HMS FENCER ESCORT CARRIER WW2 ROYAL NAVY MEDALS JX 125827 PETTY OFFICER HALL

Group of 6 medals to Petty Officer W. C. Hall, Royal Navy, who served aboard the anti-submarine warfare (ASW) carrier, H.M.S. Fencer, whose main role saw the ship escorting convoys in the North Atlantic and to Russia

1939 – 45 Star, Atlantic Star, Pacific Star, Defence and War Medals (1939 -45), all un named as issued; Royal Navy Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (G.VI.), impressed named JX.125827. W.C. HALL. P.O. H.M.S. FENCER. Court mounted for display and comes with copy medal roll.

As of this date the WW2 records have not been released from the M.O.D., however Petty Officer Hall, was awarded his L.S. & G.C. Medal 20/7/1943, this clearly shows that he was a pre war regular. He was serving on the H.M.S. Fencer when awarded his medal, as he holds both the Atlantic and Pacific Stars it is probable that he was serving on her in both theatres. It is unknown when he left the ship.

The H.M.S Fencer was an American-built Attacker-class escort carrier, she was transferred to the Royal Navy and commissioned as Fencer on 1/3/1943, under the Lend-Lease agreement. 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.

As an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) carrier, Fencer escorted convoys in the North Atlantic and to Russia. On 10//2/1944, while escorting Convoy ON-223 in the North Atlantic one of her Fairey Swordfish sank German submarine U-666, with depth charges. On 3/4/1944, 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. The escort carriers provided ASW cover for the battleships Duke of York and Anson and fleet carriers Victorious and Furious.

When Operation Tungsten completed Fencer set sail for the Kola Inlet. On 28/4/1944, Fencer left Kola Inlet, as an escort for the 45-ship convoy RA-59, for Loch Ewe, in Scotland. On 30 April, William S. Thayer was sunk by U-307, she would be the only allied ship lost in the convoy. For the next three days, Swordfish flying from Fencer, would sink one U-boat a day. On 1 May, U-277 was sunk by depth charges, on 2 May, U-674 was sunk by rockets, and on 3 May, U-959 was sunk at by depth charges. The convoy arrived at Loch Ewe, on 6 May.

Fencer was assigned to the East Indies Fleet in late October 1944. She departed Greenock, with her sister ship Striker, for Ceylon, with the DeHavilland Mosquito fighter bombers of 618 squadron on their decks. After stops at Gibraltar, Port Said, and transit through the Suez Canal, she arrived at Trincomalee Harbour (Sri Lanka).