1 9 4 2
June Contractors
trials
July
1st Build completion and handed over to
US Navy at Hoboken Navy Yard, Pen.
2nd Transferred to Royal Navy and
commissioned as HMS DASHER.
During
harbour engine trials damaged by fire
Taken
in hand for repair.
August On
completion of repair embarked four SWORDFISH aircraft for transport to UK
(Note: One source indicates these came from Jamaica are were destined for 845
Squadron.)
Passage
to Halifax to join inward Convoy HX207
30th Sailed for UK as part of Convoy HX205.
September
11th Detached from HX205 on arrival of HX205
Taken
in hand for modifications in Clyde commercial shipyard to suit RN use for
convoy
defence.
October Nominated
for support of allied landings in North Africa (Operation TORCH).
15th Embarked 12 SEA HURRICANE aircraft and
personnel for 804 and 891 Squadrons.
27th Passage to Gibraltar with military convoy to join
Central Naval Task Force.
(Note: HM Escort Aircraft BITER, HM Aircraft Carrier ARGUS were also deployed
with
HM Landing Ship (HQ) LARGS, HM Cruisers AURORA and JAMAICA.
See
ENGAGE THE ENEMY MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett , INVASION
FLEETS
by J de Winser and the Naval Staff History for details.)
November Deployed at Gibraltar for briefing and preparation
for TORCH
6th Entered Mediterranean and provided air
cover for assault convoy on passage to Gibraltar..
8th During support of landings at Oran with HMS BITER came under
attack by French
aircraft,
five of which were destroyed by the two carriers.
9th Launched further Reconnaissance and
Combat Air Patrols in support of TORCH landings.
12th Released from TORCH and under repair at Gibraltar
14th Joined MKF1XG military convoy with HMS BITER for passage to UK.
(Note: mv WARWICK CASTLE sunk by U413 during initial stage of passage
from
Gibraltar.
19th Detached from convoy on arrival in Clyde
20th Taken in hand in Liverpool commercial shipyard for
further modification.
December Under
modification
(Note: These included enlargement of Aircraft Direction Room but changes to bomb
room
protection after loss of HMS AVENGER are to be confirmed.)
1 9 4 3
January On
completion of post refit trials too passage to join Home Fleet for support of
Convoy
JW53
to Kola Inlet.
Embarked
12 SEA HURRICANE aircraft with personnel of 816 and 891 Squadrons.
February
1st Deployed for work-up at Scapa Flow with ships of Home Fleet.
5th Took passage to join JW53 with HM
Cruiser SHEFFIELD.
18th Sustained major structural damage during
passage in atrocious weather.
Withdrawn and
passage to Dundee escorted by BRAMHAM
Note: HMS
SHEFFIELD was also seriously damaged.).
Under repair
March Under
repair.
25th Passage from Dundee to Clyde
26th Arrived in Clyde to for Atlantic convoy
defence.
27th Whilst at anchor off Little Cumbraes
Island in Clyde estuary sank in about three
minutes
after an explosion caused by fire on board.
Only
149 survivors were rescued out of a complement of over 500.
(Casualty List
-
note on
casualties)
(Note: The subsequent enquiry established that the explosion was caused by the
ignition
of petrol probably due to a cigarette. The loss of this ship and
and
the earlier loss of sister ship HMS AVENGER after being torpedoed
in
the Atlantic, resulted in a separate
investigation into the standards for
safety
of both petrol and explosives. These were known to be below those
used
for other RN ships. As a result all US built Escort Carriers which were
in
service and those under construction were modified. Particular attention
was
paid to the Aviation fuel distribution system.
This
change reduced the stowage capacity for aviation fuel by about 50%