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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

(BAVG-5) / HMS DASHER (D37)

Contributed by Tommy Trampp

Battle Honours

Atlantic 1942 — North Africa 1942 — Arctic 1943

Ordered	Laid down	Launched	Commissioned
*Archer (similar to US Long Island) Class Escort Carrier*
-	14 Mar 1940	12 Apr 1941	2 Jul 1942
Builder: Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pa.

Laid down as the US mercantile Rio de Janeiro, under a Maritime Commission contract (hull number 62).
Acquired by the USN, 22 November 1941, for conversion into an aircraft escort vessel.
Converted and completed by Tietjens & Lang Drydock Company.
Completed and handed over to the USN at Hoboken Navy Yard, 1 July 1942. Transferred to the Royal Navy and commissioned as HMS Dasher the following day.

Fate: Sunk in the Clyde, off Arran, following a massive, accidental aviation fuel explosion, 27 March 1943. She sank in only 3 minutes and left only 149 survivors. The explosion was deemed to be due to the inadequate protection provided for avgas tanks in this class. All subsequent CVEs allocated to the RN were modified to British standards, with a consequent reduction of about 50% in the quantity of aviation fuel carried.

Specifications
(As converted, 1942)
Displacement: 8,200 tons standard; 15,700 tons full load
Dimensions (wl): 465' x 69.5' x 26.33' / 141.7 x 21.2 x 8 meters
Dimensions (max.): 492' x 102' / 150 x 31.1 meters
Armor: None
Power plant: 2 Doxford diesels (6-cylinder); 1 shaft; 8,500 bhp
Speed: 16 knots
Endurance: 14,550 nautical miles @ 10 knots
Armament: 3 single 4"/50 gun mounts; 4(?) twin and 7(?) single 20-mm/70-cal gun mounts
Aircraft: 15
Aviation facilities: 1 elevator; 1 hydraulic catapult (H 2); 9 arresting wires and 3 barriers
Crew: 555

Click On Image For Full Size Image	Size	Image Description	Contributed By And/Or Copyright
NS030100507	70k	"Launching *Rio de Janeiro*, April 12, 1941 — Chester, Pa., Moore-McCormack Lines, 5 Broadway — New York, N.Y."	Tommy Trampp
NS030100507a	158k		Tommy Trampp
NS030100504	142k	On final approach. HMS *Dasher* (D37). Date and location unknown.	Courtesy of Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers
NS030100501	93k	HMS *Dasher* (D37) underway in 1942, showing her single lift. The port-side catapult can just be made out forward on the camouflaged flight deck. Note the single US-pattern 4"/50 gun at the stern. Two Swordfish Mk.II strike aircraft with wings folded can be seen parked forward. U.S. National Archives photo. Photo and text from Aircraft Carriers of the World, 1914 to the Present: An Illustrated Encyclopedia, by Roger Chesneau.	Robert Hurst
NS030100503	96k	HMS *Dasher* at Hvalfjord, Iceland in February 1943 with convoy JW53. The photo was taken from the deck of the cruiser HMS Belfast.	Collection of Sub-Lieutenant (A) John Vallely RNVR, via Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers
NS030100505	86k	HMS *Dasher* underway in February 1943 with convoy JW53. Both this picture and the one above were taken on the first two days of the convoy. The photo was taken from the deck of the cruiser HMS Belfast.	Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers
NS030100108	292k	Archer-class. From ONI 201, "Warships and Landing Craft of the British Commonwealth," Division of Naval Intelligence, Navy Department, 1 July 1943. Condensed and printed for FM 30-50, NAVAER 00-80V-57. Photos show HMS Archer, HMS Biter and HMS *Dasher*.	Gerd Matthes, Germany
NS030100108a	278k	Archer-class. From ONI 201, "Warships and Landing Craft of the British Commonwealth," Division of Naval Intelligence, Navy Department, 1 July 1943. Condensed and printed for FM 30-50, NAVAER 00-80V-57.	Gerd Matthes, Germany
NS030100502	43k	Escort carrier HMS *Dasher* (D37) underway at sea during northern convoy duty, 14 February–March 1943. Photo taken by Lieutenant J.A. Hampton, Royal Navy official photographer. IWM photo # A 15348.	Robert Hurst

BAVG-5 / HMS Dasher (D37) History
This vessel was not listed in DANFS.
To read another vessel's entry visit DANFS Index
(Located on the Naval History & Heritage Command website)

Crew Contact and Reunion Information

Date:
Place:
Contact:	Mr Ron Marston, Secretary, HMS Dasher (1943) Association
Address:
Phone:
E-mail:	hmsdasher(1943)association@tesco.net
Web site:
Remarks:	The HMS Dasher (1943) Association exists to remember the 379 lives that were lost when HMS *Dasher* blew up off the Isle of Arran. We meet each year on the anniversary (27th March) of the sinking.

Related Links

Hazegray & Underway World Aircraft Carrier Pages By Andrew Toppan.
HMS Dasher, Royal Navy Escort Carriers, by Tony Drury.

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Last update: 12 October 2016