HMS Avenger (D14)

36°15′N 07°45′W / 36.250°N 7.750°W / 36.250; -7.750

HMS Avenger with Sea Hurricanes on deck
History
United Kingdom
Name	Avenger
Ordered	C3-P&C
Builder	Sun Shipbuilding
Laid down	28 November 1939
Launched	27 November 1940
Commissioned	2 March 1942
In service	1942
Homeport	HMNB Clyde
Fate	Sunk by U-155 off Gibraltar on 15 November 1942
General characteristics
Class and type	Avenger-class escort carrier
Displacement	8,200 long tons (8,332 t) (normal) 9,000 long tons (9,144 t) (deep load)
Length	492.25 ft (150.04 m)
Beam	66.25 ft (20.19 m)
Height	23.25 ft (7.09 m)
Propulsion	1 shaft, 4 diesel engines giving 8,500 bhp (6,300 kW)
Speed	16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph)
Complement	555
Armament	3 × QF 4 inch Mk XVI naval gun 15 × Oerlikon 20 mm cannon on single and twin mounts
Aircraft carried	15 a mixture of Fairey Swordfish Hawker Sea Hurricane
Aviation facilities	Hangar 190 ft (58 m) by 47 ft (14 m) Lift 42 feet (13 m) by 34 feet (10 m) 9 arrester wires

HMS Avenger was a Royal Navy escort aircraft carrier during the Second World War. In 1939 she was laid down as the merchant ship Rio-Hudson at the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company yard in Chester, Pennsylvania. Launched on 27 November 1940, she was converted to an escort carrier and transferred under the lend lease agreement to the Royal Navy. She was commissioned on 2 March 1942.

Avenger's capacity allowed for a maximum of 15 aircraft. In September 1942, she took part in what was the largest and most successful Russian convoy to date. Upon her return home, after observing a number of design faults, Avenger's captain drew up recommendations for future escort carrier design. In November 1942 she took part in Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa, where she suffered engine problems. While leaving North Africa to start the journey home Avenger was sunk by the German submarine U-155 on 15 November 1942 at 3:20am GMT, 9 hours after leaving Gibraltar for Britain, with a heavy loss of life among her crew.