LOCH-Class Twin Screw Frigate
ordered from Barclay Curie, Dundee on 2nd February 1943 and laid dam as as Job No J18139 (Yard Number 700) on 31st August 1943.
The ship was launched on 14th April 1944 as the 1st RN ship to carry the name. Her build
was completed on 21st August 1944
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ARCTIC 1944-45 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1945
H e r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field Green in
base varry wavy of four White and Blue,
a demi-swan the wings displayed White.
(Explanation: Loch Alvie is in Alvi which was called
the Isle of Swans.)
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
August Fitting out
at Dalmuir.
Contractors trials
Commissioned for loan service in 9th Escort Group manned by Royal Canadian Navy
personnel.
(Note: Commanding Officer: Lieut.
Commander E G Old RCNVR.).
21st Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.
Passage to Tobermory after completion of trials and storing.
29th Commenced
work-up for operational service.
September
19th Joined Group at
Londonderry on completion
of work-up.
Deployed with Group for defence of Atlantic convoys to and from Gibraltar.
October
20th
Under repair at Gibraltar till
21st.
November
1st
Returned to Londonderry and docked for repair.
Rejoined Group on completion for detached service in Home Fleet.
29th Deployed
with HM Sloops CYGNET, LAPWING and LARK, HM Frigates
BAHAMAS,
SOMALILAND,
TAVY, TORTOLA, HM Canadian
Frigates MONNOW, NENE, FORT
COLBORNE, ST JOHN and STORMONT
to supplement escort of Russian Convoy JW62
during passage to Kola Inlet.
December
7th
Detached en arrival of convoy at
Kola Inlet.
10th Sailed
with escort for return Convoy RA62 with sane ships.
17th
Detached with HMCS MONNOW,
NENE, FORT COLBORNE, ST JOHN and STORMONT
before arrival of convoy at Loch Ewe.
Took passage to Liverpool
Taken in hand for weather damage repair in commercial shipyard.
(For details of Russian Convoy operations see CONVOYS TO RUSSIA by RA Ruegg, THE
RUSSIAN CONVOYS by B. Schoefleld, CONVOY ! by P. Kemp, ARCTIC CONVOYS by
R
Woodman and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
1 9 4 5
January
Under repair.
February
On completion joined Group for support of Atlantic
convoys under threat of U-Boat attacks
and to
carry out anti-submarine search operations.
(Note: Commander A F C Layard RN appointed as Senior Officer 9th Escort Group.)
March
NW Approaches convoy
support deployment in continuation.
30th
Transferred with Group for convoy defence in Channel
(Note: Atlantic convoys re-routed through English Channel were under attack by
SCHNORKEL
fitted U-Boats. See HOLD THE NARROW SEA by P Smith and BUSINESS
IN
GREAT
WATERS by J Terraine.)
April
5th
Part of escort for Convoy VPW17
with HM Destroyer WATCHMAN, HM Canadian Frigates
NENE, MONNOW, and French Frigate L'ESCARMOUCHE.
6th
Mercantile CUBA auk by U1195
After arrival of convoy in Solent joined in search for submarine which was sunk
by HMS
WATCHMAN using HEDGEHOG mortar
(Note: 18 of submarine crew ware rescued. See SEEK. AND STRIKE by W Hackmann for
details
of
anti-submarine weapons and sinking of submarine.)
Later joined Task Group 122.3 for anti-submarine operations and support duties.
Deployed in SW Approaches and Irish Sea based at Milford Haven.
May
Returned to Clyde after VE Day.
12th
Deployed In NW Approaches during passage of final Russian Convoy JW67.
Detached during passage for escort of surrendered U-Boats to UK from Norway.
Part of escort for 14 U-Boats from Trondheim.
20th
Arrived at Loch Erribol with U668.
(Note: The U-boats were being assembled prior to destruction in N W Approaches
as part of
Operation DEADLIGHT.)
June
Reverted to RN service and Paid off.
Reduced to Reserve status at Sheerness.
July
Laid-up at Sheerness after acceptance into Reserve.
to
August
P o s t W a r
N o t e s
LOCH ALVIE remained in Reserve
until 1950 when she was brought forward for service in the 6th Frigate Flotilla Home Fleet. In 1951 she took
part in the search operation to find HM Submarine AFFRAY. The ship was again Paid off in 1952 and
reduced to Reserve at Chatham. After selection for modernisation during a refit
in 1953 she was re-commissioned for service in
the Persian Gulf. This frigate remained commission and was deployed, mainly in
the Middle East until 1963. During
her post war service she carried out a major salvage operation and took part in
the operations to assist defence of
Kuwait in 1961. Finally she was Paid off at Singapore in November 1963 when her
operational availability was judged to be unreliable because of the high incidence
of defects.
Final
Phase
HMS
LOCH ALVIE was de-equipped
during 1964 and sold to Hong Huat Hardware, Singapore
for breaking
-up on
20th September 1965.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
LOCH
ALVIE
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above
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Date convoy sailed
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Joined convoy as escort
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Convoy No. |
Left convoy
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Date convoy arrived
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29/11/44
|
29/11/44
|
JW 062
|
07/12/44
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07/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
10/12/44
|
RA 062
|
17/12/44
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19/12/44
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12/03/45
|
12/03/45
|
DS 063
|
15/03/45
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15/03/45
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16/03/45
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16/03/45
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SD 063
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20/03/45
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20/03/45
|
02/04/45
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02/04/45
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WVP 104
|
03/04/45
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-
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(Note on Convoys)