History

HMS Fencer was USA built at the Western Pipe & Steel, San Francisco, being laid down on 5 September 1941,  and launched April 1942. She was bought by the USN on 20 February 1943 as USS AVG-14 and commissioned in the Royal Navy on 20 February 1943.

The "Attacker" Class were the second batch of escort carriers built in the USA for the Royal Navy. They were also the first escort carriers to be ordered after the USA entered the war; the USN kept the other 10 vessels ordered at the same time, as these became the "Bogue" Class. Like their predecessors they were converted from mercantile hulls; unlike their predecessors they were powered by steam turbines instead of diesels. Once the ships were ready for action they soon proved themselves, both as convoy escorts and fighter support ships for amphibious landings.

HMS Fencer was essentially a "Fighter Carrier" from 1943. She also provided convoy escort in 1944, during which time her aircraft (842 squadron) sank the German submarines U666 on 10 February 1944, U277 on 1 May 1944, U674 and U.959 on 2 May 1944. She also provided cover for Barracuda strike aircraft during the Operation "Tungsten", attack on the German Battleship Tirpitz in Norway on 3 April 1944. Later she saw service with the British Pacific Fleet in 1945 as escort for the Fleet Train.

HMS Fencer was returned to the USN on 11 December 1946, became Roma 1967, Galaxy Queen 1967, Lady Dina 1972, Caribia 2 in 1973. Scrapped 1975.

Battle Honours
Atlantic 1943 - 4, Norway 1944, Arctic 1944, Pacific 1945.

Captains
No information on Captains.

Squadrons and Aircraft
No information

FAA squadrons embarked	Dates	Aircraft type
842	Aug 1943-Aug 1944	Swordfish II/Seafire I/II
700W	Sept-Nov 1943	Swordfish II
1832A	Nov 1943	Wildcat V
842Q	Nov 1943-Nov 1944	Wildcat V
1832E	March 1944	Wildcat V
881	June 1944	Wildcat V
850 dt	Sept-Oct 1944	Wildcat V
852 dt	Sept-Oct 1944	Wildcat VI

Associations and Reunions
No information

Carrier name	HMS Fencer Ex USS AVG-14 Became Roma 1967, Galaxy Queen 1967, Lady Dina 1972, Caribia 2 1973.
Class	Attacker
Type	Fighter Escort Carrier (US built)
Ships in Class	Attacker, Battler, Chaser, Fencer, Hunter, Pursuer, Ravager, Searcher, Stalker, Striker, Tracker
Launched
Tonnage	Net displacement 9,800 tons, Gross displacement, Load 6,900 tons
Engines	2 Foster-Wheeler boilers, 2 Westinghouse geared turbines driving 1 shaft at 8500 shp
Speed in Knots	18.5 knots
Armament	Gun 1 x 2 x 4" L/50 AA, 4x 2 x 40mm Bofors AA 10-35 x 20mm Oerlikon AA
Crew Complement	646 Officers & Ratings excluding Air Group
Range
Length (ft/inches)	496
Beam (ft/inches)	69'6''
Draught (ft/inches)	26
Flight Deck length (ft/inches)	480
Flight Deck width (ft/inches)	70
Armour
Number of aircraft carried	up to 24
Fate of carrier	Scrapped 1975
Notes

 

FURTHER INFORMATION   NavSource Photo Archives Escort Carriers: HMS Fencer   Navsource archives about HMS FENCER World Aircraft Carrier Lists and Photo Gallery - from 1913 to 2000. Naval History Information Center, Haze Gray & Underway Sturtivant, R & Ballance, T  (1994). 'The Squadrons of the Fleet Air Arm' Published by Air Britain (Historians) Ltd, 1994 ISBN: 0 85130 223 8 The World’s Warships 1941 by Francis E. McMurtrie (1944). Jane's London 1941 1st ed.  Jane's Fighting Ships of World War II by Francis E. McMurtrie (Editor)(1984). 320 pages. Crescent Books; ISBN: 0517679639

        Last Modified: 23-2-2001

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