LOCH-Class
Anti-Submarine Frigate ordered from Harland
and Wolff at Belfast on 2nd May 1943 and to be
named LOCH ARD. She was laid down on
20th
January 1944. This ship was
launched by Miss D Newman on 2nd August 1944
as the first RN ship to carry this name.
Fitting-out
was carried out at Renfrew on the Clyde by Lobnitz,
and during this period she was transferred to
the
South African Naval Defence Force (SANF) and
renamed HMSAS TRANSVAAL. Build was
completed on 21st May 1945
and deployment for service with the Eastern
Fleet
based at Trincomalee was intended. Two other
LOCH Class Frigates, HMS LOCH
BOISDALE and HMS LOCH CREE were also presented
to the South African Naval Force
and renamed HMSAS GOOD HOPE and HMSAS NATAL.
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
TRANSVAAL
Badge:
On a Field Vert,
an octagon Or embelished
and with wheels Sable,
tented
Argent:
with a circular border of cable
Or, ensigned with
the
crest
of
the Arms of the Republic of South Africa Proper,
upon a tablet
Or,
bearing the word TRANSVAAL
in letters vert.
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 5
May
Contractors
Trials.
Commanding
Officer: Lt. Cdr H E
Fougstad SANF
21st
- Build
completion.
22nd
- Commissioned
for service as HMSAS TRANSVAAL.
23rd
- Acceptance
Trials in Clyde area.
June
On
completion
of storing, weapon trials and calibrations took
passage to Tobermory to work-up
with other new RN escorts preparing for convoy
defence duties.
July
Sailed
from
Clyde and made independent passage to
Simonstown.
August
After
VJ Day
intended deployment with Eastern Fleet was
cancelled the ship was nominated
for transport of South African personnel from
Middle East to return to South Africa.
September
Passage
to Suez
to embark personnel for passage to Durban.
October
to
December
Repatriation
deployment
in continuation.
1
9 4 6
January
to
March
Repatriation
duties
in continuation.
April
Resumed
operational
deployment with reduced complement and took part
in training exercises. (Note:
During this period the future of the South
African Defence Forces was under
active consideration and the problem of manning
was acute.)
May
1st -
South
African Naval Force established as a permanent
branch of the defence forces of South
Africa. New
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant Commander J K
Mallory appointed.
June
(no
information)
July
to December
Deployed
for
local training.
1
9 4 7
January
Prepared
for
duties associated with Royal visit by HM King
George VI and HM Queen
Elizabeth.
February
Deployed
as
Guardship at East London, Port Elizabeth and
Durban during Royal visits.
March
Deployed
as
Host Ship at Durban during Royal visit.
3rd -
Embarked
Princess Elizabeth in Durban to open new
dry-dock.
April
Took
part in
Operation TOT SIENS, the farewell to the Royal
Family when leaving Cape Town
in HM Battleship VANGUARD.
May
Deployed
for
local duties and training in South African
waters.
June
to
November
SAN
deployment
in continuation.
Commanding
Officer: Lieutenant
Commander J Fairbairn appointed in July
December
Prepared
for
Operation SNOEKTOWN and embarked stores and
special equipment
21st
- Sailed
from Cape Town to Marion Island with specialist
personnel and stores for SNOEKTOWN
landings.
(Note:
This operation was intended to forestall any
landings by foreign powers in view of
the strategic position of the territories
since they were ideally suited for
use as
missile firing positions.)
25th
- Sighted Marion
Island
29th
- Landed
annexation party after delay by weather
conditions.
(Note:
Brass plate secured to cairn of stones to record
the event and a Deed of
Sovereignty
left
in cylinder adjacent to cairn. Formal
Annexation Ceremony carried out prior to
permanent occupation on 4th January 1948.)
1
9 4 8
January
4th -
Landing
of personnel completed and sailed for Prince
Edward Island. Island
formally annexed and brass plate left with
brass plate and Deed of Sovereignty.
Returned
to Marion Island before sailing to Capetown.
February
12th
- Passage
to Marion Island with mail and stores.
15th
- Arrived
at Marion Island to relieve HMSAS GOOD HOPE as
support ship.
March
2nd -
Took
return passage from Marion Island to resume
normal duties.
April
to
October
Deployed
for
training exercises and visits with SAN frigates.
November
4th -
Dispatched
from East London to assist tanker ESSO WHEELING
aground on Quoin
Point, Cape Province and rescued Master and 41
other from Lifeboats. (Note:
This was
carried out difficult conditions.)
16th
- Taken in
hand for refit.
December
Under
refit
14th
- Refit
completion.
Resumed
SAN duties on completion of
post refit trials.
New
Commanding Officer: Lt. Cdr J J
Rice VRD.
1
9 4 9
January
15th
- Visited
Tristan da Cunha
February
2nd -
Delayed
departure for return passage due to radio
equipment defect
3rd -
When
spare arrived from Simons Town and equipment
repaired, despatched to assist mv
PEQUENA, Support Ship for Tristan da Cuhna
which was disabled
without
rudder .
5th -
Met
PEQUENA and established tow, which later parted.
6th -
Tow
re-established.
9th -
Arrived
at Capetown with PEQUENA.
12th
- Resumed
local duties.
March
to June
SAN
local
duties and exercises in continuation
July
Visited
Durban.
August
SAN
duties in
continuation.
September
to
October
Deployed
at
Saldadana Bay.
November
4th -
Taken in
hand for refit.
December
12th
- Refit
completion and commenced post refit trials.
1
9 5 0
January
to June
Resumed
SAN
local duties on completion of trials. Nominated
for reduction to Reserve status.
July
Paid-off
and
reduced to Reserve. Laid-up at Durban.
August
Laid-up
at Durban
September
to
October
Brought
forward
for service and deployed for exercises in Cape
area.
Commanding
Officer: Lt. Cdr J Johnson.
November
Routine
docking.
December
Prepared
for
passage to Australia for official visit to Royal
Australian Navy during Jubilee
celebrations.
26th
- Sailed
from Durban for Amsterdam Island.
1
9 5 1
January
10th
- Arrived
at Fremantle from Amsterdam Island. Official
calls exchanged and social entertainment
arranged.
29th
- Arrived
at Sydney
30th
- Took
part in exercises based at Jervis Bay with RAN,
Pakistan and Indian warships. (Note:
HM Submarine TACITURN provided anti-submarine
training.)
February
Took
part in
further exercises before visits to Melbourne and
Adelaide. Ship's
company attended parades at Adelaide and
Melbourne where shore visits were
arranged.
Ship open to visitors .
15th
- Arrived
at Fremantle on return passage. (Note:
Seven of
the 150 members of the ship's company succumbed
to the
temptations
of a longer stay.)
March
Resumed
SAN
duties on return.
April
SAN
deployment
in local areas in continuation.
May
Took
part in
SAN exercises in Cape area.
June
to July
Resumed
local
duties.
August
to
September
Took
part in
SAN exercises in Cape area.
October
Visited
Marion
Island.
November
to
December
Under
refit.
1
9 5 2
January
to
February
SAN
routine
deployments and exercises. Commanding
Officer:
Lieutenant Commander R C Cousens.
March
to July
Visited
Marion
Island and South Africa ports during patrol.
August
to
September
Visited
Diego
Suarez, Madagascar, Mombasa and Dar es Salaam
during
cruise
programme in Indian Ocean.
October
Deployed
for
exercises with SAN ships. Routine
docking
at Simonstown.
November
to
December
Docking
and
refit in continuation.
1
9 5 3
January
to
March
Resumed
local
duties
April
Visited
East
London and Port Elizabeth
May
Took
part in
SAN exercises at Saldahana Bay and visited East
London.
June
to October
Deployed
locally
in Cape area.
November
to
December
Carried
out SAN
exercises in Saldahana Bay and visited Cape
Town.
New
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant Commander B V
Hegarty DSC SAN
1
9 5 4
January
to
March
Local
duties
including exercises in continuation.
April
Visited
Marion
Island.
May
Took
part in
exercises in Saldahana Bay and visited Capetown.
June
SAN
exercises
and visits.
July
to August
Under
interim
refit and periodic docking.
September
to December
Deployed
for SAN exercises at Saldahana Bay, patrol and
visits to Marion
Island, Capetown and Port Elizabeth.
1
9 5 5
January
Nominated
for
special radar surveying duties. Commanding
Officer:
Lieutenant Commander DH Farr.
30th
- Deployed
for radar survey at Bouvet Island
February
8th -
Completed
survey work and on return resumed SAN local
duties.
March
Visited
Mossel
Bay and Cape area communities.
April
18th
- Took
part in exercises with SAN ships at Saldahana
Bay.
May
3rd -
Resumed
local duties on completion of exercises.
8th -
New
Commanding Officer: Commander C J F Nettleburgh
DSC
June
to July
Local
deployment in continuation.
August
Visited
Capetown.
25th
- Took
passage for east coast cruise with visits to
Port Elizabeth and East London.
September
9th -
Returned
from visits programme.
19th
- Taken in
hand for refit.
October
Under
refit
November
25th
- Refit
work completed.
December
Resumed
SAN
local duties on completion of post refit trials.
1
9 5 6
Deployed
with 6th Escort Squadron,
SAN and took part in Flotilla and SAN exercise
and visits programme.
New
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant
Commander G N Green. (January)
Took
part in
Hydrographic survey of Gough Island with other
SAN ships for the South
African Hydrographic Office for the
preparation of a Chart for the area. (Note:
Gough Island is 200 miles SW of Tristan da
Cunha.)
1
9 5 7
January
Flotilla
duties
in continuation.
February
Routine
Docking
and essential repairs in Simonstown.
March
Deployed
with
Flotilla for exercises and visits.
April
2nd -
Attended
formal hand-over of Simonstown Dockyard to SAN
from RN.
May
Visited
Tristan
da Cunha, Marion Island and Gough Island.
June
Nominated
for
modernisation to RN LOCH-Class standards.
July
to August
Flotilla
deployment
in continuation.
September
Paid-off
and
prepared for modernisation and long refit at
Simonstown.
11th
- Transferred
to Dockyard Control and commenced refit.
October
to
December
Modernisation
in
continuation.
1
9 5 8 t o
1 9 5 9
Modernisation
in continuation.
1
9 6 0
January
to July
Modernisation
in
continuation.
August
Post
refit
harbour trials.
23rd
- Dockyard
work completed.
24th
- Commanding
Officer: Commander B V Hegarty DSC
September
to
December
Post
refit sea
trials.
Reduced
to Reserve status and
laid-up on completion of trials.
1
9 6 1
January
to July
Laid-up
in Reserve.
Nominated
for service (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.)
August
Recommissioned
for
service with 6th Escort Squadron.
September
Flotilla
duties
on completion of work-up and shakedown.
October
to December
Deployed
with SAN ships to assist in the aftermath of a
volcanic explosion at Tristan
da Cunha. This involved evacuation of the
population who were
later
taken to UK for temporary stay
until they could return.
1
9 6 2
January
to
March
SAN
local
duties in continuation.
April
to August
Deployed
to take members of a British Royal Society
Scientific Party to Tristan
da Cunha to carry out an inspection prior
to the restoration of facilities
so
that the inhabitants could return. Resumed
Flotilla duties for exercises and visits on
release from the operations
at Tristan da Cunha.
September
Taken
in hand
for refit and docking.
October
to December
Under
refit
(Note:
One source suggests the
forward single 4in mounting was replaced
by a
twin 4in mounting as in RN LOCH Class during
this
refit. In addition the ship was prepared for use
as a
Training
Ship for which additional accommodation was
provided
and some changes made to Close Range AA
armament
to standardise fit as in more modern ships.)
1
9 6 3
January
Under
refit
February
Resumed
service
and deployed in the Training Role. (Note:
SAN had received more modern ships and there was
a need
to
provide sea training on a ship not required for
normal Fleet duties.
Exercises were carried out with RN and
Portuguese
ships.)
March
to August
Training
deployment
in continuation. New
Commanding
Officer: Commander W D Hogg (March).
September
Deployed
for
Air Sea Rescue duties during first US
reconnaissance
flight
over the region of the South Pole. Took up
Station in position 50 degrees
South and 18 Degrees East.
October
to
November
Deployed
for
local training on return from SAR duties.
December
Took
part with
other SAN ships in Bathymetric Survey in Indian
Ocean
as part of International Geophysical Year
Project.
During
return passage one propeller shaft broke and
repairs to hull were made
by divers so that ingress of water could be
prevented.
Remainder
of passage was made on one
shaft.
1
9 6 4
January
to July
Training
duties
in continuation after repair to shaft completed.
Nominated
to Pay-Off and transfer to Reserve.
August
18th
- Paid-off
and reduced to Reserve status
P o s t
S e r v i c
e N o t e s
SANS TRANSVAAL was
laid-up in
Reserve until 1978 when she was placed on the
Disposal List. She was de-equipped and
prepared for sinking. On 8th August 1978 the
ship was towed to a position
outside
False Bay and sunk by gunfire. During service the
ship steamed 170,000 miles and
is recorded as
having been a true ambassadress
of her country.
A c k n o w l e d g
e m e n t
The details
recorded were
provided by the South African Naval Museum and
by the Commanding Officer of the ship for its
last
commission. This information is gratefully
acknowledged.