1
9 4 3
November
Contractors trials
20th
Build completion
Formal transfer to Royal Navy and
commissioned as HMS SPEAKER
Carried out sea
trials.
December
Sea trials in continuation.
8th
On completion took passage to Esquimalt.
Taken in hand by HM
Canadian Dockyard for modifications
to suit RN service.
1
9 4 4
January
Carried out work-up during which
problems encountered with main gearing
of propulsion
machinery.
On completion of repair and trials took
passage to embark ammunition at Bremerton.
February
Sailed for Panama
(Note:
Calls were made at west coast US
ports.)
March
Nominated for use as a ferry carrier for
transport of aircraft to UK
from New York.
7th
Transit of Panama
Canal
8th
Joined HM Escort Carrie EMPRESS and US
Escort Aircraft Carrier USS TULAGI
in Caribbean for exercises during passage to Norfolk.
First deck landing
by an AVENGER aircraft from HMS
EMPRESS.
17th
Arrived at Norfolk,
Va
Taken in hand for
repair by US Navy Yard.
On completion sailed from Norfolk
to New York.
Embarked aircraft
and stores together with 54 civilians
including children for passage to UK.
Sailed from New York
(Note:
Passage with routine convoy to be
confirmed.)
April
8th
Arrived at Liverpool.
Disembarked
aircraft, stores and personnel.
Sailed from Liverpool
for Clyde
Ferry carrier deployment in
continuation.
10th
Refuelled in Clyde
13th
Sailed for Norfolk
to collect aircraft for delivery to
UK.
Embarked aircraft at
US Navy Yard, Norfolk.
Took return passage to UK
May
14th
Disembarked aircraft at Liverpool.
Nominated for
deployment as an Assault Carrier.
(Note:
Refit arranged in Dundee
commercial shipyard.)
Deployed in Gareloch
to prepare for conversion.
Passage to Dundee
28th
Taken in hand for completion of
modifications to suit RN service as an
Assault Carrier.
(Note: Work
included
Extensive improvement of arrangements
needed for assault operations
including
external and internal communications,
suitable radar display outfits
and command
facilities.
Fit of prototype warning radar Type 277
to be confirmed. See RADAR AT
SEA
and Radar Trust Documentation.
Fit of improved Twin 20mm Oerlikon
mountings for close range AA defence
to replace
single weapon mountings.
Modification of petrol distribution
system as carried out in all US
built CVE
after loss of
HMS DASHER in 1943.)
June
Under refit and conversion.
to
Ship presented with silver cigarette box
by the Speaker of House of Commons.
August
September
Passage to Rosyth on completion of post
refit trials.
12th
Routine docking and inspection of
underwater fittings by HM Dockyard,
Rosyth.
16th
Deployed in Firth of Forth area as
deck landing training carrier.
October
Firth of Forth deployment in
continuation.
to
(Note: BARRACUDA and SWORDFISH aircraft
of 768 Squadron carried out
November
over 1,400 landings
Ship returned to Rosyth at weekends.)
December
Nominated operational service
Passage to Belfast.
16th
Embarked 1840 Squadron aircraft and
personnel.
25th
Under essential repair by Glasgow
shipyard..
1
9 4 5
January
1st
Deployed for work-up in Clyde
area
(Note:
Involvement of HMS KHEDIVE and HMS
SLINGER to be confirmed.)
11th
Sailed from Clyde
to join British Pacific Fleet with
sister ships HMS KHEDIVE and HMS
SLINGER.
Called at Gibraltar
17th
During passage in Mediterranean
with HMS SLINGER launched aircraft to
carry out search
for U- Boat
of North African coast.
22nd
Took passage from Alexandria
for Colombo.
February
Carried out exercises during passage in
Indian Ocean
with same ships.
(Note: Six
aircraft were lost during deck landings
and one pilot was killed.)
4th
Disembarked some 1840 Squadron personnel
Passage from Trincomalee to Australia
to join fleet with same ships..
Carried out two day air search for
survivors from US mercantile 1,00
miles west of Australia
during
transit.
23rd
Arrived at Sydney
Disembarked
remaining 1849 Squadron personnel.
Carried out boiler
clean.
Allocated for duty Fleet Train (Task
Force 112) in 30th Aircraft Carrier
Squadron
for support
of air operations by Task Force 57
against airfields in the Sakashima-
Gunto
Islands with ships of US 5th Fleet
(Operation ICEBERG ONE).
(Note: British
Pacific Fleet designated Task Force 57
was under overall command
of US Navy.)
See TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith and
following references.)
March
Passage with ships of Fleet Train to
British forward base at Manus, Admiralty
Is.
17th
Sailed from Manus to Ulithi
in operational area with Tanker Group of
Fleet Train,
designated
Task Group 112.2.
Part of Task Unit 112.2.5 with HM
Destroyer KEMPENFELT and HM Sloop
PHEASANT
to
provide air
cover for ships of BPF and Fleet Train
during replenishment.
(Note: Task Unit 112.2.1 in Tanker
Group, comprised HM Escort Carrier
STRIKER
carrying
replacement aircraft. HM Destroyer
WHIRLWIND, HM Sloop CRANE and
HM Frigate FINDHORN.)
25th
Provided air cover during BPF
replenishment before joining US ships
for ICEBERG.
(Note: Four
HELLCAT aircraft were available for
interception of unidentified aircraft.
See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) for details of
replenishment periods.
28th
Deployed in Area MIDGE to provide air
cover during replenishment.
April
4th
Deployed in Area MOSQUITO to provide air
cover during replenishment
7th
Deployed in Area COOTIE to provide air
cover during replenishment.
14th
Deployed in Area COOTIE to provide air
cover during replenishment.
18th
Deployed in Area MOSQUITO ONE
to provide air cover during
replenishment.
21st
Passage to Manus on completion of
ICEBERG ONE.
(Note:
Ship's HELLCAT fighters had flan 446
hours Combat Air Patrol (CAP) duty
during cover
of Fleet replenishment in ICEBERG ONE.)
Two aircraft were lost in landings.)
30th
Deployed in Fleet Train for support of
continued air operations by Task Force
57
against Sakishima-Gunto
airfields (Operation ICEBERG TWO).
May
Nominated for transport and supply of
replacement aircraft and flying training
of
pilots held
in reserve.
Based at US Forward
Base at Leyte.
4th
Sailed from Leyte
with replenishment aircraft.
6th
Transferred aircraft and embarked
flyable aircraft form TF57 carriers.
10th
Deployed with Tanker Group in Area
COOTIE ONE
during replenishment.
(Note: Air
cover was provided by HMS RULER. HMS
STRIKER and HMS CHASER
deployed as
Replacement Carriers.)
14th
Detached and took passage to Leyte
for collection of replacement aircraft
when Fleet
replenished.
19th
Sailed from Leyte
22nd
Deployed with Tanker Group in Area
COOTIE ONE
during replenishment.
(Note: 117
replacement aircraft were carried in the
three Replacement Carriers.
during
ICEBERG TWO of which 78 were transferred
to BPF carriers.)
25th
Passage to Manus.
29th
Arrived at Manus
June
Passage to Sydney from Manus
5th
Deployed in Australia
for R&R period prior to support of
operations by ships of
BPF in Japan
waters.
(Note: As a
result of a change in US Naval Command
structure ships of BPF were
transferred
to US 3rd Fleet and redesignated
Task Force 37
Pennant Number for visual signalling
purposes was changed to R314 to conform
with US Navy
identity for this type of warship.)
Nominated for Replacement Carrier duty
for transport of aircraft from Manus to
the
replenishment
area off Japanese mainland.
Passage to Manus.
July
Passage from Sydney to Manus
9th
Deployed at Manus.
18th
Sailed from Manus.
Deployed for
replacement duties.
26th
Deployed with Fleet Train in
replenishment area for delivery of
replacement and
collection of
unserviceable aircraft with HMS RULER
and HMS STRIKER.
(Screen for Fleet Train was provided by
HM Destroyers NAPIER, NIZAM and NEPAL,
HM Sloops PHEASANT and
CRANE, HM Frigate BARLE, HM Australian
Minesweepers BALLARAT and BURNIE)
27th
Embarked three aircraft from HMS
STRIKER.
August
1st
Transferred aircraft to carriers of
Force 36 and on completion took passage
to Manus
for
replacement aircraft..
13th
Sailed from Manus for replenishment
area off Japan.
British Pacific Fleet ships, apart from
Token Force transferred to US Task Force
were
withdrawn from joint US/RN operations
off Japan because of shortage of fuel
from British
sources.
(Note:
During British Fleet operations off
Japan the 30th Aircraft Carrier Sqdn.
ship carried
116 aircraft from Manus to the
operational area. In this period
99 replacement aircraft were required
and 102 were delivered.
HMS RULER provided air cover during
replenishment periods remained
in the area
whilst the other two ships of this type
took passage with the replacement
aircraft from
Manus.
For details of all BPF operations and
the circumstances of the withdrawal of
BPF
Ships see THE
FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton, OPERATION
PACIFIC by
E Gray and Naval
Staff History.
15th
Reverted to RN control and nominated for
support of repatriation of British and
allied
prisoners of
war and internees. Took
passage to Japan.
20th
Transferred Ten SEAFIRE and one FIREFLY
aircraft to HM Fleet Aircraft Carrier
INDEFATIGABLE and recovered one of each
type
Transferred all flyable aircraft to HMS
RULER to increase space for provision of
accommodation
for transport of prisoners of war.
28th
Ordered to proceed to Japanese waters to
join ships of RN Token Force.
29th
First allied aircraft carrier to enter Tokyo
Bay.
31st
Disembarked aircraft maintenance
personnel to join HMS RULER to make more
accommodation
available for passengers.
September
Embarked passengers.
3rd
Sailed from Tokyo
Bay for Manila with 473 passengers for
repatriation.
(Note: Ship
took passage by visiting all
Commonwealth ships in area to enable
all others
involved to give the passengers a
memorable end-off from
all ships.