Special Ships, page 6: HMS Ark Royal
Sailing and HMS Ark Royal
"Once in a while there comes a sound that captures an emotion. No-one tells you, you know it. The tinlgle down the spine, the excited knot in the stomach, the lump in the throat, the goose pimples tell you, and for many of us that moment came when a great ship bared its soul and sang wistfully and longingly of its homeland and its loved ones. It was when Her Majesty's Ship, The Ark Royal, took the BBC and 10 million viewers to sea for 10 weeks and the award winning series "Sailor" was born. This is about a ship, a time and a song - her song - "Sailing".- PETER GODFREY
BBC Television began screening a series called 'Sailor', a documentary about life onboard H.M.S. Ark Royal. Rod Stewart's song 'I am sailing' was used as the title theme tune for the series. The series was enormously popular with the public and inspired Robin to want to paint another subject from life. Immediately he began to make plans and contacts in anticipation of at least one canvas to commemorate the great ship's decommissioning in two years' time. At the time, the Ark Royal was thought to be Britain's last aircraft carrier and last capital surface ship of any size.
© Robin Brooks 2007 |
H.M.S. Ark Royal
Oil on canvas |
© Robin Brooks 2007 |
H.M.S. Ark Royal
Oil on canvas |
Robin Brooks and Rear Admiral Ted Anson (Former Captain of HMS Ark Royal) at RN Naval Base, Yeovilton 1980. |
Peter Cadbury, Chairman of Westward Television, presenting the painting 'HMS Ark Royal' to the Lord Mayor of Plymouth, Cllr G. Jinks 1980.
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© Robin Brooks 2007 'HMS Ark Royal' decommissioning at Plymouth Dockyard and the faithful Volvo 245, 1978/9. |
© Robin Brooks 2007 Sailors cap ribbon from H.M.S. Ark Royal presented to Robin by Captain Anson onboard. |
© Robin Brooks 2007
'The Old and the New'
New Carrier H.M.S. Invincible 1980 steams past,
H.M.S. Ark Royal awaiting scrapping.
More Special Ships in this Section
- Special Ships page 1: Danmark and US Eagle
- Special Ships page 2: HMS Repulse
- Special Ships page 3: HMS Dorsetshire and HMS Cornwall
- Special Ships page 4: Resolution and Adventure in the Antarctic
- Special Ships page 5: HMS Shannon and USS Chesapeake
- Special Ships page 6: HMS Ark Royal
- Special Ships page 7: HMS Exeter (1931-1942)
- Special Ships page 8: HMS Exeter (1980 onwards)
- Special Ships page 9: HMS Exeter, page 2
- Special Ships page 10: Painting HMS Exeter - notes from the shipyard
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