Escort Carriers to Britain
    Lend Lease 1941-1944

    		 RN Ensign
    ClassUSBritDisplacem.AircraftHull
    / NameIDID/ UseCommissNotes
    Long IslandArcher12,860 ton    16 planesMerchant Conversion in 90 days
    ArcherBAVG-1D78ASW20May41Maintenance, Aug43
    BAVGBAVGAvenger15,100 ton 15 planesMerchant Conversions
    Avenger BAVG-2D14ASW2Mar42U-155 15Nov42 1 Torp
    Biter BAVG-3D97ASW1May42Damaged, 16Nov43
    ChargerBAVG-4D27Training 4Oct41Retained by US as AVG-30
    Dasher BAVG-5D37ASW02July42Explosion 27Mar43
    Tracker BAVG-6D24ASW31Jan43
    In addition to the American built escort carriers, Britain made seventeen Merchant Aircraft Carriers by the addition of flight deck and four aircraft to grain haulers and tankers for convoy escort while carrying their own cargo.
    BogueAttacker14,600 ton 20 planes  Merchant Hulls
    AttackerACV-7 D02CAP30Sep42
    Battler ACV-6 D18ASW31Oct42
    Stalker ACV-15D91mult20Aug42
    Hunter ACV-8 D80mult09Jan43
    Fencer ACV-14D64ASW01Mar43
    SearcherACV-22D40ASW07Apr43
    Chaser ACV-10D32ASW09Apr43
    Ravager ACV-24D70Training25Apr43
    Striker ACV-19D12ASW29Arp43
    Pursuer ACV-17D73ASW14Jun43
    BogueAmeer15,600 ton 20 planesMerchant Design
    Ameer CVE-35D01/R302 CAP19Jul43
    Slinger CVE-32D26/R313 Ferry11Aug43Mine 5Feb44
    AthelingCVE-33D51/R304 ASW01Aug43
    Emperor CVE-34D98/R307 CAP06Aug43
    Begum CVE-36D38/R305 ASW12Aug43
    TrumpeterCVE-37D09/R318ASW04Aug43
    Empress CVE-38D42 CAP12Aug43
    Khedive CVE-39D62 CAP25Aug43
    Nabob CVE-41D77 ASW07Sep43U-354 22Aug44
    Shah CVE-43D21/R312 ASW27Sep43
    PatrollerCVE-44D07 Ferry22Oct43
    Premier CVE-42D23 ASW03Nov43
    Ranee CVE-46D03/R323 CAP08Nov43
    Thane CVE-48D83/R316 CAP19Nov43
    Speaker CVE-40D90/R314 Ferry20Nov43
    Queen CVE-49D19/R320 CAP07Dec43
    Ruler CVE-50D72/A731 Ferry22Dec43
    Arbiter CVE-51D31/R303 Ferry31Dec43
    Rajah CVE-45D10/R310 Ferry17Jan44
    Smiter CVE-52D55/R321 CAP20Jan44
    TrouncerCVE-47D85 Ferry31Jan44
    Puncher CVE-53D79 ASW 05Feb44Canadian built
    Reaper CVE-54D82/R324 Ferry18Feb44
    USN designations : Initially APV then changed to AVG to 31Mar41 which was changed to ACV on 20Aug42 and to CVE on 15July43.
    British designations: "D" is Atlantic service series; "R" is Pacific service series.
    ASW - Anti-Submarine Warfare ; CAP- Combat Air Patrol ; Ferry - Airplane transport
    Red means sunk ; Blue means badly damaged ; Damaged beyond repair.
    Audacity (D10) CVE converted from captured German merchant ship Hannover scuttled 8Mar1940. Commissioned on 17 June 1941 as first British escort carrier. Convoy escort carrying 8 Grumman Martlet (Wildcats). Escorted four convoys to or from Gibraltar shooting down seven long-range Focke-Wulf Condor reconnaissance/bombers. Sunk by U-751 on 21Dec1941 after a merchantman fired a flare which revealed Audacity
    Merchant Aircraft Carriers were 19 tankers and grain haulers given flight decks to carry three or four Fairey Swordfish in addition to their cargo during late 1942. Two were Dutch. Apparently effective, conversions discontinued when CVE's arrived in 1943.
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    Links:
      British Eastern TFs Early -- 1942
      British Easter Task Forces -- discussion
      British Ships of Eastern Fleets -- by date
      British Task Force 57 -- British Pacific Fleet, 1945
      British Battleships
      British Fleet Carriers
    About this page: BrCVE - Escort Carriers Lend-Lease to British during World War II.
    Last updated on May 11, 2001
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