Unidentified WWII ship.

[Doc Vernon]

Here is another pic of HMS Begum, and you can clearly see its one and the same , just like Hugh said! Great ! Thanks Hugh! This Pic is almost a Replica of the one Posted in the Question!

Cheers

HMS Begum.JPG

[happy daze john in oz]

Des, that is the one I was thinking of.
Vernon, that photo looks like a ship with a cut and paste for a flight deck.

But a number of UCL it was claimed could in the event of war be converted to carriers.

[Ivan Cloherty]

When I first saw the ship my first reaction was as per Ivan and Allen - ship recognition not my forte despite serving on carriers myself but I think this is the escort carrier, HMS BEGUM. The second photo in the link is clearer, I think.

https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive...RT_2/BEGUM.htm

Regards
Hugh

Thanks Hugh for a very informative interesting post, however it does describe the Begum as being constructed on the design of the C3 Freighter hull, which was the hull the 'Victory' ships (18knots +) were built on, I remember them well I was on a 1943 built 15 knotter and quite proud of our speed we were overtaken by a Victory vessel which made us look as if we were going backwards. I always envied their cargo gear, especially their very robust cargo blocks rather than the thin cheeked efforts British ships were supplied with

[Hugh]

Hi Ivan,
Looking at my choice of words,

When I first saw the ship my first reaction was as per Ivan and Allen

It still is - I was trying to agree with you but failed miserably with my choice of words - it was late.

Regared
Hugh

[Ivan Cloherty]

Hi Ivan,
Looking at my choice of words, It still is - I was trying to agree with you but failed miserably with my choice of words - it was late.

Regared
Hugh

Could have been the Pussers Rum Hugh !!

[Hugh]

Could have been the Pussers Rum Hugh !!

Haha! It has been years since I have tried Pussers but the uisge beatha may have had a part to play

[Doctor Bill Smith]

I am almost certain the Unidentified ship is HMS Shah [see photos from https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive...CORT/SHAH.htm]

HMS Shah Starboard Side.jpg

Aerial Shot of HMS Shah D21 Port Side.jpg

[Ivan Cloherty]

There were a lot of auxilliary aircraft carriers built on the C3 Freighter Hull, I remember reading somewhere that the USN ended up with 60 plus aircraft carriers at the end of WWll, this total included all types, dedicated carriers as well as improvised ones.

The C3 Hull was designed to accommodate a number of ship types for the USN, including Frigates, destroyers etc, it was designed to reach 28 knots without the need for supplementary panting beams for'd, like the Liberty ship, built by the mile and cut off in yards many inspected by the famous surveyor 'Kilroy was here' painted on bulkheads, he was so busy he had no time to write reports, as legend would have it, but he actually existed.

[Robert Graham (2)]

HMS Begum was an Ameer class escort carrier built by Seattle-Tacoma and laid down on 03/08/1942 and completed on the 03/08/1943.The ship was 15390 tons at deep load and could carry between 18 and 24 aircraft. Powered by a steam turbine supplied by 2 Foster Wheeler boilers giving her a speed of 18 knots. Survived the war and returned to the USA in 1946.
The Ameer class comprised of some 20 vessels of which 18 survived the war. Nabob and Thane were declared constructive losses from torpedo hits on the stern. Of interest to me is Thane which was hit about 30 miles from where I live.

[Georgesp]

HMS Shah.... https://www.royalnavyresearcharchive...HAH_Gllery.htm