1 9 4 2
December Contractor's
trials.
(Note : Radar fitted was Type 79B for aircraft warning and
Type 271 for surface
warning. See RADAR AT SEA by D Howse. HF
D/F Outfit FH3 was fitted
for use in determining position of wireless transmissions.)
1 9 4 3
January
31st Build completion.
On completion of
conversion commissioned for RN service as HMS TRACKER.
February Carried cut trials and
shakedown.
(Note : These my have been completed at RCN Base at Esquimalt, British Columbia.)
March
13th Took passage from Seattle to New York..
23rd Transit of Panama
Canal
April
4th Arrived in New York
Embarked US aircraft for delivery to Casablanca.
May
3rd Sailed from New York as part of US Convoy UGF8
10th Disembarked aircraft on arrival at Casablanca
On completion
sailed from Casablanca.
13th Deployed at Gibraltar
30th Sailed from Gibraltar for UK as part of inward
Convoy MKF15 to Liverpool.
June
4th Detached from MKF15 and took passage to Belfast for refit.
Taken in hand for modification to suit RN deployment for convoy
defence.
July Under conversion
August On
completion carried out post refit trials.
Embarked SWORDFISH and SEAFIRE aircraft and personnel OF 816
Squadron.
Commenced
work-up in Clyde for operational service in Clyde area
September
2nd Deployed for deck landing training of 768 Squadron in Clyde
(Note : Aircraft of 768 Sq1uadron had been in HM Fleet
Aircraft Carrier ARGUS.)
23rd Deployed in NW Approaches with 816 Squadron embarked to carry
out anti-submarine
operations in conjunction with Support Groups in NW
Approaches.
(Note : For details of allied and enemy weapons and tactics
used in the Atlantic
see SEEK AND
STRIKE by W Hackmann,
BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by
J Terraine, THE BATTLE Of THE ATLANTIC by D MacIntyre
and U-BOAT WAR
IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO).)
30th Provided anti-submarine cover for passage of inward Convoy
HX258 from Halifax and
outward ON203 to Newfoundland.
October
Returned to Clyde.
2nd Deployed with HM Sloops STARLING, KITE for defence of
outward Convoy ONB207.
25th Transferred to provide anti-submarine
cover for inward Convoy HX262.
(Note : Known assembly of SIEGFRIED and KORNER U-Boat Groups
were being used to
make attacks on Convoys ON207, ON208, HX262, HX263, HX264,
SC145 and
ONS21)
28th Deployed with HX262 and launched air patrols during
refuelling of escorts.
29th Transferred to provide anti-submarine cover for passage of
inward Convoys ON209 and
HX263.
November Deployment
with 2nd Escort Group in continuation.
1st Experienced severe weather which limited flying operations
after damage to several
aircraft.
Transferred to south to operate in better weatrher
conditions.
5th Aircraft launched to investigate area found by intercepted
U-Boat radio transmissions.
See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann.
6th Under attack by U262 which was detected by HMS KITE and sujnk by ships of 2nd
Support Group.
U842 was later
sighted by ship’s aircraft and later sunk by ships of Support Group
For details see
U_BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR
by C Blair.)
7th Provided anti-submarine air cover for
passage of inward Convoy HX268.
8th Under torpedo attack by U648 with
Acoustic GNAT torpedoes which missed.
Support Group
ships anti-submarine search was unsuccessful.
Took passage to Argentia, Newfoundland to refuel
Delayed by heavy
weather
11th Further delay by fog off Newfoundland.
12th Under repair to Machinery defects at Argentia.
23rd Sailed from Argentia to Norfolk Va.
28th Under machinery repair at Norfolk.
December
5th Sailed from Norfolk to resume
anti-submarine operations.
15th Provided anti-submarine air cover in
support of passage of inward Convoy HX270.
28th Disembarked 8165 Squadron aircraft and
personnel.
1 9 4 4
January
5th Embarked 846 Squadron AVENGER aircraft
and personnel.
Deployed to
work-up Squadron for operational service,
15th Under defect repair in Clyde shipyard.
February
13th On completion sailed with sister ship HMS BITER to provide
anti-submarine defence
in conjunction with 2nd Support Group.
Launched air
patrol to carry out patrols in defence of outward joint Convoy
OS68/KMS43 and outward ONS29.
March
2nd Provided anti-submarine air cover for passage of joint
inward Convoy
SL150/MKS41 with HMS BITER.
13th Arrived in Clyde for machinery repairs.
Nominated for service in Home Fleet on completion.
25th Sailed from Clyde for Scapa Flow.
29th Deployed as part of main escort for Convoy JW58 to Kola Inlet
with HM Cruiser
DIADEM, HM Escort
Aircraft Carrier ACTIVITY, HM Destroyers IMPULSIVE,
INCONSTANT,
OBEDIENT, OFFA, ONSLOW, OPPORTUNE, ORIBI, ORWELL,
SAUMAREZ, SERAPIS, SCORPION, VENUS and Norwegian STORD.
(Operation FY)
(Note : For details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS
TO RUSSIA
by RA Ruegg, CONVOY! by P Kemp, ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman
and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield.
2nd Escort Group
was also deployed for support of this operation.)
April
4th Detached from JW58 on arrival in Kola
Inlet.
7th Joined return Convoy RA57 with HM Destroyers IMPULSIVE,
SCORPION, ORWELL,
HM Corvettes
BLUEBELL and HONEYSUCKLE, HM Sloops STARLING, MAGPIE,
WHIMBREL, WREN, and WILD GOOSE to supplement escort to Loch Ewe.
14th Detached from RA58 and took passage to Belfast.
15th Under repair to damage caused when
aircraft had crashed on deck.
29th Deployed for anti-submarine search in
support of passage of Atlantic convoys.
May
3rd Provided air cover in support of 1st and 2nd Support Groups
during passage o
Convoy UC21
6th Passage to Scapa
Flow for Home
Fleet deployment
Nominated for
support of allied landings in Normandy after refiot
(Operation NEPTUNE).
(For details of
naval activities prior to and during the operation see OPERATION
NEPTUNE by K Edwards and
LANDINGS IN NORMANDY, JUNE 1944 (HMSO).)
9th Taken in hand for refit
On completion
resumed Home Fleet deployment.
June
3rd Sailed with HM Escort Aircraft Carriers PURSUER and EMPEROR
to position about
130 miles west
of Lands End to prevent any attempt by German submarines to enter
Channel area to
attack invasion convoys.
(Note : Escort Carriers were attached to Support Groups of
Sloops and Frigates
of Western Approaches Command for this operation which was
particularly
successful. See above references.)
10th Involved in collision with HM Frigate TEME and sustained
damage
11th Disembarked 846 Squadron aircraft to
RNAS LIMAVADI, Ulster.
12th Arrived at Belfast for assessment of
repair work.
Repair arranged
at Liverpool
19th Passage to Liverpool
Taken in hand for repair.
July Under
repair.
to
August
September Nominated for support of Russian
convoy transit on completion of post repair
Trials.
20th Embarked 853 Squadron AVENGER aircraft and personnel
Worked –up in Clyde area for operational service.
October Work-up completion delayed for
repair.
5th Under repair in Clyde shipyard.
14th Passage to rejoin Home Fleet
15th Arrived at Scapa Flow to resume Fleet
service.
22nd Deployed with HM Escort Aircraft Carriers NAIRANA and VINDEX
with escort
of Convoy JW61 to Kola Inlet to provide anti-submarine
cover.
(Operation
TRIAL)
(Note :HM Frigates BYRON, CONN, DEANE, FITZROY, INGLIS, LAWSON,
LORING, LOUIS,
MOUNSEY, NARBOROUGH, REDMILL and RUPERT
provided surface support.)
28th Detached with above ships on arrival
after unscathed passage of mercantiles.
November Nominated for loan service with US
Navy for deployment as a Ferry Carrier.
2nd Deployed for support of return Convoy RA61 and positioned
within convoy
7th Arrived at Greenock after detaching with other carriers
before RA61
completed passage at Loch Ewe
. (Note : Convoy RA61 arrived without loss. See references.)
10th Sailed from Clyde to New York.
December Deployed for US Navy service.
(Note : Area of deployment to be confirmed. It may have been
on east coast
of USA.
Nominated for service in Pacific.
1 9 4 5
January
1st Took passage to San Diego via Panama.
Deployed at Long Beach to embark aircraft.
29th Sailed from Long Beach to US Navy Forward base in operational
area
February US Navy Loan deployment as Ferry Carrier
for transport of aircraft for
to US
Pacific Fleet in continuation
June
July Nominated for release
from loan service
19th Passage from Long Beach to Panama.
21st Transit of Panama Canal.
22nd Passage to Norfolk, Va
29th Released from US Navy service and took passage to UK
August Arrived in Clyde
9th Commenced de-storing and removal of British equipment
Paid-off and
reduced in Reserve status.
Laid-up in Clyde.
