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BAY
Class Anti-aircraft Frigate ordered from
Charles Hill at Bristol in 1944 in place
of
a LOCH Class Frigate to be named LOCH SEAFORTH
which had been cancelled on 27th November
1943. The change was made because of
a need for frigates of this type for
deployment in the Far East where the main
threat was of attacks by by
aircraft. The
prefabricated hull structure was identical
with the LOCH Class but
the weapon fit differed (See General
Information). The ship was laid down on
22nd November 1944 as Job No 602 (Yard No.
302). She was launched on 14th June
1945 and the first Royal Navy ship to carry
this name. Her Build was completed
on 8th March 1946 and she was the last warship
to be built by this shipyard.
G
e o g r a p h i
c D a t a
Location:
Small
bay on the north coast of
Somerset, 4 miles west of Minehead.
Grid
Reference:
SS8848.
H
e r a l d i
c D a t a
Note:
Two Badges are known to have been used.
The
original
'unofficial' one was
replaced in 1953.
Original
Badge
On
a rock proper, an
Eagle rising argent, wings azure.
Explanation:
Arms of BLATHWAYT
family, the
local squires.
Motto Virtute
et Veritate:
'Virtue and truth'
Officially
Approved
Badge
On
a Field quarterly
Gold and Red in base berry wavy of four white
and
blue,
An
oak tree fructed
proper
Explanation:
Oak tree alludes to the oak jug manufactured
in the town of Porlock
and
peculiar to the area The
quarterly gold and red field is from
the
arms
of Sir Simon FitzRoger
who helped to build Porlock
Church
in the 13th century
M
a n n i
n g D i
v i s i
o n
Devonport
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 4 6
February
Contractor's trials.
8th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials
14th
Commissioned for service on the America and
West Indies Station.
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant DL Davenport,
Royal Navy
(Later Rear Admiral, CB, OBE).
March
Formal visit to City of Bristol.
Ranging and weapon equipment trials at
Portland
April
Work-up for operational service at
Portland.
(Note: During work-up ship visited Porlock and
ship's company accorded generous
hospitality.).
May
On completion of
work-up attached to Plymouth Local Flotilla
to
(Note: Departure to West Indies delayed by
post-war manning problems).
June
July
Prepared for foreign service.
22nd
Sailed for Bermuda with HM Frigate PADSTOW
BAY.
August
After call at Azores sailed for Bermuda with a
disabled Landing Craft (Headquarters) 50 in
tow.
During disengagement of tow on arrival ship
involved in collision with the landing craft
and
sustained damage
to forward
structure.
Taken in hand for repair in drydock and could
not sail with
Squadron
for Autumn Programme of
visits to US ports.
(Note: This vessel was being returned to US
Navy after Lease-Lend).
September
After repair prepared for programmed duty in
Newfoundland and visits in Canada.
3rd
Sailed for St John's.
7th
Arrived at St Johns for stay during National
Convention on political future of
the Colony.
13th
Embarked HE Governor of Newfoundland, Sir
Gordon Macdonald at Argentia to carry
out
an
official tour of isolated fishing settlements
on south coast.
26th
Disembarked HE at Port Aux Basques on
completion of tour.
31st
After visit to Halifax began programme of
visits to ports on northern coast of
Newfoundland
including St. Anthony and Corner Brook.
October
10th
Visited mainland port including Bagotville,
Quebec and Charlottetown.
15th
At Quebec.
21st
Passage to Halifax via Sydney, Cape Breton.
November
3rd
Carried cut exercises with RCN ships at
Halifax.
7th
Passage to Bermuda with call at Saint John,
New Brunswick.
14th
Arrived at Bermuda.
Taken in hand for maintenance and refit by HM
Dockyard Bermuda.
December
Under refit.
(Note: As a result of alteration in policy
relating to the command of independent
frigates on
foreign stations Commander F J Twiss assumed
command. This was his first sea
command. On retirement as Admiral Sir Frank
Twiss, KCB, KCVO, DSC he
became Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod).
On completion resumed duties with Squadron at
Bermuda.
31st
Sailed for patrol and visits to ports in
Caribbean.
1
9 4 7
January
Took part in exercise with ships of America
and West Indies Squadron.
to
On completion took passage to Vera Cruz with
call at Kingston, Jamaica
March.
Visited Galveston, Mobile, Key West and
Nassau.
Returned to Bermuda.
April
Deployed at Bermuda.
to
May
June
27th
Took part in exercises with Squadron.
July
1st
Passage to Nassau with Squadron.
3rd
Took part in official visits by HE the
Governor of the
Bahamas
to the Turks and Caicos Islands
to
as well as others in the Bahamas.
13th
14th
Detached at Nassau on return and took passage
to Kingston, Jamaica for visits to
ports
in West
Indies.
21st
Whilst at Kingston despatched to Belize,
British Honduras after Guatemalan threat
to colony.
24th
Remained in Honduras sea area.
to
31st
August
Emergency support duty in continuation without
direct involvement.
7th
Returned to Kingston.
9th
Resumed visits and patrol programme.
Took passage to Aruba with call in Colombia
at
Barranquilla.
18th
Passage to Trinidad from Aruba to refuel.
25th
At Trinidad.
September
1st
Took passage for Georgetown, British Guiana
with calls at Tobago and Barbados.
12th
At Georgetown.
Early termination of commission announced.
(Note: This decision was made because of
economic measures which necessitated a
reduction
in naval commitments.
The West Indies are was considered to be
politically safe and was therefore vulnerable
to such cuts.)
19th
Passage to Miami, Florida with call at
Santiago, Cuba.
October
At Miami.
4th
Took passage to Bermuda.
7th
Arrived at Bermuda after stormy passage in
hurricane conditions.
16th
On completion of weather damage repair took
passage to Devonport
November
Passage to Devonport
3rd
Arrived at Devonport.
December
Nominated for service with Fishery Protection
Squadron.
1
9 4 8
January
Deployed in Home waters for Fishery Protection
to.
Nominated for Reduction to Reserve.
December
1
9 4 9
January
Reduced to Reserve status at Devonport.
February
Laid up at Devonport in Reserve Fleet.
(Note: Pennant Number for visual signalling
purposes changed to F650.
P o s
t O p e r a t i
o n a l S e r v i
c e N o t e s
HMS PORLOCK
BAY remained in Reserve until 1962, during
which
period she was refitted twice.
Placed
on the Sales List she
was sold to Finland for use as
a training ship and renamed MATTI
KURKI.
The ship
was deployed in this role until 1975 when she
was removed from the active list
and sold for
demolition
in
September that year.
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