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NavSource Online: Escort Carrier Photo Archive

(BAVG-1)  /  HMS ARCHER (D78)


Contributed by Tommy Trampp



Battle Honours

Atlantic 1943

Archer (similar to US Long Island) Class Escort Carrier
Ordered Laid down Launched Commissioned Returned to US Stricken
- 7 Jun 1939 14 Dec 1939 17 Nov 1941 8 Jan 1946 26 Feb 1946
Builder: Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Co., Chester, Pa.

Specifications
(As converted, 1941)
Displacement: 9,000 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: 4 Busch-Sulzer diesels (7-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

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Size Image Description Contributed
By And/Or Copyright
Name
Archer
NS030100107
24k

An Archer is one who shots with a bow and an arrow. The design depicts an English long bowman, someone who has helped vanquish many enemies.

Courtesy of Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers
MV Mormacland
BAVG-1, HMS Archer
NS030100109
109k

"Second of the CVE's, this C-3 [Mormacland] was to become famous as the British HMS Archer. Her planes sank the U-752 in the Atlantic on May 23, 1943, to make her the first 'Baby Flattop' credited with a sub kill without assistance from other ships."

Ron Reeves
BAVG-1
NS301305307
179k

Aerial view of the SunShip fitting out piers, 2 April 1940, Chester, PA. The second vessel from the left is Seatrain Texas, with her sister Seatrain New Jersey—later becoming USS Lakehurst (APV-3)—to her port. The other two cargo vessels are Mormacmail and Mormacland in unknown order, later becoming USS Long Island (AVG-1) and HMS Archer (D78).

Photo from the Victor Dallin collection, Hagley Museum. Used for educational and non-commercial purpose.

John Chiquoine
BAVG-1, HMS Archer
NS0300151b
238k

The future HMS Archer (D78, U.S. hull number BAVG-1) seen as SS Mormacland, in distance at SunShip Chester, PA, in 1941. Photos from the LIFE magazine collection, photographer Dmitri Kessel (for educational and non-commercial use only).

John Chiquoine
BAVG-1, HMS Archer
NS030100111
133k
BAVG-1, HMS Archer
NS030100114
237k

Mormacland, of the Moore-McCormack Lines, being converted into an aircraft carrier, Hampton Roads, VA. From LIFE magazine, 1 September 1941.

David Upton,
Blue Springs, MO
BAVG-1, HMS Archer
NS030100115
239k

Three more photos of Mormacland, of the Moore-McCormack Lines, being converted into an aircraft carrier, Hampton Roads, VA. From LIFE magazine.

John Chiquoine
BAVG-1, HMS Archer
NS030100115a
293k
BAVG-1, HMS Archer
NS030100115b
264k
HMS Archer (D78)
BAVG-1 / HMS Archer
NS030100117
759k

HMS Archer (D78), ex-BAVG 1, ex-MV Mormacland, starboard side, Norfolk Navy Yard, Portsmouth, VA, 12 December 1941.

Serial No. 2397(41), Bureau of Ships photo 19-LCM-26523, now in the collections of the National Archives and Records Administration (NARA).

Via Robert Hurst
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100104
355k

HMS Archer (D78) moored off Greenock, Scotland, 18 February 1943. At that time, she was listed as the latest auxiliary carrier, built in America.

Courtesy of Scottish Shipwrecks,
via Robert Hurst
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100104a
49k

Port bow view of HMS Archer (D78) moored off Greenock, Scotland, 18 February 1943.

Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection, by Beadell, S.J. (Lt), Photo No. © IWM (A 14606).

Courtesy of Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers
Mike Green
BAVG-1 / HMS Archer
NS030100118
52k

King George VI, wearing the uniform of an Admiral of the Fleet, paid a 4-day visit to the Home Fleet, at Scapa Flow, Orkney Isles, Scotland, 18–21 March 1943. Here the King is shown inspecting flying officers aboard the escort carrier HMS Archer (D78).

Photographer Davies, F A (Lt), RN. This photograph A 15123 comes from the collections of the Imperial War Museums, Admiralty Official Collection. This image was created and released by the Imperial War Museums on the IWM Non Commercial Licence.

Via Robert Hurst
Archer class
NS030100113
565k

Illustrated London News, 26 June 1943. "A 'Woolworth Carrier': First Details of the New-Type Escort Vessels Which Are Giving Vital Air Cover to Our Convoys in Mid-Atlantic."

Tommy comments: "Woolworth Carrier of the Royal Navy. The escort carrier was designed as a solution to the shortage of naval air power for convoy protection. By the end of WW2 Britain had operated 45 escort carriers, in the Atlantic, Arctic, Indian and Pacific oceans: 6 were British built, 39 US built the latter were affectionately known as 'Woolworth' carriers."

Tommy Trampp
Archer class
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
Archer class
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.

Charger and Long Island
NS0303014
368k

Charger & Long Island-class . From U.S. Naval Ships & Aircraft (ONI 54-R), condensed and printed for FM 30-50, NAVAER 00-80V-57 (Recognition Pictorial Manual of Naval Vessels). Supplement 4 - 4 August 1943.

Photos show HMS Archer, HMS Biter and USS Charger.

Gerd Matthes, Germany
Charger and Long Island
NS0303014a
341k

As above. Top photos show USS Charger (BAVG-4/AVG/ACV/CVE-30). Bottom photos show USS Long Island (AVG/AVC/CVE-1).

BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100101
183k

HMS Archer underway in 1943, with Swordfish of 819 Squadron and Martlets (US Wildcats) of 892 Squadron on deck.

Robert Hurst
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100103
36k Port view of Archer showing her camouflage paint, place unknown. Early 1943 (thanks to Robert Hurst). Hazegray & Underway
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100105
108k HMS Archer as seen from the rear cockpit of one of her Swordfish strike aircraft, that has just taken off. Note another Swordfish is about to leave her flight deck. Robert Hurst
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100106
206k HMS Archer. Starboard view. Date and place unknown. Courtesy of Tony Drury, Royal Navy Escort Carriers
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100102
63k

Port quarter view of HMS Archer (D78) anchored at Greenock, Scotland on 18 February 1943.

Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection by Beadell, S.J. (Lt), Photo No.© IWM(A 14604).

Mike Green
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100102a
53k

Close-up stern view of HMS Archer (D78) anchored at Greenock, Scotland on 18 February 1943.

Imperial War Museum Admiralty Official Collection by Beadell, S.J. (Lt), Photo No.© IWM(A 14605).

Mike Green
As Empire Lagan
BAVG-1 HMS Archer / Empire Lagan
NS030100119
294k

"The last known photo of the Empire Lagan seen in Auckland New Zealand on September 8, 1945"

From the R. Goosens Collection.

Gerhard Mueller-Debus
The Crew
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100116
660k

Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone in SS Mary and John parish churchyard, Oxford, England, UK, for CPO Telegraphist Frederick Timms, of HMS Archer, who died 15 July 1943, aged 42.

Photo taken on 6 August 2016 by Motacilla. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license.

Robert Hurst
Commercial Service
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100112
80k

Gerhard comments:

"Here are six archive photos of the Escort Carrier Archer (D78) (US BAVG-1, ex-Mormacland) as the postwar-wise re-built Swedish passenger vessel Anna Salen. The vessel used to also call at Bremerhaven (Columbus Pier) during the late Forties and early Fifties in order to transport Germans and DPs to Australia as immigrants. (The original source of these pictures is, however, not known to me.)"

"The ship was sold to Sven Salen in 1948 and was used as a freighter, but from 1949 on, after having been modified again, she entered the passenger service between Northern Europe and Australia, carrying immigrants to Down Under. In 1955, she was sold to Greece and renamed Tasmania, now carrying Greek immigrants to Australia."

"In 1961 she was sold to the China Union Lines (Taiwan), renamed the Union Reliance and re-built as a freighter again. Unfortunately, she collided in Nov., 1961 with the Norwegian tanker Berean in the Houston Ship Channel off Houston, TX. Vessel was badly damaged and a fire spread, causing further damage. After the fire had finally been extinguished, the owners decided to sell the ship for scrap. The ship was then towed to New Orleans, LA and scrapped locally."

Gerhard Mueller‑Debus
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100112a
73k
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100112b
112k
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100112c
152k
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100112d
107k
BAVG-1 HMS Archer
NS030100112e
134k

Read the BAVG-1  /  HMS Archer (D78) DANFS History entry

Crew Contact and Reunion Information
Not applicable to this ship

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Hazegray & Underway World Aircraft Carrier Pages By Andrew Toppan.

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Last update: 30 July 2024