HMS Archer was a Long Island-class escort carrier built by the United States in 1939–1940 and operated by the Royal Navy during World War II.

She was built as the cargo ship Mormacland, but was converted to an escort carrier and renamed HMS Archer.

She was returned to the US Navy, then laid up as Archer before being sold into merchant service and converted to a passenger ship, Anna Salén.

Mormacland was laid down as a Type C3 cargo ship[1] on 1 August 1939, under United States Maritime Commission contract (MC Hull 46),[2] by the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company, Chester, Pennsylvania, as Yard number 184.

[6] 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 Long Island-class escort carrier in service with the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

She was converted from the American merchant ship Mormacland which was built at the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company.

Propulsion was provided by four diesel engines connected to one shaft giving 8,500 brake horsepower (6,300 kW), which could propel the ship at 16.5 knots (30.6 km/h; 19.0 mph).

Her Busch-Sulzer engines sometimes produced so much black smoke that landing aircraft couldn't see the batman or flight deck.

Archer put into the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on 24 December 1941 for repairs to the accelerator, which had been damaged in the misfire.

On 9 January, she sailed down the Delaware River bound for Norfolk, Virginia, where she was to load aircraft for ferrying to the United Kingdom.

[2] She departed Norfolk on 13 January but was soon in trouble, as her steering developed a fault and her gyro compass failed.

[2] Later that day Archer had a collision with the 4,497 GRT U.S. freighter Brazos some 200 nautical miles (370 km; 230 mi) east of Charleston, South Carolina (32°54′N 74°14′W / 32.900°N 74.233°W / 32.900; -74.233).

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.

[2] On 7 March 1942, Archer embarked twelve Martlets for delivery to HMS Illustrious 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, in company with HMS Devonshire and two destroyers as part of Convoy AS 2.

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.

[2] She was inspected by King George VI the following day and then sent to shipyards on the Clyde and at Belfast for further rectification work.

In early May, Archer joined the 4th Escort Group off Iceland on convoy support operations.

Following these exercises, she was sent to the Bay of Biscay on anti-submarine patrol duty, but was withdrawn from this after a week due to a lack of U-boat activity and further defects.

[2] Archer was the first of thirty-eight US-built converted C3 Escort Carriers turned over to Great Britain during the period 1941–1944,[17] and one of five motor ships (the remainder were powered by geared turbines).

[21] In 1948 Archer was bought by Swedish businessman Sven Salén, and registered under the ownership of Rederi Pulp AB;[2] her homeport was Stockholm.

[22] She was renamed Anna Salén and, after initial conversion into a bulk carrier at the Bethlehem Shipyard in Baltimore, took a load of coal from the US to Italy.

[18] By this time the owners had obtained a contract from the International Refugee Organisation to transport Displaced Persons from Europe to Australia[3][18] and Canada.

[2] After arrival in Italy, Anna Salén was then converted to a passenger ship, with basic accommodation being built into the cargo holds[18] and the superstructure being extended from the foc's'le to the stern.

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.

Later that year, on 26 December 1951, Anna Salén came across the Canadian coaster SS Mayfall flying a distress signal.

[29] On 2 July 1953 Anna Salén departed Bremen, West Germany to make a round trip to Quebec, Canada[30] The journey took seven days.

[25] On 7 November 1961, she collided with the 9,003 GRT Norwegian tanker MV Berea in the Houston Ship Channel.

[31] The wreck was removed on 9 November[3] by the United States authorities[31] and towed to Galveston, Texas[3] 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.