The End of an Era.

Today my Journal is dedicated to the demise of our last aircraft Carrier H.M.S Ark Royal which is making its last departure from its home port of Portsmouth.

Today is a very sad day for the People of Portsmouth, The Naval families of the UK, the Royal Navy and for the Security and safety of our Island. for today the last of the Royal Navy aircraft carriers is leaving Portsmouth Harbour at 1.00 pm and being towed to a scrap yard in Turkey for its scrap metal value which the Politicians of our Island Nation  think is worth more than the safety of the People they represent.

Why am I feeling like this you may ask, well the answer is simple, like many other people around the united Kingdom and (particularly in Portsmouth), we are related through the centuries to our ancestors being members of the Royal Navy ( The Senior service) dating back to the crimean war and beyond. My Great Great Grand father (Joseph Smith)was in the Royal Navy, based in Jersey in the 1850,s to the 1870,s and my Grandfather (John Michael Smith) was also in the royal Navy serving in world war one, My Maternal Grandfather (Frederick Hubbard was also in the Royal Navy again serving in World War one, and My Father was in the royal navy ( Albert Joseph Smith)  as were his Brothers and sister again all serving in the Second World War

Joseph Smith (Great Great Grandfather)

John Michael Smith (Grandfather)

Frederick Hubbard (Grandfather)

Albert Joseph Smith (Father)

So as you can see the family has a strong affiliation to the Royal Navy, so it is a sad day to see the Flagship of the Royal Navy being towed out of Portsmouth Harbour to be scrapped at a scrap yard in Turkey, although they are building new aircraft carriers these will not be operational until sometime in 2020 so until then our naval fleet has no air cover if there is another conflict.

Unfortunately I could not get down to see her leave, Pauline did offer to take me down but it was a dull day and it would have been very busy however I have found some photographs of her leaving and pauline did manage also to take a couple of pictures of her going past Southsea Common.

A large crowd gathering on the Round Tower

HMS Ark Royal leaving Portsmouth Harbour.

HMS Ark Royal being towed into the Solent

The view of HMS Ark Royal Taken by Pauline passing Southsea Common

so that is my day today, the end of another era and there will be a lot of sad faces around Portsmouth today. anyway sorry I have taken up most of todays Journal with this story but it is an important event here in Portsmouth especially as it is the home of the Royal navy and has been for centuries .

My day has been very quiet, I slept well last night and have had a very restful day today , I have spent most of the day watching the TV and following the news reports of the Ark Royal, I had my lunch at 2.00 and had Sea Bass, New Potato and Cauliflower cheese, and tonight for tea I will have some chicken soup, anyway it is nearly 4.00 so I will get this Journal posted and then settle down to watch a film "Home alone 3" which I recorded yesterday, so until tomorrow when I return with my normal Journey I will say Cheerio.