AVG-46 (later ACV-46 and CVE-46) was named Niantic for a city, river and bay in Connecticut (NS0304625, courtesy of Google Maps.)

Transferred to the United Kingdom, 8 November 1943, she was commissioned in the Royal Navy as HMS Ranee. A Ranee is a Hindu Queen, the wife of a Rajah (a Hindu prince or ruler in India).

Launching Niantic, Tacoma, Washington, June 2, 1943.

National Archives photo #80-G-73975.

Launching Niantic, Tacoma, Washington, June 2, 1943.

National Archives photo #80-G-73970.

Launching Niantic, Tacoma, Washington, June 2, 1943.

National Archives photo #80-G-73968.

Launching Niantic, Tacoma, Washington, June 2, 1943.

National Archives photo #80-G-73967.

Launching Niantic, Tacoma, Washington, June 2, 1943.

National Archives photo #80-G-73965.

Launching Niantic, Tacoma, Washington, June 2, 1943.

National Archives photo #80-G-73964.

Launching Niantic, Tacoma, Washington, June 2, 1943.

National Archives photo #80-G-73961.

Launching Niantic, Tacoma, Washington, June 2, 1943.

National Archives photo #80-G-73960.

Launching Niantic, Tacoma, Washington, June 2, 1943.

National Archives photo #80-G-73959.

Excellent photo of HMS Ranee (D03), ex-Niantic (CVE-46), date and place unknown.

HMS Ranee, ex-Niantic (CVE-46,) underway whilst ferrying the 36 Corsairs (just 32 visible) of 1846 and 1848 Naval Air Squadrons, which are painted in a mix of the old Dark Sea Grey/Dark Slate Grey/Sku scheme and the new Sea Blue Gloss. They were embarked for passage to the UK on October 18, 1944 so this photo must have been taken somewhat later —Ranee joined convoy CU-44, which departed New York for Liverpool on October 22. Note what appears to be a Hellcat just behind the island, and twin 20mm Oerlikons facing the camera at hangar-deck level, beneath island—Ranee and the four preceding CVEs to leave Vancouver had twin 20mm mount upgrades during their modification period.

HMS Ranee (D03), ex-U.S. Niantic (CVE-46), at anchor, 8 November 1945. Photo Frank and Sons, South Shields, Northumberland, England. Imperial War Museum Photo No: FL 18146.

HMS Ranee entering Portsmouth in December 1945 following conversion to a Naval Personnel Carrier. She left Portsmouth for Sydney and Colombo on 5 December 1945 under Captain J. A. W. Tothill, DSC., RN, who had taken over command of Ranee on 20 January 1945.

HMS Ranee in Valletta (La Valetta) Harbour, Malta, December 1945. She had been converted to a personnel carrier and was engaged in returning service personnel to the UK from the Far East.

A further pic of HMS Ranee in Malta, 1945 taken from Baracca Garden.

Three views of HMS Ranee in dry dock in Portsmouth, undergoing voyage repairs, from 27 February to 27 March 1946.

Returning to HMS Ranee in Colombo, April 1946.

HMS Ranee, ex-Niantic (CVE-46,) as a troopship in 1946, location unknown. Note the covered gun mountings and the life rafts on deck.

Ex-Niantic, ex-HMS Ranee, as Friesland, Dutch flag. Date and location unknown.

Ex-Niantic, ex-HMS Ranee, as the Panamanian-flagged Pacific Breeze (owned by C. Y. Tung, Hong Kong) in the Malacca Straits, date unknown.

The ship was rebuilt and sold to Rotterdamsche Lloyd in 1947, and renamed Friesland. Sold again in 1967 and renamed Pacific Breeze. Scrapped in Taiwan in 1974.

Archive picture of the Dutch-flagged Friesland, ex-Niantic (CVE-46), ex-HMS Ranee (D03), Koninklijke Rotterdamsche Lloyd.

The former escort carrier Niantic/HMS Ranee as the Dutch freighter Friesland, owned by Rotterdamscher Lloyd, Rotterdam. Photo by and copyright was with Walter Frost. Vancouver, BC, Canada, 1959.

The former escort carrier Niantic/HMS Ranee as the Dutch freighter Friesland, owned by Rotterdamscher Lloyd, Rotterdam. Photo by and copyright was with Walter Frost. Vancouver, BC, Canada, 1961.

A sketch of Friesland (ex-Niantic, ex-HMS Ranee) by Gerhard Mueller-Debus, Bremen, March 1961. Gerhard comments: "She appeared in Bremen only once—and I had no camera with me that day. The vessel was over years regularly engaged in the cross trade of Rotterdamscher Lloyd between the Far East and the West Coast of the US and Canada. Later she was sold to Far Eastern buyers, as we know."

A picture of the Pacific Breeze (ex-US Niantic, ex-HMS Ranee), showing her at the breakers's yard in Kaohsiung (Taiwan), May 1974, awaiting to be scrapped.

Original copyright is (or was) with P. Corsairs.