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.