Ark Royal Lecture at the RAeS Weybridge Branch

On 19 February 2025, the RAeS Weybridge Branch hosted Rear Admiral David Snelson CB FNI, recounting the story of the five ships that were named ‘Ark Royal’. Snelson began his naval career as a Fighter Controller aboard Ark Royal IV in 1978 and later became Captain of Ark Royal V in 2001. He opened the talk by asking if anyone had heard of the name Ark Royal and many had. He then put up a slide of the two people who he felt were responsible for this - Joseph Goebbels and Rod Stewart! More of that later.