LOCH-Class
Frigate ordered with HMS LOCH TARBERT from Ailsa
Shipbuilder on 25th January 1943.
The ship was laid
down on 30th March 1944 as Job No 1827 and
launched on 8th October 1945 as the first
RN ship to
carry this name.
This shipyard had
a poor record for completion of build but in this
case may have been due to the
completion of A’s and A’s introduced for this
Class of Frigate in 1944 to 1945.
These included
hull stiffening and the installation of a Mark XXI
4in
gun mounting for the first time in a LOCH-Class.
Build was completed on
13th
July 1946 and she was the
last of the Class to enter service.
G e o g r a
p h i c
D a t a
Loch
on the border between Sutherland and Ross and
Cromarty, now in Highlands
and
Islands Region of Scotland. Grid Reference NC1813.
(Note:
The Gaelic Name is Mheathdaiugh and the
Clan
associated with
this
area is Clan Macleod.)
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
Badge:
On a field Blue, a mountain in flames proper.
(Note: Based on the
Arms of the Earls of
Cromarty.)
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 6
July
Contractors trials
Commissioned for service in 4th Escort Flotilla
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander G W
McGuiness RNR
(Note: Had previously commanded HMS LOCH
DUNVEGAN.)
13th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
August
On completion of storing, weapons calibration and
shakedown took passage to join
Flotilla at Londonderry for duties at Joint
Anti-submarine Training School.
Lieutenant M R S Smithwick RN appointed in
command.
Prepared for Flotilla duties at Londonderry
October
Flotilla duties for A/S training in continuation
to
(Note: Ships of LOCH Class in Flotilla were HM
Frigates LOCH DUNVEGAN
December
(transferred later), LOCH FADA, LOCH TRALAIG (till
1954) and LOCH
ARKAIG (till 1954).)
1 9 4 7
January
Resumed Flotilla duties after repair at
Londonderry
February
Flotilla duties in continuation
to
March
April
Resumed Flotilla duties on completion of repair.
to
Visited Barrow (October).
December
1 9 4 8
January
Passage to Rosyth for refit
February
Under refit by HM Dockyard, Rosyth
to
March
April
Resumed Flotilla duties at Londonderry
to
June
July
Lieut. Commander K A Cradock-Hartopp MBE, DSC* RN
appointed in command.
(Note: This officer later commanded HMZN Frigate
TAUPO, Ex LOCH SHIN)
Training duties and Home Fleet visits with
Flotilla.
August
Training duties with Flotilla at Londonderry in
continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 9
January
Deployed at Londonderry for Flotilla duties
Nominated for refit at Rosyth including up-date of
radar outfit.
Transferred with Flotilla to newly designated 3rtd
Training Flotilla,
(Note: Ships as for 4th Escort Flotilla.)
February
Under refit by HM Dockyard, Rosyth
to
August
Lieut. Commander I D S Forbes DSC RN appointed in
command (March).
(Note: Type 277 radar modified to new standard and
red-designated Type 277P.
For details of post changes to radar equipment see
RADAR AT SEA
by D Howse.}
Keel examination took place when docked.
September
Carried out post refit trials including Type 277
Radar (CANNIBAL Trials)
Resumed Flotilla duties at Londonderry.
Lieut. Commander P B de B Jeayes RN appointed in
command.
October
Training duties in Londonderry with Flotilla
to
December
1 9 5 0
January
Training duties at Londonderry in continuation.
to
April
May
Routine docking and essential repair at Rosyth
June
Resumed Flotilla duties at Londonderry
Took part in Annual Summer War conducted by Flag
Officer Submarines
July
Deployed at Londonderry and for Home Fleet
programme.
to
August
September
Took part in Exercise SWX5 (Flag Officer
Submarines Summer War)
October
Flotilla Training deployment in continuation.
to
December
1 9 5 1
January
Training duties in continuation with reduced
complement.
(Note: Manning problems had made necessary the
reductions in order
to ensure availability of personnel for priority
requirements in
other ships.)
February
Malicious damage to radar equipment investigated.
Deployed at Portland for A/S training
March
Under refit by HM Dockyard, Rosyth
April
Planned visit to Bergen cancelled after loss of HM
Submarine AFFRAY
6th
On completion of post refit trials took Passage to
Plymouth to join search operations
to find missing submarine.
May
Resumed training duties at Londonderry
2nd
Involved in collision with jetty at Lisahally
without significant damage
June
Londonderry training duties in continuation.
17th
Involved in collision with HM Submarine Depot Ship
MONTCLARE in Clyde
July
Training deployment in continuation.
August
Deployed at Portland for special equipment trials
(CANDIAL)
September
4th
Visited Vejle, Denmark.
12th
Paid visit to Hortens, Denmark and Kiel, Germany
with HM Frigate LOCH FADA.
29th
Malicious damage reported when bolt found in
moving components of steering gear..
October
Routine Docking and self refit at HM Dockyard
Devonport.
November
14th
Resumed training duties on completion of self
refit period.
December
19th
Involved in collision with No 2 jetty at HM
Dockyard Devonport without significant
damage.
Passage to Londonderry
1 9 5 2
January
Resumed Training duties at Londonderry.
8th
Assisted in Salvage of Irish drifter MAEVE which
had run ashore at Inishtrahull and was
adrift without power after clearing from shore.
Took drifter in tow until tug arrived.
(Note: Salvage awards were paid later.)
February
Londonderry deployment in continuation.
to
May
June
Under refit at Rosyth.
to
Lieut. Commander T P Baillie-Groham appointed in
command (15/7)
July
August
Post refit trials
Visited Harwich and Copenhagen
27th
Involved in collision with Barge under tow off
Ymuiden and sustained slight damage aft.
September
Took part in NATO Exercise MAINBRACE.
October
Resumed training duties at Londonderry
to
December
1 9 5 3
January
Training deployment with Flotilla based at
Londonderry
to
April
May
Passage to Portland.
30th
Visited Stranraer
June
4th
Passage to Portland
5th
At Portland to prepare for review
15th
Took part in Coronation Review by HM Queen
Elizabeth II at Spithead
On release took passage to resume duties with TF3
July
Training deployment in continuation.
to
September
October
7th
Involved in collision with No 5 Wharf at Devonport
15th
Under repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport
On completion took passage to Londonderry to
resumed Flotilla duties.
November
Training deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
December
Nominated for refit at Chatham and took passage to
Nore.
28th
Lieut. Commander HP Fleming appointed in command
1 9 5 4
January
Under refit by HM Dockyard, Chatham
to
(Note: Proposed re-insulation of Cold and Cool
Rooms was deferred unless deployment
March
in tropics was confirmed. Otherwise to wait for
ship modernisation.)
April
Carried out post refit trials in Thames area after
re-ammunitioning.
(Note: Re-insulation was deferred till
modernisation.)
May
Training duties with ships of Squadron in
continuation
to
August
(Note: Re-designated as 3rd Training Squadron and
without HMS LOCH FADA)
September
Visited La Pallice
October
Training duties in continuation.
November
Took part in Exercise BRIGHT BONFIRE IX
December
Training duties with Flotilla in continuation.
1 9 5 5
January
Deployed for training duties with Flotilla
February
Training duties with Flotilla in continuation
Nominated for reduction to Reserve status on
completion of Summer visits programme.
March
Training deployment in continuation
to
April
May
20th
Visited Port Stewart
June
Training deployment with Flotilla in continuation
with Home Fleet visits programme.
11th
Visited Fowey and Bayonne with ships of Flotilla
July
Visits and training programme in continuation.
2nd
Visited Dunoon during passage to Londonderry
9th
Passage to resume training duty at Londonderry
25th
Took passage from Londonderry to Plymouth to Pay
off
27th
Administration transferred to SORF Devonport.
August
Paid off at Devonport
To refit for Reserve in London.
25th
Administration transferred to SORF Chatham
Passage to Chatham
September
Passage to London
Taken in hand for refit by Green and Silley Weir
shipyard, Millwall Docks.
October
Under refit.
to
December
1 9 5 6
January
Under refit
to
(Note: This refit completion date had been
extended from planned date in May to
August
ensure work required to meet specified
standards could be finished.)
September
Harbour trials in shipyard
October
Carried out sea trials in Thames estuary before
taking passage to Chatham for
preservation of upper deck equipment.
November
Deployed with Reserve Fleet at Chatham during
preservation.
to
December
1 9 5 7
January
Preservation work by contractor at Chatham in
continuation
to
April
Nominated for lay-up in Reserve Fleet at
Lisahally.
May
Passage under tow to Londonderry.
31st
Arrived in Londonderry
June
Fit of dehumidification equipment at Londonderry.
to
October
November
Placed in Supplementary Reserve at Lisahally.
to
December.
F
i n a l P
h a
s e
HMS
LOCH VEYATIE remained at
Lishally in Supplementary Reserve until 19th July
1961 when placed on the Disposal List. The
ship was sold to BISCO for £24,640 on 3rd August
1965 for breaking-up by W H Arnott Young at
Dalmuir on
the Clyde. She arrived there in tow for demolition
on 12th
August that year.
