The year 1962 was a landmark one in the 19-year career of the light fleet aircraft carrier HMS Albion. She catapulted her last jet aircraft in December 1960, and had spent 18 months in dockyard hands at Portsmouth, being converted from an aircraft carrier to a commando carrier. On 1 August 1962 she was recommissioned for her very eventful first commission in her new role.
During the period she was in dockyard hands, her catapults and arrester wires were removed and additional messdecks were provided for the Commando Groups which would be embarked. The gun sponsons on both sides of the ship were converted to carry four LCAs. During the second week of August 1962, Albion put to sea for the first time in 18 months to carry out post-refit trials and a work-up, for which 41 Commando Group, Royal Marines, were embarked in Plymouth Sound and landed in Dorset to ‘assault’ the Purbeck Hills.
She steamed down the Channel to the Lizard area, where she embarked her two helicopter squadrons, 845 with its Westland Wessex HA1s, and 846 with Westland Whirlwind HAS-7s. On 3 November 1962 the ship sailed for one of the last long Foreign Service commissions East of Suez.
As Albion steamed through the Mediterranean she took part in Exercise Sandfly, landing 41 Commando by. The next five days were spent transferring stores and 41 Commando were exchanged for 40 Commando.
