HMS Fencer (D64/R308) was an American-built Attacker-class escort carrier that served with the Royal Navy during the Second World War.

She spent most of her career escorting convoys in the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean, she transferred to the British East Indies Fleet in October 1944.

Fencer was laid down 5 September 1941, as a C3-S-A1 freighter, under Maritime Commission contract, MC hull #197, by Western Pipe and Steel Company, in San Francisco, California.

There was a ships complement of 646 men, who lived in crew accommodation that was significantly different from the arrangements that were normal for the Royal Navy at the time.

The separate messes no longer had to prepare their own food, as everything was cooked in the galley and served cafeteria style in a central dining area.

Power was provided by two boilers feeding steam to a turbine driving one shaft, giving 8,500 bhp (6,300 kW), which could propel the ship at 18 kn (33 km/h; 21 mph).

[12] The anti-submarine aircraft employed were initially the Fairey Swordfish and later the Grumman Avenger, which could be armed with torpedoes, depth charges, 250 lb (110 kg) bombs or RP-3 rocket projectiles.

On 10 February 1944, while escorting Convoy ON-223 in the North Atlantic west of Ireland, one of her Fairey Swordfish from 842 squadron, sank German submarine U-666, with depth charges, 51 dead (all hands lost).

[3][17] On 3 April 1944, along with her sister ships Pursuer and Searcher and the Ruler-class escort carrier Emperor, she participated in the Operation Tungsten, the strike on the German battleship Tirpitz.

On 28 April 1944, Fencer left Kola Inlet, as an escort for the 45 ship convoy RA 59, for Loch Ewe, in Scotland.

She departed Greenock, with her sister ship Striker, for Ceylon, present day Sri Lanka, with the DeHavilland Mosquito fighter bombers of 618 squadron on their decks.

[3] Fencer, along with the Ruler-class Atheling, were sold to the Italian businessman Achille Lauro, for conversion to passenger ships for the Italy-Australia service.

She was laid up in La Spezia, in October 1970, and sold in December 1970, to joint owners Cosmos Tours and Sovereign Cruises, Cyprus, and renamed Galaxy Queen.