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 to December
Modification
work in progress at Esquimalt.
Prepared
for ocean passage.
(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 HM 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 HMS
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 to December
Declared
constructive
loss as
repair to shaft could not be
undertaken.
Held
in Nominal Reserve and beached in
Forth estuary.