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.