TRACKER-Class
Escort Aircraft Carrier obtained under UK/US
Lend-Lease Agreement. The ship was under
construction for mercantile use by
Seattle-Tacoma SB Corporation at Seattle and
had been laid down on 20th February 1942.. The
ship was launched on 20th July 1942 and
requisitioned by the US Navy on 27th July 1942
for completion by Willamette
Iron and Steel Works at Portland, Oregon as an
auxiliary aircraft carrier (CVE22). On 7th
April 1943 the day before build was completed
the ship was formally transferred to the Royal
Navy and commissioned as HMS SEARCHER. in
Tacoma. The 2nd Royal Navy warship to carry
the name, first used by a 1918 destroyer sold
in 1938. She was fitted out for use as an
Assault Carrier and intended for support of
amphibious landing operations. Royal Navy
radar equipment was fitted during build.
ATLANTIC
1943-44 - AEGEAN 1944 - SOUTH FRANCE
1944 - NORWAY 1944-45
Badge:
On a field White, a bloodhound’s head erased
Red,
collared
Gold.
1
9 4 3
March
Contractors trials at Portland.
April
Moved to Tacoma.
7th
Commissioned for Royal Navy service as HMS
SEARCHER at build yard
8th
Build completion.
Prepared for sea trials
28th
Passage to Puget
Sound
to carry out Acceptance Trials.
29th
Degaussing equipment fitted.
30th
British Consul visited ship and commenced
sea trials
May
1st
During machinery trials defects in machinery
pipe-work required attention and delayed
completion.
(Note: This
ship was built using prefabricated units and
welded construction. As she was the first
ship of this type
to be completed by this shipyard some of the
defects may have been due
to poor quality
control. )
On completion of repair checked DG equipment
on local Range
2nd
Passage to Esquimalt
for modifications by HM Canadian Dockyard
to suit RN use.
Docked on arrival for
repair by dockyard and ship’s staff.
5th
Governor General of Canada,
Earl of Athlone
visited ship.
7th
Resumed sea trials including gunnery
firings.
8th
Carried out trials of propulsion machinery
including speed..
10th
Carried out AA firings against sleeve
target and surface shoot.
Flooding damage caused due to firing of 4in
armament.
12th
Under repair to flooding.
13th
Took passage to Panama.
24th
Passage in Caribbean
to join HX Series convoy prior to Atlantic
passage to UK
27th
Sustained major damage in extreme weather
conditions during passage
(Note: Further
was caused to ship structure and to pipework
systems.
Diverted to Norfolk,
Va
for repair.
June
1st
Arrived at Norfolk
and taken in hand for docking and repair.
(Note: Work
carried out included repair to propulsion
machinery defects during passage to east
coast of USA
which required removal of decks structure to
obtain access to Engine room.
for replacement
of defective equipment.)
On completion of machinery trials took
passage to New York..
30th
Sailed from New
York
as part of routine Convoy HX246 to Liverpool.
(Note: Ship was
carrying crated aircraft supplied under
Lend-Lease.)
July
14th
Detached from HX246 on arrival at Liverpool.
Taken in hand for completion of
modifications to suit RN use for convoy
defence and deployment
as a Fighter
Carrier..
August
Under refit
to
September
October
Nominated for service in Western Approaches
Command
Carried out post refit
sea trials.
Embarked WILDCAT
aircraft and personnel of 882 and 898
Squadrons.
6th
Commenced work-up in Clyde
area.
Diverted to provide air cover for passage of
convoys in NW Approaches/
(Note:
Anti-submarine defence patrols were launched
for Outward Convoy ON207 and inward
Convoy HX262
November
Convoy defence deployment in continuation
(Note: Defence
was provided for inward Convoy HGX264
For details of tactics used in defence of
convoys by support groups with air support
see
THE BATTLE
OF THE ATLANTIC by D
Macintyre, U-BOAT WAR IN THE
ATLANTIC (HMSO) and
BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by J Terraine.)
Passage to Argentia,
Newfoundland
(Note: Reason
for this deployment to be established.)
12th
Deployed at Argentia.
December
Deployed for Atlantic convoy defence.
20th
Provided cover for passage of US Tanker
Convoy UC8 during Atlantic passage.
29th
Developed machinery defects during cover
operations and escorted by US Destroyer USS
HOPPING
to New
York for repair.
1
9 4 4
January
5th
Taken in hand for repair.
February
7th
Resumed Atlantic convoy defence duties on
completion of post refit trials.
10th
Took passage to Liverpool
from New
York.
(Note: Provision of air cover for convoy
during passage to be confirmed)
22nd On
arrival at Liverpool
deployed for completion of work-up
March
Nominated for service with Home Fleet for
support of operations in defence of Russian
convoys
and offensive air
operations against Norwegian coast shipping.
18th
Passage to Scapa Flow
on completion of work-up
30th
Deployed with HM Escort Carriers EMPEROR,
PURSUER and FENCER and ships of Home
Fleet to provide cover for passage of
Russian Convoy JW58 and to carry out
attack on the
German battleship TIRPITZ in Altenfjord,
Norway
(Operation TUNGSTEN)
(Note: Home
Fleet ships included HM Battleship ANSON,
HM Aircraft Carriers FURIOUS
and VICTORIOUS,
HM Cruisers BELFAST,
ROYALIST, SHEFFIELD
and JAMAICA
with screen of
14 Fleet Destroyers.
(For details of all Russian Convoys with
names of ships involved see CONVOYS TO
RUSSIA
by RA Ruegg,
THE RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B Schoefield,
CONVOY ! by
P
Kemp and ARCTIC
CONVOYS by R Woodman.)
April
3rd
Deployed for support of air attacks on
German battleship TIRPITZ in Altenfjord
and cover
with cover from
ships of Home Fleet.
Returned to Scapa Flow
and prepared for planned air strikes on
Norwegian coast shipping
9th
Part of Home Fleet force covering
transit of Russian Convoy RA58 to UK
from Kola Inlet.
14th
Returned to Scapa
Flow
with Home Fleet ships after arrival of
RA58.
21st
Joined HMS FURIOUS, HM Escort Carriers
STRIKER, PURSUER and EMPEROR for further
air attacks on
TIRPITZ covered by HM Battleships ANSON
and DUKE OF YORK,
cruisers
and destroyers
of the Home Fleet.
24th
Operation delayed by weather conditions.
25th
Operation cancelled after flying prevented
by continued bad weather.
26th
Carried out air attacks on shipping in Bodo
and Rorvik
areas off coast of Norway.
(Operations RIDGE ABLE
and RIDGE BAKER.)
(Note: Three
ships were sunk off Bodo,
but RIDGE BAKER off Bodo
was abandoned due to
weather
conditions.)
May
Nominated for planned air operations
against Norwegian coast shipping
6th
Deployed with HMS FURIOUS and HM Cruiser
BERWICK, HM Destroyers SAVAGE, WIZARD,
WAKEFUL, ALGONQUIN (RCN),
Polish ORP PIORUN and Polish ORP
BLYSKAWICA
(Operation CROQUET)
(Note: One mercantile ss
ALMOR was sunk, ss
SAARBURG and three smaller mercantiles
were
damaged for the
loss of two aircraft from other carriers.
Two Bv138 were shot down.)
8th
Deployed with HM Escort Carriers STRIKER
and EMPEROR for attack on convoy off
Kristiansund
North and strikes against shore targets
(Operation HOOPS).
(Note: Five
enemy aircraft were destroyed with loss of
two HELLCAT aircraft from other carriers.)
After return to Scapa
Flow
took passage to Rosyth for routine
maintenance and repair prior to
resuming convoy
defence service in Western Approaches.
31st
Passage to Clyde
for convoy defence duties.
June
Deployed to provide anti-submarine air
cover for convoys in NW Approaches.
11th
Provided cover for outward joint Convoy
OS80/KMS54..
22nd
Provided cover for inward joint Convoy
SL161/MKS52
during passage to Liverpool.
July
Nominated for service with Force H at Gibraltar
in support of planned allied landings in
South
France (Operation
DRAGOON, formerly ANVIL).
1st
Detached from SL161/KMS and returned to Clyde.
5th
898 Squadron amalgamated with 882
Squadron.
15th
Sailed for Malta
to join HM Escort Aircraft Carriers
ATTACKER, EMPEROR, KHEDIVE,
HUNTER, PURSUER , US Navy escort carriers
USS TULAGI and KASAAN BAY in Task
Force 88 under overall US Navy command.
25th
Joined TF88.in Malta
Transferred to Task Group 88.1 which
comprised
Joined HM Escort Carriers ATTACKER,
EMPEROR, KHEDIVE, PURSUER, HM Cruisers
ROYALIST, DELHI,
HM Destroyers TROUBRIDGE, TUSCAN, TYRIAN,
TEAZER, TUMULT,
WHEATLAND and Greek
NAVARINON in Task Group 88.1.
August
Carried out preparatory exercises with
Task Group.
12th
Sailed from Malta
with ships of TF88.1
(Note Passage made via Tunisian War
Channel and Convoy Route 2)
15th
Provided air cover, bombardment spotting,
strafing and shore strikes during
landings as
to
required by US
Air Task Force Commander.
18th
(Note: For
details see LANDINGS IN SOUTH FRANCE
(HMSO), ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE
CLOSELY, ROYAL NAVY ESCORT CARRIERS by D Hobbs
and the Naval Staff History).
Details of number and types of sorties
made and losses to enemy action and by
deck landing
accidents.)
19th
Passage to Maddalena
with TG88.1 to replenish and for
R&R.
21st
Resumed duties off beach head with TG88.1.
to
Attacks made on retreating German troops
in Rhone
valley.
23rd
(Note: Slight
damage caused due to accidental firing of
aircraft guns when in
hangar. During
the operation there were 40 deck landing
accidents.)
24th
Returned to Maddalena
with TG88.1
27th
Released from DRAGOON when TG88.1
disbanded and took passage to Malta.
Nominated for service
at Alexandria
with British Aegean Force.
30th
Passage to Alexandria
for support of planned re-occupation
operations.
September
9th
Deployed with HM Escort Carriers HUNTER,
KHEDIVE and PURSUER to carry out air
strikes on
enemy shipping and on occupied islands in
the Aegean
(Operation OUTING I )
(Note: Other
ships involved included Escort Carriers
released from TF88.1 and HM Cruisers
ORION, AJAX, ROYALIST, BLACK PRINCE, ARGONAUT. AURORA,
COLOMBO
with destroyers of 24th and HUNT Class
Escorts based at Alexandria.
October
Aegean support operations in
continuation.
15th
Provided air cover for minesweeping
operations in Kithera
Channel
to
16th
17th
Air support operations in continuation in
Aegean.
to
20th
21st
Returned to Alexandria.
Released from Mediterranean service and
nominated for return to UK
for refit
November
1st
Took passage to UK
from Alexandria.
8th
Sailed from Gibraltar
to Belfast
12th
Disembarked aircraft and Squadron
personnel.
13th
Took passage from Belfast
to Green for refit in Clyde
commercial shipyard.
15th
Under refit
December
Under refit.
1
9 4 5
January
Nominated for service in Home Fleet on
completion of post refit trials
29th
Refit work competed and re-embarked 882
Squadron aircraft and personnel.
February
Worked up for operational service in Clyde
Exercise Area.
March
On completion of work-up took passage to
rejoin Home Fleet at Scapa
Flow.
4th
Resumed Fleet service on arrival.
Embarked two FIREFLY
aircraft of 746 Squadron.
Nominated for planned air minelay and
shipping attacks (Operation CUPOLA)
20th
Carried out last joint air minelay and
shipping attacks off Norway
with HM Escort
Carriers PREMIER and QUEEN, covered by HM
Cruiser BELLONA screened by HM
Destroyers ONSLOW,
ZEST, SERAPIS, HAIDA (RCN)
and IROQUOIS (RCN).
(Note: The
minelaying operation started in August
1944. See Naval Staff
History (MINING).)
26th
Carried out shipping strikes off Trondheim
with HMS QUEEN (Operation PREFIX)
(Note: No
ship targets were found but 882 Squadron
Fighters shot down three Me109 and
damaged two
others.
April
Home Fleet deployment in continuation
Nominated for air operations with HM
Escort Aircraft Carriers PUNCHER, QUEEN
and
TRUMPETER against
U-boat Base at Kilbotn
near Narvik (Operation NEWMARKET).
Sailed with strike force
for planned attacks.
6th
NEWMARKET
aborted due to adverse weather conditions
and ships returned to Scapa
Flow.
May
Deployed with HM Escort Carriers QUEEN and
TRUMPETER for shipping strikes west
of Narvik and
attacks on U-Boat base at Kilbotn
covered by HM Cruisers DIADEM and
NORFOLK
with HM Destroyers CARYSFORT, OPPORTUNE,
SAVAGE, SCOURGE and
ZAMBESI and were later joined by HM
Destroyers OBEDIENT and ORWELL.
(Operation JUDGEMENT - The Codeword
previously used for the attack on Taranto
in November
1940.)
4th
During attacks at Kilbotn
near Harstad by AVENGER aircraft from
carriers the German
Submarine Depot Ship BLACK WATCH and U711
which lying alongside the tender,
(Note: U711
was the last U-Boat to be sunk by an
aircraft during hostilities.)
9th
Deployed with Home Fleet units at Copenhagen
for surrender of German warships.
(Operation CLEAVER)
(Note: During
passage to Copenhagen
on 6th some Ju88 aircraft were intercepted
by air
patrol and
allowed to fly unmolested.)
10th
Took return passage from Copenhagen
to Scapa
Flow.
Nominated for refit prior to service in
the East Indies Fleet
Passage to Clyde.
15th
Taken in hand for refit
June
Under refit
Nominated for service in 21st Aircraft
Carrier Squadron based at Trincomalee.
July
On completion of post refit trials
embarked 24 WILDCAT aircraft for
transports to East
Indies
Fleet.
Took passage to Trincomalee
August
Passage to Cochin
and disembarked aircraft
Passage to Trincomalee with call at Colombo