A History of HMS ATTACKER

Laid down 7 April 1941, by the Western Pipe and Steel Co. as the ‘Steel Artisan’ a Maritime Commission C3 type freighter, hull number 171, Western Pipe and Steel hull number 62; purchased by the US navy to be the USS Barnes ACV- 7 (later changed to CVE -7). She was launched on September 27th 1941by her sponsor Mrs. William A. Ross. Whilst still under construction it had been decided that CVE 33 was to be transferred to the Admiralty on loan on her completion; the hull was towed to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo California on 10 October 1941 for conversion n and fitting out as an aircraft carrier. Upon her completion she was delivered to the US Navy as USS Barnes September 30th 1942, CVE 7 was transferred to the Royal Navy on August 30th 1942, and commissioned as HMS ATTACKER (D02) on 7 October 1942, Capt. W.W.P. Shirley-Rollison RN in command.

HMS Attacker began sea and flying trials off San Francisco on November 12th, embarking the swordfish of 838 naval air squadron (4 Swordfish I) from USNAS Alemeda Island. On being passed fit for duty on completion of her trials and shake down she sailed from San Francisco and passed through the Panama Canal on December 22nd 1942. From Cristobal she headed for the Naval operating Base at Norfolk, Virginia. 838 squadron disembarked to USNAS Quonset Point on January 1st 1943.

Attacker was to spend the next two months operating in the Caribbean, around Jamaica and Curacao. On March 2nd 838 squadron re-embarked, together with 840 squadron (6 Swordfish II), both from USNAS Quonset Point, to provide anti submarine cover for an east bound convoy from Curacao. Attacker arrived on the Clyde April 1st and both 838 and 840 squadrons disembarked to RNAS Machrihanish on April 2nd. HMS Attacker proceeded to Liverpool for modification to RN standards, arriving on April 4th 1943. On completion of her modifications Attacker sailed for the Clyde on June 15th to work up.

June 19th 886 squadron embarked from RNAS Machrihanish (9 Seafire L.IIc & 6 Swordfish I) in preparation for operations in the Mediterranean. HMS Attacker embarked a second squadron 879 (10 Seafire L.IIc) from RNAS Machrihanish on July 29th before sailing from the Clyde on August 3rd bound for Gibraltar. Upon arrival at Gibraltar 886 squadron disembarked to RN air section North Front on August 9th. They were to re-embark on August 31st when the ship sailed for Malta.

HMS ATTACKER sporting her pennant numberw.

In September 1943 Attacker became a part of Force V, the covering force for the allied invasion of Salerno Italy in operation ‘AVALANCHE’ which sailed from Malta on 8th September 1943. Attacker operated in company with the assault CVEs Battler, Hunter and Stalker and the maintenance carrier Unicorn making a rare operational contribution.  It was intended that a constant presence of naval air cover would be maintained over the landing sites, up to 20 aircraft aloft at a time. The attrition rate was high, and the CVEs required addition aircraft to be transferred from the Fleet Carriers of Force H to continue operations at this level ( nearly out of sircraft itself by now, Forcr H withdrew to Malta on the 11th.). Once the airfield at Paestum was under Allied control as many serviceable fighters as could be mustered were put ashore to operate from there. Battler could only manage 5 serviceable Seafires to disembark on the morning of September 12th out of 18 embarked. After disembarking fighters the force withdrew to Palermo to replenish. Aircraft from Attacker flew 132 sorties during operations covering the 9th – 12th before the force withdrew. Force V disbanded on the 20th of September, the CVEs returning to the UK to refit and allow squadrons the opportunity to receive replacement aircraft and aircrews.

Attacker returned to the UK escorting a Gibraltar to UK convoy, arriving at the Clyde on October 6th and disembarking her squadrons to RNAS Machrihanish. Attacker continued on to Rosyth naval dockyard, arriving there on October 10th to undergo conversion to an assault carrier.

After emerging from the dockyard Attacker embarked 809 squadron (10 Seafire L.IIc) which transferred from HMS Stalker on November 29th, operating on board until December 11th when they disembarked to RNAS Dekheila, Egypt.  On her return to the UK Attacker re-embarked the Seafire L.IIcs of 886 squadron from RNAS Burscough on December 29th for operations in home waters, disembarking to Burscough on February 6th 1944.

The personnel and aircraft of 809 squadron aboard HMS Attacker - click to see larger image

879 squadron re-embarked from RNAS Burscough on March 16th, going ashore to RAF Long Kesh, Northern Ireland on the 24th before rejoining the ship on the 30th. On May 14th Attacker sailed to rejoin the forces in the Mediterranean, where she was to spend the few months escorting Malta to Gibraltar convoys while her squadron practiced Army so-operation flying with units in North Africa and Italy. 879 operated detachments at various airfields between May 24th) and July 23rd, including North Front (Gibraltar), Blida (Algeria). Pomigliano, Capodichino, Orvieto and Castiglione (Italy), before rejoining Attacker as she became part of Task Force 88 for operation ‘DRAGOON’, the invasion of Southern France. The force exercised off Malta between August 2nd and 12th, the actual invasion commenced in the early hours of August 15th.

The CVEs Attacker, Emperor, Khedive, Pursuer and Searcher joining Task Group 88.1 under Rear Admiral Troubridge in the cruiser HMS Royalist, as carrier task force flagship. HMS Hunter, Stalker, and two US CVEs, USS Tulagi and USS Kasaan Bay joined Task group 88.2 under Rear Admiral Durgin USN in USS Tulagi. By this time 879 squadron strength had increased to 28 aircraft (24 Seafire L.III and 4 Seafire LR.IIcs).

Attacker withdrew from the area on the August 23rd and headed for Maddelena, Sardinia, after her aircraft had completed 183 sorties including strikes on ground targets, bombardment spotting for HMS Aurora and tactical reconnaissance missions. Attacker and the other CVEs of Task Group 88.1 were released from their duties on August 29th and Attacker headed for Alexandria to replenish stores and aircraft, arriving there on October 2nd. She put to sea again on the 14th bound for the Aegean.

Between September 15th and October 30th Attacker again operated as part of Rear Admiral Troubridge’s carrier force in company with Hunter, Khedive, Pursuer, Emperor, Searcher and Stalker in the Aegean. Their task was to hamper and delay German troop movements in the Dodecanese Islands, (Leros, Kos, Samos, Rhodes and Levitha). Operation "Outing" had Attacker’s aircraft (15 Seafire L.III and 5 Seafire LR.IIcs) flying armed reconnaissance sorties from the 16th, and ground attack missions on enemy transport, including dive-bombed shipping in Rhodes harbour on he 19th. Attacker withdrew to Alexandria on the 20th to re-supply before undertaking a second phase of operations, ‘Outing II’. The carrier force reduced to four ships as Khedive, Pursuer and Searcher departed for the UK at the end of September. Seafires from 879 squadron strafed the W/T station on Levitha on the 3rd before conducting Tactical Reconnaissance flights on the 4th together with bombardment spotting for Royalist. The force returned to Alexandria for a further replenishment of aircraft and stores on October 5th; Attacker having complete 102 sorties.

On return to the Eastern Aegean the next offensive, Operation "Manna”, saw Attacker sail in company with Stalker, Emperor, Royalist and 2 destroyers on October 13th. Stalker left the force on the 20th, returning to Alexandria. On the 23rd and 24th railway rolling stock and motor transport was strafed and set on fire, and together with extensive dive-bombing of the railway system stopped all rail traffic on Kos. Towards the end of the month Attacker and Emperor provided air cover for amphibious landing on the islands of Mitylene on the 26th, aircraft from 879 squadron operating ashore until re-embarking to cover the landing on Piskopi on the 29th. Attacker withdrew to Alexandria on the 30th leaving Emperor as the only CVE operating in the area.

HMS Attacker in company with HMS Hunter, sailed from Alexandria on October 31st bound for the UK, entering Devonport Dockyard for repairs on November 10th. Attacker returned to Alexandria a month later, disembarking 879 squadron to RNAS Dekheila December 11th before counting onto Taranto, Italy for a refit in an Italian dockyard.

HMS Attacker prepared to sail for Ceylon on April 1st 1945, re-embarking 879 squadron (24 Seafire L.III) from RNAS Dekheila on the 14th. Attacker arrived off Ceylon on April 29th and disembarked 879 to RNAS Katukurunda. Attacker was to join the 21st Aircraft Carrier Squadron in the East Indies Fleet.

Her squadron re-embarked on June 10th and operated with Attacker until returning briefly to Katukurunda on July 7th before rejoining on the 10th for passage to Trincomalee where they again disembarked on the 19th.  Attacker was not employed on offensive operations until early August when she re-embarked 879 on August 9th and sailed with five other CVEs to launch air strikes against Sumatra and Penang, the operation was cancelled though before the launch position was reached.

CVEs Attacker and Hunter, sail from Rangoon, headed for Penang on August 27th 1945 as part of Vice Admiral Walker's force [Nelson, Ceylon, Hunter, Attacker , 3 Destroyers and 3 Landing Ship (infantry)] to accept the Japanese surrender of Malaya, operation ‘Jurist’,. The force reached Penang on the 28th, the surrender ceremony taking place on September 2nd. ice Admiral Walker's force next sailed for Singapore, and Attacker and the rest of the force formed part of 90 ships (including 70 RN and RIN warships, 3 Royal Fleet Auxiliaries, 3 hospital ships and 14 merchant vessels) present in Singapore Roads for the surrender ceremony on September 12th 1945.

On September 14th HMS Attacker sailed from Singapore bound for the UK where she was to be removed from active service upon her arrival on the Clyde on November 11th. She was de-stored and Admiralty equipment removed in preparation for her return to US Navy custody under the terms of the Lend/Lease agreement.

HMS Attacker departed from the Clyde on her final voyage on December 9th 1945, calling at Southampton before crossing the Atlantic to Norfolk. Virginia. She was decommissioned by the Royal Navy on 29 December 1945 at Norfolk, and returned to USN custody. CVE 7 was struck from the US Navy list on February 26th 1946. She was sold on September 11th 1946 to William B. St. John, New York City, N.Y. The ship was resold on 28 October 1946 to an Italian shipping firm for merchant service as Castel Forte. Renamed Fairsky in the 1970's, she hit a submerged wreck on June 23rd 1977 and beached to prevent sinking, re-floated June 29th 1977. Towed to Mariveles, Luzon, Philippines, arriving March 28th 1978 and began conversion into a floating hotel, the ‘Philippine Tourist’ but was destroyed by fire on November 3rd 1979 and scrapped at Hong Kong starting 24 May 1980.

Content revised: July 2008