LOCH Class
Anti-Submarine Frigate ordered on
25th January 1943 from W. Pickersgill
of Sunderland
and to be named LOCH KILBIRNIE. Orders were
placed with several other shipyards
for this Class of Frigate at the same time.
However in late 1943 the contract
was changed for construction of a new design of
Anti-Aircraft Frigate
(BAY Class - See General Information). The ship
was laid down on
23rd October 1944 and was launched as HMS MOUNTS
BAY on 8th June 1945. No
previous RN warship had borne this name. Work
was suspended in 1946 and a new
contract to complete her build was placed with
John I Thornycroft.
The ship was transferred to Woolston,
Southampton on
20th March 1946. Her build was completed on 11th
April 1949.
B
a t t
l e H o n o u r
KOREA
1950 - 53
M
a n n
i n g D i
v i s i
o n
Chatham
till
Centralised
S p e c i a
l N o t e
Research Notes for the period 1949 to February 1953
are not at present
available.
S
u m m
a r y o f S e r v i
c e
(for more
ship information,
go
to
Naval History Homepage
and
type name in Site Search
1 9 5
0 t o 1 9
5 2
Commissioned for service in 4th Frigate
Flotilla.
After Acceptance Trials and work-up in Home
waters took passage to join Flotilla in Far
East.
On arrival deployed with United Nations Task
Force based at Sasebo Japan with other
Commonwealth warships off Korea in
support of military operations in Korean
waters.
Routine maintenance and R&R periods spent
at Kure, Japan
Deployed for Squadron duties including patrols
to protect British flagged mercantiles trading
between ports in China and South
Chine Sea.
When not deployed off Korea
carried out patrols off Malayan coast in
support of British
anti-terrorist operations.
Took part in Squadron and Fleet exercises and
visits to ports in Far East.
Docking and refits carried out in
Hong Kong and Singapore
Ship re-commissioned on Station in 1952.
1 9 5
3 t o 1 9
5 4
Commanding
Officer
Captain
A F P Lewis RN (Senior Officer 4th Frigate
Flotilla.)
1 9 5
3
January
Deployed at Hong Kong for Flotilla duties
to
Passage to Sasebo for service with UN Naval Forces for patrol and support
of military operations
May
off
west coast of to
Korea.
(Note: This was the
sixth Operational Tour and included
bombardment of shore positions.)
June
Visited Tokyo with HMAS ANZAC for Coronation
Day. Passage to Hong Kong for refit
(Note: Statistics: 88,000 miles steamed,
15,300 tons Fuel used.)
July
Under refit by HM Dockyard Hong Kong. August
6th
Carried out Basin Trials.
15th
Carried out Full Power Trials.
20th
Deployed for Anti-submarine exercises with US
Navy submarine.
22nd
Squadron Pulling Regatta.
(Note: Annual Inspection was carried out later
this month.)
September
Deployed at Hong Kong for exercises.
(Note: Typhoon warning in force early in
month.)
Exercises included Bombardment support, tow of
HM Destroyer CONCORD and
Antisubmarine procedures with SUNDERLAND
aircraft.)
19th
Took passage from Hong Kong to Sasebo.
(Note: Korean war armistice was signed on 27th
July but UN Task Force operations were
continued including RN deployments based at
Sasebo with R&R at Kure.)
24th
At Sasebo and disembarked passengers.
(Note: Carried cut exercises with HM Sloop
OPOSSUM on passage.)
25th
Took passage from Sasebo to carry out
exercises with US navy submarine.
(Note: Other RN ships involved included HM
Frigate ST BRIDES BAY, WHITESAND BAY
and HM Australian Frigate HMAS CULGOA.)
30th
New Commanding Officer Captain FN Elliott, RN
appointed as Senior Officer 4th Frigate
Squadron
October
Visited Yokosuka, Japan on completion of
exercises
2nd
Took passage from Yokosuka to Sasebo.
5th
Deployed for exercises based at Sasebo.
12th
On completion of exercises took passage for UN
duties off west coast of Korea.
14th
Deployed as Guardship at Taechong Do.
20th
Return passage to Sasebo.
22nd At
Sasebo.
24th
Took passage from Sasebo to Hong Kong.
29th
Arrived at Hong Kong
(Note: During passage escorted ss
INCHARRAN through Mim Kiang Channel.).
November
Resumed Squadron duties on completion of UN
detachment.
1st
Captain Elliot joined.
5th
Sailed from Hong Kong for Formosa Strait
patrol.
8th
Deployed for patrol
.
to
(Note: Ship anchored during, daylight)
.
11th
Escorted ss INCHARRAN to sea after leaving
estuary.)
12th
Return passage to Hong Kong.
13th
Deployed at Hong Kong.
to
(Note: Korean and UN Service Campaign Medals
were distributed.)
30th
Carried out Squadron exercises in Junk Bay.
Visited by Flag Officer 2nd in Command,
Far East Station.).
December
1st
Deployed at Hong Kong with ships of Squadron.
to
(Note: Sea Exercises included Replenishment,
Gunnery firings, Anti- submarine
11th
procedures with HM Submarine TIPTOE and
aircraft tracking.
HM Frigates CARDIGAN BAY, ST BRIDES BAY and
WHITESAND BAY of Squadron
took part.)
12th
Passage for Formosa Strait Patrol.
13th
Patrol deployment.
to
(Note: Investigated detainment of British ss
HYDRALOCK by Chinese .
17th
This ship was released after 16 hours
negotiation.
Darkened during patrol.
Assisted passage of as YUNNAN, sa INCHWELLS and ss NIGELOCK.)
18th
Arrived at Hong Kong on completion of patrol
duties.
29th
Took part in Squadron exercises with HM
Frigates CARDIGAN BAY, MORECAMBE. BAY,
ST BRIDES BAY, HM Destroyers COCKADE, CONSORT
and HM Sloop MODESTE.
(Note: Serials included Gunnery firing, convoy
screening, night encounter and anti-submarine
procedures with HM Submarine THOROUGH.)
1 9 5
4
January
1st
Hong Kong deployment in continuation.
6th
Took passage from Hong Kong to Kure.
(Note: Kure was Base for Commonwealth forces
deployed with UN.)
12th
Arrived at Kure after exercises on passage.
14th
Passage to Kure for UN patrol and Guardship
off Korean west coast.
16th
Sailed from Kure for patrol.
18th
Relieved HM Canadian Destroyer HURON at
Paenyong Do as Guardship.
23rd
Took passage to Kure on relief as Guardshlp.
26th
Arrived at Kure.
February
4th
Sailed from Kure for Sasebo.
(Note: Call at Sasebo prior to surveillance
duty in Formosa Strait during return to Hong
Kong.)
10th
Arrived at Hong Kong after assisting ss
INCHISLAY.
14th
Took passage from Hong Kong with Squadron and
Coastal Minesweepers to South China Sea
for Fleet exercises.
25th
On completion of exercises returned to Hong
Kong with HMS MORECAMBE BAY and Coastal
Minesweepers
of the
Hong
Kong
Coastal Minesweeping Squadron.
28th
Arrived at Hong Kong.
March
Deployed at Hong Kong.
8th
Annual Harbour Inspection
9th
Annual Sea Inspection.
16th
Taken in hand for refit period.
Station Leave granted.
April
Completed docking period.
Deployed at Hong Kong for local duties.
6th
Took part in local exercises
29th
On completion of exercises resumed Local
duties at Hong Kong.
May
1st
Carried out Self Maintenance at Hong Kong.
13th
Took part in local Exercises including Night
Encounter and Tow.
14th
Flag Officer's Inspection.
18th
Took part in local exercises including
military operations support.
19th
Resumed Local Flotilla duties at Hong Kong on
completion of exercises.
.
28th
Took passage for surveillance patrol in
Formosa Strait.
June
Nominated for return to UK to
re-commission.
1st
Sailed from Formosa Strait to Sasebo.
4th
Called all at Sasebo
(Note: UN Task Force was administered by US
Navy at Sasebo)
Took passage to Kure.
5th
Arrived at Kure.
(Note: Open to Visitors during stay)
15th
Took passage for UN duties.
17th
Relieved HMS MORECAMBE BAY at Paengong Do.
24th
Carried exercises with HMS MORECAMBE BAY off
Korean west coast.
28th
Took passage to Hong Kong on relief by HM
Australian Destroyer ARUNTA.
July
3rd
Arrived at Hong Kong.
4th
Prepared for return passage to pay off in
UK.
8th
Took passage to Singapore on completion of
exercises with HM Frigates WHITESAND
BAY and
CARDIGAN
BAY.
13th
Arrived at Singapore with HMS WHITESAND BAY.
14th
Visited by Flag Officer Malayan Area.
15th
Took passage with HMS WHITESAND BAY to Colombo
from Singapore.
(Note: During passage took Indonesian landing
craft in tow after it had been in collision
in Indian Ocean.
Resumed passage after Indonesian patrol ship
arrived with HMS WHITESAND BAY.)
22nd Took
passage from Colombo with HMS WHITESAND BAY.
August
1st
Passage from Aden.
6th
Suez Canal transit.
10th
Arrived at Malta to embark passengers.
13th
Sailed with HMS WHITESAND BAY from Malta.
20th
Sailed from Gibraltar independently.
(Note: HMS WHITESAND BAY sailed on 19th.)
25th
Arrived at Sheerness.
26th
Arrived at Chatham after de-ammunitioning.
Captain Elliot left ship.
September
Paid off and completed de-storing.
Prepared for refit prior to re-commissioning
for General Service in West Indies during
January 1955
N o t e s o n l a t e
r
S e r v i c e
HMS
MOUNTS BAY continued her
record of service on foreign stations after
being re-commissioned
in
1955 and again in 1957, both in
the West Indies and South Atlantic. Her final
commission was for further
service in the Far East. On return to
Portsmouth in May 1960 the ship was
placed in Reserve and not re-commissioned as
planned. Placed on the
Disposal List in 1961 she was sold to Portugal
and renamed VASCO DA GAMA.
Before Portuguese Navy service she
was modernised at Woolston
by John I Thornycroft.
The ship remained on the Active List until
1971 when
sold for demolition.
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