1
9 4 3
December
7th
Build completion and transferred to
Royal Navy as HMS QUEEN.
Carried out
Acceptance Trials.
17th
Took passage to Esquimalt
for modifications to suit RN
deployment for convoy defence.
Taken in hand by HM
Canadian Dockyard, Esquimalt.
1
9 4 4
January
Under modification
February
On completion of dockyard work carried
out sea trials
26th
Sustained damage after running aground
during trials
Under repair.
March
Carried out sea trials on completion of
dockyard repair work.
22nd
Took passage from Esquimalt
for Panama with calls at ports on west
coast of North America.
April
15th
Transit of Panama
Canal
16th
Passage to Norfolk,
Va.
24th
Arrived at US Navy Yard in Norfolk.
Embarked 112 AVENGER aircraft for
transport to UK
destined for 855 Squadron.
May
Deployed at Norfolk.
6th
Too passage to New
York.
8th
Sailed from New
York to Clyde.
(Note:
Passage with routine convoy to be
confirmed.)
23rd
Arrived in Clyde
and disembarked aircraft.
Nominated for continued service as a
Ferry Carrier,
28th
Took passage to New
York to embark US aircraft for
delivery to Casablanca for US use.
June
9th
Arrived in New
York and embarked aircraft.
13th
Took passage to Casablanca.
27th
Arrived at Casablanca
and disembarked aircraft.
July
2nd
Took passage to Freetown
12th
Arrived at Freetown
(Note: This
deployment to be investigated. Passage
time seems excessive,)
17th
Took passage to Gibraltar.
24th
Arrived at Gibraltar
August
4th
Joined inward Convoy MKGF33 and took
passage to Liverpool.
10th
Detached from MKF33 and took passage to
Clyde.
Deployed in Clyde
for repair of defects.
Passage to Dundee
for refit
31at
Taken in hand for refit in commercial
shipyard in Dundee,
September
Under refit.
to
November
December
Commenced harbour trials
23rd
Sailed for sea trials and passage to
Rosyth
27th
Arrived at Rosyth
(Note: Ship
may have carried out sea trials and
shakedown.)
1
9 4 5
January
Deployed at Rosyth
(Note:
Modification to petrol distribution
system to be confirmed.)
Nominated for service in Home Fleet
23rd
Passage to Clyde
for work-up
February
Embarked 853 Squadron AVENGER and
WILDCAT aircraft and persoinnel
Worked-up for
operational service in Clyde
area.
March
Passage to Scapa
Flow on completion of work-up
2nd
Joined Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow
Nominated for
planned aircraft minelay off Norway
(Operation CUPOLA).
20th
Joined HM Escort Aircraft Carriers
PREMIER and SEARCHER as Force 1 for
minelay.
Aircraft laid mines at Askevold
(Position 61.21N, 05.05E).
(Note:
Operation had been delayed and was
subject to heavy swell and poor weather
conditions
and was part of a joint shipping strike
and air minelay operation off
the coast of
Norway.
Other ships engaged were HM Cruiser
BELLONA screened
by HM
Destroyers ONSLOW, ZEST, SERAPIS, HAIDA
(RCN)
and
IROQUOIS (RCN)).
21st
Returned to Scapa
Flow.
26th
Took part in operations against
shipping oft Norway
with HMS SEARCHER.
(Operation PREFIX – No shipping was sunk
but three enemy aircraft were shot down.,)
29th
Returned to Scapa
Flow.
April
Home Fleet deployment in continuation.
6th
Deployed with HM Escort Aircraft
Carriers PUNCHER, SEARCHER and TRUMPETER
for air
operations off Norway
Carried out air attack on U-Boat Depot
Ships at Kilbotn
after delay caused by bad
weather
conditions. (Operation NEWMARKET)
12th
Returned to Scapa
Flow.
May
Joined HMS SEARCHER and HMS TRUMPETER
for a Norwegian coast
shipping
strike with Home Fleet (Operation
JUDGEMENT).
(Note: The
Task Force included HM Cruisers NORFOLK,
DIADEM and
Destroyer
screen by HM
Destroyers CARYSFORT, OPPORTUNE,
SAVAGE,
SCOURGE,
ZAMBESI. HMS
OBEDIENT and ORWELL which joined
later.)
4th
Aircraft made attacks west of Narvik
during which U711 and a Depot Ship
BLACK WATCH were
sunk. U-boat Pens at Narvik were also
attacked.
(Note: U711
was the last German submarine to be
destroyed by aircraft of
the Fleet Air
Arm during the war with Germany).
6th
Deployed with HMS TRUMPETER and HMS
SEARCHER and joined
HM Cruiser DIDO screened by HM
Destroyers ZEALOUS ZEPHYR and ZEST
during
passage to Copenhagen to liberate the
city after the end of hostilities
with Germany
(Operation CLEAVER).
10th
Returned to Scapa
Flow.
12th
Deployed to provide cover for passage
of the last Russian Convoy.
(Note:
Escort for JW67 comprised HM Destroyers
OBDURATE and ONSLOW,
HM Frigates BAZELEY, BENTINCK, BYARD,
DRURY and PASLEY
of 4th Escort
Group as to Kola Inlet (Operation
TIMELESS).
20th
Arrived at Kola Inlet without
incident.
23rd
Escorted return Convoy RA67 with same
ships.
(Note:
Navigation lights were burned throughout
passage
30th
Detached from convoy after arrival in
Clyde
and rejoined Home Fleet.
Disembarked aircraft
and personnel of 853 Squadron.
June
Deployed at Greenock
to
Under refit in Clyde commercial shipyard
August
Nominated for conversion to allow use as
troopship.
September
Deployed at Belfast
(Note: Pennant
Number for visual signalling purposes
was allocated as R320 to
conform
with US Navy
identity for this type of warship.)