Royal Navy. A photograph album chronicling the inaugural voyage of HMS Ajax. The album covers its maiden commission, spanning from the 11th of June 1935 to the 6th of August 1937, during which the ship visited various locations including Gibraltar, Malta, Bermuda, South Georgia, Buenos Aires, Trinidad, and Havana. It contains approximately 236 neatly captioned photographs, each measuring 10.5cm x 7.5cm. The subject matter captured includes picturesque views of the visited regions, as well as moments such as the procurement of war supplies in Bermuda, the firing of smoke screens, the impressive 'Big Shoot' performed by the battleships of Alexandria, the harpooning of whales, the erection of a cairn in memory of Shackleton, and several onboard scenes from the Ajax, including the engine room, bridge, torpedo tubes, seaboat crew, and the aircraft catapult. Additionally, there are photographs documenting a 'Crossing of the Line' ceremony, also known as the Royal Neptune's Court, and more.

The album is accompanied by copies of research obtained from naval-history.net, providing detailed information about the history of HMS Ajax. The ship, a Leander-class cruiser, was ordered from Vickers Armstrong of Barrow under the 1931 Programme on the 1st of October 1932. It was laid down as Yard No 682 on the 7th of February 1933 and officially launched on the 1st of March 1934, becoming the eighth Royal Navy warship to bear the name, first used in 1767. Completion of the ship occurred on the 15th of April 1935, at a cost of £1.48 million. HMS Ajax played a significant role during World War II, particularly in the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939, where it dealt substantial damage to the German battleship Graf Spree, leading to its eventual scuttling. Following 1940, HMS Ajax was primarily deployed in the Mediterranean. In February 1942, the civil community of Halifax adopted the ship after a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings Campaign.