BRITISH ESCORT CARRIER

Press, Volume LXXXI, Issue 24750, 15 December 1945, Page 8

BRITISH ESCORT CARRIER

POSSIBLE VISIT TO LYTTELTON

NO ARRANGEMENTS YET MADE

No arrangements have yet been made a visit to Lyttelton by the British escort carrier, H.M.S. Atheling, which left Britain for New Zealand early last month with 450 R.N.Z.N.V.R personnel. There is a possibility that she may come to Lyttelton, and if she does she will be the first aircraftcarrier to visit the port. The Atheling is not entirely in war-time rig as she has been adapted for the transport of servicemen.

~A n escort carrier of the Ruler class, the Atheling is one of the converted merchant ships used with outstanding success to defend convoys in the Battle of the Atlantic and in amphibious operations at the North African landings an lerno, the Italian seaport south of Naples. These escort carriers entered the Battle of the Atlantic in the spring of 1943, and it has been said that they “rammed home the last nails in the U-boats’ coffin.” The first of the escort carriers began to appear In the summer of 1942 the majority being provided under leaselend. Some were merchant ships converted in United States shipyards, and others were converted in Britain. Later increasing numbers of ships were laid down and built as escort carriers The British carriers were kept mostly with convoys, and the United States carriers were used with success as striking forces. b

Naval publications contain very information about the carrifers of aII class - but they state that the Atheling was formerly the United States ship Glacier, and was built bv the Henry J. Kaiser Company at Vancouver, Washington. According to American newspaper reports, the Atheling and others of her class are similar to the United States carriers oi the Csssbloncci clsss. These hjive a tonnage approaching 9000 tons. Their armament includes four 5-inch guns and many smaller guns.