1
9 4 2
October
31st
Commissioned for Royal Navy service as
HMS BATTLER
November
Commenced
Acceptance Trials
9th
Sustained structural damage by
striking a jetty during trials.
Passage
to New
Orleans for repair
10th
Under repair.
15th
Shipyard work completed.
(Note: It
is presumed ship returned to builders
yard on
completion of repair in New Orleans.
20th
Passage to Norfolk,
Va
(Note: One
source records that four SWORDFISH
aircraft were
embarked from Jamaica
for
passage to UK
and destined for 840 Squadron.
If
ship joined Convoy HX220 which sailed
from New
York
on 21t December the
these
aircraft could have been embarked at Norfolk
having been shipped to Norfolk.)
23rd
Under further
repair at US Navy Yard, Norfolk.
December
21st
On completion of repair embarked 18
MARTLET aircraft for passage to UK
(Note: Four
SWORDFISH aircraft may have been
embarked. See
above.
The
MARTLET aircraft were destined for 840
Squadron.)
Took passage to join
inward Convoy HX220 to UK
during transit to Liverpool.
See
above Note re departure date.)
1
9 4 3
January
9th
Detached from HX220 on arrival in Liverpool
12th
Taken in hand for
modifications to suit RN deployment as
an Escort Carrier.
Allocated for
service in Western Approaches Command
for Atlantic
convoy defence.)
February
Under
modification including fit of British
radar outfits,
March
Passage
to Clyde
for work-up on completion of
modification.
April
Deployed in Clyde
based at Greenock
(Note: It
is assumed that personnel and aircraft
for 808
(SWORDFISH) and 890 (MARTLET
Squadrons
were embarked at Greenock
Aircraft
may have been transferred whilst
alongside or joined at sea in the Clyde.)
4th
Commenced work-up including training
of aircrew for Anti-submarine
operations.
May
Deployed
for working-up in Clyde
area and NW Approaches.
Nominated
to provide air cover with escort for
outward joint Convoy OS49/KMS16 during
passage to
Gibraltar (KMS16) and West Africa
(OS76)) in NW
Approaches
June
4th
Joined escort for OS46/KMS16 to
provide air cover during passage to Gibraltar
13th
Detached with ships destined for Gibraltar
and provided air cover for re-designated
KMS16G
during passage to Gibraltar
15th
Detached on
arrival at Gibraltar.
22nd
Deployed with escort
of inward Convoy XK 9 to give air
cover during passage to Clyde.
July
Detached
on arrival of XK9 in North Channel
Squadrons
disembarked
Nominated
for support of planned allied landings
on Italian mainland at Salerno
(Operation
AVALANCHE)
Deployed
in Clyde
and prepared For AVALANCHE.
August
Deployed
in Clyde.
Embarked 807 and 808
Squadron personnel. with
SEAFIRE aircraft
September
1st
Took passage to Mediterranean
Joined
Force V (Designated Force 88 for
AVALANCHE) and took part in exercises in
preparation
for landings at Salerno)
(Force
V comprised HM Cruisers EURYALUS,
CHARYBDIS, SCYLLA, HM
Light
Fleet
Carrier
UNICORN, HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers ATTACKER, HUNTER and
STALKER
with HM Destroyers CLEVELAND, HOLCOMBE,
ATHERSTONE,
LIDDESDALE,
FARNDALE, CALPE,
HAYDON, Polish destroyers ORP SLAZAK and
ORP
KRAKOWIAK deployed as screen).
6th
Deployed at Malta
with Force V.
8th
Provided air
cover during passage of assault
convoys to Salerno.
(Operation
AVALANCHE. For details see ENGAGE THE
ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
C
Barnett
and
the Naval Staff History.).
9th
Deployed off Salerno
during assault landings for gunnery
observation and defence of the
anchorage
against air attacks.
(Note:
During this operation air attacks using
radio
controlled bombs were used for the
first tine in
the Mediterranean. See above references.)
Some
aircraft were landed when shore airfield
was available.
14th
After release from AVALANCHE Force V
disbanded.
Re-embarked
aircraft and took passage to Gibraltar.
20th
At Gibraltar
Passage
to UK
(Note:
Other Force V aircraft carriers also
returned during
this period and provided air
cover during
the passage of military convoy from Gibraltar.
Further research is
required to
establish whether ship was also deployed
for
this duty.)
22nd
Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet
for convoy defence in Indian Ocean based at
Bombay.
On
arrival in North
Channel
disembarked aircraft and landed Squadron
personnel
Embarked
834 Squadron and both SWORDFISH and
SEAFIRE aircraft..
October
Took
passage to join Eastern Fleet
November
Arrived
at Aden
and nominated to provide cover for
passage of Convoy AB18A during
passage in Indian Ocean to Bombay.
4th
Sailed from Aden
with AB18
Detached
from AB18 and took return passage to Aden
11th
Provided air cover
for passage of Convoy AB20 during
passage to Bombay
from Aden.
Deployed at Bombay.
To be confirmed.
December
12th
Provided air cover for passage of Convoy
AB
24A during passage in Indian
Ocean
from Aden to Bombay
Deployed
at Bombay
1
9 4 4
January
Deployed
at Bombay
8th
Provided air cover for passage of
Convoy AB27 during passage in Indian Ocean from
Aden
to Bombay
Diverted to carry
out anti-submarine search operations
off East African
coast.
(Note: This
was because of the known increase in
submarine
activity in Indian
Ocean
For
details see WAR WITH JAPAN Vol.IV
(HMSO)
Deployed
for aircraft search operations
February
Indian
Ocean
anti-submarine search deployment in
continuation,
Nominated
for service with HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE
and HM Destroyer QUADRANT
in Force 67
to take part in an operation to
intercept
U-Boats which were known to be
refuelled
from the supply ship CHARLOTTE.
Passage to join
Force 67 at Mauritius.
March
Joined
Force 67 and began air search as
required by Flag Officer in HMS
NEWCASTLE
(Operation
COVERED – See above reference.)
5th
Sailed from Mauritius
with ships of Force 67.
12th
SWORDFISH from ship sighted tanker with
two submarines alongside.
Carried
air strikes with SWORDFISH aircraft
during which on one of the submarine
which
was hit but
managed to escape.
(Note: The
supply ship, identified as BRAKE
scuttled by crew
on approach of HM
Destroyer
ROEBUCK which had joined Force 67 on 6th
March)
16th
Returned to Mauritius,
Deployed for trade protection in Indian
Ocean
and on release took passage to Durban.
21st
Arrived at Durban
for refit.
April
Under refit.
May
Deployed
for Indian Ocean
convoy defence.
June
Indian
Ocean
deployment in
continuation.
(Note: Only
one SWORDFISH aircraft of 834 Squadron
was
embarked.)
28th
Provided air cover for passage of Convoy
CM33 in Indian
Ocean
during
passage
to Aden from Kilindini.
July
Indian
Ocean
deployment in
continuation.
11th
Deployed with
escort of Convoy KR11 during passage
from Kilindini to Colombo.
Deployed
at Colombo
August
Passage
from Colombo
to Addu
Atoll.
Deployed
to carry out anti-submarine air patrols
for Indian
Ocean
convoy defence
based at Addu
Atoll.
September
Indian
Ocean
deployment in
continuation.
to
October
November
Deployment
for Indian
Ocean
trade defence in continuation.
Nominated
for return to UK
8th
Selected for re-designation as a Ferry
Carrier
December
Passage
to Australia
(Note: It
may be assumed ship had provided air
cover for
convoys to Australia.)
9th
Took passage from Australia
to UK
via Panama
Canal
1
9 4 5
January
Passage
in Pacific
February
Passage
to Norfolk,
Va
after transit of Canal.
March
On
arrival nominated for service in Western
Approaches Command..
5th
Deployed for Deck Landing Training in Clyde
are and NW Approaches.
April
Deck
Landing training in continuation.
May
24th
Deployed in Belfast
area.
June
Deployment
for deck landing training in
continuation
4th
Transferred to Rosyth Command.
July
Deployed
for Deck Landing training in North Sea
to
Nominated
for return to US Navy
December
1
9 4 6
January
Passage
to Clyde
to de-store and remove British equipment
6th
Arrived in Clyde
(Note: It
may be assumed that a large proportion
of ships
company were drafted
back top
Depots and only a Steaming crew
retained.)
18th
Prepared for
Atlantic passage.
19th
Took passage to Norfolk,
Va.
February
Arrived
at Norfolk
Navy Yard.
12th
Formally returned to US Navy.