1 9 4 3
November Contractors trials
20th Build completion
Formal transfer to Royal Navy and commissioned as HMS SPEAKER
Carried out sea trials.
December Sea trials in continuation.
8th On completion took passage to Esquimalt.
Taken in hand by HM Canadian Dockyard for modifications to suit RN service.
1 9 4 4
January Carried out work-up during which problems encountered with main gearing
of propulsion machinery.
On completion of repair and trials took passage to embark ammunition at Bremerton.
February Sailed for Panama
(Note: Calls were made at west coast US ports.)
March Nominated for use as a ferry carrier for transport of aircraft to UK from New York.
7th Transit of Panama Canal
8th Joined HM Escort Carrie EMPRESS and US Escort Aircraft Carrier USS TULAGI
in Caribbean for exercises during passage to Norfolk.
First deck landing by an AVENGER aircraft from HMS EMPRESS.
17th Arrived at Norfolk, Va
Taken in hand for repair by US Navy Yard.
On completion sailed from Norfolk to New York.
Embarked aircraft and stores together with 54 civilians including children for passage to UK.
Sailed from New York
(Note: Passage with routine convoy to be confirmed.)
April
8th Arrived at Liverpool.
Disembarked aircraft, stores and personnel.
Sailed from Liverpool for Clyde
Ferry carrier deployment in continuation.
10th Refuelled in Clyde
13th Sailed for Norfolk to collect aircraft for delivery to UK.
Embarked aircraft at US Navy Yard, Norfolk.
Took return passage to UK
May
14th Disembarked aircraft at Liverpool.
Nominated for deployment as an Assault Carrier.
(Note: Refit arranged in Dundee commercial shipyard.)
Deployed in Gareloch to prepare for conversion.
Passage to Dundee
28th Taken in hand for completion of modifications to suit RN service as an Assault Carrier.
(Note: Work included
Extensive improvement of arrangements needed for assault operations
including external and internal communications, suitable radar display outfits
and command facilities.
Fit of prototype warning radar Type 277 to be confirmed. See RADAR AT
SEA and Radar Trust Documentation.
Fit of improved Twin 20mm Oerlikon mountings for close range AA defence
to replace single weapon mountings.
Modification of petrol distribution system as carried out in all US built CVE
after loss of HMS DASHER in 1943.)
June Under refit and conversion.
to Ship presented with silver cigarette box by the Speaker of House of Commons.
August
September Passage to Rosyth on completion of post refit trials.
12th Routine docking and inspection of underwater fittings by HM Dockyard, Rosyth.
16th Deployed in Firth of Forth area as deck landing training carrier.
October Firth of Forth deployment in continuation.
to (Note: BARRACUDA and SWORDFISH aircraft of 768 Squadron carried out
November over 1,400 landings
Ship returned to Rosyth at weekends.)
December Nominated operational service
Passage to Belfast.
16th Embarked 1840 Squadron aircraft and personnel.
25th Under essential repair by Glasgow shipyard..
1 9 4 5
January
1st Deployed for work-up in Clyde area
(Note: Involvement of HMS KHEDIVE and HMS SLINGER to be confirmed.)
11th Sailed from Clyde to join British Pacific Fleet with sister ships HMS KHEDIVE and HMS
SLINGER.
Called at Gibraltar
17th During passage in Mediterranean with HMS SLINGER launched aircraft to carry out search
for U- Boat of North African coast.
22nd Took passage from Alexandria for Colombo.
February Carried out exercises during passage in Indian Ocean with same ships.
(Note: Six aircraft were lost during deck landings and one pilot was killed.)
4th Disembarked some 1840 Squadron personnel
Passage from Trincomalee to Australia to join fleet with same ships..
Carried out two day air search for survivors from US mercantile 1,00 miles west of Australia
during transit.
23rd Arrived at Sydney
Disembarked remaining 1849 Squadron personnel.
Carried out boiler clean.
Allocated for duty Fleet Train (Task Force 112) in 30th Aircraft Carrier Squadron
for support of air operations by Task Force 57 against airfields in the Sakashima-
Gunto Islands with ships of US 5th Fleet (Operation ICEBERG ONE).
(Note: British Pacific Fleet designated Task Force 57 was under overall command
of US Navy.)
See TASK FORCE 57 by P Smith and following references.)
March Passage with ships of Fleet Train to British forward base at Manus, Admiralty Is.
17th Sailed from Manus to Ulithi in operational area with Tanker Group of Fleet Train,
designated Task Group 112.2.
Part of Task Unit 112.2.5 with HM Destroyer KEMPENFELT and HM Sloop PHEASANT
to provide air cover for ships of BPF and Fleet Train during replenishment.
(Note: Task Unit 112.2.1 in Tanker Group, comprised HM Escort Carrier STRIKER
carrying replacement aircraft. HM Destroyer WHIRLWIND, HM Sloop CRANE and
HM Frigate FINDHORN.)
25th Provided air cover during BPF replenishment before joining US ships for ICEBERG.
(Note: Four HELLCAT aircraft were available for interception of unidentified aircraft.
See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) for details of replenishment periods.
28th Deployed in Area MIDGE to provide air cover during replenishment.
April
4th Deployed in Area MOSQUITO to provide air cover during replenishment
7th Deployed in Area COOTIE to provide air cover during replenishment.
14th Deployed in Area COOTIE to provide air cover during replenishment.
18th Deployed in Area MOSQUITO ONE to provide air cover during replenishment.
21st Passage to Manus on completion of ICEBERG ONE.
(Note: Ship's HELLCAT fighters had flan 446 hours Combat Air Patrol (CAP) duty
during cover of Fleet replenishment in ICEBERG ONE.)
Two aircraft were lost in landings.)
30th Deployed in Fleet Train for support of continued air operations by Task Force 57
against Sakishima-Gunto airfields (Operation ICEBERG TWO).
May Nominated for transport and supply of replacement aircraft and flying training of
pilots held in reserve.
Based at US Forward Base at Leyte.
4th Sailed from Leyte with replenishment aircraft.
6th Transferred aircraft and embarked flyable aircraft form TF57 carriers.
10th Deployed with Tanker Group in Area COOTIE ONE during replenishment.
(Note: Air cover was provided by HMS RULER. HMS STRIKER and HMS CHASER
deployed as Replacement Carriers.)
14th Detached and took passage to Leyte for collection of replacement aircraft when Fleet
replenished.
19th Sailed from Leyte
22nd Deployed with Tanker Group in Area COOTIE ONE during replenishment.
(Note: 117 replacement aircraft were carried in the three Replacement Carriers.
during ICEBERG TWO of which 78 were transferred to BPF carriers.)
25th Passage to Manus.
29th Arrived at Manus
June Passage to Sydney from Manus
5th Deployed in Australia for R&R period prior to support of operations by ships of
BPF in Japan waters.
(Note: As a result of a change in US Naval Command structure ships of BPF were
transferred to US 3rd Fleet and redesignated Task Force 37
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes was changed to R314 to conform
with US Navy identity for this type of warship.)
Nominated for Replacement Carrier duty for transport of aircraft from Manus to the
replenishment area off Japanese mainland.
Passage to Manus.
July Passage from Sydney to Manus
9th Deployed at Manus.
18th Sailed from Manus.
Deployed for replacement duties.
26th Deployed with Fleet Train in replenishment area for delivery of replacement and
collection of unserviceable aircraft with HMS RULER and HMS STRIKER.
(Screen for Fleet Train was provided by HM Destroyers NAPIER, NIZAM and NEPAL,
HM Sloops PHEASANT and CRANE, HM Frigate BARLE, HM Australian
Minesweepers BALLARAT and BURNIE)
27th Embarked three aircraft from HMS STRIKER.
August
1st Transferred aircraft to carriers of Force 36 and on completion took passage to Manus
for replacement aircraft..
13th Sailed from Manus for replenishment area off Japan.
British Pacific Fleet ships, apart from Token Force transferred to US Task Force
were withdrawn from joint US/RN operations off Japan because of shortage of fuel
from British sources.
(Note: During British Fleet operations off Japan the 30th Aircraft Carrier Sqdn.
ship carried 116 aircraft from Manus to the operational area. In this period
99 replacement aircraft were required and 102 were delivered.
HMS RULER provided air cover during replenishment periods remained
in the area whilst the other two ships of this type took passage with the replacement
aircraft from Manus.
For details of all BPF operations and the circumstances of the withdrawal of BPF
Ships see THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J Winton, OPERATION PACIFIC by
E Gray and Naval Staff History.
15th Reverted to RN control and nominated for support of repatriation of British and allied
prisoners of war and internees. Took passage to Japan.
20th Transferred Ten SEAFIRE and one FIREFLY aircraft to HM Fleet Aircraft Carrier
INDEFATIGABLE and recovered one of each type
Transferred all flyable aircraft to HMS RULER to increase space for provision of
accommodation for transport of prisoners of war.
28th Ordered to proceed to Japanese waters to join ships of RN Token Force.
29th First allied aircraft carrier to enter Tokyo Bay.
31st Disembarked aircraft maintenance personnel to join HMS RULER to make more
accommodation available for passengers.
September Embarked passengers.
3rd Sailed from Tokyo Bay for Manila with 473 passengers for repatriation.
(Note: Ship took passage by visiting all Commonwealth ships in area to enable
all others involved to give the passengers a memorable end-off from
all ships.