Gina
Some details of the other ships:

MARSDALE - former 'Kaye' Steamship Company vessel, built Glasgow , launched April 1940.
420 feet x 57 feet 4,890 tons (gross)

Requisitioned by the Admiralty September 1940 and armed - 2 x 6 inch, 1 x 12 pounder plus machine guns. Employed as an Ocean Boarding Vessel. These were employed in patrolling the approaches to the U.K. and intercepting neutral shipping bound for Europe; they would be stopped and searched to confirm they were not carrying contraband goods. As the enemy had effectively overrun all of western Europe by 1940 this role became redundant and the ships were taken out of service. Marsdale was returned to her merchant owners in June 1942.

ALYNBANK - Former 'Bank' line steamer, built at Govan, launched March 1925.
420 feet x 54 feet 5,151 tons (gross)

Requisitioned by the Admiralty in April 1940 and converted to an Auxiliary Anti-Aircraft Ship, being rebuilt to take 8 x 4 inch, 8 x 2 pounder and 6 x 20mm guns, plus a catapult to carry a fighter aircraft. She was used as a convoy escort. AYLNBANK escorted four Russian convoys - two to Murmansk and two returns during 1942. She was eventually stripped and scuttled as a blockship off Normany in June 1944.

SEARCHER - escort aircraft carrier.Built in the USA at Seattle and completed for the RN in April 1943.
see: [www.fleetairarmarchive.net]

SLINGER - escort aircraft carrier, built in the USA at Seattle and completed for the RN in August 1943. She served in the Pacific.
See:[www.fleetairarmarchive.net]


re: EVADNE - I see that she is indeed credited with being present at the sinking of U.300 in 2.45 ... the reference books must be astray when they credit her being returned in 1.45