Baffins remained at Puget Sound Navy Yard until 18 July 1943. Her classification was changed to CVE-35 on 15 July 1943. On the 18th, she proceeded to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, where she was decommissioned the following day and transferred to the United Kingdom under Lend-Lease. Now HMS Ameer, she was refitted to Royal Navy requirements, including a lengthened flight deck, the installation of ASDIC, the adaptation of fire-fighting and ventilation systems, and the alteration of bomb and torpedo storage to accommodate either American or British ordnance.
Active service
Once she arrived in Britain, she was allocated to the British Eastern Fleet, sailing as escort in May 1944 to convoy KMF-31 to the Mediterranean, while en route to Trincomalee, Ceylon. There, she joined her sister ships,, and. In early 1945, Ameer joined Force 61 as cover for "Operation Lightning", the amphibious assault by 3 Commando Brigade on Akyab, Burma. In the event, Japanese forces had evacuated that key area 48 hours earlier, making a heavy bombardment unnecessary. Ameer's next operation was Operation Matador to capture Ramree Island, where her aircraft spotted fall of shot for, on 21 January 1945. The bombardment was to reduce Japanese artillery batteries in advance of landings by the 71st and 4th Brigades. A few days later, Ameer covered landings on nearby Cheduba Island by the Royal Marines that were, once again, unopposed; indeed, the whole island was unoccupied. On 22 February 1945, Ameer sailed from Trincomalee, in Force 62 with, the light cruiser, six destroyers and six frigates. The objective was to perform Operation Stacey, the first of three photo-reconnaissance missions designed to cover the Hastings Harbor and Phuket Island areas of the Kra Isthmus. The reconnaissance was done successfully without enemy interference on 26 to 28 February. The following day, however, the task force was located and attacked. Hellcat fighters from Ameer and Empress successfully fought off the attack. In June 1945, Force 63, including Ameer and her sister ships, and, left Trincomalee for Operation Balsam, the third and last series of photo-reconnaissance missions over Malaya. On 20 June, at the end of the scheduled operation, the task force pilots executed offensive sweeps. Ameer’sGrumman Hellcats joined those from 808 Squadron and Supermarine Seafires from 809 Squadron and attacked Japanese air bases at Lhoksemawe, Medan, and Bindjai, strafing installations and aircraft. Antiaircraft fire shot down one Hellcat. Ameer's last two operations were supporting mine-sweeping activity off potential landing sites. The first, with escort carrier, light cruiser and destroyers,, and, provided air cover and bombardment off the Nicobar Islands over 9 and 10 July. The second, Operation Livery, starting on 24 July, cleared the approaches to Phuket Island, off the Kra Isthmus. was part of the covering force. On 25 July, Task Force 63 came under bomber and kamikaze attack and the minesweeper was hit. Japan surrendered three weeks later.
Squadrons
As a fighter carrier, HMS Ameer could carry up to 24 aircraft. In her active service, she carried mostly American Grumman Hellcat II fighters, although Grumman Wildcat V were also carried, as were Supermarine Walrus I amphibians at the end of the war. In detail:
