A History of HMS BEGUM

Two US maritime Commission hulls were earmarked for transfer to the Royal Navy as escort carriers with the ships' name 'Begum':

BEGUM (1)

On 17 January 1943, the keel was laid for a Casablanca class auxiliary aircraft carrier at the Kaiser Shipyard, Vancouver, Washington. She was launched on April 19 1943  and was intended to be transferred to the Royal Navy under Lend-Lease arrangements as HMS CHASTISER but this was changed to BEGUM before she was due for transfer to the RN.

Her sponsor was Lady Halifax, wife of the United Kingdom’s ambassador to the United States. She was launched 20 July 1943, but before delivery the US Navy decided that she (and other escort carriers building for Britain at that time) would be required for the US war effort and subsequently Begum, was delivered to the U. S. Navy on August 7, 1943 became the USS NATOMA BAY CVE–62 on 14 October 1943, Captain Harold L. Meadow in command.

BEGUM (2)

The second auxiliary aircraft carrier earmarked to be named HMS Begum began her carrier as the USS BOLINAS CVE-36, a Bogue class escort carrier, her keel being laid down 3 Aug 1942 at Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Corp., Tacoma, Washington. She was launched 11 Nov 1942. CVE-36 was sponsored by Mrs. G.B. Sherwood, wife of Commander Sherwood. Her hull was then towed to the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Bremerton Washington for completion.

CVE-36 commissioned into the US Navy 22 July 1943 as the USS BOLINAS Captain H.L. Meadow USN in command. The USS Bolinas was to remain at the Puget Sound Navy Yard until 11 August 1943, before proceeding to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada where she was decommissioned upon her arrival and transferred to the Royal Navy. She was recommissioned as HMS BEGUM (D38) on August 12th 1944 , Captain J.E. Broome RN in command.

Begun was handed over to the Burrard Dry Dock Co. Ltd., North Vancouver, British Columbia for modification prior to entering service with the Royal Navy. British equipment was installed and the carrier was outfitted to operate as ASW carrier. Her modification period was completed on November 22nd 1945.

On completion of sea trials Begum sailed from Vancouver down the west coast of the US to San Diego, transiting the Panama Canal on January 4th 1944. Begum docked at the Naval Operating Base Norfolk, Virginia on January 18th where she embarked two squadrons for transit to the UK. 1837 and 1838 Naval Air Squadrons, both with 10 Corsair IIs, had formed and worked up at USNAS Brunswick, Maine before moving to USNAS Norfolk for deck landing training. Their aircraft were taxied through the streets, wings folded to the dock side for loading late in the evening of January 19th.

HMS Begum sailed for the UK with the 73 ship convoy HX 276, sailing from New York on January 22nd, the convoy arriving at Liverpool on February 2nd without loss. Begun disembarked 1837 & 1838 to RNAS Burscough on February 1st; on reaching the Clyde later that day Begum entered a Clyde shipyard for further short period of modification. On completion HMS Begum was allocated to the Eastern Fleet and began preparing to sail for Colombo.

Beginning on February 26h Begum embarked four squadrons for passage to the Far East; 1839 (10 Hellcat I) from RNAS Eglinton, 1844 (10 Hellcat I) and 815 (aircraft only, 12 Barracuda II) from RNAMY Belfast, and 817 (aircraft only, 12 Barracuda II from RAF Tain. HMS Begum sailed from the Clyde bound for Ceylon on March 3rd; she arrived off the west coast of India in early April, where 1839 and 1844 squadrons both disembarked to RAF Ulunderpet on April 7th. 815 and 817 squadrons were disembarked to RAF St. Thomas Mount on the 10th.

MS Begum arrived in Colombo on April 26th. She embarked 832 squadron (12 Avenger I & 4 Wildcat V) from RNAS Katukurunda on May 26th in preparation for beginning anti-submarine sweeps in the Indian Ocean. The CVEs of the Eastern Fleet were employed as hunter/killers from the spring of 1944, since close escorting of convoys was ineffective due to U-Boat commanders targeting vessels not in convoy. Many of the sweeps were conducted off the Seychelles. After working up with her squadron Begum began operations on June 11th. Begum was to undertake five operations in the Indian Ocean during 1944, working HMS Shah on several occasions.

On August 12th 1944, during Begum’s fourth A/S sweep, Avengers from Begum and Shah spotted the German submarine U-198 near the Seychelles, they directed the frigate HMS Findhorn and the Indian sloop HMIS Godavari to its location it was sunk by depth charges.

On completion of her fifth and final A’s sweep Begum disembarked 832 squadron to RNAS Colombo Racecourse on December 22nd and began preparing for her return to the UK. After spending Christmas of 1944 in Ceylon Begum sailed for the UK on January 16th 1945.

Upon arriving on the Clyde on February 20th Begum entered a Clyde shipyard for refit and conversion to a ferry carrier. While in refit Begum was allocated to the British Pacific Fleet for duties as a ferry carrier. Begum’s RN designation changed from D38 to R305 for service in the Pacific but this was never applied.

After leaving the Clyde Begum sailed to Belfast to Belfast to load aircraft on April 17th, these included the equipment, stores, aircraft and personnel of 721 Fleet Requirements Unit (6 Vengeance TT.IV) and 1701 Air Sea Rescue squadron (6 Sea Otter). Loading complete Begum sailed later the sane day to join convoy KMF.43 which had sailed from the Clyde, arriving at Gibraltar on the 23rd. Begum continued on to the Admiralty Islands, via the Suez Canal, and Colombo, arriving at the Island of Ponam on May 27th. The next day Begum disembarked 721 FRU and ‘B’ Flight of 1701 ASR squadron to RNAS Ponam before proceeding to Australia.

Begum arrived in Sydney on June 5th, ‘A’ Flight 1701 disembarked in preparation for flying to RNAS Maryborough. She was reloaded with replacement airframes and stores before sailing for Manus in the Admiralty Islands, arriving there on the 15th were the airframes were off loaded to RNAS Ponam.

Begum’s tour of duty as a ferry carrier was a short one; she was re-allocated to the East Indies Fleet later in June and returned to Ceylon, arriving at Trincomalee in late June to assume the role of fleet Deck Landing Carrier. Her duties involved providing a deck for the pilots of 757 Naval Operational Training Squadron from RNAS Tambaram. She was on station and operating in this role by July 1st when Hellcat JZ810 piloted by Lt. W.J. Lowell went over the side during a DLT session.

Begum was to operate in this role for the next three and a half months before being withdrawn in mid October. After loading stores and passengers Begum sailed for the UK on October 23rd to be decommissioned. She arrived at the Clyde November 10th and after unloading passengers and stores began se-storing.

HMS Begum left the Clyde on December 11th and preceded top Portsmouth to complete de-storing before proceeding to Norfolk, Virginia. CVE-36 was returned to US Navy custody on 4 January 1946, and stricken for disposal 19 June 1946.

She was sold into merchant service with the Netherlands Steamship Co. on April 16th 1947 as Raki. Sold to Liberia 1966 and renamed I Yung. She was scrapped in Taiwan starting in March 1974.

Content revised: July 2008