HMS Avenger was one of four motorships laid down under Maritime Commission contract by the Sun Shipbuilding and Drydock Company at Chester, Pennsylvania, and launched on 27 November 1940.

She was sunk by a German submarine (U-155) as she was heading back from Africa to her home port Clyde on 15 November 1942. The explosion that sank her left only 12 survivors out of a total crew of 550 men. She was one of three US-built Royal Navy escort carriers sunk in World War II.