The north side of No. 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard, Hampshire

Looking north-by-west from the top of the 250 ton hammerhead crane on the Promontory showing the central part of the north side of No. 3 Basin, Portsmouth Dockyard. A floating crane is on the left. Berthed on the inside of the North Wall is the armed merchant cruiser Ranpura (1924) awaiting conversion to a repair ship. Her bow is not in the picture. Alongside the Ranpura (1924) are the two incomplete submarines Thor (1944) and Tiara (1944) which were floated out of No. 13 Dry Dock on 18 Apr. 1944 but never completed. Berthed on Fountain Lake Jetty are a large number of Lend/lease British Yard minesweepers (BYMS) and British built motor minesweepers of various types. At moorings in Fountain lake are a number of LCF (landing craft flak) and LCI (landing craft infantry). On the right is the end of the floating dock AFD 11 (1924) and the laid up royal yacht Victoria & Albert (1899). Whale Island is in the background with Portsdown Hill beyond. Resident photographer Robert William Wheeler took the photograph using a 5" x 4" press plate camera, assisted by Mr Fred E Wooden.