Twin Screw Fast Frigate
ordered from Blyth SB on 28th December 1942 and laid
down on 8th November 1943 as Job 4791 (Yard Number 297). The ship was launched
on 5th July 1944 as HMS LOCH BOISDALE. Before build
was completed on 1stv December 1943 the ship was transferred to the South
African Naval Forces (SANF) and to be renamed
HMSAS GOOD HOPE.,
the 4th Royal Navy or Commonwealth ship
to bear the name.
G e o g r a p h i c L o c a t i o n
LOCH BOISDALE: Lake in South Uist,
Outer Hebrides
GOOD HOPE:
Cape near Cape Town.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
None
H e r a l d i c D a t a
The Virgin with an anchor as a symbol of Hope
(Note: This allegoric symbol probably dates from the time of the
Renaissance.
The
name GOOD HOPE was given to the Cape by the Portuguese but the
first
representation of the Lady with the anchor is on the seal of the Dutch
Reformed Church of Cape Town. A copy of the seal was included in an
article written in 1930 by a
theological authority.)
M o t t o
De Hoop en beschant niet :'Hope does not disappoint'
(Note: The same symbol is used by the 'Good
Hope' silversmiths and has become
established as an emblem for the Colony. It is included in the
established
coat-of arms of the Republic of South Africa.
D e t a i l s 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
4
November
Contractors Trials
9th - Commissioned for service in
Western Approaches Command.
Lieutenant Commander RP Dryden Dymond SANF in command.
December
1st - Build completion and commenced
Acceptance Trials.
On completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory. Worked-up at Tobermory for Operational service
1 9 4
5
January
Deployed on escort of troopship to
Iceland. Sustained
major structural damage to hull plating in heavy weather.
Returned to Clyde for repair.
February
Under repair in Clyde commercial
shipyard.
March
On completion rejoined 24th Escort
Group for convoy defence and Anti submarine patrol in English Channel, Irish Sea and SW
Approaches.
(Note: This deployment was made because of
an increase in the activity of SCHNORKEL
fitted submarines in these waters.)
April
Returned to Greenock
May
Passage to South Africa with HMSAS
NATAL. Called at
Freetown.
June
to July
Deployed at Simonstown.
August
New Commanding Officer: Commander H G
Fougstedt SAN
September
Nominated for transport of South
African service personnel being repatriated from Middle East,
October to December
Deployed with HMSAS NATAL and HMSAS
TRANSVAAL for trooping duties between Suez and South Africa.
1 9 4
6
January
Trooping deployment in continuation.
February to December
Complement reduced due to run-down of
SAN pending the establishment of a permanent
South African Navy. Not deployed operationally,
1 9 4
7
January to March
Remained non-operational with reduced
complement.
April
Prepared for ceremonial duties during
Royal visit by HM King George VI to South Africa.
24th - Participated in the ceremonial
farewell of HM King George VI when HM Battleship VANGUARD left Cape Town to return to UK after the
Royal visit to South Africa.
Carried out joint exercises with HM
Battleship VANGUARD, HM Cruiser NIGERIA, HM Frigates ACTAEON and NEREIDE, accompanied by sister
ships HMSAS TRANSVAAL and HMSAS
NATAL (Operation TOTS SIENS).
May
to November
Deployed at Simons Town with reduced
complement
December
Full complement joined and prepared
for planned operation.
1 9 4
8
January
Passage to Tristan da Cunha to
collect islanders and special boats required for annexation of Marion Island and Prince Edward Island in Southern
Ocean by South Africa to prevent their use
by any foreign power as a site for guided missiles (Operation SNOEKTOWN). On completion of embarkation of timber and personnel
took passage to join HMSAS NATAL and HMSAS
TRANSVAAL in support of SNOEKTOWN after brief call at Cape Town.
28th - Relieved HMSAS NATAL at Marion
Island.
February
After delay due to extreme weather
conditions landed timber and assisted in the establishment of a base ashore. Carried out coastal investigations.
16th - On relief by HMSAS TRANSVAAL
returned to Simonstown and then reverted to reduced complement.
March
New Commanding Officer appointed:
Lieut Cdr. J. Johnson DSC SAN
(Later Vice Admiral, SSA, SAN)
April
Transferred to new Naval Base at
Salisbury Island, Durban
May
New Commanding Officer appointed:
Lieutenant Commander RP Dryden Dymond SAN. Resumed operational service;
June
to August
Deployed for exercises and visits
with SAN ships at Durban.
September to October
Embarked Commodore F J Dean, SAN for
formal visit to Portuguese West Africa (now Angola) with HMSAS NATAL and HMSAS TRANSVAAL. Calls made at Mossamedes, Zuhito, Quanda and Matadi.
November to December
Reverted to Care and Maintenance
role.
1 9 4
9 t o 1 9 5 4
Remained in Reserve role at Durban and
docked periodically at Simonstown.
On 1st January 1951 the South African Naval Force (SANF) became the South African Navy (SAN)
C o n
v e r s i o n a n d E m p l o y m e n t
a s D e s p a t c h V e s s e l
The
expansion of the South African Navy was considered justify provision of a
Despatch Vessel. This type of Frigate was used in that role for the use of
Commanders-in-Chief on the Mediterranean and Far East Stations HMS SURPRISE and
HMS ALERT, both of which were LOCH Class Frigates. Such a vessel, in addition to
acting a Flagship for the SAN could also be used for the training of reservists
or cadets. HMSAS GOOD HOPE was selected for this role and began an extensive
refit in 1954 during which many changes were made. These included the provision
of additional accommodation in a new superstructure on 01 Deck. The top of this
structure could used for receptions or other formal gatherings during Flag
Visits. It was later strengthened for use as a Helicopter Landing Platform.
1 9 5
5
January to May
Under conversion at Simonstown for
use as Despatch Vessel.
Main armament and A/S SQUID Mortar outfit were retained to allow use as an
anti-submarine
frigate in any emergency.
June
3rd - Commissioned as Despatch Vessel
and Flagship of SAN.
Joined 10th Frigate Squadron.
Commanding Officer: Lieut. Cdr. R Cousins SAN.
July
Embarked Governor General of South
Africa (The Hon Dr E G Jansen) for a formal visit to Madagascar.
August to December
Rejoined 10th Frigate Flotilla for
joint SAN exercises.
Visited coastal towns and embarked Citizen Force (Reservists) for sea
training.
1 9 5
6
Deployed with 10th Frigate Flotilla
and exercised with RN ships
Embarked Chief of Naval Staff for visits and inspections
1 9 5
7
Continued role as Flag Frigate including:
Attendance at formal transfer of RN Dockyard at Simonstown to South African
Navy (2nd April). Embarked
Rear Admiral H H Biermann SSA, OBE SAN for visit to Lorenco Marques and Beira with HM South African Frigates VRYSTAAT,
KAAPSTAD and PRETORIA. (Note:
This was First time that the Flag of an Admiral in the SAN had been flown at sea
(July).)
Routine support visit to Marion Island
meteorological station.
1 9 5
8
January to March
Under refit at Simonstown which
included replacement of single 4in gun by a twin 4in
mounting as fitted in modernised RN LOCH
Class Frigates. The SQUID A/S Mortar outfit was
still retained.
April
to December
Resumed Flag Frigate duties and
transferred to 6th Escort Squadron which had replaced the 10th Frigate Flotilla. Carried out joint RN/SAN
exercises.
1 9 5
9
January to July
Deployed as Flag Frigate and deployed
with 6th Escort Squadron. New Commanding Officer appointed: Commander P Selk
SAN.
August
Embarked Chief of Naval Staff for
passage to Angola on formal visit.
Call at Matadi involved 70 mile journey up the Congo River.
September to December
Resumed duty with 6th Escort
Squadron.
1 9 6
0
Deployed with 6th Escort Squadron and
as Flag Frigate for Inspections of SAN ships and
Establishments. Deployed on patrol and training duties.
1 9 6
1
Continued deployment with routine refit at
Simonstown.
(Note: On 31 May the Union of South Africa
became a Republic and withdrew from the British
Commonwealth. South Africa warships were no longer designated HMSAS and
identified by the prefix SAN.)
Joint exercises were continued with warships of other nations including RN
ships until
1975 when the Simonstown Treaty was
abrogated.
New Commanding Officer appointed: Commander
D K Kinkead Weekes SAN (July)
(Later Commodore SAN).
1 9 6
2 a n d
1 9 6 3
Continued Flag Frigate deployment and
duties with 6th Escort Squadron.
1 9 6
4
January to July
Continued Flag Frigate deployment. New Commanding Officer appointed (January).
Commander R D Kingon SAN (Later Commodore SAN).
August
Embarked State President for passage
to East London for visit on the occasion of the presentation of the Freedom of the city to the South
African Navy.
(Note: Frigates of the SAN provided escort
during visit.)
September to December
Resumed Flag Frigate and Squadron
duties. Deployed
on Fisheries Protection duties as required.
1 9 6
5
January to September
Deployed in Flag Frigate role to
carry out official visits to Fleet. Detached service when required for Fisheries
Protection.
October
Withdrawn from service and Paid-off. Placed in
Reserve.
P o s t S e r v i c e N o t e
SAS GOOD HOPE remained in Reserve
until 1975 when after being de-equipped she was sunk by SAN divers as part of
an artificial reef in False Bay near Cape Town.
Addenda
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMSAS
GOOD HOPE
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed
|
Joined convoy as escort |
Convoy No. |
Left convoy |
Date convoy arrived |
|
|
|
|
|
13/01/45
|
13/01/45
|
DS
061
|
17/01/45
|
17/01/45
|
17/01/45
|
17/01/45
|
SD
061
|
20/01/45
|
20/01/45
|
09/03/45
|
unknown
|
HX
343
|
unknown
|
24/03/45
|
23/04/45
|
23/04/45
|
TBC
137
|
26/04/45
|
26/04/45
|
(Note on Convoys)
COMMODORE R
P DRYDEN DYMOND and HMSAS GOOD HOPE
by Vice Admiral Alan
Grose, RN (Rtd), now living
in Simons Town
My father-in-law Richard Paul Dryden Dymond was one of the earliest members of the South African
Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the 1930s, which then became
the South African Seaward Defence Force in January 1940. He served from the
outbreak of World War II in command of a number of His Majesty's South African
Ships, culminating in HMSAS GOOD HOPE. At the time, being probably the most
experienced and capable officer in the South African Naval Force, by which the
SDF was now called, he was selected in 1943 as a Lieutenant Commander to go to
England to command the first of the three frigates (as HMSAS GOOD HOPE, NATAL, and TRANSVAAL) transferred from the RN
to the SANF.
When HMS LOCH BLOISDALE was handed over and commissioned
as HMSAS GOOD HOPE on 9 November 1944, he was in fact her first commanding officer.
Interesting enough I have a copy of the Commissioning Service and Orders for
that occasion in his records.
As you record in the entry for HMSAS NATAL, he went on
to command her in December 1946, still as a Lieutenant Commander, but rejoined
GOOD HOPE in May 1948. He was promoted Commander in late 1949, just after
the cruise up the west coast of Africa, and ended his naval career as Commodore, SM, ED, SAN.
SOUTH AFRICAN NAVAL NOMENCLATURE FOR NAVY and SHIPS
by Vice Admiral Alan
Grose, RN (Rtd), now living
in Simons Town
I have checked my facts regarding the
nomenclature of the South African Ships with a number of books on the South
African Navy, especially "South Africa's Navy - The First Fifty Years" by
Commodore J C Goosen SM published in 1973. Goosen had served in the South
African Navy during the Second World War and so I think he would have got his
facts right about the titles of ships and establishments at that time. The
following certainly ties in with what is in my father-in-laws old photographs
and records.
The background to the titles given to the
Service, rather than the ships, is quite complicated. The South African Navy
essentially began in October 1921 by Governmental decree as "the South African
Naval Service (SANS) with locally recruited personnel enrolled in the RNVR
(South African Division) but placed on whole-time service with the SANS" which
was officially promulgated in the Government Gazette in January 1923.
This title and arrangement continued until
January 1940 when the Seaward Defence Force (SDF) was formed which effectively
took over the responsibilities of the former SANS which essentially became
moribund but not actually disbanded. The situation was further resolved in 1942
when the the South African Naval Force (SANF) was formally constituted and
all members of the old RNVR (South African Division) transferred into the SANF.
The title South African Naval Force remained until 1 January 1951 when it was
changed to the South African Navy (SAN).
Throughout this time all ships of the SDF, SANF
and SAN were designated His Majesty's Ship..., and the title HMSAS.... used. It
was not until a Government Gazette dated 20 June 1952 changed the prefix
of South African ships from HMSAS to SAS. From the same date the cap tallies
worn by SAN sailors were changed from HMSAS followed by the name of the ship or
establishment to plain SAS.
I hope it clarifies the situation regarding the
ship prefix - they were definitely called HMSAS, much the same as HMAS for
Australian ships and HMCS for Canada.