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SERVICE HISTORIES of ROYAL NAVY WARSHIPS in WORLD WAR 2

by Lt Cdr Geoffrey B Mason RN (Rtd) (c) 2006

HMS ACTIVITY (D 94), Escort Aircraft Carrier
including Convoy Escort Movements 

Edited by Gordon Smith, Naval-History.Net

HMS Activity (Navy Photos/Mike Pocock, click to enlarge) return to Contents List 
 

British mercantile requisitioned by the Admiralty in January  1942 during build at by Caledon SB of Dundee for the Blue Funnel Line and to be named mv TELEMACHUS. She had been laid down on 1st February 1940 and when launched on 30th May 1942 was named EMPIRE ACTIVITY. This ship was converted for use as an  Escort Aircraft Carrier (CVE)  during build and was the second British built warship of this  type,  following the successful but short service of HMS AUDACITY  (See General Information.) After build completion on 15th  October  1942 she entered service as HMS ACTIVITY. Her tonnage was 11,400 and she had Diesel machinery of 12,000 BHP driving two shafts to give a speed of 18 knots. Two twin 4in AA mountings and fourteen  20mm guns provided defence against air attack. Fifteen aircraft could be carried and one catapult was fitted for launching. British radar was installed during build.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1944 - ARCTIC 1944

 

        H e r al d i c   D a t a

Badge : On a Field Blue, upon a base Green surmounted by a bar Gold,

a  hive surrounded by bees proper.

 

 

D e t a i l s    o f   W a r   S e r v i c e

 

(for more ship information, go to Naval History Homepage and type name in Site Search

 

 

1 9 4 2

 

September

                29th        Commissioned for service as HMS ACTIVITY

 

October                  Contractors trials..

                9th          At Rosyth for installation on Admiralty equipment not available in Dundee shipyard.

                14th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials

                18th        On completion took passage to Clyde

                22nd       Deployed in Clyde and prepared for work-up.

 

November

                3rd          Worked-up for service at Lamlash.

                                Embarked SWORDFISH aircraft and personnel of 835 Squadron.

 

December

                20th        Returned to Clyde for post work-up defect repair in commercial shipyard.

 

1 9 4 3

 

January                  Deployed in Clyde for Deck Landing training

to

July

 

August                  Deck landing training in continuation

                                Nominated for deployment in Western Approaches for convoy defence.

 

October                  Taken in hand at Liverpool commercial shipyard for refit prior to operational service

to

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January

                12th        Embarked SWORDFISH and WILDCAT aircraft and personnel of 819 Squadron.

                                Carried out work-up for convoy defence in Clyde

                                Deployed with HM Escort Carrier NAIRANA and 2nd British Escort Group.

                29th        Deployed for support and air cover to ensure safe passage of convoy OS66/KMS40 with

                                HMS NAIRANA and ships of 2nd Escort Group west of Ireland.

                31st         Joined Convoy SL147/KMS38 during passage from West Africa west of Cape Clear with

                                HMS NAIRANA to provide air cover against attacks by IGEL Group of U-Boats.

                                (Note : Escort Group B2 which had sunk U592 then operated independently.

                                See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)

 

February                Air cover of SL147/MKS38 in continuation.

                3rd          Transferred to provide cover for Convoys ON222 and ONS28.

                                (Note : B2 Escort Group sank 3 U-Boats (U762, U238 and U734 during 8th - 9th when

                                operating independently. See above reference.)

                26th        Provided air cover for Convoy OS69/KMS43 during passage to Gibraltar with HMS

                                NAIRANA.

 

March                    Defence of OS69/KMS26 in continuation.

                6th          At Gibraltar.

                                (Note : One WILDCAT aircraft was lost during flying operations in Bay of Biscay

                                during extreme weather conditions.)

                9th          Deployed for defence of Convoy MKF29 during return passage to Greenock.

                                Nominated for detached service with Home Fleet for Russian convoy defence.

                                Relieved HM Escort Carrier BITER at Scapa Flow.

                29th        Deployed with HM Escort Carrier TRACKER and joined Russian Convoy JW58 with

                                Main Escort to provide air cover during passage to Kola Inlet (Operation FY)

                                (Note : Main Escort comprised HM Cruiser DIADEM and Home Fleet destroyers.

                                2nd Escort Group of Sloops and four other destroyers provided additional

                                anti submarine defence. Ships of Home Fleet provided Distant Cover.

                                For full details of escort and ships in convoy which included US cruiser

                                MILWAUKEE being transferred to Soviet Navy see ARCTIC CONVOYS

                                by R Woodman, CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by Ruegg,, CONVOY ! by P Kemp

                                and THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B. Schoefield.)

 

April                       Air Cover for JW58 in continuation.

                                (Note : Six shadowing aircraft were shot down by aircraft from Carriers.)

                2nd         Embarked aircraft carried out attacks on submarine causing damage and shot down a

                                Ju88 aircraft.

                3rd          SWORDFISH Aircraft C of 819 Squadron embarked sighted U288 and came under fire

                                from submarine. After arrival of AVENGER aircraft from HMS TRACKER submarine

                                was sunk in position 73.44N 13.04E (North of North Cape) by rocket attacks despite

                                intense AA fire and manoeuvres by submarine to present smallest possible target.

                                (See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P. Kemp and above references.)

                4th          Detached from JW58 on arrival at Kola Inlet.

                7th          Joined return Convoy RA58 with same ships as escort for passage to Loch Ewe.

                                (Note : No Distant Cover was required as threat by TIRPITZ had been eliminated.)

                14th        Detached from RA58 after uninterrupted passage.

                19th        Deployed with HMS DIADEM, HM Escort Carrier FENCER, 14 Home Fleet destroyers

                                and four Canadian frigates attached to Home Fleet for passage to Kola Inlet. Mercantile

                                NEA HELLAS also took passage with these warships to bring Russian naval personnel

                                from Murmansk to man ships being transferred to Russia. (Operation FZ)

                                (Note : NEA HELLAS had to return to UK after defects developed and was thus not

                                available for this task. Soviet personnel together with US Navy personnel

                                from USS MILWAUKEE had therefore to be embarked in warships and

                                merchant ships for return passage. See above references.)

                23rd        Arrived at Kola Inlet with Home Fleet ships.

                28th        Sailed with escort for return Convoy RA59 to provide air cover during passage.

                                (Note : 19 US Navy personnel embarked for passage.)

 

May                        Provided air cover during passage of RA59 in atrocious weather conditions.

                2nd         Shadowing aircraft destroyed by embarked fighter.

                                (Note : Three submarines were destroyed by aircraft from HMS FENCER, U277, U674

                                and U959. See U-BOATS DESTROYED. One source suggests that newly

                                embarked aircrew in the ship lacked the experience in Arctic conditions.)

                4th          Detached from RA59 with HM Destroyers MARNE, MATCHLESS, METEOR, MILNE

                                and MUSKETEER before arrival of convoy at Loch Ewe.

                6th          Under repair in Clyde commercial shipyard.

                10th        Resumed Atlantic convoy defence duties.

                                Nominated for service in SW Approaches with HM Escort Carriers TRACKER and

                                VINDEX to carry out anti-submarine operations in conjunction with aircraft of 19 Group

                                RAF Coastal Command to prevent any U-Boat interference during allied landings in

                                Normandy (Operation NEPTUNE).

                22nd       Provided cover for passage of outward joint convoy OS78/KMS52 during Atlantic passage

                                to Gibraltar and West Africa.

                28th        Provided air cover for passage of joint inward Convoy 158/MKS49 during Atlantic passage

                                to Liverpool from Gibraltar and West Africa.

 

June                        Deployed in support of NEPTUNE in SW Approaches and Bay of Biscay with 1st, 3rd, 4th

                                6th and 9th (Canadian) Support Groups.

                2nd         Provided further cover for passage of joint outward Convoy OS78/KMS52.

                3rd          Provided cover for passage of joint inward Convoy SL159/MKS50 during Atlantic passage

                                to Liverpool.

                10th        Arrived in Clyde with convoy.

                20th        Provided cover for inward joint Convoy SL162/MKS53 during Atlantic passage to

                                Liverpool..

 

July

                11th        Arrived in Clyde with convoy

                19th        Joined escort for outward military Convoy KMF33 to provide air cover during passage to

                                Gibraltar

 

August

                4th          Joined escort for inward military Convoy MKF33 to provide air cover during passage

                                from Gibraltar to Clyde.

                11th        Detached from MKF33 and joined outward joint Convoy OS86/KMS60 during Atlantic

                                passage to Gibraltar

                21st         Joined escort for inward Convoy SL167 during passage in Atlantic from Freetown to

                                provide air cover

                                Nominated for service as Ferry Carrier and detached from SL167 to return to Clyde.

 

September             Deployed in Clyde and embarked 12 BARRACUDA aircraft destined for 854 Squadron

                                and stores for delivery to Trincomalee.

                                Took passage to Trincomalee.

 

October

                23rd        Arrived at Trincomalee.

                                Unload aircraft and stores.

                                Took passage to return to UK

 

November              Passage to Gibraltar

                                Joined escort for Convoy MKS36 for passage to UK

                                (Note : East Indies Fleet formed from ships of Eastern Fleet retained when Eastern

                                Fleet ships required in Pacific were transferred to new British

                                Pacific Fleet created.)

                29th        Detached from MKS36 in NW Approaches and took passage to Greenock.

 

December

                5th          Under repair in Clyde

                                Passage to Portsmouth for routine docking.

                21st         Docked at Portsmouth.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January

                17th        On completion of docking took passage to Belfast.

                21st         At Belfast embarking aircraft for use in East Indies Fleet

                28th        Joined outward Convoy KM39 for passage to Gibraltar.

 

February

                2nd         Detached from KMF39 at Gibraltar ands took passage to Colombo.

                20th        Arrived at Colombo.

                                (Disembarkation of aircraft to be confirmed.)

                21st         Transferred on loan to British Pacific Fleet.

                                Took passage to Sydney.

                28th        (Note : One source records rescue of survivors from US mercantile off west coast

                                of Australia.

 

March                    Passage in Indian Ocean

                                Disembarked aircraft of arrival at Sydney

                24th        Took passage from Sydney to return to duty with East Indies Fleet.

 

April                       On arrival In Ceylon deployed as Ferry Carrier for transfer of aircraft between

to                            Cochin and Colombo..

July

 

August                  Took passage to Singapore

                                (Note : It may be assumed that ship took aircraft for use as spares after occupation o

                                Singapore. Ship not deployed for ZIPPER support during landings in Malaya.)

 

September             (Note : Pennant Number R301 was allocated for visual signalling purposes to

                                conform with US Navy identity for warships of this type.)

                12th        Present at Singapore when Japanese forces in SE Asia were formally surrendered.

                15th        Took passage from Singapore to resume duties with East Indies Fleet.

                                Nominated for return to UK to Pay-off

                22nd       Sailed from Trincomalee for UK

 

October                  Passage in Mediterranean

                20th        Arrived in Clyde.

 

November              Paid-off and reduced to Reserve status in Clyde.

                                On completion of de-storing laid-up in Clyde.

 

P o s t  W a r  N o t e s

 

HMS ACTIVITY remained in Reserve in Clyde and was placed on the Sales List. The ship was sold for use as a mercantile in April 1946.  Renamed mv BRECONSHIRE she remained in trade until 1967 when sold for breaking-up in Kobe, Japan.

 

 


 

Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS ACTIVITY

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above 

 

 

 

 

 

Date convoy sailed

Joined convoy as escort

Convoy No.

Left convoy

Date convoy arrived

 

 

 

 

 

24/01/44

29/01/44

OS 066KM

31/01/44

05/02/44

02/02/44

07/02/44

SL 147MK

11/02/44

13/02/44

23/02/44

24/02/44

OS 069KM

05/03/44

05/03/44

05/03/44

05/03/44

KMS 043G

06/03/44

06/03/44

02/03/44

09/03/44

MKF 029

15/03/44

16/03/44

27/03/44

29/03/44

JW 058

04/04/44

04/04/44

07/04/44

07/04/44

RA 058

12/04/44

14/04/44

28/04/44

28/04/44

RA 059

04/05/44

06/05/44

22/05/44

22/05/44

OS 078KM

03/06/44

04/06/44

21/05/44

28/05/44

SL 158MK

29/05/44

04/06/44

31/05/44

03/06/44

SL 159MK

11/06/44

11/06/44

22/06/44

22/06/44

OS 081KM

30/06/44

03/07/44

30/06/44

02/07/44

SL 162MK

12/07/44

12/07/44

18/07/44

18/07/44

KMF 033

28/07/44

31/07/44

28/07/44

04/08/44

MKF 033

10/08/44

11/08/44

10/08/44

11/08/44

OS 086KM

21/08/44

21/08/44

19/08/44

21/08/44

SL 167MK

27/08/44

29/08/44

 

 

 

 

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

 

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