Escort carriers supported campaigns far beyond the convoy lanes

Other than Samar, did escort carriers do much land-support work?

Yes; British escort carriers supported operations in Burma, Italy, and southern France.

British escort carriers performed meaningful land-support work outside the best-known Pacific examples. Britain used them extensively in the Burma campaign. They also supported operations around Italy and the landings in southern France. These campaigns widen the escort carrier's role from convoy defense to mobile air support for amphibious and coastal operations.