1 9 4 3
September Contractors
trials
7th Build completion and transferred to
Royal Navy as HMS NABOB.
See
above re manning.)
Carried
out Acceptance trials
October
15th Passage to Esquimalt
Taken
in hand by HM Canadian Dockyard for further modification work prior to
sailing
for UK.
(Note
Extent of work done in USA before passage to be
determined
November Modification
work in progress at Esquimalt.
to Prepared
for ocean passage
December (Note :
Extent of sea trials and shakedown to be investigated.)
1 9 4 4
January Whilst
embarking aircraft in Gulf of Georgia, near Vancouver Island grounded.
Stores,
ammunition and fuel had to be jettisoned to allow ship to be refloated.
(Note : Another
source records ship grounded in sea bed - To be investigated.)
Taken
in hand for repair.
February
8th Passage to Panama with call in San Francisco
(Note
: Embarkation of aircraft at Alameda to be confirmed).
RN
personnel represented complaints about receiving less pay than the RCN
ratings
on board and about poor food.
March Transit
of Panama
canal.
Passage
to Norfolk, Va
(Note
:After arrival at Norfolk some RCN ratings deserted.
Pay
of RN ratings was altered and food was improved.)
Passage
to New York
19th Arrived at New York
Embarked
AVENGER and CORSAIR aircraft from Squantum for passage to UK
23rd Joined US military troop convoy UT10
for Atlantic passage.
April Detached
from UT10 on arrival in Clyde
7th Under repair in Clyde shipyard.
10th Under repair in Liverpool.
Taken
in hand for further modification.
May Under modification
(Note
: Work done included changes to petrol supply system as in other US
Built
CVE following loss of HMS DASHER.)
June
29th On completion embarked AVENGER and
WILDCAT aircraft and 852 Squadron personnel.
July Carried
out work-up in Clyde area.
August
1st Took passage to Scapa Flow on completion of work-up
Joined
Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
8th Took part in preparatory exercises for
planned minelay.
10th Took part in aircraft minelay off
Norwegian coast with HM Fleet Aircraft Carrier
IMPLACABLE
and HM Escort Carrier TRUMPETER covered by HM Cruisers
DEVONSHIRE and
KENT screened by H M Destroyers
MYNGS, VIGILANT,
VERULAM,
VIRAGO, VOLAGE, SCOURGE, HM Canadian ALGONQUIN
and
SIOUX of 26th Destroyer Flotilla
(Operation
OFFSPRING).
(Note
: Aircraft laid mines and attacked airfields and shipping.)
18th Deployed with Home Fleet units for
planned air attacks on German battleship TIRPITZ.
(Operation
GOODWOOD).
20th GOODWOOD aborted due to adverse weather
conditions
(See
CONVOY ! by P. Kemp.).
22nd Hit by torpedo fired from U354 in
position 71.42N 19.11E during return passage
to
Scapa
Flow.
Sustained
serious damage and bent propeller shaft but able to steam and operate aircraft.
(Note
: HM Frigate BICKERTON hit at same time by U354 torpedo had to be sunk in
order
to attempt return of HMCS NABOB. During anti-submarine operation on
passage
an aircraft crashed on landing damaging seven other aircraft. As
situation
later deteriorated some of ship's company were taken off by HM
Canadian
Destroyer ALGONQUIN and HM Frigate KEMPTHORNE.
(Casualty List
-
note on
casualties)
23rd Launched night anti-submarine patrol by
two AVENGER aircraft despite list.
27th Ship arrived at Scapa Flow under own steam despite
damage.
Engine
Room bulkhead shored to prevent flooding
September Taken
in tow to Rosyth.
Paid-off
and reduced to Nominal Reserve
October Declared
‘Constructive loss’ as repair to shaft could not be undertaken.
to Held
in ‘Nominal Reserve’ and beached in Forth estuary.
December
