LOCH Class Twin
Screw Fast Frigate ordered on 25th January 1943 from Smiths Dock,
Shipbuilders at Middlesbrough and laid down on 13th
December 1943 as Job Number 4781 (Yard Number 1130). The ship was launched on 7
July 1944 as the 1st Royal Navy ship to carry this name. Build was completed on
1st Feb. 1945.
G e o
g r a p h i c
D a t a
Loch
in Perthshire (Grid Reference NN5106)
Gaelic Name: Ath Chrathaig ('Ford of shaking')
B a t
t l e H o n o
u r s
ATLANTIC
1945
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Only ships of this Class which remained
in service or re-commissioned
after 1950 were
officially given Crests. Many which served during WW2
did have an
unofficial Badge. often having an
association with the Clan
of the area
in which the namesake was geographically placed.
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 5
January
Contractors
trials and commissioned for service. Commanding
Officer: Lieutenant Commander L H Stammers RNVR.
(Note:
Ship's company provided mainly from Portsmouth Depot.)
Allocated
for service with 8th Escort Group in Western Approaches on completion.
February
1st - Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
6th - On
completion of trials and storing took passage to Clyde
9th - Under
repair at Clyde commercial shipyard
March
7th - On
completion of repair took passage to Tobermory to work-up for operational
service.
28th - Passage
to Greenock to join Group on completion of work-up.
(Note:
Other ships in Group were HM Frigates AIRE, NATAL (SANF), LOCH MORE and LOCH GLENDHU.) |
April
Deployed for
convoy defence in Irish Sea and SW Approaches.
(Note:
Commander J H Eaden DSC RN joined ship as Senior Officer 8th Escort Group. During this period SCHNORKEL fitted submarines were
making attacks on coastal waters shipping. See
SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackman which also has details of weapons used,. BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by John Terraine and
ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett give
further information.)
Visited
Belfast.
11th - Deployed
with ships of 8th and 25th Escort Groups for an anti-submarine search operation
in
Irish Sea (Position 54.02N, 05.03W).
12th - After
submarine was detected by HMS LOCH GLENDHU took part in joint anti-submarine operation. Submarine
forced to surface and engaged by surface gunfire from main and close range armament. Crew
abandoned submarine which was identified as U1024.
Submarine
taken in tow by HMS LOCH MORE after being boarded.
(Note:
37 of crew survive. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
13th - U1024
sank during tow in position 53-39N 05.53W west of Anglesey after weather
conditions
deteriorated.
20th - Convoy
defence and patrol with Group in continuation.
28th - Deployed
with Group in Irish Sea and Western Approaches to supplement escort of joint convoy OS129/KMS99 during passage to Gibraltar.
May
Nominated for
foreign service in Indian Ocean with Eastern Fleet.
1st - Detached
from OS129/KMS99 and returned to Clyde.
6th - VE Day.
In Clyde.
19th - Part of
escort for joint convoy OS129/KMS1103 to Gibraltar.
20th - Detached
during passage and returned to Belfast to refuel.
21st - Nominated
for escort of German submarines during passage from Scapa Flow to Assembly point at Loch Ryan (Operation DEADLIGHT). (For details of U-Boats surrendered see HITLER'S
U-BOAT WAR by C. Blair.)
June
DEADLIGHT
deployment in continuation.
4th - Escorted
ten U-Boats from Scapa Flow.
5th - Detached
on arrival at Loch Ryan.
6th - Taken in
hand for refit in Clyde commercial shipyard prior to foreign service.
27th - Lieut.
Commander C J Aldridge RNR appointed in command.
July to August
Under refit
September
On completion
of post refit trials prepared for foreign service in Clyde.
26th - Sailed
from Clyde for passage to Colombo.
October
On passage in
Mediterranean and Red Sea after call at Gibraltar
November
On passage in
Indian Ocean.
7th - Arrived
at Colombo for service in East Indies Escort Force.
(Note:
Lieut. Commander H G Chesterman DSC RNR had been appointed in command on 28th September and may have joined in Colombo. Other ships in Escort Force included HM Frigates LOCH
CRAGGIE, LOCH ECK, LOCH KATRINE, LOCH
SCAVAIG and LOCH TARBERT which were all to be deployed in Singapore for service in support of military
operations and to assist with repatriation of allied
civilian
and service personnel captured or interned by Japanese in the Dutch East
Indies.
These were known as RAPWI.)
December
Prepared for
support duties.
16th - Took
passage for Singapore to join support operations.
Deployed
in Java and Sumatra for escort of craft carrying RAPWI.
Carried
out duty as Guardship at Batavia.
1 9 4 6
January
Returned to
Singapore.
Nominated for Air-Sea Rescue duties
off Gwadar.
(Note: Ships of East Indies Escort
Force were deployed for this duty to provide emergency aid to aircraft carrying personnel to UK for
repatriation.)
February
Took passage to
Air Sea Rescue Station and relieved HM Frigate LOCH GORM. On relief by HM Frigate LOCH KATRINE resumed support
duties in East Indies.
Nominated for
return to UK and to be reduced to Reserve status.
March to May
Visited Port
Blair in Andaman Islands on passage to Singapore from Trincomalee for support duties. Lieutenant
Commander C C Anderson RN joined ship in command. (Later Rear Admiral, CB).
Deployed at Singapore in continuation of Guardship and
support duties.
(Note: During this period visited
Rangoon and Penang.)
June
Returned to
Trincomalee to prepare for return passage to UK
10th - Sustained
minor damage in collision with HM Frigate LOCH SCAVAIG during passage to Trincomalee in Malacca Straits.
16th - Sailed
from Trincomalee for return passage to Portsmouth.
July
Passage in
Mediterranean with calls at Malta and Gibraltar.
On
arrival at Portsmouth paid-off and reduced to Reserve status.
August
to December
Laid-up in
Portsmouth Reserve Fleet.
1 9 4 7
Laid-up in
Portsmouth Reserve Fleet.
HMS LOCH ACHRAY
was sold to New Zealand with five other LOCH Class Frigates in 1948.
H M N Z S
K A N I E R E
LOCH ACHRAY was
renamed HM New Zealand Ship KANIERE by Lady Willis, wife of CinC Portsmouth.
After work-up in Malta with three of the other LOCH Class also being
transferred she arrived in Auckland in January 1949.
HMNZS KANIERE
was again brought forward in 1953 for service with the UN Task Force off Korea
and deployed off the east coast for support of military operations. She
remained with RN ships based at Hong Kong after the cease-fire in July 1953 and
continued service with the UN until 1954 when she returned to New Zealand.
This ship
remained in commission and was detached for service at Singapore with the 3rd
Frigate Squadron for two periods between 1955 and 1957. She then was used for
sea training duties mainly in coastal waters although deployed periodically for
visits to Pacific islands. By 1961 she had been withdrawn from sea duties and
placed in Reserve. Used for harbour training until placed on the Disposal List
in 1966 she was sold to Hong Kong Rolling Mills and arrived at the breaker's
yard in tow during February 1967.
B a t t l e H o
n o u r s
KOREA
1953
H e r a l d i c D a t a
The Badge was
designed by the ship and features one of the world's rarest birds.
In former times
the Kakapo was abundant on the shores of Lake Kaniere. The chief of
the Maori Kai
Taku snared this bird in this area. Some of the feathers obtained were
used to make a
special garment for his daughter. The Kapako was a ground dwelling
bird and the
Badge shows a green field to represent this feature.
M o t t o
Kia Maia: 'Be
firm'
D e t a i l s o f S e r v i c e
1 9 4 8
January to May
Laid-up at
Portsmouth.
(Note: Sale of the ship to New
Zealand was agreed at a cost of £232,750 and the ships was to be refitted prior to transfer to the RNZN.)
June to August
Taken in hand
for refit by HM Dockyard Portsmouth. Pennant
Number for visual signalling purposes changed to F 426.
Commanding
Officer Lieutenant Commander BE Turner.
September
Carried out
harbour trials
27th - Commissioned
into RNZN service and renamed HMNZS KANIERE by Lady Willis, wife of CinC Portsmouth.
(Note:
The original choice of her new name was HMNZS HAIPO but this changed before the ceremony.)
Commanding
Officer: Lieutenant T W Stocker RN.
October
Carried out
post refit trials and calibrations. On
completion took passage to Malta to work-up for operational service with the
ships of the
Mediterranean Fleet. Commenced work-up in Malta.
November
Took passage to
New Zealand on completion of work-up. Transit
of Suez Canal.
December
Passage in Red
Sea and Indian Ocean with call at Aden.
At
Singapore,
1 9 4 9
January
Passage from
Singapore to Auckland. Joined 11th
Frigate Flotilla on arrival.
February to June
Deployed at Auckland with Flotilla for exercises.
Nominated
for Pacific Ocean patrol and visits.
July to August
Carried out patrol with calls at Suva, Fiji and Samoa.
Returned
to Auckland.
September
Deployed
at Auckland.
Commanding Officer: Commander CC
Stevens and Senior Officer 11th Frigate Flotilla.
Nominated
for joint exercises with RAN.
October to November
Passage to Sydney
Took part in joint exercises in
Jervis Bay area
Calls were made at Melbourne and
Hobart, Tasmania
December
Return
passage to Auckland.
1 9 5 0
January to August
Deployed at
Auckland and took part in Flotilla and RNZN exercises and visits. Nominated for refit.
Commanding
Officer: Lieutenant D B Holdsworth RN.
September to October
Under refit at
Auckland by HM Dockyard. (Note: Ship had
been intended for exchange service with Mediterranean Fleet Frigate but she was replaced by sister ship HMNZS HAWEA.)
November to December
Carried out
post refit trials and rejoined Flotilla.
Deployed
for Flotilla duties.
1 9 5 1
January to August
Deployed with
Flotilla for exercises and visits. Nominated
for Pacific patrol
Commanding Officer Lieutenant
Commander J O'C Ross.
September to October
Carried out
Pacific patrol with visits to Apia, Ellice Islands, Rotuma, Suva, Tonga. Returned to Auckland.
Nominated
for reduction to Reserve status. Commanding
Officer Lieutenant A G Rhodes
November
Paid-off and
reduced to Reserve at Auckland.
December
Laid-up at
Auckland
1 9 5 2
January to
October
Laid-up at
Auckland
November
Re-commissioned
for service in 11th Frigate Squadron. Commanding
Officer: Lieutenant AG Rhodes
December
Deployed for
work-up and Flotilla duties based at Auckland.
1 9 5 3
January
Prepared for
operational service and exercised with ships of Flotilla. Nominated for detached service with UN naval Task
Group at Sasebo
February
2nd - Took
passage to Sasebo as relief for HMNZS ROTOITI.
Commanding
Officer L G Carr RNZN.
Called at Sydney.
March
Passage to
Singapore.
April
Passage from
Hong Kong to Sasebo.
23rd - Arrived
at Sasebo to commence UN service.
24th - Passage
to carry out first patrol of west coast of Korea.
May
Deployed for
patrol and naval gunfire support including cover for minesweeping operation and the evacuation of wounded guerrillas from Chodo
Island off west coast. Later provided
support to US warship in Regency Channel and came under shore gunfire. Returned to Sasebo before taking passage to Hong Kong
June
At Hong Kong
with HMNZS HAWAE
(Note: During this period took part
in Commonwealth celebrations including inspection by
Commander
in Chief , British Forces in Korea.)
10th - Resumed
service at Sasebo after carrying out anti-submarine exercises during passage
from
Hong Kong.
15th - Resumed
patrol duties off west coast of Korea
July
UN service in
continuation including evacuation of partisans from outlying islands above the the 38 parallel of latitude being proposed as future
dividing line as well as providing naval
gunfire
support to military operations.
28th - Remained
for UN duties based at Sasebo after declaration of Cease-Fire (Note: Rest and Recreation facilities were still to be
carried out at Kure which had been used
by Commonwealth troops since outbreak of hostilities. Repair facilities were
also
available in the commercial shipyard
at Kure.)
August to December
Deployed for
patrol off west coast of Korea based at Sasebo in continuation
1 9 5 4
January
Deployment for
patrol and support of UN in continuation
Nominated
for return to New Zealand. Took passage to
Hong Kong
February to
March
Passage to
Auckland with call at Suva.
April to June
Rejoined
Flotilla and deployed with 11th Frigate Squadron for Local duties and
exercises.
Nominated for detached service with
Commonwealth Strategic Reserve based at Singapore,
July
Prepared for
detached service.
Passage to Sydney
August
Sailed from
Sydney to Singapore with calls at Brisbane and Cairns.
September
Joined 3rd
Frigate Squadron, Far East Fleet. Nominated for
detached service in Japan with UN. Passage
to Sasebo with call at Hong Kong.
October to December
Deployed at
Sasebo for UN Support in Korean waters.
Took
part in international exercises with US Navy and other warships deployed for UN support.
1 9 5 5
January
Took passage to
Hong Kong for R&R and maintenance period.
Returned
to Sasebo to resume UN support duties.
February
Deployed at
Sasebo for UN service.
March
Passage to Hong
Kong for R&R.
Returned to Sasebo for further UN
service.
April
UN service at
Sasebo in continuation.
May
On release from
UN deployment took passage to Singapore to rejoin Squadron.
June
Deployed at
Singapore with Squadron and took part in Fleet exercise.
July
Released from
detached service at Singapore and took passage to Auckland with calls at Celebes and Cairns.
Rejoined
11th Frigate Squadron
August
Taken in hand
for routine Docking and inspection of underwater fittings at Auckland.
September to
October
Deployed with
Squadron for Fleet exercises and visits including Wellington, Bluff and Suva. Nominated for refit.
November to December
Under refit.
1 9 5 6
January
Carried out
post refit trials.
Nominated for further detached
service at Singapore in Commonwealth Strategic Reserve.
February
Passage to
Singapore.
March
Re-joined 3rd
Frigate Squadron, Far East Fleet. Took part in
major Fleet Exercises and visits with Squadron
April
Deployed at
Singapore with Squadron. Nominated for
detached UN service based at Sasebo.
May
Passage to Sasebo
with call at Hong Kong.
June to July
Deployed for UN
support based at Sasebo. Took part in
international exercises.
August
Released from
UN duties and took passage to Singapore
September
Took part in
Fleet exercises with Squadron.
October
On release took
passage to Hong Kong.
Deployed for patrol off Borneo in
support of military operations against
Indonesian insurgency. (KONFRONTASI))
November to December
Deployed for
anti-piracy patrols and military support.
Returned
to Hong Kong and later to Singapore. Passage
to Hong Kong for Christmas
1 9 5 7
January to February
Deployed
on support duties in Borneo. Returned to
Hong Kong for R&R.
Resumed duties
off Borneo.
Took part in major international
Fleet exercise.
March to April
Deployed for
Borneo support with R&R at Hong Kong.
May
Took part in
Exercise ASTRA with Squadron based at Singapore.
On
completion took return passage to Auckland
June to September
Taken in hand
for refit at Auckland. Nominated for
deployment as Training ship
October to
November
Deployed for
training
(Note: During this visit deployed in
local area and also for visit to Christmas Island.)
December
Training duties
in continuation and took part in joint exercises with RAN.
1 9 5 8
January to
February
Deployed for
training duties including visits to Melbourne, ports on western coast of New
Zealand and Hobart.
March
Deployed local
for training based at Auckland.
April
Carried out Pacific
training cruise with visit to Suva.
Nominated for refit.
May to June
Under refit
July to October
On completion
of post refit trials deployed at Auckland for training duties.
November
Deployed for
training with visits to Lyttleton and Dunedin
(Note: Carried out oceanographic
research work during this period.)
December
Deployed at Auckland
for training.
1 9 5 9
January to April
Deployed for
training duties.
Nominated for refit.
May to June
Under refit at
Auckland.
July to November
On completion
of post refit trials resumed training duties.
December
Routine docking
for inspection of underwater fittings
1 9 6 0
January to
September
Training duties
in continuation including visit to Sydney.
October
Embarked RNZVR
personnel for training and visited Ngapona.
November
Took part in
Fleet exercises during which involved in collision with HM Submarine ANCHORITE.
December
Deployed for
training based at Auckland. Nominated for
harbour training.
1 9 6 1
Deployed for
harbour training and paid off. After
de-storing deployed for harbour training.
1 9 6 2 to
1 9 6 5
Harbour
training in continuation
Nominated for
withdrawal from use.
De-stored and de-equipped. Placed on Sales List
F i n a l P ha s e
HMNZS KANIERE was sold for demolition in Hong Kong and towed to
the breaker’s yard in 1966.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
LOCH
ACHRAY
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
17/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
ON 297
|
18/04/45
|
02/05/45
|
27/04/45
|
28/04/45
|
OS 125KM
|
01/05/45
|
01/05/45
|
17/05/45
|
19/05/45
|
OS 129KM
|
20/05/45
|
21/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)