venerable. 

Ted Cleverdon arrived in Melbourne aboard the passenger ship Asturias in August 1948.  He reacquainted himself with my mother and they married.  Unfortunately he died in 1963 at age 37 when I was a baby; I do not remember him.  I remember when I was a boy I would browse through a photo collection he had of his time on HMS Implacable.  Naively I thought he must have taken all those exciting images of planes tangled in wires on the deck and wrecks being plucked from the sea.  Maybe he did take some photos, he did own a camera, but I have since seen some of the same images on the internet.  There were many more photos than I have found on the internet.  There must have been a ship's photographer and prints must have been made available to crew.  My mother remarried and unfortunately those precious photos I remember as a boy are lost.  

I have his service medals in the box they were posted to him in.  On the side of the box, I believe, is his service number.  It is ?x then six numerals.  I am not sure what the first character (?) is.  It could be a T, F or J.  It could also be the European way of writing the numeral 7, with the dash across; I can't type it that way.  I am not that good at reading “Old School” handwriting.

Any information, photos, links or personal accounts would be greatly appreciated. He was the only member of his family to migrate to Australia. I have recently applied to the RN for copies of his service records.  They have not arrived as yet.

Thank you,
Kenneth Cleverdon

35.
Aug. 22, 2012

I am looking information regarding H.M.S. Implacable. My husband's father served aboard this ship in the Pacific his name was Victor R. Buckingham and he died in Feb 1968 when my husband was 9 years old. On the website Arthur Leedham (Message #20) was looking information on Victor R. Buckingham D/J.X.649852. Any information or photos greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Mr. & Mrs. Buckingham

34.
July 23, 2012

I was wondering if you can help me with any information on Captain Michael Everard who served on the aircraft carrier Implacable. My very good friend has just lost her husband to cancer last December 2011 (Sam Everard), he was also in the navy a Lieutenant, but his father was Captain Michael Everard. He was trying to search for the period he served on the Implacable, the tours of duty he covered during World War 2, the the battles he was involved in... Also any photos of him with him alone or with his crew. Really any information possible of his carrier from when he joined the navy, threw to the end of his carrier when he retired. I appreciate any information or directions to find this information or if your can email me anything on the wonderful man and any photos I know I am asking a lot of you and I am sorry for that. looking forward to your reply.

Take care,
Steven Wilks
Queensland Australia

33.
Dec. 31, 2011

I would be interested to know if anyone new my father William Ronald Barber (known as Ron Barber) who served as a CPO on HMS Implacable from 1940. Unfortunately he died in 1964 when I was only 6, I therefore have little information about his time on this ship although for many years we had a photo album with many pictures taken by him. I can clearly remember one of the photos was of Nagasaki, after “the bomb”.

Many thanks,
Liam Barber

32.
Oct. 27, 2011

I just came across your website and on looking at the 'photo gallery' saw the last photo on the page "Implacable' leaving Devonport, October 1953". I'd just joined the Navy in September of that year, 17 years old and having done 2 weeks basic training in Victory barracks had joined the Implacable at Portland with the 2nd Training Squadron as an ordinary signalman. Fortunately we were soon on our way to the West Indies with the Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders, taking them to British Guyana, then visiting Barbados and Jamaica. Not a bad trip for a new recruit. Many thanks for the website. 

Dave Watkins,
now 76 and living up a mountain in Spain