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Notable events involving Pioneer include:

The page dealing with the wartime history of HMS Pioneer was was created in June 2023.

5 Jan 1945
At 1200A/5, Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) is commissioned for trials at her builders yard at Barrow-in-Furness. (1)

25 Jan 1945
Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) proceeded from Barrow-in-Furness to Liverpool (Birkenhead). (1)

28 Jan 1945
Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) is docked in No.7 Graving Dock at Birkenhead. (1)

2 Feb 1945
Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) is undocked. (2)

3 Feb 1945
Around 1400A/3, the new aircraft maintenance carrier Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) departed Birkenhead for Rosyth. During the passage she was escorted by the frigates HMS Tavy (Lt.Cdr. A.H. Williams, DSC and 2 Bars, RN) and HMS St. Helena (T/A/Lt.Cdr. W.G. Pardoe-Matthews, RNR).

The carrier arrived at Rosyth around 1430A/5. On arrival D/G trials were carried out. (2)

6 Feb 1945
Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) conducted trials off the Firth of Forth. (2)

8 Feb 1945
Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) conducted acceptance trials off the Firth of Forth. These were successful and the ship was taken over from the shipyard. Further outfitting of the ships workshops was then undertaken at the Rosyth Dockyard. (2)

10 Mar 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) conducted trials off the Firth of Forth. (3)

12 Mar 1945
Early in the evening, the aircraft carrier HMS Implacable (Capt. C.C. Hughes-Hallett, RN) and aircraft maintenance carrier HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) departed the Firth of Forth for Scapa Flow. They were escorted by the destroyers HMS Carysfort (Lt.Cdr. L. St.G. Rich, DSO and Bar, RN), HMS Zest (Lt.Cdr. R.B.N. Hicks, DSO, RN) and HMS Tumult (Lt.Cdr. A.S. Pomeroy DSC, RN).

They arrived at Scapa Flow around 0745A/13. (4)

16 Mar 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) conducted D/G and D/F trials at Scapa Flow. (3)

17 Mar 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) conducted trials at Scapa Flow. (3)

21 Mar 1945
Around 1340A/21, the aircraft maintenance carrier HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) departed Scapa Flow for Belfast where she arrived around 1330A/22. She was escorted by the destroyers HMS Zealous (Cdr. R.F. Jessel, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN) and HMS Carysfort (Lt.Cdr. L.St.G. Rich, DSO and Bar, RN). The destroyer then immediately returned to Scapa Flow. (3)

26 Mar 1945
Around 0730A/26, the aircraft maintenance carrier HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) departed Belfast for the Clyde where she arrived in the afternoon. She was escorted by the frigates HMS Mounsey (?) and HMCS Loch Alvie (T/Lt.Cdr. E.G. Old, RCNR). (3)

31 Mar 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) departed Greenock for Sydney via the Mediterranean. She was to join convoy KMF 42 for passage to Gibraltar.

[For more info on this convoy see the event ' Convoy KMF 42 ' for 1 April 1945.] (3)

1 Apr 1945

Convoy KMF 42.

This convoy was assembled off Oversay on 1 April 1945.

It was made up of the following (troop) transports; Almanzora (British, 15551 GRT, built 1914), Aorangi (British, 17491 GRT, built 1924), Carnarvon Castle (British, 20122 GRT, built 1926), Empire Chieftain (British, 9904 GRT, built 1943), Empire Pride (British, 9248 GRT, built 1941), Highland Chieftain (British, 14135 GRT, built 1929), Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (Dutch, 19429 GRT, built 1930), Nieuw Holland (Dutch, 11066 GRT, built 1927), Orduna (British, 15507 GRT, built 1914), Potaro (British, 5410 GRT, built 1940), Ruys (Dutch, 14155 GRT, built 1937), Strathmore (British, 23428 GRT, built 1935), Strathnaver (British, 22283 GRT, built 1931), Tamaroa (British, 12405 GRT, built 1922), Waiwera (British, 12435 GRT, built 1934) and Winchester Castle (British, 20012 GRT, built 1930).

Also the the aircraft maintenance carrier HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN), escort carrier HMS Pursuer (Capt. T.L. Bratt, DSC, RN) and the fighter direction ship HMS Ulster Queen (A/Capt. M.H.J. Bennett, RD, RNR) were also part of the convoy.

The convoy was escorted by the frigates HMS Dart (Cdr. J.T. Jones, RD, RNR), HMS Evenlode (Cdr. V.F. Smith, DSO, RD, RNR), HMS Ness (T/A/Lt.Cdr. R.S. Steel, RNR), HMS Loch Katrine (Cdr. J.V. Waterhouse, DSO, RN) and HMS Loch Quoich (Lt.Cdr. G. MacClelland, DSC, RN).

The convoy arrived at / was dispersed off Gibraltar in the morning of 7 April 1945. Some ships had been detached in the Atlantic though.

7 Apr 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) made a brief stop in Gibraltar Bay before continuing her passage to Port Said. (5)

12 Apr 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) arrived at Port Said. (6)

15 Apr 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) transited the Suez Canal southbound. On leaving the canal she immediately set course for Colombo. While en-route her destination was changed to Trincomalee. (6)

23 Apr 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) arrived at Trincomalee. (6)

27 Apr 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) conducted D/G trials off Trincomalee on completion of which course was set for Colombo where she arrived the following day. (5)

30 Apr 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) departed Colombo for Freemantle. (5)

6 May 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) arrived at Fremantle from Colombo. (6)

8 May 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) departed Fremantle for Sydney. (6)

13 May 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) arrived at Sydney from Fremantle. (6)

16 Jun 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) departed Sydney for Manus. (7)

21 Jun 1945
HMS Pioneer (Capt. H.S. Murray-Smith, RN) arrived at Manus from Sydney.

At the end of the war she was still at Manus but later went on to Hong Kong. (7)