LOCH-Class Twin Screw Frigate ordered from Barclay Curie, Dundee  on 2nd February 1943 and laid dam as as Job No J18139 (Yard Number 700) on 31st August 1943. The ship was launched on 14th April 1944 as the 1st RN  ship to carry the name. Her build was completed on 21st August 1944

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ARCTIC 1944-45 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1945

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

Badge: On a Field Green in base varry wavy of four White and Blue,

a demi-swan the wings displayed White.

(Explanation: Loch Alvie is in Alvi which was called the Isle of Swans.)

 

 

D e t a i l s   o f    W a  r   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

 

August                  Fitting out at Dalmuir.

                                Contractors trials

                                Commissioned for loan service in 9th Escort Group manned by Royal Canadian Navy

                                personnel. (Note: Commanding Officer: Lieut. Commander E G Old RCNVR.).

                21st         Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

                                Passage to Tobermory after completion of trials and storing.

                29th        Commenced work-up for operational service.

 

September

                19th        Joined Group at Londonderry on completion of work-up.

                                Deployed with Group for defence of Atlantic convoys to and from Gibraltar.

 

October

                20th        Under repair at Gibraltar till 21st.

 

November

                1st           Returned to Londonderry and docked for repair.

                                Rejoined Group on completion for detached service in Home Fleet.

                29th        Deployed with HM Sloops CYGNET, LAPWING and LARK, HM Frigates BAHAMAS,

                                SOMALILAND, TAVY, TORTOLA, HM Canadian Frigates MONNOW, NENE, FORT

                                COLBORNE, ST JOHN and STORMONT to supplement escort of Russian Convoy JW62

                                during passage to Kola Inlet.

 

December

                7th          Detached en arrival of convoy at Kola Inlet.

                10th        Sailed with escort for return Convoy RA62 with sane ships.

                17th        Detached with HMCS MONNOW, NENE, FORT COLBORNE, ST JOHN and STORMONT

                                before arrival of convoy at Loch Ewe.

                                Took passage to Liverpool

                                Taken in hand for weather damage repair in commercial shipyard.

                                (For details of Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, THE

                                RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B. Schoefleld, CONVOY ! by P. Kemp, ARCTIC CONVOYS by

                                R Woodman and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Under repair.

 

February                On completion joined Group for support of Atlantic convoys under threat of U-Boat attacks

                                and to carry out anti-submarine search operations.

                                (Note: Commander A F C Layard RN appointed as Senior Officer 9th Escort Group.)

 

March                    NW Approaches convoy support deployment in continuation.

                30th        Transferred with Group for convoy defence in Channel

                                (Note: Atlantic convoys re-routed through English Channel were under attack by

                                SCHNORKEL fitted U-Boats. See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and BUSINESS IN

                                GREAT WATERS by J Terraine.)

 

April

                5th          Part of escort for Convoy VPW17 with HM Destroyer WATCHMAN, HM Canadian Frigates

                                NENE, MONNOW, and French Frigate L'ESCARMOUCHE.

                6th          Mercantile CUBA auk by U1195

                                After arrival of convoy in Solent joined in search for submarine which was sunk by HMS

                                WATCHMAN using HEDGEHOG mortar

                                (Note: 18 of submarine crew ware rescued. See SEEK. AND STRIKE by W Hackmann for details

                                of anti-submarine weapons and sinking of submarine.)

                                Later joined Task Group 122.3 for anti-submarine operations and support duties.

                                Deployed in SW Approaches and Irish Sea based at Milford Haven.

 

May                        Returned to Clyde after VE Day.

                12th        Deployed In NW Approaches during passage of final Russian Convoy JW67.

                                Detached during passage for escort of surrendered U-Boats to UK from Norway.

                                Part of escort for 14 U-Boats from Trondheim.

                20th        Arrived at Loch Erribol with U668.

                                (Note: The U-boats were being assembled prior to destruction in N W Approaches as part of

                                Operation DEADLIGHT.)

 

June                        Reverted to RN service and Paid off.

                                Reduced to Reserve status at Sheerness.

 

July                         Laid-up at Sheerness after acceptance into Reserve.

to

August

  

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

LOCH ALVIE remained in Reserve until 1950 when she was brought forward for service in the 6th Frigate Flotilla Home Fleet. In 1951 she took part in the search operation to find HM Submarine AFFRAY. The ship was again Paid off in 1952 and reduced to Reserve at Chatham. After selection for modernisation during a refit in 1953 she was re-commissioned for service in the Persian Gulf. This frigate remained commission and was deployed, mainly in the Middle East until 1963. During her post war service she carried out a major salvage operation and took part in the operations to assist defence of Kuwait in 1961. Finally she was Paid off at Singapore in November 1963 when her operational availability was judged to be unreliable because of the high incidence of defects.

 

Final    Phase

 

HMS LOCH ALVIE was de-equipped during 1964 and sold to Hong Huat Hardware, Singapore for breaking -up on 20th September 1965.

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS LOCH ALVIE

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

(Note on Convoys)