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 BAYNTUN 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 Escort
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/KMS51
(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
Command.
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.)