1 9 4 4
January
Contractors trials.
February
Nominated for
service manned by Royal Canadian Navy personnel except for
Air Group provided by RN.
5th - Build
completion and transfer and commissioned as HMS PUNCHER.
15th - On
completion of Sea Trials took passage to Esquimalt.
Taken in hand for modifications to
suit RN deployment for convoy defence.
March to May
Under
modification to suit Atlantic convoy defence with RN
escorts.
June
9th - Took
passage from Vancouver to New York.
Transit of Panama Canal.
(Note: Call at ports on west coast
of North America to be confirmed.)
July
8th - Arrived
at New York.
11th - Deployed
at Norfolk, Va for repairs
and maintenance.
22nd
- Nominated for use as a Ferry carrier and to transport US aircraft to
Casablanca
Embarked
US aircraft at Norfolk.
Took passage to Hampton Roads, Va.
28th
- Sailed from Hampton Roads with US military convoy UGF13.
(Note: UGF12 sailed for Naples on
1st July,
UGF13
sailed for Naples on 28th.).)
August
Detached from
UGF convoy and took passage to unload aircraft at Casablanca.
Passage to return to USA as part of US
convoy.
Detached from convoy and took
passage to Norfolk.
30th - Embarked
CORSAIR aircraft at Norfolk for transport to UK
September
8th
- Joined US tanker Convoy CU38 for passage to UK.
15th - Arrived
in Clyde.
18th
- Landed aircraft in Belfast.
19th - Took
passage to New York with US military convoy for further transport duty.
30th - Arrived
in New York.
October
6th - Sailed
from New York with US Convoy CU42.
(Note: It may be assumed US aircraft were embarked for
passage to UK).
On
arrival landed aircraft and took passage to Liverpool.
21st
- Under modifications in Clyde shipyard.
(Note: Petrol distribution system modification may
have been carried out
consequent on loss of HMS DASHER after arm explosion
in March 1943.)
November
Embarked 12
BARRACUDA aircraft and personnel of 821 Squadron.
11th
- Carried out trials with BARRACUDA aircraft.
(Note: The were for use to carry out
torpedo attacks prior to operational use.)
Sustained major
damage in propulsion machinery.
Passage to Clyde and disembarked
aircraft.
27th
- Taken in hand by Clyde shipyard for repair of main gearing.
December
Under
repair.
(Note:
Repair was carried out by replacement of items from HM Escort Aircraft
Carrier NABOB which had been taken
out of service.)
1 9 4 5
January
Under
repair.
Nominated
for service with Home Fleet based at Scapa Flow.
On completion of refit embarked
WILDCAT and BARRACUDA aircraft and
personnel of 861 and 821 Squadrons.
Worked up in Clyde for operational
service in Home Fleet.
February
1st - Joined
Home Fleet at Scapa Flow.
11th
- Sailed as part of Force 2 with HM Escort Carrier PREMIER for attacks on
coastal shipping off Norway as part
of a joint aircraft minelay and anti-shipping strike off Bud (Operation
SELENIUM I and II).
(Note:
Surface cover was provided by
HM Cruiser DEVONSHIRE and HM
Destroyers CAVENDISH, CAVALIER, SCOURGE and ZEBRA.)
Ship provided fighter cover.
12th
- Air search unsuccessful as no targets found.
(For details see Naval Staff History
(MINING) and CONVOY ! by P Kemp.)
13th
- Returned to Scapa Flow with ships of Force 2.
21st
- Sailed from Scapa Flow as part of Force 4 for air minelay
in Kara Sound, Norway.
(Note: Operation GROUNDSHEET.
Part
of Operation SHRED to clear a shorter passage through British minefield for
Home Fleet ships to Norwegian coast.
See Naval Staff History.)
22nd
- Carried out air minelay for first time and aircraft
came under shore fire causing
loss of two BARRACUDA aircraft. (Note:
Surface
cover was provided by HM Cruiser DIDO screened by HM Destroyers SCORPION,
MYNGS and CAVALIER.)
23rd
- Returned to Scapa Flow with ships of Force 4.
24th - Ship
dragged anchor at Scapa Flow during gale.
No major damage was sustained.
March
Deployed at
Scapa Flow with Home Fleet.
26th - Deployed
with HM Escort Aircraft Carrier NAIRANA to carry out WILDCAT attacks on
shipping in Alesund , Norway (Operation
PREFIX.
Note: The weather conditions were
poor during this operation.
No shipping was damaged but strikes made on shore
targets.)
April
Embarked 825 Squadron
WILDCAT aircraft and personnel.
6th
- Deployed with HM Escort Aircraft Carriers QUEEN, SEARCHER and TRUMPETER
for air operations off Norway.
Carried out air attack on U-Boat
Depot Ships at Kilbotn after delay caused by bad
weather conditions (Operation
NEWMARKET).
21st
- Under repair in Clyde shipyard.
May
Nominated for
service as Training Carrier after VE Day. Under repair.
June to August
Transferred for
trooping duties with reduced complement.
Deployed for transport of personnel
to US and completed one double crossing
to Canada and USA.