1 9 4 4
January Contractor's trials.
(Note : Three US Navy Radar outfits were fitted during build.
Type SK for aircraft detection],
Type SG for surface warning and a fire
control radar for Close Range AA armament. See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse.)
Completed
or use as an Assault Carrier to provide air support in amphibious
operations but never used in that role.)
February
18th Transferred to Royal Navy and
commissioned as HMS REAPER.
21st Build completion and commenced sea
trials
March Sea
trials and shakedown in continuation.
31st Took passage to Esquimalt.
April Taken in hand for
commencement of modification by HM Canadian Dockyard to suit RN
service.)
May Deployed at Esquimalt
24th Sailed for San Francisco
(Note: Further
trials and exercises on passage to be confirmed.)
June
22nd Took passage to Panama
July Passage
from Panama to Norfolk, Va.
7th Arrived at Norfolk.
(Note : Embarkation of aircraft for passage to UK To be confirmed.)
22nd Took passage to New York
25th Sailed from New York for Clyde with inward Convoy
HX301.
August Detached from HX301 and took
passage to Greenock.
(Note: HX301
arrived in Liverpool on 8th)
5th Taken in hand for repair in Clyde commercial shipyard.
(Note : Modification of petrol distribution system to be
confirmed.)
On completion
embarked aircraft for transport to Gibraltar.
25th Joined outward Convoy KMF34 in NW Approaches for passage to Gibraltar
(Note KM F34
sailed from Clyde on 24th..)
31st Deployed at Gibraltar to disembark aircraft.
September
10th Joined inward Convoy MKF34 for Atlantic
passage to UK
(Note : MKF34 sailed from Port Said on 3rd September)
14th Detached from
MKF34 on arrival in Clyde.
Nominated
for service as Ferry Carrier
27th Took passage to Norfolk to collect aircraft
(Note : Independent passage to be confirmed.)
October Embarked
aircraft at Norfolk Navy Yard.
9th Sailed from Norfolk to New York
16th Took passage from Hampton Roads, New York with US inward Convoy UGF16
to Gibraltar
25th Disembarked aircraft at Gibraltar
(Note : UGF16 arrived at Naples on 28th.)
November
1st Passage from Gibraltar with US outward
Convoy GUF15B from Naples.
Detached
from GUF15B and made independent passage to Norfolk Va
(Note : GUF15B arrived at Hampton Roads on 7th.)
Deployed at Norfolk Navy Yard.
18th Sailed from Norfolk to New York to embark aircraft
22nd Embarked 36 CORSAIR
aircraft at New York for
transport to UK.
23rd Took passage to Belfast from New York.
December
5th Disembarked
aircraft at Belfast.
Passage to Greenock.
9th Sustained damage in collision with
mercantile ss TEGELBURG in Clyde.
Repair
arranged in Clyde shipyard
Under repair.
1 9 4 5
January Nominated
for detached service as Ferry Carrier for transport of US aircraft
in Pacific.
5th On completion of repair took passage
to Panama.
20th Passage in Pacific Ocean to San Diego
29th Deployed at San Diego for US Navy detached service
as Ferry Carrier in Pacific
February Deployed
in Pacific for transport of US aircraft from west coast ports.
to
April
May Nominated
for return to UK
On
release from detached service took passage to New York.
13th Deployed at New York
Passage to Clyde from New York.
25th Arrived in Clyde
Nominated
for refit at Rosyth and took passage to Forth
31st Taken in hand for
refit by HM Dockyard Rosyth.
June Under
refit
to Nominated for service in 30th Aircraft
Carrier Squadron, Pacific Fleet.
July
August On completion of refit embarked aircraft and took
passage to join Squadron in BPF.
