HMS Warrior/Operational Grapple Presentation Tankard

Made from English pewter, the tankard is engraved with a flying bird with a grappling hook held in its claws and below engraved "Operation Grapple" 1956-1957 Cdr. P. Whitfield DFC, RN from Ship's Flight HMS Warrior. Warrior was an aircraft carrier launched in 1944. She took part in Operation Grapple, the first British hydrogen bomb tests held near the Malden and Christmas Islands in the Central Pacific Ocean, embarking a handful of helicopters and Grumman Avenger AS.4s to collect samples from the tests and ferry them back for analysis. After the operation was completed the Avengers were catapulted into the sea as they were considered contaminated with radioactivity. Warrior was broken up in 1971. Measures 5" (13 cm)