1 9 4 3
December Contractors trials.
30th Decommissioned by US Navy
31st Build completion and commissioned for
RN service as HMS ARBITER.
1 9 4 4
January
9th On completion of Acceptance Trials
took passage to Esquimalt, Canada
Taken
in hand for modification to suit RN use
February Carried
out further trials and modifications at Esquimalt.
to (Note: Work was carried out by local company BURRARDS, under contract to the
March Canadian
government.)
April Passage
to East coast of US and prepared for Atlantic crossing.
25th Transit of Panama Canal
May Embarked
AVENGER aircraft destined for 853 Squadron, HELLCAT aircraft destined for 1820
Squadron
and CORSAIR aircraft destined for 1843 Squadron for transport to UK
June Passage
to UK
July Disembarked
aircraft on arrival in Clyde
August Nominated
for modifications to suit RN service
September
12th Taken in hand for modifications suit to
RN use..
(Note: These included changes to petrol distribution system
carried out in all US built
Escort
Carriers following loss of HMS DASHER in March 1943.
October Under modification
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Under
modification
Nominated for use as an Aircraft Transport for with British Pacific
Fleet.
February Carried
out trials in Clyde
Embarked
1843 Squadron 1843 Squadron aircraft and personnel for passage to Australia
March Passage
to Sydney.
to
April
May Joined
British Pacific Fleet and allocated for duty in Fleet Train (TF112)
to (Note: Pennant Number R303 was allocated
for visual signalling purposes to
June conform with US Navy identity for warships of this type.)
For
details of function of Fleet Train see THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J. Winton.)
Embarked aircraft for passage to British Forward Base at Manus, Admiralty
Islands.
(Note: Typical load of aircraft was nine SEAFIRE. seven
AVENGER, six CORSAIR, one
HELLCAT and one FIREFLY aircraft.)
July Deployed
at Manus for replacement aircraft delivery to Fleet Aircraft Carriers of
Task Force 37 carrying out air operations off Japan.
9th Sailed fro Manus
20th Joined British
Logistics Group during Replenishment of Fleet off Japan. for
delivery of aircraft.
(Note: Other Escort Carriers in the Fleet Train at this tine
were HMS RULER and HMS
STRIKER with screen of destroyers and sloops. See above
reference.).
21st Took return passage to Manus
27th Arrived at Manus.
Nominated for conversion at Manus to allow use as an Auxiliary Oiler. See above reference).
29th Sailed from Manus with replacement aircraft
for delivery to Operational Area.
August Aircraft
transport duties in continuation.
6th Joined Logistics
Support Group for delivery during Replenishment of Task Force 37 off Japan.
(Note: HMS CHASER and HMS RULER were also present.)
7th Took passage to
Manus.
British
Pacific Fleet ships of Task Force 37 withdrawn from operational area due
to lack of fuel from British sources.
(Note: A Token force was transferred to US Task Force 38 and
continued service
off Japan. For
details see above references.)
15th Return passage to Australia via Manus.