HMS ''Archer'' was a built by the United States in 1939–1940 and operated by the
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...
. She was built as the
cargo ship
A cargo ship or freighter is a merchant ship that carries cargo, goods, and materials from one port to another. Thousands of cargo carriers ply the world's List of seas, seas and Ocean, oceans each year, handling the bulk of international trade. ...
''Mormacland'', but was converted to an escort carrier and renamed HMS ''Archer''. Her transmission was a constant cause of problems which led to her being withdrawn from front-line service. She was used as a stores ship and then as an accommodation ship before a refit and subsequent use as a
merchant aircraft ferry ship, ''Empire Lagan''.
She was returned to the US Navy, then laid up as ''Archer'' before being sold into merchant service and converted to a
passenger ship
A passenger ship is a merchant ship whose primary function is to carry passengers on the sea. The category does not include cargo vessels which have accommodations for limited numbers of passengers, such as the ubiquitous twelve-passenger freig ...
, ''Anna Salén''. She was used to take emigrants to Australia and Canada in the early 1950s. She was sold and renamed ''Tasmania'' and after further service as an emigrant ship was converted back to a cargo ship. She was later sold and renamed ''Union Reliance''. She was scrapped after a collision and fire in 1961.
Description and construction
''Mormacland'' was laid down as a
Type C3 cargo ship on 1 August 1939, under
United States Maritime Commission
The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and was abolished on May 24, 1950. The co ...
contract (MC Hull 46),
by the
Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company (1917–1982) was a major shipbuilding company in Chester, Pennsylvania on the Delaware River.
Its primary product was tankers, but the company built many types of ships over its 70-year history. During World W ...
,
Chester, Pennsylvania
Chester is a city in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, United States. It is located in the Philadelphia metropolitan area (also known as the Delaware Valley) on the western bank of the Delaware River between Philadelphia and Wilmington, Delaware. ...
, as Yard number 184.
She was launched on 14 December 1939 and completed on 24 April 1940.
[
She was powered by four seven-cylinder][ two-stroke single-acting ]diesel engines
The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to mechanical compression; thus, the die ...
.[ These drove a single ]screw
A screw is an externally helical threaded fastener capable of being tightened or released by a twisting force (torque) to the screw head, head. The most common uses of screws are to hold objects together and there are many forms for a variety ...
[ via Westinghouse electro-magnetic slip couplings and ]Falk
Falk may refer to:
* Falk (name), including origin and list of people with this name
* Falk Archaeological District, historic town and lumber mill site
* Falk Township, Minnesota
* "Falk" (short story), a 1901 short story by Joseph Conrad
* Post ...
single reduction gears. The engines were built by Busch-Sulzer
The Busch-Sulzer Bros. Diesel Engine Company was founded by Adolphus Busch of the Anheuser-Busch brewing company in 1911 as a joint venture with Sulzer Brothers of Switzerland. The company manufactured diesel engines until 1946.
In 1897, Adolphus ...
Brothers Diesel Engine Co, St Louis
St. Louis ( , sometimes referred to as St. Louis City, Saint Louis or STL) is an Independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Missouri. It lies near the confluence of the Mississippi River, Mississippi and the Miss ...
, Missouri
Missouri (''see #Etymology and pronunciation, pronunciation'') is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. Ranking List of U.S. states and territories by area, 21st in land area, it border ...
with 20½ inches bore and 27 inches stroke (520 mm by 690 mm). They developed a total of [ each. As HMS ''Archer'', she had a range of at .] The propulsion system was also used on the four sister ships built by Sun Shipbuilding in 1939: '' Mormacpenn'', '' Mormacyork'', ''Mormacland'' and '' Mormacmail''
HMS ''Archer'' was the only in service with the Royal Navy during the Second World War
The Royal Navy was an important component of the Allied forces during the Second World War and made a significant contribution to the victory over the Axis powers. Its main tasks included the protection of merchant ships in the Atlantic against ...
. She was converted from the American merchant ship
A merchant ship, merchant vessel, trading vessel, or merchantman is a watercraft that transports cargo or carries passengers for hire. This is in contrast to pleasure craft, which are used for personal recreation, and naval ships, which are ...
''Mormacland'' which was built at the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company
Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company (1917–1982) was a major shipbuilding company in Chester, Pennsylvania on the Delaware River.
Its primary product was tankers, but the company built many types of ships over its 70-year history. During World W ...
. She was laid down on 1 August 1939, launched on 14 December 1939 and delivered on 24 April 1940.[Cocker (2008), p.78.][
She was converted to an escort aircraft carrier at Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co, ]Newport News, Virginia
Newport News () is an Independent city (United States), independent city in southeastern Virginia, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the List of c ...
and commissioned into the Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
on 17 November 1941.
''Archer'' had a complement of 555 men and an overall length
The overall length (OAL) of an ammunition cartridge is a measurement from the base of the brass shell casing to the tip of the bullet, seated into the brass casing. Cartridge overall length, or "COL", is important to safe functioning of reloads i ...
of , a beam
Beam may refer to:
Streams of particles or energy
*Light beam, or beam of light, a directional projection of light energy
**Laser beam
*Radio beam
*Particle beam, a stream of charged or neutral particles
**Charged particle beam, a spatially lo ...
of and a height of .[ She displaced at normal load and at ]deep load
The displacement or displacement tonnage of a ship is its weight. As the term indicates, it is measured indirectly, using Archimedes' principle, by first calculating the volume of water displaced by the ship, then converting that value into weig ...
. Propulsion was provided by four diesel engine
The diesel engine, named after the German engineer Rudolf Diesel, is an internal combustion engine in which Combustion, ignition of diesel fuel is caused by the elevated temperature of the air in the cylinder due to Mechanics, mechanical Compr ...
s connected to one shaft giving , which could propel the ship at .[Cocker (2008), p.79.]
Aircraft facilities were a small combined bridge–flight control on the starboard
Port and starboard are Glossary of nautical terms (M-Z), nautical terms for watercraft and spacecraft, referring respectively to the left and right sides of the vessel, when aboard and facing the Bow (watercraft), bow (front).
Vessels with bil ...
side and above the -long wooden flight deck, one aircraft lift , one aircraft catapult
An aircraft catapult is a device used to help fixed-wing aircraft gain enough airspeed and lift for takeoff from a limited distance, typically from the deck of a ship. They are usually used on aircraft carrier flight decks as a form of assist ...
and nine arrestor wires
An arresting gear, or arrestor gear, is a mechanical system used to rapidly decelerate an aircraft as it lands. Arresting gear on aircraft carriers is an essential component of naval aviation, and it is most commonly used on CATOBAR and STOBA ...
. Aircraft could be housed in the half hangar below the flight deck.[Poolman (1972), p.29.][ Armament comprised three single mounted 4-inch dual purpose ]anti-aircraft
Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-ba ...
guns and fifteen 20 mm cannons on single or twin mounts.[ She had the capacity for fifteen aircraft which could be a mixture of ]Grumman Martlet
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that entered service in 1940 with the United States Navy, and the British Royal Navy where it was initially known as the Martlet. First used by the British in the North Atla ...
or Hawker Sea Hurricane
The Hawker Hurricane was a British single-seat fighter aircraft designed and predominantly built by Hawker Aircraft. Some models were built in Canada by Canadian Car and Foundry.
British variants
Hurricane Mk I Hurricane Mk I (Early producti ...
fighter aircraft
Fighter aircraft (early on also ''pursuit aircraft'') are military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat. In military conflict, the role of fighter aircraft is to establish air supremacy, air superiority of the battlespace. Domina ...
and Fairey Swordfish
The Fairey Swordfish is a retired biplane torpedo bomber, designed by the Fairey Aviation Company. Originating in the early 1930s, the Swordfish, nicknamed "Stringbag", was principally operated by the Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. It was a ...
or Grumman Avenger
The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated TBM for aircraft manufactured by General Motors) is an American World War II-era torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and eventually used by several air and naval av ...
anti-submarine
An anti-submarine weapon (ASW) is any one of a number of devices that are intended to act against a submarine and its crew, to destroy (sink) the vessel or reduce its capability as a weapon of war. In its simplest sense, an anti-submarine weapon ...
aircraft.[
]
Service history
''Mormacland'' was assessed at . She was operated by Moore-McCormack Lines Inc., with New York
New York most commonly refers to:
* New York (state), a state in the northeastern United States
* New York City, the most populous city in the United States, located in the state of New York
New York may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
* ...
as her homeport
A vessel's home port is the port at which it is based, which may not be the same as its port of registry shown on its registration documents and lettered on the stern of the ship's hull. In the cruise industry the term "home port" is also oft ...
, until 6 March 1941 when she was requisitioned by the United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
and sent to Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co, Newport News, Virginia
Newport News () is an Independent city (United States), independent city in southeastern Virginia, United States. At the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 186,247. Located in the Hampton Roads region, it is the List of c ...
, for conversion to an aircraft carrier.[
]
BAVG 1
When requisitioned by the US Navy, '' Mormacland'' was designated BAVG-1, the first hull of the series intended for delivery to the Royal Navy. The conversion consisted of a lightweight wooden flight deck on a truss frame being added on top of the ship which covered about 70% of the ship's length. The deck was serviced by a single lift aft where the aircraft hangar was situated.[ The conversion was completed on 15 November 1941.][ As converted, she was transferred to the ]Royal Navy
The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
.
''Archer'' was a sister of the . Like the ''Long Island'', the ''Archer'' had no island structure. Her original bridge was retained and extended at the sides to provide visibility. Her funnel was replaced by twin diesel vents to either side of the flight deck. Her Busch-Sulzer
The Busch-Sulzer Bros. Diesel Engine Company was founded by Adolphus Busch of the Anheuser-Busch brewing company in 1911 as a joint venture with Sulzer Brothers of Switzerland. The company manufactured diesel engines until 1946.
In 1897, Adolphus ...
engines sometimes produced so much black smoke that landing aircraft couldn't see the batman
Batman is a superhero who appears in American comic books published by DC Comics. Batman was created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger, and debuted in Detective Comics 27, the 27th issue of the comic book ''Detective Comics'' on M ...
or flight deck.[
]
HMS ''Archer''
Two days after the conversion was completed, BAVG-1 was transferred to and commissioned in the Royal Navy as part of the Lend-Lease
Lend-Lease, formally the Lend-Lease Act and introduced as An Act to Promote the Defense of the United States (),3,000 Hurricanes and >4,000 other aircraft)
* 28 naval vessels:
** 1 Battleship. (HMS Royal Sovereign (05), HMS Royal Sovereign)
* ...
program.[ On 23 December 1941, three ]US Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
Grumman F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat is an American carrier-based
A carrier-based aircraft (also known as carrier-capable aircraft, carrier-borne aircraft, carrier aircraft or aeronaval aircraft) is a naval aircraft designed for operations from aircra ...
s landed on ''Archer'' for trials to the launch accelerator. The accelerator misfired, causing the first aircraft to dive into the sea as sufficient airspeed had not been gained. The remaining two aircraft were successfully flown off. ''Archer'' put into the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard
The Philadelphia Naval Shipyard was the first United States Navy shipyard and was historically important for nearly two centuries.
Construction of the original Philadelphia Naval Shipyard began during the American Revolution in 1776 at Front ...
on 24 December 1941 for repairs to the accelerator, which had been damaged in the misfire. On 2 January 1942, ''Archer'' successfully completed her sea trial
A sea trial or trial trip is the testing phase of a watercraft (including boats, ships, and submarines). It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on op ...
s. On 9 January, she sailed down the Delaware River
The Delaware River is a major river in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States and is the longest free-flowing (undammed) river in the Eastern United States. From the meeting of its branches in Hancock, New York, the river flows for a ...
bound for Norfolk, Virginia
Norfolk ( ) is an independent city (United States), independent city in the U.S. state of Virginia. It had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it the List of cities in Virginia, third-most populous city ...
, where she was to load aircraft for ferrying to the United Kingdom. Her gyro compass
A gyrocompass is a type of non-magnetic compass which is based on a fast-spinning disc and the rotation of the Earth (or another planetary body if used elsewhere in the universe) to find geographical direction automatically. A gyrocompass make ...
failed near Goose Island and then her engines developed problems. After repairs were effected she arrived at Norfolk and on 12 January she embarked eleven Martlet Is.[
She departed Norfolk on 13 January but was soon in trouble, as her steering developed a fault and her gyro compass failed. Repairs were made and she set course for ]Kingston, Jamaica
Kingston is the Capital (political), capital and largest city of Jamaica, located on the southeastern coast of the island. It faces a natural harbour protected by the Palisadoes, a long spit (landform), sand spit which connects the town of Por ...
.[ Later that day ''Archer'' had a collision with the U.S. freighter ''Brazos'' some east of ]Charleston, South Carolina
Charleston is the List of municipalities in South Carolina, most populous city in the U.S. state of South Carolina. The city lies just south of the geographical midpoint of South Carolina's coastline on Charleston Harbor, an inlet of the Atla ...
(). ''Archer'' sustained damage to her bow, and eventually settled down at the bow by 5 degrees after the damage and flooding had been contained. Both ships were dead in the water. The 35 crewmembers of ''Brazos'' transferred to ''Archer'' in their own lifeboats and ''Brazos'' sank on 14 January. ''Archer''s captain had radioed for assistance and at first light started to make for the coast, but as her propeller was half out of the water, progress was minimal. On 16 January, ''Archer'' rendezvoused with US Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard (USCG) is the maritime security, search and rescue, and law enforcement service branch of the armed forces of the United States. It is one of the country's eight uniformed services. The service is a maritime, mi ...
tug
A tugboat or tug is a marine vessel that manoeuvres other vessels by pushing or pulling them, with direct contact or a tow line. These boats typically tug ships in circumstances where they cannot or should not move under their own power, suc ...
which unsuccessfully attempted to tow ''Archer''. It was decided that ''Archer'' should continue under her own power until a more powerful tug could assist her. On 17 January, reached her and proceeded to tow her to Charleston, where she arrived on 21 January. She entered dry dock on 28 January for repairs, which took about six weeks.[
On 7 March 1942, ''Archer'' embarked twelve Martlets for delivery to and her own four Fairey Swordfish aircraft of 834 Squadron which had flown out from Jamaica. She sailed on 18 March for ]San Juan, Puerto Rico
San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...
, in company with and two destroyers as part of Convoy AS 2. On 22 March ''Archer'' again had problems with her steering gear. She put into San Juan on 23 March and rejoined the convoy on 24 March. Anti-submarine patrols were carried out without a sighting, although one Swordfish was badly damaged on 30 March when it lost its tailhook and ended up in the safety barrier. Although her engines and gyro compass continued to give trouble, she arrived at Freetown
Freetown () is the Capital city, capital and largest city of Sierra Leone. It is a major port city on the Atlantic Ocean and is located in the Western Area of the country. Freetown is Sierra Leone's major urban, economic, financial, cultural, e ...
. Sierra Leone
Sierra Leone, officially the Republic of Sierra Leone, is a country on the southwest coast of West Africa. It is bordered to the southeast by Liberia and by Guinea to the north. Sierra Leone's land area is . It has a tropical climate and envi ...
on 3 April. On 9 April, ''Archer''s twelve brand new Martlets were transferred to ''Illustrious'' and two Martlets from ''Illustrious'' were transferred to ''Archer''.[
On 15 June 1942, one of her Swordfish aircraft became the first ever aircraft to land on ]Ascension Island
Ascension Island is an isolated volcanic island, 7°56′ south of the Equator in the Atlantic Ocean, South Atlantic Ocean. It is about from the coast of Africa and from the coast of South America. It is governed as part of the British Overs ...
. The aircraft's crew were looking for survivors from SS ''Lyle Park'' which had been sunk by . They landed to pass on a message destined for the Admiralty
Admiralty most often refers to:
*Admiralty, Hong Kong
* Admiralty (United Kingdom), military department in command of the Royal Navy from 1707 to 1964
*The rank of admiral
*Admiralty law
Admiralty can also refer to:
Buildings
* Admiralty, Tra ...
.[
''Archer''s powerplant continued to give trouble, particularly the electro-magnetic clutches. If the clutch disengaged the engines would race at high revs and had to be shut down in order for repairs to be made. This was particularly problematic if aircraft were flying or there were enemy submarines nearby. On 26 June, ''Archer'' departed Freetown bound for ]Bermuda
Bermuda is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. The closest land outside the territory is in the American state of North Carolina, about to the west-northwest.
Bermuda is an ...
, where she was to undergo repairs. Work started on 15 July and took some fourteen weeks to complete. ''Archer'' then sailed to New York City where she joined Convoy UGS 2 which departed New York on 2 November bound for Casablanca
Casablanca (, ) is the largest city in Morocco and the country's economic and business centre. Located on the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic coast of the Chaouia (Morocco), Chaouia plain in the central-western part of Morocco, the city has a populatio ...
, Morocco. She ferried 30 Curtiss P-40 Warhawks and US personnel to Casablanca. She then sailed to Gibraltar
Gibraltar ( , ) is a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory and British overseas cities, city located at the southern tip of the Iberian Peninsula, on the Bay of Gibraltar, near the exit of the Mediterranean Sea into the A ...
to join convoy MKF 3 which departed Gibraltar on 27 November. When ''Archer'' arrived in the UK, she was sent to Liverpool
Liverpool is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. It is situated on the eastern side of the River Mersey, Mersey Estuary, near the Irish Sea, north-west of London. With a population ...
for another refit which commenced on 4 December. Her flight deck was lengthened at this refit.[
On 19 February 1943, ''Archer'' embarked nine Martlet Vs of 892 Squadron and on 28 February embarked nine Swordfish Mk II aircraft of 819 Squadron.][ She was inspected by ]King George VI
George VI (Albert Frederick Arthur George; 14 December 1895 – 6 February 1952) was King of the United Kingdom and the Dominions of the British Commonwealth from 11 December 1936 until his death in 1952. He was also the last Emperor of In ...
the following day and then sent to shipyards on the Clyde and at Belfast
Belfast (, , , ; from ) is the capital city and principal port of Northern Ireland, standing on the banks of the River Lagan and connected to the open sea through Belfast Lough and the North Channel (Great Britain and Ireland), North Channel ...
for further rectification work. In early May, ''Archer'' joined the 4th Escort Group off Iceland
Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
on convoy support operations.[ She joined Convoy ONS 6 on 9 May and then Convoy ON 182 on 12 May, leaving these convoys on 14 May. On 21 May she joined Convoy HX 239.] On 23 May, a Swordfish II of 819 Squadron sank ''U-752'' with a Rocket Spear, a new weapon,[ at . The thirteen survivors were rescued by .][ ''U-752'' was the first German U-boat to be sunk with rockets and only the second to be sunk by aircraft that operated from an escort aircraft carrier.][ ''Archer'' left Convoy HX 239 on 24 May. She then joined Convoy KMS 18B on 26 June and left that convoy on 3 July.][ She was then withdrawn from the 4th Escort Group to take part in exercises in the ]Irish Sea
The Irish Sea is a body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel and to the Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland in the north by the North Ch ...
. Following these exercises, she was sent to the Bay of Biscay
The Bay of Biscay ( ) is a gulf of the northeast Atlantic Ocean located south of the Celtic Sea. It lies along the western coast of France from Point Penmarc'h to the Spanish border, and along the northern coast of Spain, extending westward ...
on anti-submarine patrol duty, but was withdrawn from this after a week due to a lack of U-boat activity and further defects. She arrived at Devonport on 27 July and work commenced the following day. ''Archer'' then sailed to the Clyde for engine repairs, arriving on 3 August.[
It was found that ''Archer'' had extensive defects and she was decommissioned with effect from 6 November 1943. She was relegated to use as a stores ship at ]Gare Loch
The Gare Loch or Gareloch () is an open sea loch in Argyll and Bute in the west of Scotland, and it bears a similar name to the village of Gairloch in the north west Highlands.
The loch is well used for sailing, recreational boating, list of ...
. In March 1944, ''Archer'' was towed to Loch Alsh
Loch Alsh (, "foaming lake") is a sea inlet between the isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides and the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. The name is also used to describe the surrounding country and the feudal holdings around the loch. The area i ...
where she was used as an accommodation ship until August when she was sent to Belfast for repairs to enable her to be used as an aircraft ferry ship. Repairs were to take seven and a half months.[
''Archer'' was the first of thirty-eight US-built converted C3 Escort Carriers turned over to Great Britain during the period 1941–1944,] and one of five motor ships (the remainder were powered by gear
A gear or gearwheel is a rotating machine part typically used to transmit rotational motion and/or torque by means of a series of teeth that engage with compatible teeth of another gear or other part. The teeth can be integral saliences or ...
ed turbines
A turbine ( or ) (from the Greek , ''tyrbē'', or Latin ''turbo'', meaning vortex) is a rotary mechanical device that extracts energy from a fluid flow and converts it into useful work. The work produced can be used for generating electrical ...
). Unlike the others, ''Archer'' was powered by four diesel engines instead of two.
''Empire Lagan''
On completion of the repairs on 15 March 1945,[ HMS ''Archer'' was transferred to the ]Ministry of War Transport
The Ministry of War Transport (MoWT) was a department of the British Government formed early in the Second World War to control transportation policy and resources. It was formed by merging the Ministry of Shipping and the Ministry of Transpor ...
and renamed ''Empire Lagan''.[ She was used to ferry aircraft to the United Kingdom. Converted to a cargo ship,][Plowman, Peter (2006): ''Australian Migrant Ships 1946–1977'']
Rosenberg Publishing Pty Ltd.
Pp 58–59. she operated under the management of the Blue Funnel Line
Alfred Holt and Company, trading as Blue Funnel Line, was a UK shipping company that was founded in 1866 and operated merchant ships for 122 years. It was one of the UK's larger shipowning and operating companies, and as such had a significan ...
[ and later A Holt & Co. ''Empire Lagan'' was homeported in London.] ''Empire Lagan'' returned to the US in Convoy UC 69, which departed Liverpool on 24 May 1945 and arrived at New York on 3 June 1945. She then sailed to Norfolk, Virginia.
''Archer''
On 9 January 1946,[ ''Empire Lagan'' was returned to the US Navy and renamed USS ''Archer''. She was stricken from the US Navy register on 26 February 1946.][ MV ''Archer'' was laid up at Norfolk, Virginia.][ On 30 September 1947 she was sold to Mr J F Luley, New York for commercial service.]
''Anna Salén''
In 1948 ''Archer'' was bought by Swedish businessman Sven Salén, and registered under the ownership of Rederi Pulp AB;[ her homeport was ]Stockholm
Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
. She was renamed ''Anna Salén'' and, after initial conversion into a bulk carrier at the Bethlehem Shipyard
Bethlehem Steel Corporation Shipbuilding Division was created in 1905 when the Bethlehem Steel Corporation of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, acquired the San Francisco-based shipyard Union Iron Works. In 1917, it was incorporated as Bethlehem Shipbuil ...
in Baltimore, took a load of coal from the US to Italy. By this time the owners had obtained a contract from the International Refugee Organization
The International Refugee Organization (IRO) was an intergovernmental organization founded on 20 April 1946 to deal with the massive refugee problem created by World War II. A Preparatory Commission began operations fourteen months previously. ...
to transport Displaced Persons
Forced displacement (also forced migration or forced relocation) is an involuntary or coerced movement of a person or people away from their home or home region. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, UNHCR defines 'forced displaceme ...
from Europe to Australia[ and Canada.][ After arrival in Italy, ''Anna Salén'' was then converted to a passenger ship, with basic accommodation being built into the cargo holds][ and the superstructure being extended from the foc's'le to the stern.][ There was accommodation for 1500 passengers in a single class.][ After the rebuild she was . Her maiden voyage as a passenger ship (22 May—21 June 1949) was from ]Naples
Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...
, Italy, to Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
and Sydney.[ In December 1949, on her fourth][Ann Tündern-Smith]
fifthfleet.net > Ships of the Fifth Fleet
Retrieved 19 January 2014. voyage to Australia as ''Anna Salén'' she broke down in the Indian Ocean and limped into Aden
Aden () is a port city located in Yemen in the southern part of the Arabian peninsula, on the north coast of the Gulf of Aden, positioned near the eastern approach to the Red Sea. It is situated approximately 170 km (110 mi) east of ...
, where her passengers were transferred to another ship, the ''Skaugum'', to complete their voyage.[ After repairs were completed, ''Anna Salén'' resumed service. Her next two voyages, beginning on 20 June and 27 November 1950, departed from ]Bremerhaven
Bremerhaven (; ) is a city on the east bank of the Weser estuary in northern Germany. It forms an exclave of the Bremen (state), city-state of Bremen. The Geeste (river), River Geeste flows through the city before emptying into the Weser.
Brem ...
bound for Australia. During the latter journey, one of the emigrants, Herr Gustav Kovaks, made a film about the voyage. It was later widely shown in Germany to give people a view of how the emigration process worked. ''Anna Salén'' arrived at Fremantle
Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...
on 31 December 1950 and sailed for Melbourne later that day. It was realised that she couldn't make Melbourne before the New Year, so for political reasons ''Anna Salén'' was ordered back to Fremantle where all 1,522 passengers were disembarked.
In the early to mid-1950s, ''Anna Salén'' was used between Europe, Saigon
Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025.
The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...
and Australia.[ On 8 September 1951, ]Ursula K. Le Guin
Ursula Kroeber Le Guin ( ; Kroeber; October 21, 1929 – January 22, 2018) was an American author. She is best known for her works of speculative fiction, including science fiction works set in her Hainish universe, and the ''Earthsea'' fantas ...
and her brother Karl Kroeber
__NOTOC__
Karl Kroeber (November 24, 1926 – November 8, 2009) was an American literary scholar, known for his writing on the English Romantics and American Indian literature. He was the son of Theodora and Alfred L. Kroeber, both anthropologi ...
sailed from Southampton
Southampton is a port City status in the United Kingdom, city and unitary authority in Hampshire, England. It is located approximately southwest of London, west of Portsmouth, and southeast of Salisbury. Southampton had a population of 253, ...
to New York on ''Anna Salén,'' returning from a holiday in Europe. Later that year, on 26 December 1951, ''Anna Salén'' came across the Canadian coaster SS ''Mayfall'' flying a distress signal. She had encountered bad weather and run out of fuel. ''Anna Salén'' towed ''Mayfall'' to St Johns and then continued her journey to Halifax On 13 August 1952, ''Anna Salén'' collided with the Norwegian whaler
A whaler or whaling ship is a specialized vessel, designed or adapted for whaling: the catching or processing of whales.
Terminology
The term ''whaler'' is mostly historic. A handful of nations continue with industrial whaling, and one, Jap ...
SS ''Thorshovdi'' in the Pentland Firth
The Pentland Firth (, meaning the Orcadian Strait) is a strait which separates the Orkney Islands from Caithness in the north of Scotland. Despite the name, it is not a firth.
Etymology
The name is presumed to be a corruption of the Old Nors ...
. She put into Lyness
Lyness is a village on the east coast of the island of Hoy, Orkney, Scotland. The village is within the parish of Walls and Flotta, and is situated at the junction of the B9047 and B9048.
During the 1920s Lyness was briefly the headquarters of t ...
with damage to her bows. On 2 July 1953 ''Anna Salén'' departed Bremen
Bremen (Low German also: ''Breem'' or ''Bräm''), officially the City Municipality of Bremen (, ), is the capital of the States of Germany, German state of the Bremen (state), Free Hanseatic City of Bremen (), a two-city-state consisting of the c ...
, West Germany
West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
to make a round trip to Quebec
Quebec is Canada's List of Canadian provinces and territories by area, largest province by area. Located in Central Canada, the province shares borders with the provinces of Ontario to the west, Newfoundland and Labrador to the northeast, ...
, Canada[ The journey took seven days. She continued to transport new migrants to Australia through 1954. She was sold in 1955 to a Greek buyer.][
]
''Tasmania''
''Anna Salén'' was bought by Compagnia Navigazione Tasmania SA, Piraeus
Piraeus ( ; ; , Ancient: , Katharevousa: ) is a port city within the Athens urban area ("Greater Athens"), in the Attica region of Greece. It is located southwest of Athens city centre along the east coast of the Saronic Gulf in the Ath ...
and renamed ''Tasmania''. She was placed under the management of Hellenic Mediterranean Lines and used on routes between French ports and Australia.[ and also on the Piraeus – ]Melbourne
Melbourne ( , ; Boonwurrung language, Boonwurrung/ or ) is the List of Australian capital cities, capital and List of cities in Australia by population, most populous city of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Victori ...
route of Hellenic Mediterranean Lines.[ In 1958, she was converted to a cargo ship of .] She was sold to a Taiwanese buyer in 1961.[
]
''Union Reliance''
''Tasmania'' was bought by the China Union Lines of Taipei
, nickname = The City of Azaleas
, image_map =
, map_caption =
, pushpin_map = Taiwan#Asia#Pacific Ocean#Earth
, coordinates =
, subdivision_type = Country ...
. She was renamed ''Union Reliance''.[ She was used on routes between Taipei and the US.][ On 7 November 1961, she collided with the Norwegian tanker MV ''Berea'' in the ]Houston Ship Channel
The Houston Ship Channel, in Houston, Texas, is part of the Port of Houston, one of the busiest seaports in the world. The channel (geography), channel is the conduit for ocean-going vessels between Houston-area terminals and the Gulf of Mexico, ...
. As a result of the collision, ''Union Reliance'' caught fire and then ran aground.[ Twelve people aboard ''the Union Reliance'' were killed in the collision and subsequent fire. ''Union Reliance'' was abandoned by her owners.] The wreck was removed on 9 November[ by the United States authorities][ and towed to ]Galveston, Texas
Galveston ( ) is a Gulf Coast of the United States, coastal resort town, resort city and port off the Southeast Texas coast on Galveston Island and Pelican Island (Texas), Pelican Island in the U.S. state of Texas. The community of , with a pop ...
[ China Union Lines refused to make payment for this, and filed a Petition for Exoneration from, or Limitation of Liability. The Court ordered that ''Union Reliance'' and her cargo be sold to pay off costs incurred by the United States authorities. On 12 January 1962, ''Union Reliance'' was sold for US$109,100 for scrap.][ She was scrapped at ]New Orleans
New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...
in March 1962.[
]
Official Number and code letters
Official Numbers were a forerunner to IMO Number
The IMO number of the International Maritime Organization is a generic term with two distinct applications:
* the IMO ship identification number is a unique ship identifier; or,
* the IMO company and registered owner identification number is u ...
s. ''Mormacland'' had the US Official Number
Official numbers are ship identifier numbers assigned to merchant ships by their flag state, country of registration. Each country developed its own official numbering system, some on a national and some on a port-by-port basis, and the formats hav ...
239370 and used the Code Letters
Code letters or ship's call sign (or callsign) Mtide Taurus - IMO 7626853"> SHIPSPOTTING.COM >> Mtide Taurus - IMO 7626853/ref> were a method of identifying ships before the introduction of modern navigation aids. Later, with the introduction of ...
WDSH.[ ''Empire Lagan'' had the UK ]Official Number
Official numbers are ship identifier numbers assigned to merchant ships by their flag state, country of registration. Each country developed its own official numbering system, some on a national and some on a port-by-port basis, and the formats hav ...
180557 and used the Code Letters GNCX
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
*
External links
Photo of MV ''Mormacland''
Painting of the sinking of ''U-752''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Archer (D78)
Long Island-class escort carriers
Type C3 ships of the Royal Navy
1939 ships
Escort carriers of the Royal Navy
World War II aircraft carriers of the United Kingdom
Empire ships
Ships built by the Sun Shipbuilding & Drydock Company
World War II merchant ships of the United Kingdom
Merchant ships of Sweden
Cargo ships of Greece
Cargo ships of Taiwan
Maritime incidents in 1961