The HMS Hermes was the world’s first purpose built aircraft carrier.
Launched in 1919 she served initially with the Atlantic Fleet and then the East Africa campaign and the beginning of World War II.
Hermes was berthed in Trincomalee on 8 April 1942 when a warning of an Indian Ocean raid by the Japanese fleet was received. She sailed that day for the Maldives with no aircraft on board and was spotted the following day by a Japanese scout plane near Batticaloa. She was attacked by several dozen dive bombers shortly afterwards, and with no air cover, the carrier was quickly sunk with the loss of 307 men
The HMS Hermes now lies in 53 metres off Batticaloa, Sri Lanka.
This trip was an incredible experience organized by Pete Mesley's "Lust 4 Rust".