A tight schedule

Planning allowed for 45 day programme with as many as 6 ships in hand at one time, the ships moving through the yard from berth to berth as specific tasks were completed. This created a serious problem initially as power was only available at two of the eight berths, towards the end of the programme this number had risen to four.

The work entailed 150 separate modifications which included extending the flight deck by 15 feet at the stern, and making major changes to the aviation fuel stowage and hangar safety measures. None of the work carried out at Vancouver was designed to equip the CVE for any specific role; all the vessels were delivered as ‘general purpose’ carriers able to operate American Torpedo Bombers and fighter aircraft that were in use with the Royal Navy Modification into the Assault and ASW specific roles was carried out in the UK after delivery.
 

Flight deck extension, May 1944: Removal of the original round0down in preparation for fitting its extension. This is probably REAPER in berth 5. Image: e000762205 Ronny Jaques / National Film Board of Canada. Photothèque /Library and Archives Canada
 

 Low Pressure Turbines

Work on the first ten vessels was to take far longer than the planned 45 day rotation; this delay was caused by defective Low Pressure Turbine Rotors. Repairs entailed the Turbine Rotor being removed and sent to the makers, Messrs. Allis Chalmers in Milwaukee, for partial re-blading, returned to Vancouver and refitted. On average this operation required at least four weeks. In later ships the alterations to the turbines were done by the U.S. Shipbuilders.

Dry Docking

All the CVE’s required dry-docking, and initially all were to be fitted with Asdic equipment and additional sea valves; the first ten ships were docked using the Floating Dock at Burrards Dry-Dock, North Yard. This work was done in the middle of the programme so these ships, which were awaiting replacement LP turbines, had to be moved between yards by tugs. From ARBITER onwards the fitting of Asdic was cancelled and the rotor issued had been corrected before leaving the builder’s yards; these ships were docked at the RCN naval base at Esquimalt after the Burrards work had been finished.

A 55 Day Schedule

In April 1944, instructions were received to remove all the single Oerlikon Guns on the Gallery Deck and foc’sle deck, and substitute fourteen Twin Mountings. This affected the last five ships PUNCHER, REAPER, THANE, PATROLLER and RANEE and the programme was extended by 10 days; the increased time was made full use of by completing the majority of the items which had originally been cancelled.
 
 

Ships modified by Burrard Dry-Dock Co.

Ship

Name

Due

 Vancouver

Arrived

Vancouver

Work

started

Work

completed

Days to

complete

 Notes

CVE 35

AMEER

18-Jul-43

9-Jul-43

22-Jul-43

18-Oct-43*
19-Oct-43†

89

LP Rotor despatched 10 Sep
LP Rotor received 24-Sep

CVE 33

ATHELING

1-Aug-43

31-Jul-43

1-Aug-43

28-Oct-43*†

89

LP Rotor despatched 17 Sep
LP Rotor received 7-Oct

CVE 36

BEGUM

15-Aug-43

1-Aug-43

4-Aug-43

25-Nov-43*
2-Dec-43†

114

LP Rotor despatched 24 Sep
LP Rotor received 9-Nov

CVE 38 Ω

EMPRESS

1-Oct-43

12-Aug-43

30-Aug-43

6-Dec-43*
27-Dec-43†

99

LP Rotor despatched 10 Oct
LP Rotor received {ex CVE 41}9-Nov

CVE 43

SHAH

15-Oct-43

17-Oct-43

18-Oct-43

11-Dec-43

55

LP Rotor despatched 15 Oct
LP Rotor received 14-Nov

CVE 41

NABOB

1-Nov-43

10-Sep-32

1-Nov-43

21-Dec-43*
19-Jan944†

51

LP Rotor despatched 9 Oct,
LP Rotor received {ex CVE 38} 27-Dec

CVE 42 Ω

PREMIER

15-Nov-43

18-Nov-43

19-Nov-43

9-Jan-44*
14-Jan-44†

53
(48 - holidays)

LP Rotor despatched ?
LP Rotor received 3-Jan

CVE 46

RANEE
See last entry

19-Nov-43

?

?

?

?

Received minimal modifications to bring her to operational status for aircraft ferrying. Sailed from Esquimalt for San Francisco 4-Feb-44

CVE 40

SPEAKER

30-Nov-43

7-Dec-43

8-Dec-43 

25-Jan-44

49
(45 - holidays)

LP Rotor despatched 22 -Nov
LP Rotor received 4-Jan

CVE 49 Ω

QUEEN

15-Dec-43

16-Dec-43

17-Dec-43

7-Feb-44

49
(45 - holidays) 

CVE 50

RULER

31-Dec-43

29-Dec-43

3-Jam-44

19-Feb-44

48

CVE 51 Ω

ARBITER

15-Jam-44

17-Jam-44

18-Jam-44

2-Mar-44

45

Dry docked at Esquimalt 13 to 16-Mar-44

CVE 45

RAJAH

31-Jam-44

1-Feb-44

2-Feb-44

31-Mar-44

45

Dry docked at Esquimalt 20 to 23-Mar-44

CVE 52

SMITER

14-Feb-44

14-Feb-44

15-Feb-44

31-Mar-44

47
(45 - holidays) 

Dry docked at Esquimalt 1 to 4-Apr-44

CVE 47 Ω

TROUNCER

29-Feb-44

21-Feb-44

29-Feb-44

16-Apr-44

47
(45 - holidays)

Dry docked at Esquimalt 16 to 19-Apr-44

CVE 53

PUNCHER

15-Mar-44 

28-Feb-44 

15-Mar-44

8-May-44

55

CVE 54

REAPER

31-Mar-44

21-Mar-44

31-Mar-44

24-May-44

55

CVE 48

THANE

15-Apr-44

10-Apr-44

15-Apr-44

8-Jun-44

55
 

Dry docked at Esquimalt 10 to 14-Jun-44

CVE 44

PATROLLER

30-Apr-44

1-May-44

2-May-44

28-Jun-44

58 *
(55 - holiday
and dry docking)

Should have arrived in Vancouver in October, between SHAH & NABOB but instead undertook a ferry voyage to India. After limited alteration and working-up in the Seattle area, she sailed on 22-Nov-43.

CVE 46

RANEE

18-May-44

14-May-44

15-May-44

12-Jul-44

59 *
(54 days
- Holiday
& 1st Dry-dock)

Released from ferry duty returned to Vancouver to complete alterations.
Dry docked at Esquimalt 23 to 26-Jun-44. 2nd docking to complete Asdic 14 to 15-Jul-44