September
Under final stage of preparation for
mercantile service.
(Note:
Work may have been suspended immediately
after outbreak of war
with
Germany, if not earlier in anticipation of
requisition for
naval use
as
an Armed Merchant Cruiser.).
October
Under conversion for deployment
2nd
Formal requisition by Admiralty for
service as an Armed Merchant Cruiser.
11th
Commissioned for service as HMS
PRETORIA CASTLE.
Nominated
for deployment in South Atlantic based
at Freetown.
Commenced
storing
November
Under conversion for deployment
December
Carried out sea trials on completion of
conversion.
21st
Sailed from Belfast,
(Note:
It may be assumed that ship would have
embarked ammunition before
taking
passage to Freetown.)
1
9 4 0
January
Arrived at Freetown for Atlantic convoy
defence
February
Freetown deployment in continuation.
to
(Note: Escorts for Convoys on passage to
and from West Africa and Indian Ocean were
September
provided by addition escort during entry
and departure from Freetown.
During
this period enemy commerce raiders were
active in South Atlantic)
October
Nominated to join military convoy WS4 in
position 23.47N, 22.15W to supplement
escort
during passage into Freetown.
11th
Joined WS4 before it divi9ded into FAST
and SLOW Sections.
Deployed
as escort during passage into Freetown
for six mercantiles.
designated
WS4
Slow
15th
Detached from WS4 Slow on arrival.
17th
Deployed with HM Cruiser CORNWALL as Ocean
Escort for WS4 as Ocean Escort
during
passage to Cape Town
26th
Detached from WS4 with ss
SCYTHIA and ss
WARWICK CASTLE as escort for
passage
into Cape Town.
29th
Rejoined WS4 with same ships to rejoin WS4
November
2nd
Detached from WS4 with four mercantiles
designated WS4 SLOW and took passage
as
escort into Durban.
3rd
Detached from WS4 SLOW on arrival at
Durban.
December
Passage to Freetown.
(Note:
It may be assumed that ship was deployed
either as escort or for cover of
passage
of routine convoys to Cape Town and
Freetown.
1
9 4 1
January
Deployed at Freetown for Atlantic Trade
defence.
to
April
May
Deployed with HM Battlecruiser REPULSE and
HM Cruiser MAURITIUS as part of
Ocean
Escort for military Convoy WS8A during
passage into Freetown.
9th
Detached from WS8A on arrival at
Freetown.
June
Freetown deployment in continuation.
to
December
1
9 4 2
January
Freetown deployment in continuation
to
Nominated for conversion for use as an
Escort Aircraft Carrier (CVE) in a
commercial
April
shipyard
May
Passage to UK to prepare for Paying-off
and conversion.
Outright
purchase of ship from Union Castle under
consideration.
June
30th
Arrived in Tyne.
July
Under conversion for use as an Escort
Carrier (CVE).
16th
Ship purchased by Admiralty,
August
Under
Conversion
to
(Note: Work included:
December
Removal of all upper structure to enable
fitting of strengthened
flight
deck with new design prototype cordite
fired catapult.
Addition
of more ballast to compensate for
additional top weight.
Installation
of suitable British radar and
communications for control and
direction
of aircraft and ship navigation.
1
9 4 3
January
Under conversion
to
June
W
a r S e r v i
c e a s a
n E s c o r t A i
r c r a f t C a r r
i e r
July
Carried out harbour trials
29th
Commissioned for service as a Trials
Carrier in Western Approaches Command
August
Carried out Sea Trials in North Sea
9th
Shipyard work completed.
10th
Sailed for shakedown and passage to Rosyth
12th
Arrived at Rosyth to complete trials
16th
Passage to Clyde for completion of
trials including first aircraft deck
landings.
to
Based in Clyde and anchored off Rothesay
between trials.
28th
September
Trials in continuation
October
Trials in continuation
Nominated
for first operational duty and embarked
825 Squadron aircraft and
personnel.
27th
Deployed with military Convoy DS46 to
provide air cover during passage to
Reykjavik
29th
At Reykjavik
30th
Deployed with military Convoy SD46 to
provide air cover during passage to
Clyde.
November
Detached from DS46 on arrival and resumed
trials duties in Clyde area.
29th
Involved in collision in Clyde with HM
Escort Aircraft RAVAGER, which
sustained
damage.
(Note:
HMS RAVAGER was deployed in Clyde area for
Deck Landing Trials.)
December
Clyde trials deployment in continuation.
1
9 4 4
January
Deployed in Clyde and nominated for hooked
HARVARD Trials
20th
Carried out hooked HARVARD Trials
(Note:
These may have been trials to establish
effective deck landing by
HARVARD
aircraft using existing arrestor wires -
to be confirmed)
February
Carried out Deck Landing trials with
SEAFIRE, HELLCAT, AVENGER,
and
WILDCAT aircraft in Clyde.
March
Deployed for SEAFIRE aircraft Deck Landing
Trials in Clyde
April
Deployed for CORSAIR aircraft Deck Landing
Trials in Clyde.
Nominated
for routing docking and assisted
Maintenance
25th
Under docking and essential repair and
maintenance in AFD IV.
May
Docking and repair in continuation.
On
completion resumed Trials duties in Clyde.
June
2nd
Deployed for Radar Interception trials
with SEAFIRE aircraft.
(Note:
Ship would probably have been deployed in
NW Approaches
clear
of land.)
July
Trials duties in continuation
14th
Involved in collision with Mercantile
EDITH in Clyde and sustained serious
structural
damage
Withdrawn
from service and took passage to Clyde for
repair in commercial
shipyard
August
Passage to Forth for completion of
repair by HM Dockyard Rosyth.
Taken
hand for completion of repair.
September
Under repair.
On
completion took passage to Clyde to resume
trials duties.
October
1st
Resumed service in Clyde
5th
Carried out check of equipment on
Degaussing Range in Clyde.
16th
Carried out trials with SEAFIRE
aircraft.
18th
Carried out Deck landing trials with
AVENGER, HELLCAT and
SWORDFISH
aircraft.
23rd
Carried out aerodynamic trials with
WILDCAT aircraft.
30th
Carried out Deck landing trials with SEA
OTTER amphibian aircraft.
November
1st
Deployed as Target for torpedo attacks by
RAF BEAUFIGHTER aircraft.
(Note:
These aircraft were used for attacks on
coastal shipping in Channel
and
North Sea.)
6th
Carried out Deck landing trials with
FIREFLY aircraft.
13th
Carried out aerodynamic trials with
BARRACUDA aircraft.
21st
Carried out landing trials with SPITFIRE
aircraft fitted with Hooks for use
when
using aircraft carrier arrester wires.
December
Deployed in Clyde
19th
Withdrawn from service for machinery
repair and took passage to Belfast
1
9 4 5
January
Repair work to be completed in Clyde
commercial shipyard and took passage to
Glasgow.
February
Under repair
March
On completion of repair and post refit
trials resumed trials duties in Clyde.
April
3rd
Carried out catapult trials to establish
techniques to be used for Tail Down
launch
of aircraft.
May
Not deployed for trials.
to
Flight deck lighting improved to allow
landings by night.
July
(Note: It is
assumed that future deployment was under
consideration during
this
period.)
July
Ship may have returned to suitable
alongside berth.
Nominated for special trials to evaluate
use of METEOR aircraft for sea
service
and trial using improved flight deck
lighting to allow night landings
August
Deployed in
Clyde
11th
Carried out landing trials with METEOR
aircraft fitted with hook.
23rd
Carried out trials at night using improved
flight deck lighting to establish
suitability
for landings
September
Transferred to Portsmouth Command
Passage
to Portsmouth.
11th
Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard.
October
Deployed at Portsmouth
to
Future deployment under consideration
December
If retained in service to be refitted.
(Note:
Ships company to be reduced in view of RN
manning
problems
due to discharge of men from Conscripted
service.)
1
9 4 6
January
Deployed at Portsmouth.
Placed
on Disposal List and negotiations carried
out with Union Castle
to
determine whether ship was required for
return to trade.
26th
Sold back to Union Castle and to be converted back
to intended use when
requisitioned.
(Note:
When HM Escort Carrier VINDEX was returned
to Port Line the
cost
of her conversion to suit earlier intended
use was met by the
Admiralty.
It
is assumed the same applied to this ship.)
To
be de-stored at Portsmouth before passage
with Steaming Crew only
to
Belfast for handover.
February
4th
Commenced de-storing and removal of
Admiralty equipment.
March
Steaming crew joined and prepared for
passage on completion of de-storing.
Passage
to Belfast
21st
Paid-off and returned to Union Castle.
Taken
in hand for conversion to suit original
intended use as a passenger
liner.