LOCH-Class Frigate ordered with seven other of this Class from Swan Hunter at Wallsend on 13th February 1943. Only five of the were completed and two were converted for use as Depot Ships during build. The three others completed as Anti-submarine Frigates were all sold to Commonwealth navies after the end of WW2 and served for many years after hostilities ended. This ship was laid down on 15th July 1943 and launched on 20th January 1944 as the first RN ship to bear this name. Build was completed on 2nd August 1944 and the ship was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy which provided the crew under an Inter government Agreement in exchange for ALGERINE Class minesweepers built in Canada also manned by the RCN. This arrangement allowed prefabricated construction in British shipyards whilst some of these minesweepers could be built in Canada. After the end of WW2 this frigate was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy and renamed HMNZS TUTIRA.

 

G e o g r a p h i c    D a t a

Loch in Inverness.  Grid Reference NH8609.

(Note: The Gaelic Name is 'Mhor Thalamic' and the Clan associated with

this area is Clan Graham.)

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

None is recorded in the Official List of Heraldic Crests

but many ships named during WW2 for the first time

    adopted an unofficial Badge which has not been traced.

 

 

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

 

July

 

Contractors trials

 

17th - Commissioned for service in 8th Canadian Escort Group. Commanding Officer Lieut. Cdr. L L Foxall RCNVR.

 

August

 

Completion of contractors harbour trials.

 

2nd - Build completion and commenced Acceptance trials.

 

Final departure from shipyard delayed by damaged caused when ship collided with buoy. On completion of repair and storing took passage to Tobermory to work-up for operational service

 

28th - Took passage to join Group in Londonderry on completion of working-up.

 

September

 

Deployed for convoy escort and interception patrols in Western Approaches Command. Sustained weather damage and withdrawn from service for repair in London. Passage to commercial shipyard.

 

October to December

 

Rejoined Group after repair and deployed in English Channel for convoy defence and anti-submarine search operations. (Note: German SCHNORKEL-fitted submarines were carrying out attacks at focal areas for convoys and Atlantic traffic was using the Channel for passage to and from east coast ports following removal of air threat from French bases.)

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January to March

 

Channel deployment with Group in continuation. Sustained minor damage in collision with merchant ship. Nominated for transfer to eastern seaboard of Canada with Group.

 

April

 

Passage to Canada to resume Atlantic convoy defence.

 

May

 

Deployed in Canadian waters.

 

8th - To be returned to RN control. Passage to UK.

 

June

 

Paid-off at Sheerness and reduced to Reserve status.

 

July to December

 

Laid-up at Sheerness

 

 

1 9 4 6   t o   1 9 4 7

 

Laid-up at Sheerness in Reserve Fleet.

 

 

1 9 4 8

 

Sold to New Zealand for £228,250 including cost of refit by HM Dockyard, Sheerness. (Note: Initial name chosen was WAIRARAPA, a lake in North Island, 30 miles NE of Wellington. Six LOCH-Class Frigates were transferred under the same agreement and were all given names of lakes in New Zealand.)

 

Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to F517.

 

 

1 9 4 9

 

January to March

 

Under refit at Sheerness.

 

Post refit trials.

 

April

 

Passage to Chatham for formal transfer

 

11th - Renamed HMNZS TUTIRA by Lady More, wife of CinC Nore.

 

19th - Commissioned for service in Royal New Zealand Navy. Commanding Officer Lieut. Cdr. F J Rand RN.

 

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S e r v i c e    a s   H M N Z S   T U T I R A ( F  5 17 )

 

G e o g r a p h i c    D a t a

Lake in Hawke Bay area, North Island, New Zealand.

Position 39.20S 177.00E

(Note: Meaning of the Maori name is A Row or File of men.

Motto: 'Tutira Upoko pipi' – A maori proverb Tutira, the place where heads are softened or broken.

The name TUTIRA reflects the history of the Maori people who

inhabited the area. After yet another attack by their enemies had been

repulsed they were left in peace which gave rise to this proverb.)

 

B a t t l e    H o n o u r s

 

KOREA 1950-51

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

A traditional Carved Maori Head coloured red ochre. The eyes are made of paua shell (a type of abalone) which

turns white with age.

(Note: This Badge is intended to neatly encapsulate the

spirit of the ship's name and motto)

 

Acknowledgement: Details relating to the name of the ship after transfer were provided

by the RNZN Museum at Auckland.

 

 

May

 

Passage from Chatham with sister ship HMZNS ROTOITI (Ex HMS LOCH ACHANALT) to work-up with ships of the Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta.

 

June

 

Worked-up in Malta with HMNZS ROTOITI. On completion took passage with HMNZS ROTOITI to join 11th Frigate Flotilla in Auckland, New Zealand.

 

July

 

Passage in Red Sea and Indian Ocean with call at Aden.

 

August

 

Arrived in Auckland

 

September

 

Deployed with Flotilla for exercises and patrol in South Pacific.

 

20th - New Commanding Officer: Lieut. Cdr W H Brereton RN.

 

October

 

Took part in exercises with RAN ships at Jervis Bay and called at Sydney.

 

November

 

Australian exercises and visits in continuation with calls at Melbourne and Hobart. Return passage to Auckland.

 

December

 

Deployed for patrol in south Pacific after call at Wellington. Visited Campbell Island and MacQuarrie Island. Returned to Auckland with call in Wellington.

 

 

1 9 5 0

 

January

 

Flotilla duties in continuation at Auckland.

 

February

 

Took part in Flotilla exercises.

 

March

 

Deployed for patrol with calls at Fitzroy, Napier, New Plymouth and Akaroa. Took part in Fleet exercises in Bay of Islands area.

 

April

 

Deployed at Auckland.

 

May

 

12th - New Commanding Officer: Lieut. Cdr P J Hoare RN. Deployed for Island visits and patrol with calls at Suva and Ocean Island.

 

June

 

Patrol and visits to Pacific islands in continuation. Called at Tarawa, Tabiteuea, Fanfuti and Suva

 

29th - During return passage to Auckland from Fiji nominated with sister ship HMNZS PUKAKI for service with United Nations naval Task Group as part of New Zealand Government response to the United Nations request for member states to provide forces to assist the South Korean Republic against the invasion by North Korea.

 

On arrival in Auckland call made for volunteers to serve on board during deployment with other Commonwealth navies on war service based at Sasebo.

 

July

 

Prepared for passage to Japan..

 

3rd - Sailed from Auckland with HMNZS PUKAKI for UN service.

 

19th - Arrived at Hong Kong after refuelling at Port Moresby.

 

27th - On completion of repair work, embarkation of war storing and exercises took passage from Hong Kong to Sasebo to join UN naval forces.

 

August

 

On arrival deployed for escort of military convoys from Japan to Pusan on west coast of Korea.

 

September

 

12th - Joined escort of military convoys taking US troops for landings near Inchon of west coast of Korea.

 

15th - Detached from convoy when close escort of US Navy warships covered landings. (Note: These landings were made to support a UN Force by interception of North Korean forces being forced to retreat.)

 

Deployed for patrol off Inchon with other warships. (Note: Ship was replenished at sea during this duty and was only three days in harbour.)

 

October

 

Patrol duty off Inchon in continuation.

 

14th - On release transferred to US Navy Task Group.

 

16th - Deployed to take revised orders to landing craft on passage to Wosan on east coast of Korea for a planned landing. (Note: Landings had been delayed due to extensive enemy mining of the area and capture of the port by South Korean forces.)

 

18th - After delivery or revised orders carried out patrols off Wosan with HMNZS PUKAKI until landings established. Sank floating mine.

 

November to December

 

Return passage to Sasebo. Redeployed in rotation with recently arrived HMNZS ROTOITI, for control of coastal traffic in Chinampo area off west coast, North of 38th Parallel. Visited Sasebo for R&R (Note: British and Commonwealth warships were based at Sasebo but spent these periods at Kure where docking and repair facilities were available as well as some recreational facilities for Commonwealth personnel.).

 

 

1 9 5 1

 

January

 

Deployed to carry out patrol to deny enemy use of coastal waters to reinforce troops carrying out an advance across border into South Korea. (Note: UN forces were forced to withdraw from North Korean territory and the ports of Inchon and Chinampo were evacuated.)

 

February

 

Resumed shipping control duties off Inchon after port was re-occupied.

 

March

 

Deployed as escort for South Korean Navy minesweepers near Peng Yong Island off west coast.

 

April

 

On completion of minesweeping took passage to Kure for short refit. Passage to Sasebo for relief by HMNZS HAWEA which arrived on 26th.

 

May

 

Took passage to Auckland with call at Hong Kong. Visited Brisbane before return to rejoin Flotilla

 

30th - Arrived at Auckland (Note: Ship had steamed 35,400 miles on this tour of UN duty in Korea. Captain and two ratings were awarded a Mention in Despatches.)

 

June

 

Deployed with 11th Flotilla and took part in local exercises.

 

July

 

Passage to Australia for Fleet Exercises with RAN and visits programme.

 

August

 

Nominated for reduction to Reserve status.

 

September

 

Paid-off and laid-up in Reserve at Auckland.

 

October to December

 

Laid-up at Auckland.

 

 

1 9 5 2   t o   1 9 6 0

 

Laid-up at Auckland.

 

 

1 9 6 1

 

January to November

 

Nominated for Disposal List. Sale negotiations in hand.

 

December

 

Sold for demolition by shipbreaker at Hong Kong.

 

 

1 9 6 2

 

Passage under tow to Hong Kong.

 

 

 

 

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Addendum

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS LOCH MORLICH

by Don Kindell

 

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

(Note on Convoys)