1 9 4 2
October
31st Commissioned for Royal Navy service as
HMS BATTLER
November Commenced
Acceptance Trials
9th Sustained structural damage by
striking a jetty during trials.
Passage
to New
Orleans for repair
10th Under repair.
15th Shipyard work completed.
(Note : It is presumed ship returned to builders yard on
completion of repair in New Orleans.
20th Passage to Norfolk, Va
(Note : One source records that four SWORDFISH aircraft were
embarked from Jamaica for
passage to UK and destined for 840 Squadron.
If
ship joined Convoy HX220 which sailed from New York on 21t December the
these aircraft could have been embarked at Norfolk having been shipped to Norfolk.)
23rd Under further
repair at US Navy Yard, Norfolk.
December
21st On completion of repair embarked 18
MARTLET aircraft for passage to UK
(Note : Four SWORDFISH aircraft may have been embarked. See
above.
The
MARTLET aircraft were destined for 840 Squadron.)
Took passage to join inward Convoy HX220 to UK during transit to Liverpool.
See
above Note re departure date.)
1 9 4 3
January
9th Detached from HX220 on arrival in Liverpool
12th Taken in hand for
modifications to suit RN deployment as an Escort Carrier.
Allocated for service in Western Approaches Command for Atlantic
convoy defence.)
February Under
modification including fit of British radar outfits,
March Passage
to Clyde for work-up on completion of
modification.
April Deployed in Clyde based at Greenock
(Note : It is assumed that personnel and aircraft for 808
(SWORDFISH) and 890 (MARTLET
Squadrons
were embarked at Greenock
Aircraft
may have been transferred whilst alongside or joined at sea in the Clyde.)
4th Commenced work-up including training
of aircrew for Anti-submarine operations.
May Deployed
for working-up in Clyde area and NW Approaches.
Nominated
to provide air cover with escort for outward joint Convoy OS49/KMS16 during
passage to Gibraltar (KMS16) and West Africa (OS76)) in NW
Approaches
June
4th Joined escort for OS46/KMS16 to
provide air cover during passage to Gibraltar
13th Detached with ships destined for Gibraltar and provided air cover for re-designated
KMS16G
during passage to Gibraltar
15th Detached on
arrival at Gibraltar.
22nd Deployed with escort
of inward Convoy XK 9 to give air cover during passage to Clyde.
July Detached
on arrival of XK9 in North Channel
Squadrons
disembarked
Nominated
for support of planned allied landings on Italian mainland at Salerno
(Operation
AVALANCHE)
Deployed
in Clyde and prepared For AVALANCHE.
August Deployed
in Clyde.
Embarked 807 and 808 Squadron personnel. with
SEAFIRE aircraft
September
1st Took passage to Mediterranean
Joined
Force V (Designated Force 88 for AVALANCHE) and took part in exercises in
preparation for landings at Salerno)
(Force
V comprised HM Cruisers EURYALUS, CHARYBDIS, SCYLLA, HM
Light
Fleet Carrier UNICORN, HM Escort
Aircraft Carriers ATTACKER, HUNTER and
STALKER
with HM Destroyers CLEVELAND, HOLCOMBE, ATHERSTONE,
LIDDESDALE,
FARNDALE, CALPE, HAYDOCK, Polish destroyers ORP SLAZAK and
ORP
KRAKOWIA deployed as screen).
6th Deployed at Malta with Force V.
8th Provided air
cover during passage of assault convoys to Salerno.
(Operation
AVALANCHE. For details see ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by
C.Barnett and
the Naval Staff History.).
9th Deployed off Salerno during assault landings for gunnery
observation and defence of the
anchorage against air attacks.
(Note : During this operation air attacks using radio
controlled bombs were used for the
first tine in the Mediterranean. See above references.)
Some
aircraft were landed when shore airfield was available.
14th After release from AVALANCHE Force V
disbanded.
Re-embarked
aircraft and took passage to Gibraltar.
20th At Gibraltar
Passage
to UK
(Note : Other Force V aircraft carriers also returned during
this period and provided air
cover during the passage of military convoy from Gibraltar. Further research is
required to establish whether ship was also deployed for
this duty.)
22nd Nominated for service with Eastern Fleet
for convoy defence in Indian Ocean based at
Bombay.
On
arrival in North
Channel
disembarked aircraft and landed Squadron personnel
Embarked
834 Squadron and both SWORDFISH and SEAFIRE aircraft..
October Took
passage to join Eastern Fleet
November Arrived
at Aden and nominated to provide cover for
passage of Convoy AB18A during
passage in Indian Ocean to Bombay.
4th Sailed from Aden with AB18
Detached
from AB18 and took return passage to Aden
11th Provided air cover
for passage of Convoy AB20 during passage to Bombay from Aden.
Deployed at Bombay. To be confirmed.
December
12th Provided air cover for passage of Convoy AB 24A during passage in Indian Ocean
from Aden to Bombay
Deployed
at Bombay
1 9 4 4
January Deployed
at Bombay
8th Provided air cover for passage of
Convoy AB27 during passage in Indian Ocean from
Aden to Bombay
Diverted to carry out anti-submarine search operations off East African
coast.
(Note : This was because of the known increase in submarine
activity in Indian
Ocean
For
details see WAR WITH JAPAN Vol.IV (HMSO)
Deployed
for aircraft search operations
February Indian Ocean anti-submarine search deployment in
continuation,
Nominated
for service with HM Cruiser NEWCASTLE and HM Destroyer QUADRANT
in Force 67 to take part in an operation to intercept
U-Boats which were known to be
refuelled from the supply ship CHARLOTTE.
Passage to join Force 67 at Mauritius.
March Joined
Force 67 and began air search as required by Flag Officer in HMS NEWCASTLE
(Operation
COVERED – See above reference.)
5th Sailed from Mauritius with ships of Force 67.
12th SWORDFISH from ship sighted tanker with
two submarines alongside.
Carried
air strikes with SWORDFISH aircraft during which on one of the submarine which
was hit but managed to escape.
(Note : The supply ship, identified as BRAKE scuttled by crew
on approach of HM
Destroyer
ROEBUCK which had joined Force 67 on 6th March)
16th Returned to Mauritius,
Deployed for trade protection in Indian Ocean and on release took passage to Durban.
21st Arrived at Durban for refit.
April Under refit.
May Deployed
for Indian Ocean convoy defence.
June Indian Ocean deployment in
continuation.
(Note : Only one SWORDFISH aircraft of 834 Squadron was
embarked.)
28th Provided air cover for passage of Convoy
CM33 in Indian
Ocean during
passage
to Aden from Kilindini.
July Indian Ocean deployment in
continuation.
11th Deployed with
escort of Convoy KR11 during passage from Kilindini to Colombo.
Deployed
at Colombo
August Passage
from Colombo to Addu
Atoll.
Deployed
to carry out anti-submarine air patrols for Indian Ocean convoy defence
based at Addu Atoll.
September Indian Ocean deployment in
continuation.
to
October
November Deployment
for Indian Ocean trade defence in continuation.
Nominated
for return to UK
8th Selected for re-designation as a Ferry
Carrier
December Passage
to Australia
(Note : It may be assumed ship had provided air cover for
convoys to Australia.)
9th Took passage from Australia to UK via Panama Canal
1 9 4 5
January Passage
in Pacific
February Passage
to Norfolk, Va after transit of Canal.
March On
arrival nominated for service in Western Approaches Command..
5th Deployed for Deck Landing Training in Clyde are and NW Approaches.
April Deck
Landing training in continuation.
May
24th Deployed in Belfast area.
June Deployment
for deck landing training in continuation
4th Transferred to Rosyth Command.
July Deployed
for Deck Landing training in North Sea
to Nominated
for return to US Navy
December
1 9 4 6
January Passage
to Clyde to de-store and remove British equipment
6th Arrived in Clyde
(Note : It may be assumed that a large proportion of ships
company were drafted
back top Depots and only a Steaming crew retained.)
18th Prepared for
Atlantic passage.
19th Took passage to Norfolk, Va.
February Arrived
at Norfolk Navy Yard.
12th Formally returned to US Navy.