BAY Class Anti-Aircraft
Frigate initially ordered on 6th March 1943 for build as a LOCH Class Anti-submarine Frigate, but for
which the ordered was changed in 1944. Originally to have been named LOCH ARKLET she was laid down on
31st August 1944 and launched as START BAY by Harland and Wolff at Belfast on 15th February
1945. First RN ship to carry this name she was completed on 6th September 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: SX8444. Bay 6 miles south of
Dartmouth, Devon
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 Gold, in base barry wavy of 4 Blue
and white, 3 piles conjoined in base Red.
Explanation: From the Arms
of Sir Guy de Bryan KG, standard bearer to Edward III at Calais.
The tower of the collegiate Chantry
founded by Sir Guy is near Slapton on Start Bay.
M a n n i n g P o r t
Portsmouth
S u m m a r y
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
February
Contractors Trials and commissioned for trials.
(Note: Ship was intended to join the Pacific
Fleet and to prepare for foreign service
Commanding Officer: Lieut. Cdr. R C Dumas.
15th Build Completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
June On completion of trials including weapons completed
storing for service.
July Took passage to Portsmouth.
August
Deployed at Portsmouth.
20th Intended for service with British Pacific Fleet was changed and
allocated for service
in 66th Division of Escorts, Mediterranean Fleet
September
6th On completion of trials. weapon testing, storing and calibrations
took passage to
Tobermory to work-up for operational service.
October
Passage to Portsmouth on completion of work-up and prepared for foreign service.
November
Sailed for Malta to join 66th Division.
Detached at Gibraltar and deployed for local patrol duties.
December
Gibraltar deployment in continuation.
1 9 4 6
January
Passage to Malta and took part in training exercises with ships of Destroyer
Command.
February
Carried out patrol duties in western Mediterranean with visits to Gibraltar and
Catania.
16th Passage to Malta.
March
Deployed in Malta.
Nominated for Guardship duty at Trieste.
(Note: Trieste was being used by allied forces
including army units as a forward base.)
7th At Catania, Sicily
April Passage to Trieste for Guardship duty.
12th Arrived at Trieste for support as required and carried out local
patrol and exercises in
May Guardship duty in continuation.
(Note: Carried out patrol and support of
military garrison as required.)
June Adriatic deployment
18th Visited Pola on the Adriatic coast of Italy
July Return passage to Trieste
1st At Trieste.
8th Returned to Malta.
21st Embarked British troops in Malta for passage to Piraeus.
25th At Piraeus.
Carried out patrol in eastern Mediterranean for
interception of ships taking illegal
immigrants to Palestine. See Naval Staff History
Record published in 2002.)
August
1st Visited Syros in the Greek Cyclades.
22nd Visited Khios.
On relief took passage to Malta.
September
Joined newly formed 5th Frigate Flotilla, Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta.
Carried out further interception patrol.
26th Visited Nauphlia, Greece.
28th Visited Cape
Arnauti
30th Nominated for return to UK and to reduce to Reserve status.
October
6th Passage from Cape Arnauti to Famagusta,
Cyprus
8th Passage to Limassol.
12th Arrived in Malta to prepare for passage to UK.
16th Sailed from Malta to Pay-off
26th Sailed from Gibraltar for Portsmouth
30th Arrived at Portsmouth
November
Paid-off and destored prior to reduction to Reserve status
December
Accepted into Reserve Fleet at Portsmouth.
F i n a l P h
a s e
HMS START BAY remained in
Reserve until 1958 during which time she refitted at Southampton in 1948 and her armament was
preserved with other upper deck equipment . The ship was brought forward to
attend the
Coronation Review at Spithead in 1953 as part of the Reserve Fleet. However her
armament equipment was not
restored for use. Following this duty she carried out visits to ports and communities
on the south coast and in Wales. Her Pennant Number for visual signalling
purposes had been changed to F604 in May 1948. She then returned to lay-up in
the Reserve Fleet at Portsmouth and did
not recommission for full service. Placed on the Disposal List in 1958 as part
of the reduction in the number of ships required to be kept in
reserve. This frigate was
sold to BISCO for breaking-up by J Cashmore and arrived in tow at the breaker’s
yard in Newport, Glamorgan
on 22nd July 1958.
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