BAY Class Anti-Aircraft Frigate initially ordered from Harland and Wolff at Belfast on 2nd May 1943 for build as a LOCH Class Anti-submarine Frigate, but for which the order was changed in 1944. Originally to have been named LOCH ARNISH she was laid down on 31st August 1944 and launched as TREMADOC BAY at Belfast on 29th March 1945. First RN ship to carry this name she was completed on 11th October 1945 after the end of hostilities with Japan.

G e o g r a p h i c   L o c a t i o n

Grid Reference TL2632: Tremadog Bay,  Caernarvonshire, Wales

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 barry wavy of 4 in base Blue and white,

three escallops conjoined in fess, Gold..

Explanation: The escallops allude to the poet Shelley, a friend of Mr

W A Madocks, a local resident who name the area.

M a n n i n g   P o r t

Devonport

S u m m a r y   o f   S e r v i c e

1 9 4 5

October                  Commissioned for service in place of CAPTAIN Class Frigate being returned to USA.

                                Commanding Officer: Lieut. Cdr.  FD Cole.

                                Contractors trials.

                11th        Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials in Clyde area.

November              Completed acceptance and shakedown trials in Belfast

                                Passage to Portland for ranging and weapon calibrations.

                                On completion took passage to Lisahally, Ulster to tow Type XXI German submarine U3035 to

                                Libau in Latvia (Operation CABAL).

                                (Note: Submarine was being handed-over to Soviet Navy in accordance with policy agreed in 1945)

                24th        Deployed with HM Frigate NARBROUGH which was towing U3041 and sailed from

                                Lisahally for northern passage to North Sea.

                28th        Diverted to Rosyth after steering and tow problems in submarine.

December

                7th          Sailed from Rosyth to Libau with U2025 in tow.

                13th        Tow parted and submarine used main engines for remainder of passage.

                14th        Arrived at Libau.

                                Took passage from Libau to Plymouth after hand-over.

1 9 4 6

January                  Nominated for transfer of German submarines to French Navy (Operation THANKFUL)

                                Passage from Plymouth to Lisahally

February                At Lisahally

                5th          Sailed from Lisahally for Cherbourg with Type XXIII submarine U2326 in company

                                with HM Tug BUSTLER towing Type XXI submarine U2518.

                                (Note: RN passage crews were provided for the two submarines.)

                7th          After taking shelter in Dublin Bay due to towing problems and defect in heavy weather

                                conditions went into Kingstown Harbour.

                                (Note: Considerable interest was shown by civil population and special permission

                                given for RN Personnel to attend Rugby International.)

                10th        Sailed from Eire to Cherbourg with tow.

                12th        Sick man from U2518 transferred to local vessel in Lyme Bay

                13th        Arrived at Cherbourg with tow.

                15th        Took passage to Plymouth after visit by French Admiral.

                                (Note: U2326 was lost in a diving accident at Toulon in December 1946 with loss of 17 lives.)

March                    Deployed for training and emergency destroyer duties with Plymouth Local Flotilla.

                                Escorted mercantile carrying dangerous cargo to Bay of Biscay for scuttling.

April                       Local Flotilla duty in continuation.

                                Towed Landing Ship (Tank) from Appledore to Barry, Glamorgan for scrapping.

May                        Deployed for Oceanic Measurement Trials in Azores area and visited Terceira.

June

                6th          Carried out official visit to Bristol with HM Frigate BURGHEAD BAY

                                Official reception, shore entertainment and open to visitors.

                11th        Took passage to return to Plymouth.

July                         Plymouth Local Flotilla duties in continuation.

                                Visited Falmouth.

August                  Visited Preston, Lancashire.

September             Deployed for escort of mercantiles from Barry, during passage for scuttling in Bay of

                                Biscay.

October                  Local duties at Plymouth in continuation

November

                5th          New Commanding Officer, Lieutenant DJ Godden appointed.

December

                27th        Deployed as Emergency Destroyer in search for survivors from French aircraft south

                                of Start Point.

                                Returned to Plymouth when search abandoned.

1 9 4 7

January                  Under repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport.

February                Nominated for reduction to Care and Maintenance due to manning shortages.

                25th        Laid-up in River Fal.

March                    Lay-up in continuation.

April                       Resumed operational service with Plymouth Local Flotilla after routine docking.

May                        Deployed at Portland for Anti-submarine training

June                        Local Flotilla duties at Plymouth including embarkation of Sea Cadets for sea

                                experience.

July                         Local Flotilla duties in continuation.

                27th        Escorted ss EMPIRE LARK under tow by HM Tug Dextrous during passage from

                                Barry, Glamorgan for scuttling in Bay of Biscay.

August                  Nominated for detached service and took passage with HMS BURGHEAD BAY to Gibraltar.

September             Deployed in Mediterranean with HMS BURGHEAD BAY.

                                Escorted ss OCEAN VIGOUR, SS EMPIRE RIVAL and ss RUNNYMEDE PARK from Port

                                Duboc near Marseilles to Gibraltar.

                                (Note: These ships were taking Jewish immigrants detained from SS PRESIDENT

                                WARFIELD during passage to enter Palestine.)

October                  Passage from Gibraltar to Plymouth after arrival of ships at Gibraltar.

                                Resumed Local Flotilla duties.

November              Under refit by HM Dockyard, Devonport.

to December

1 9 4 8

January                  Under Refit.

February

                20th        Refit completion and commenced post-refit trials.

March                    Deployed at Plymouth for training and Emergency Destroyer duties

to May

June                        Under repair at Devonport

                                New Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander R Gabbett-Mulhallen

                                appointed

July                         Resumed Plymouth Local Flotilla duties.

August                  Visited Torbay.

September             Deployed at Plymouth for training and Emergency Destroyer duties.

                                Under repair.

October                  Resumed local duties.

to December

1 9 4 9

January                  Deployed at Plymouth for training and Emergency Destroyer duties.

February                New Commanding Officer, Lieutenant R Smith appointed.

                                Under repair.

March                    Resumed local training duties

to December

1 9 5 0

January                    Local training duties in continuation.

to December

1 9 5 1

January                  Training and Emergency Destroyer duties in continuation.

to                            Nominated for reduction to Reserve status

March

April                       Paid off and de-stored.

to                            Accepted into Reserve Fleet at Devonport.

December              Laid-up at Devonport

P o s t   S e r v i c e   N o t e s

HMS TREMADOC BAY remained at Devonport until 1953 when she was refitted by Silley Cox at Falmouth. On completion she was nominated for transfer to the Reserve Fleet Sub-Division at Gibraltar and towed there to lay-up in Reserve. In 1958 she was placed on the Disposal List as part of the reduction in the number of ships in Reserve  required by the Defence Review. Sold to an Italian shipbreaker in 1959 she arrived at Genoa in tow on 18 September that year for demolition.