1
9 4 3
April Contractors
trials
28th Build completion
29th Formally transferred to Royal Navy and
commissioned as HMS STRIKER.
May Carried
out sea trials and shakedown off San Francisco.
29th Sailed from San Francisco for Norfolk via Panama
June Passage
to east coast USA
20th Carried out
further work-up off Norfolk, Va.
Passage to New York.
30th Joined Convoy HX246 in New York for passage to Clyde.
July
13th Detached from convoy on arrival in Liverpool.
Passage to
Sheerness
18th Taken in hand by HM Dockyard Chatham for modifications to
suit RN service for
(Note : Modifications to petrol distribution system
introduced after the loss of HMS DASHER
were unlikely to have been carried out during this period.)
August Under
refit
to Allocated for service in Western
Approaches Command for convoy defence.
September
October On
completion of post refit trials took passage to Clyde for work-up.
Embarked
824 Squadron aircraft and personnel..
21st Commenced work-up for operational
service in Clyde area.
November Work up
in continuation
25th Under repair in Clyde shipyard.
December On
completion joined 1st British Escort Group.
16th Provided
anti-submarine air cover for joint convoy KMS26/OS62 during its Atlantic
passage.
24th Under attacks by U-Boats of BORKUM Group
during which HM Destroyer
HURRICANE
was sunk by acoustic torpedo fired from U305. See U-BOATS
DESTROYED by P Kemp.
(Note : BORKUM Group were deployed to cover return of the
Blockade Runner OSORNO
which was later attacked by RAF aircraft after sighting by
aircraft from ship
. ORSONO
later was beached after striking a wreck in Gironde estuary.)
28th Provided anti-submarine air cover for joint inward Convoy
SL143/MKS34 during passage
to Liverpool.
1 9 4 4
January Atlantic convoy defence in
continuation.
1st Provided anti-submarine air cover for
outward joint Convoy OS63/MKS37 during Atlantic passage
7th Provided anti-submarine air cover for
joint inward Convoy SL144/MKS35 during passage to
Liverpool.
17th Retuned to Clyde and taken in hand for repair and routine
maintenance in Clyde shipyard
(Note : Ship had been at sea for 26 days.)
February Nominated
for deployment with HM Escort Carrier FENCER.
8th Sailed for anti-submarine support of passage
of outward Convoy ON223
15th Provided anti-submarine air cover for
passage of inward Convoy HX277
19th Under repair in Clyde shipyard.
March On
completion resumed Atlantic convoy defence.
4th Provided anti-submarine air cover for
passage of joint outward Convoy OS70/KMS 44 during
passage in NW Approaches.
9th Deployed with HM Frigate BAYNTON and
HM Corvettes CLOVER and carried out air attacks
on U575 which had sunk HM Corvette ASPHODEL part of escort
for joint inward convoy
SL150/MKS41.
(Note : U575 was fitted with SCHNORKEL. For details see
U-BOAT WAR IN
THE ATLANTIC (HMSO). Submarine escaped but was
itself sunk on
13th March when carrying attack on Convoy ON227. See U-BOATS
DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
18th Transferred to Home Fleet for planned
operations.
21st Deployed to provide anti-submarine
cover during attacks on shipping in Bodo and Rorvik areas
by HM Fleet Aircraft Carriers FURIOUS, VICTORIOUS, HM Escirt Aircraft Carriers
EMPEROR, PURSUER and SEARCHER (Operations RIDGE ABLE and RIDGE
BAKER.)
23rd Took part in Home Fleet air operation to
attack German battleship TIRPITZ
with HM Aircraft Carriers VICTORIOUS and FURIOUS, HM Escort
Carriers
SEARCHER, EMPEROR and PURSUER. Cover was provided by HM
Battleship
ANSON and cruisers with screen of
destroyers (Operation PLANET).
24th Operation delayed 24 hours by weather.
25th Operation cancelled due to weather
conditions.
26th Took part in air
operations against Norwegian coast shipping near Bodo.
(Note : Three ships were sunk for loss of six aircraft from
carriers.
May Home
Fleet duties in continuation for attacks on shipping off Norway.
11th Embarked 898 Squadron WILDCAT aircraft
and personnel for additional support
Resumed
service in Western Approaches
15th Provided anti-0submarine air cover
during Atlantic passage of outward joint Convoy
OS77/KMS
51
(Note : Sister ships HMS ATTACKER and HMS HUNTER were also on
passage in Atlantic
for service in Mediterranean.)
June Transferred
to Home Fleet for planned Norwegian coast operations.
(Note : Did not take part in Normandy landings (Operation NEPTUNE)
and not deployed
with Home Fleet covering Force for NEPTUNE.
12th Took part in attacks on shipping at Rorvik and shore targets at Fossesaag
with HMS
EMPEROR.
20th Deployed with HM Escort Aircraft Carrier
FENCER and HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD
(Operation
WANDERERS)
Remained at Scapa Flow for
Norwegian coast operations.)
27th Taken in hand for
defect repair in Clyde shipyard.
July On completion resumed
service in Western Approaches
10th Deployed with HMS VINDEX and 3rd Escort Group to carry out
anti-submarine operations
in Cape
Wrath area.
(Note : This was the last lengthy joint anti-submarine
operation by CVE with an Escort Group
and Coastal Command aircraft.. It was satisfactorily
continued in weather conditions
which precluded additional support by RAF aircraft.)
27th Returned
to Scapa Flow
Transferred to
SW Approaches for service in Plymouth Caommand
Passage to Plymouth
August
1st Deployed to provide air cover for HM
Cruisers Diadem, BELLONA and
ships of 10th Destroyer during search for enemy convoys off
French coast.
(Note : This proved unsuccessful and no ships were sighted by
ship’ aircraft.
On
release from Plymouth Command took passage to resume Home Fleet
service at Scapa Flow.
Nominated
for provision of anti-submarine air cover during passage of of
Russian
Convoy
JW59.
(Note : This convoy included HM Battleship ROYAL SOVEREIGN
and other
warships being transferred to Soviet Navy.)
17th Joined escort for JW59 with HM Cruisers
JAMAICA and HM Escort Carrier
VINDEX,
HM Destroyers CAPRICE, MARNE, METEOR, MILNE and
MUSKETEER
(Operation VICTUAL)
(Note : Close escort included ships from Western Approaches.
For
full details of all Russian Convoys and ships of escort see CONVOYS TO
TO
RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,
CONVOY ! by P Kemp, ARCTIC
CONVOYS
by R. Woodman and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield.).)
21st HM Sloop KITE of escort was sunk by
U344 with only nine survivors.
22nd Embarked aircraft shot down shadowing
flying boat.
(Note : HMS VINDEX aircraft sank U344.)
24th Detached from JW59
on arrival at Kola Inlet.
(Note : Embarked aircraft flew 133 sorties during passage.)
28th Sailed from Kola Inlet as part of escort
for return Convoy RA59 with same
ships as for JW59.
September
5th Detached from
RA59 after arrival in NW Approaches.
17th Deployed with HM Escort Carrier CAMPANIA
to provide air cover during
passage of Russian Convoy JW60.(Operation RIGMAROLE)
(Note : Other ships in escort included HM Battleship RODNEY,
HM Cruiser
DIADEM,
Home Fleet destroyers and escorts from Western
Approaches.)
23rd Detached on
arrival at Kola Inlet after unscathed passage.
(Note : Strong escort was provided because of possible threat
by TIRPITZ.
German
battleship was however un-seaworthy after air attacks.)
28th Joined escort for return Convoy RA60
with same ships.
October
3rd Detached from RA60 with Home Fleet
ships and returned to Scapa Flow.
6th Under repair of
defects in Clyde shipyard.
Nominated
for service with 3oth Aircraft Carrier Squadron, British Pacific Fleet
and to be deployed as a Replenish Carrier.
31st Took passage to Australia to join Squadron
November Passage
in Atlantic and Mediterranean
Transit of Suez Canal
December Passage
in Indian
Ocean
1 9 4 5
January
7th On arrival at Sydney allocated for service in
Fleet Train (Task Force 112.
Prepared for service as a Replenishment Carrier.
February Joined
30th Aircraft Carrier Squadron.
(Note : HM Escort Carrier SLINGER was also in Squadron.)
These
ships were to be used to carry replacement aircraft to RN
Carriers of BPF in the operational area.)
Took passage to BPF Forward base at Manus, Admiralty
Islands with TF112.
Allocated to Task Unit 112.2.1 with six RFA Tankers for support of
BPF ships.
March
7th Deployed at Manus
for support of BPF.
19th Sailed from Manus with 18 replacement
aircraft and took passage to operational area.
(Note : Participation of ships of British Pacific Fleet in
attacks on Sakishima-Gunto Group
was approved by US Chiefs of Staff (Operation ICEBERG ONE).
For
details of the various factors affecting use of BPF with US Navy in
operations in Pacific see THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by John Winton,
OPERATION PACIFIC by E Gray and TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith.)
BPF
ships designated Task Force 57 of US 5th Fleet to be supported by TF112.
25th Deployed
Replenishment Group during first refuelling of TF57 prior to operations.
Launched four replacement aircraft to Task Force 57 carriers.
28th With Replenishment
Group during refuelling of TF57 ships.
Launched
13 replacement aircraft to Task Forec57 carriers and recovered three flyable
but unserviceable aircraft
Transferred
AVENGER aircrew to 854 Squadron in HM Fleet Aircraft Carrier
ILLUSTRIOUS
Passage
to Leyte on completion..
April Deployed
for aircraft replacement during ICEBERG ONE.
(Note : Other ships in Group were HMS SPEAKER, HM Sloops
CRANE and
PHEASANT, HM Frigate
FINDHORN, HM Destroyers QUALITY and
WHELP
with six tankers.
5th Sailed from Leyte with 14 replacement
aircraft.
8th Supplied 12 replacement aircraft to Task Force 57 carriers
and recovered four flyable but
unserviceable aircraft.
Transferred AVENGER aircrew to 854 Squadron in HMS ILLUSTRIOUS.
(Note : Ships
of TF57 returned to Leyte on 23rd April to replenish
including aircraft
replacements.
46 aircraft
were ferried to TF57 Fleet Carriers during ICEBERG ONE by
HMS SLINGER and HMS STRIKER.)
May
3rd Sailed from Leyte with HMS RULER for support
of TF57 ships during continuation
of air attacks on Sakishima-Gunto
Group (Operation ICEBERG TWO).
6th Deployed in
Replenishment area.
Transferred 15 replacement aircraft to Task Force 57 carriers.
Embarked
34 casualties from HM Fleet Aircraft Carrier FORMIDABLE
(Note : These were victims of a bomb hit during air attacks
on 4th May.)
Passage
to Leyte
14th Deployed with Logistics Support Group
for aircraft replacement during refuelling
of TF57.
Transferred
14 replacement aircraft to carriers of Task Force 57 and recovered one
flyable unserviceable aircraft.
(Note : Group also included HMS RULER, HMS CRANE, HMS
PHEASANT, HM
Sloop WOODCOCK, HM Destroyer
NIZAM with two Tankers.
Embarked casualties from Hospital Ship OXFORDSHIRE for passage to Leyte.
(Note : This is to be confirmed.)
15th Transferred six replacement aircraft to
carriers of Task FOrce 57 and recovered one
unserviceable aircraft.
23rd Transferred aircraft to carriers of Task
Force 57.
On
completion took passage to Manus,
(Note : This was the last replenishment of Task Group 57
ships during ICEBERG TWO)
June Passage to Sydney with ships
of Fleet Train.
(Note : Ships of BPF were transferred to US 3rd Fleet
following reorganisation
of US Navy in Pacific theatre and redesignated
Task Force 37.
Nominated
for continued service as Replenishment Carrier in TF112 in support
of BPF ships during operations off Japan.
Passage to Manus for replenishment carrier duties.
July Deployed with HMS ARBITER, HMS
SPEAKER and HMS CHASER for supply of
replacement aircraft for TF37 Fleet Aircraft Carriers during
operations off Japan.
(See
THE FORGOTTEN FLEET for details.)
Became
Flagship of 30th Aircraft Carrier Squadron
9th Sailed from Manus with sister ship HMS
ARBITER.
(Note : Ships in Logistics Group included HMS NAPIER, HMS
NIZAM, HMS
PHEASANT, HMS REDPOLE,
HMS WHIMBREL, HMS FINDHORN and
HM
Australian Minesweeper GAWLER with three Tankers and a Stores
Ship.
20th Deployed with HMS ARBITER and HMS RULER
in Fleet Train during replenishment
of TF37 off Japan.
Transferred aircraft to carriers of Task Force.
27th Deployed with Logistics Group with HMS
SPEAKER and HMS RULER for
aircraft replacement
during refuelling period.
(Note : Ships in Logistics Group included HMS NAPIER, NIZAM, NEPAL, HMS
PHEASANT, CRANE,
REDPOLE, HM Frigates PARRET and PLYM, HM
Australian
Minesweepers WHYALLA, PIRIE and LAUNCESTON with
four tankers and three Supply Ships. This was the last
replenishment
operation in which ship took part.)
August Passage to collect replacement aircraft.
2nd Arrived at Manus.
4th Sailed from Manus with replacement
aircraft
6th Diverted and ordered to return to
Manus.
(Note : BPF ships were withdrawn from Task Force 37 apart
from Token Force
on 12th August
because of lack of fuel from British tankers. See above
references.)
