Launched on 27 November 1940, she was converted to an escort carrier and transferred under the lend lease agreement to the Royal Navy.

In November 1942 she took part in Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of North Africa, where she suffered engine problems.

HMS Avenger (BAVG2) was built by the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company in Chester, Pennsylvania, south of Philadelphia on the Delaware River.

She was then purchased by the United States Navy and converted to an escort aircraft carrier in the Bethlehem Steel yards at Staten Island.

[2][5] Her armament consisted of three single-mounted 4 inch dual purpose anti-aircraft guns—two forward and one aft—and fifteen 20 mm cannon on single or twin mounts.

[7] In their determination for PQ 18 to be a success, the Royal Navy created the largest escort force ever assembled for an Arctic convoy up until that time.

Under command of Rear-Admiral Robert Burnett, the force included Avenger—the only aircraft carrier—which was joined by the anti-aircraft cruiser HMS Scylla and 16 fleet destroyers, plus the normal complement of close support sloops, corvettes, and minelayers.

[7] Avenger and Scylla, with the close escort destroyers Wheatland and Wilton, left Iceland and joined the convoy late on 9 September 1942.

[10] The attacking planes flew into an intense anti-aircraft barrage which shot down five aircraft and disrupted the others, so that out of 96 torpedoes only eight found a target.

During this attack the Sea Hurricanes had again been diverted to look for a shadowing Blohm & Voss BV 138, which ultimately shot one of them down without any apparent damage to itself.

At 20:40 a force of 12 He 111 torpedo-bombers attacked in small groups, but almost half were shot down by the anti-aircraft barrage and the Sea Hurricanes, which were in position to intercept them this time.

Their presence forced some of the German planes to drop their torpedoes early and turn away, while others were shot down by the anti-aircraft barrage.

The bombers remained in the vicinity of the convoy until fuel shortages forced them to leave, and by 16:45 Avenger's radar was clear of any targets.

Avenger, Scylla, and the destroyers left PQ 18 that evening to join the homeward bound convoy leaving Russian waters.

[16] Avenger and the escorts joined the homeward bound Convoy QP 14 at 05:00 17 September and sent up a Swordfish on anti-submarine patrol, which was maintained throughout the day.

Ice on the flight deck prevented any flying on 18 September, and the convoy turned further north, away from the German airfields in Norway.

A German reconnaissance plane did locate the convoy, but only kept it under observation and did not attack, so the Sea Hurricanes were kept on board Avenger.

[16] After returning to port, Avenger's captain Commander Colthust submitted a report highlighting how inadequate the Swordfish and Sea Hurricanes had been.

Avenger was tasked with providing air cover for one of the convoys carrying the British assault force for Operation Torch.

[18] Once off North Africa she would join the covering force for the landings, with HMS Argus, three cruisers, and five destroyers.

On arrival on 8 November 1942, the Supermarine Seafires from Argus and Avenger's Sea Hurricanes provided air cover for the landings.

[18] Struck by a single torpedo fired by U-155, under the command of Kapitänleutnant Adolf Piening, on 15 November 1942 just west of Gibraltar, HMS Avenger sank quickly and with a heavy loss of life (516 perished).