LOCH-Class Frigate ordered from Caledon
SB at Dundee on 2nd February 1943 and laid down as Job
Number J11845 on 7th December 1943. The ship was launched on 19th
June 1944 and
was the 1st R N ship to bear the name. Build was
completed on 16th November 1944. This ship was adopted by the civil community of
Burnham on Sea, Somerset after commissioning.
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 White, in front of a saltire couped and engrailed Black,
a sprig of
Hazel, fructed proper.
(Explanation: From the arms and Badge of the Colquhoun.)
Motto
Si je puis: 'If I can'
(Note: The Clan Colquhoun motto.
This Clan has been predominant in the area adjacent t Loch
Lomond since
1300 AD)
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 4
November
Contractor's trials and commissioned for service in 17th Escort Group.
Commanding Officer: Lieut. Commander R E H Partington RNR.
18th Commenced Acceptance trials.
On completion of trials and storing took passage
to Tobermory.
24th Worked up at Tobermory for operational service.
December
11th Joined Group at Greenock on completion of
work-up.
12th Deployed at Greenock for convoy defence in NW Approaches and Irish
Sea.
1 9 4 5
January
Transferred to Channel in continuation.
February
Deployed with Task Group 125 in Channel and Irish Sea for coastal convoy
defence.
March
Transferred to Scapa Flow for convoy defence in NW Approaches and
Irish Sea.
April Deployed in Channel based at Plymouth in
continuation.
May Returned to Greenock after VE Day.
Nominated for service in East Indies after
refit.
Taken in hand for refit at Milford Haven.
Ventilation system modified and
Close Range AA armament improved.
New Commanding Officer: Lieut. Commander S
Darling DSC RANVR
appointed.
June
28th Took passage to Ceylon.
July
23rd Sailed from Aden for Colombo for briefing.
Prepared for escort duty.
August
Deployed for escort of military convoys prior to Malayan Landings.
(Operation ZIPPER. See THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J
Winton,
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser and
Naval Staff History.
September
Escorted ZIPPER convoys for Port Swettenham landings.
(New Commanding Officer Lieut. Commander KG
Webb, RNR appointed.)
12th Deployed at Singapore and nominated for support of military
operations.
Escort duties from Kuching and Labuan to
Singapore.
October
Patrol and escort duties based at Singapore.
(Note: Landing craft and other ships ware being
used to carry PoW and civilian
internees (RAPWI) and escorts ware provided for
mercantiles on
passage in and out of Singapore.
See SEAGULLS IN MY BELFRY by C Anderson.)
November
Deployed as Guardship at Sabang.
Indian Ocean escort duty from Vizgapatan.
December
Support and escort duties in continuation based at Singapore.
Deployed at Kuching and Labuan, Borneo.
24th Returned to Singapore.
1 9 4 6
January
Patrol and escort duties based at Singapore.
19th Escorted convoy to Vizgapatan.
Nominated for return to UK to pay off.
February
Escort of Landing Craft taking RAPWI to Singapore, with HMS LOCH CRAGGIE.
13th Escort of U181 and U862 for scuttling in Straits of Malacca (0.3
05N, 60.38W).
with
HMS LOCH GLENDHU. On completion took
passage to Trincomalee.
19th At Trincomalee.
Nominated for return to UK to Pay-off into
Reserve.
March
Passage from Trincomalee to Aden.
20th Sailed from Aden.
April Arrived at Portsmouth and Paid-Off.
De-stored and began reduction to Reserve status.
May Accepted into Reserve at Portsmouth
July Laid-up at Portsmouth.
to December
1 9 4 7 t o 1 9 4 9
Laid-up at Portsmouth.
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes
changed to F137 (1948)
Refitted for further Reserve Fleet service 1949-
Returned to Reserve (22/11/49)
1 9 5 0
January
Nominated for service and to be brought forward iron Reserve.
to July
August
Prepared for operational service at Portsmouth.
September
22nd Commissioned for service with 2nd Frigate Flotilla, Mediterranean
Fleet.
Commanding Officer: Commander H R Moore RN.
October
Weapon trials and Work-up
to Anti-Submarine training at Londonderry
November
December
12th Sailed from Portsmouth to join Flotilla in Malta.
1 9 5 1
January
Deployed with Flotilla in Malta.
February
Detached to relieve HMS LOCH SCAVAIG as Guardship at Aqaba.
March
Returned to Malta
April Deployed with Flotilla In Malta.
May Maintenance period in Malta.
June Took part with Flotilla in Fleet exercise and visits
programme including Fleet
to
July at Marmarice, Turkey.
August
Took part in Exercise BEEHIVE.
September
Deployed with Flotilla at Malta.
to October
November
Took part In Fleet exercise and including NATO Exercise
SYMPHONIE DEUX.
Visited French Riviera.
December
Deployed with Flotilla in Malta.
1 9 5 2
January
Under refit in Malta.
February
On completion deployed for detached service as Guardship at Port Aid.
March
Deployed in Red Sea.
April
10th Escorted ships of 120th Motor Minesweeper Flotilla in Red Sea.
(Note: These ships were in passage to Singapore
and collected at Aden by
LOCH QUOICH.
May Deployed as Guardship at Aqaba.
19th Returned to Malta.
June Deployed with Flotilla for Fleet exercises and
visits.
to July
August
Deployed as Guardship at Pert Said.
September
Flotilla deployment in continuation.
Nominated for return to UK pending modernisation
October
Passage to UK.
31st Paid-Off at Portsmouth and held in Reserve Fleet prior to refit.
November
Laid-up at Portsmouth.
December
Approval given to de-store.
1 9 5 3
January
Preparing for modernisation by Charles Hill at Bristol.
to May
June Under modernisation.
to December
1 9 5 4
January
Under modernisation.
to
Malicious damage to electric cables. No RN personnel involved.
October
Planned completion delayed.
November
Commissioned for Post refit trials.
December
Trials including weapon calibrations at Portland.
Nominated for service in Persian Gulf.
1 9 5 5
January
Passage to Chatham on completion of trials.
February
Semi-tropicalised by HM Dockyard Chatham
to March
April
19th Commissioned for service.
Commanding Officer: Commander B M D L'Anson, RN
May Passage to Malta to work-up.
June Deployed in Malta for work-up with Mediterranean
Fleet.
July Passage to Bahrain to relieve HM Frigate LOCH ALVIE.
26th Assisted RFA Tanker RFA WAVE KING with feed pump problems
near Bahrein.
(Note: RFA went to Mina-al-Ahmadi on completion
of repair.
Salvage awards were paid later.)
September
Deployed for patrol in Persian Gulf, based at Bahrain.
to October
November
Deployed for East Coast of India Patrol with visit, to Rangoon.
to December
1 9 5 6
January
Returned to Persian Gulf for duty at Bahrain.
to March
took part in local exercises with ships based at Bahrain.
April Passage to UK to re-commission.
Paid -Off at Chatham
May Under refit.
to July
August
Re-commissioned at Chatham for service in Persian Gulf.
Commanding Officer: Commander D G Roome MVO RN
Royal Marines detachment embarked, OCRM
Lieutenant Mottram RM
Post refit trials in Nore and prepared for
work-up at Portland.
September
Carried out Work-up and weapon trials at Portland.
On completion deployed with Home Fleet and took
part in Exercise CUT LOOSE.
October
Took part in Home Fleet visits programme on completion of CUT LOOSE.
Visited Flushing and spent seven days at Dieppe.
Returned to Chatham to prepare for foreign
service.
November
14th took passage to Bahrain via Freetown and Cape of Good Hope.
(Note: Passage via Indian Ocean necessary
because of closure of Suez Canal.)
Called at Gibraltar and Freetown.
December
Called at Simonstown and Mombasa.
Arrived at Bahrain as relief for HM Frigate LOCH
FYNE.
1 9 5 7
January
On completion of Maintenance Period carried out Dhow Patrol in southern Gulf.
Visited Doha and Das Island.
February
Deployed for interception patrol off Batina Coast prior to taking passage to
Karachi
for Interim Docking.
(Note: Extensive hospitality was provided by
the British community.)
March
On completion of docking took passage from Karachi to resume service at Bahrain.
April Deployed for patrol in southern Gulf and returned to
Bahrain.
Carried out patrol in northern Gulf and paid
visit to Bushire.
Sailed to Mina al-Ahmadi for R&R visit and
returned to Bahrain.
May Deployed for Batina coast patrol for interception of
Dhows,
Passage to Aden on release from patrol.
Visited Djibouti, French
Somaliland.
June Returned to Aden and deployed for routine visit to
Kameran Island.
(Note: Kameran was a British possession
administered by the
Colonial authorities at Aden whose officials
visited regularly.)
Took passage from Aden to carry out Indian Ocean patrol
including
visit to Seychelles
Diverted from planned programme and took passage
to Trincomalee
after civil unrest in Ceylon.
July Arrived at Trincomalee after rough passage.
Remained available in Ceylon at Trincomalee and
Colombo to provide
aid to civil authorities if required.
On release took passage to Bahrain to relieve HM
Frigate LOCH ALVIE.
(Note: HMS LOCH ALVIE had been retained in
Bahrain and on relief carried
out the patrol in Indian Ocean including visit
to Seychelles.
Heightened tension in Persian Gulf states had
required RN
warship for patrol in view of revolt in Oman.)
August
Deployed at Bahrain during local unrest and landed Royal Marines
for shore support.
(Note: Royal Marines were replaced by troops of
Kings Shropshire
Light Infantry who had been sent from Kenya.)
10th Despatched from Bahrain to assist disabled mercantile anchored
off Jazirah Qais.
(Note: Jazirah Qais is an island 30 miles off
Persian coast and 100
miles west of the Straits of Hormuz.)
11th On arrival took Italian ss ARAGONESE in tow to Sitra, Bahrian.
12th Arrived at Sitra with ARAGONESE.
(Note: Salvage awards were paid to ship’s
company in 1959.)
13th Resumed patrol duties and took passage to join HM Frigates LOCH
FADA and LOCH RUTHVEN deployed for Batina coast
patrols, based at
Khor Kuwai at entrance to Persian Gulf.)
(Note: Extensive Dhow search operations were
being carried out
to intercept craft taking weapons and personnel for use by
rebel forces in Oman.)
September
20th Returned to Bahrain from Batina coast.
24th Deployed in northern Persian Gulf for patrol and visited Basra.
October
8th Returned to Bahrain after visit to Mina.
16th took return passage to UK from Bahrain.
19th At Aden.
20th Called at Kameran Island and took passage to Suez.
November
Passage in Mediterranean
5th Called at Gibraltar.
12th Arrived at Chatham Paid-off for Extended refit.
(Note: During Atlantic passage a serious fire
occurred in No. 2 Boiler Room. Blaze was
extinguished by ship’s company after oil fuel
supply had been cut off by the brave
action of Stoker Petty Officer Robert
Barlow who was subsequently awarded
the British Empire Medal (Military Division).)
December
Deployed at Chatham and prepared for refit.
1 9 5 8
January
Transferred to Sheerness for refit by HM Dockyard.
February
Taken in hand for refit.
March
Under refit
to December
(Note: This was the last major refit carried out by HM Dockyard at Sheerness
before its
closure in May 1960.)
1 9 5 9
January
Under refit
to August
(Note: Extensive work was carried out to fit a centralised air conditioning
system for
the whole of the forward structure.)
September
Commissioned for service in Persian Gulf.
Commanding Officer: Commander C B Armstrong RN
(P).
Royal Marines Detachment embarked.
Commenced sea trials after delay in completion
of dockyard work.
October
Sea Trials in continuation.
Further delays due to machinery problems.
November
22nd Sailed for Portland from Sheerness for
work-up.
December
Work-up completion delayed by adverse weather conditions..
12th Sailed from Portland to Chatham for Leave Period.
(Note: Work-up incomplete and to be resumed in
January 1960.
1 9 6 0
January
Completed work-up and prepared for foreign service at Portsmouth.
February
3rd took passage to Bahrain with rough passage in Atlantic.
25th Deployed at Aden for patrol off Somaliland aid visit to Berbera.
March
Passage to Bahrain arriving on 6th for maintenance period,
17th Deployed In southern Gulf for patrol and visited Abu Dhabi and
Dubai.
Took part in Exercise WINGED CHARIOT in Arabian
Sea.
(Note: HM Commando Carrier CENTAUR and HM
Destroyer LAGOS also took port.)
Minister of Defence (Mr Harold Watkinson)
visited ship at Bahrain.
April
5th Arrived at Bahrain having given medical aid to
tanker VOLVATELLA during passage.
8th Deployed on patrol and visited Doha.
May Took part in Exercise KHARGEX II with HMS LOCH INSH
and
Iranian Navy ships at Kharg Island.
Took part in Exercise CASPEX V with ships of 9th
Frigate Squadron
and Amphibious Squadron. On completion took
passage to Karachi
routine docking.
June Returned to Persian Gulf after delay in completion
due to Sonar Dome repair work
Visited Banda Abbas, Iran.
July Deployed for patrol in southern Gulf and visited
Qeshm, Lingeh and Qai.
Arms found in dhow stopped during patrol with
HMS LOCH FADA.
Paid Official visit to Muscat.
August
Official visit to Doha after maintenance period at Bahrain.
27th Arrived at Bombay to join exercises with RIM ships.
September On
completion of exercises return to Bahrain.
Film crew joined to make Recruiting Film 'First
Left Past Aden'.
Visited Mina-al-Ahmadi (Port of
Kuwait) before further patrol
off Qatar.
October
Self maintenance in Bahrain during which ship visited by Lord Carrington (First
Lord of the
Admiralty).
Took part in Exercise HALLMARK to prepare for
Exercise MIDLINK III
23rd Passage to Karachi with HMS LOCH FADA to take part in MIDLINK III
28th Joined sea serials for MIDLINK III during which aircraft and a US
Navy submarine were used.
November
Exercise MIDLINK III in continuation. Phase 3 included convoy
defence serials.
Returned to Bahrain for Annual Inspection.
Annual Inspection with HMS LOCH FADA and HMS
LOCH RUTHVEN as consorts.
On completion carried cut patrol off Trucial
coast.
19th Visited Doha.
December
Patrol in continuation with visits to Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
After R&R at Bahrain visited Mina-al-Ahmadi for
Xmas period.
Film crew left ship.
27th took passage from Bahrain for UK to recommission.
1 9 6 1
January
On passage to UK with calls at Aden and Gibraltar.
26th Arrived at Chatham to Pay-Off and refit.
February
Under refit.
to June
July Re-commissioned for service with 9th Frigate
Squadron.
Commanding Officer: Commander D T Smith RN (N).
August
Worked-up at Portland.
to September
Returned to Chatham to give leave.
October
Took passage to Aden with calls at Malta and Tripoli.
November
Arrived at Bahrain.
Deployed for patrol in southern Persian Gulf.
December
Took part in local exercise.
At Mina-al-Ahmadi for Xmas
period. .
1 9 6 2
January
Deployed for patrol and exercises based at Bahrain.
Visited Doha.
February
Carried out Batina coast patrols.
Passage to Cochin with call at Bombay.
March
Returned to Bombay for routine docking.
April On completion resumed patrol duties based at
Bahrain.
May Took part in Exercise KARGEX at Kharg Island with
Iranian Navy.
June Visited Abadan before return to Bahrain.
RM Detachment landed for Queens Birthday Parade.
Returned to Bahrain for Batina coast patrol with
visit to Muscat.
July
Took passage to Aden with stay at Banda Khairan on the Omani
coast to carry out
Hydrographic Survey.
August
Arrived at Aden.
Visited Djibouti asked to carry out salvage
operation on ss MEDINA PRINCESS which
was alongside with extensive flooding,
possibly due to disaffection of crew.
The attempt to control flooding was a total
failure as no details of pipe system were held
on board.
(Note: This mercantile was later taken to an
anchorage in the harbour.)
Returned to Aden to prepare for East African
visits.
Nominated for service at Singapore with 3rd
Frigate Squadron as relief for HMS
ST BRIDES BAY.
(Note: Ship not to return to UK as planned and
ships company returned by air.)
September
Passage to Mombasa followed by calls at Tanga and Dar-es -Salam.
October
Took passage to Singapore with call at Gan.
Paid off.
18th Re-commissioned at Singapore for service with Far East Fleet after
refit.
Commanding Officer: Commander P D Nicol RN
(Note: New ship's company joined after
air-trooping flight from UK.)
November
Under refit.
December
Post refit trials on completion of dockyard work.
1 9 6 3
January
Sea Trials and shakedown for operational service.
February
Worked up in Singapore sea area with HM Frigate ALERT as consort.
March
Passage to Hong Kong.
7th Arrived at Hong Kong.
21st Sailed to Labuan to relieve HM Frigate LLANDAFF for patrol duty in
support of military
operations against Indonesian
infiltration (KONFRONTASI operations).
30th After relief by HM Destroyer
CAESAR returned to Singapore.
April
4th took passage to Gan for Guardship duty.
10th Arrived at Gan.
During Guardship duty exercised periodically at
sea.
May
7th Air Officer Commanding Far East Air Force visited ship.
14th took passage to Singapore.
16th Gunnery Officer injured in diving accident.
22nd Major mechanical defect with loss of use of Port propeller due to
broken shaft.
23rd Arrived at Singapore using Starboard propeller only
Emergency docking arranged. Ship's company
transferred to shore accommodation.
June
4th Moved to dry-dock.
29th Undocked.
July Basin and sea trials unsatisfactory.
Departure for Borneo patrol delayed.
10th Sailed for Labuan for patrol.
15th Embarked Platoon of Internal Security Police.
27th Deployed at Tawau.
29th During patrol of Tawau with Gurkhas embarked air conditioning broke
down.
August
2nd Sailed for Hong Kong.
6th Arrived Hong Kong
15th Embarked passengers including Gurkhas, Royal Artillery and
locally entered Chinese
Stewards for SEA DAY demonstrations.
19th Sailed for Singapore
24th Arrived at Singapore.
September
1st took passage to Gan for Guardship duty.
7th Arrived at Gan
10th Deployed for burial of Able Seaman Dallas who had died during period
at Gan.
23rd Carried out exercises at sea returning on 26th.
30th took passage with passengers for Seychelles.
October
4th Arrived at Seychelles.
7th Return passage to Gan.
13th Sailed for Singapore.
18th Arrived at Singapore after exercises on passage with HM LOCH
KILLISPORT.
30th Sailed for Kuching with military personnel embarked.
31st Arrived at Kuching.
November
2nd Deployed for patrol on passage to Tawau.
25th Sailed from Tawau for Hong Kong after extensive patrol
activities. Several native
craft (KUMPITS) were intercepted and
searched.
30th Arrived at Hong Kong.
December
4th Sailed for Singapore after exercises.
9th Arrived at Singapore to recommission.
New ships company arrived by air.
16th Re-commissioned for further service in 3rd Frigate Squadron, Far
East Fleet.
Commanding Officer Commander B L Spark RN.
19th Took part in Fleet exercises off Singapore.
29th Sailed for Penang arriving on 31st.
1 9 6 4
January
2nd took passage for Fleet exercises.
11th Passage from Can to Colombo.
13th At Colombo with ships of Far East Fleet for Official Visit by CinC
Far East.
17th took passage for Fleet exercises.
24th Arrived at Singapore on completion of exercises.
February
4th took passage to Labuan for patrol duties.
29th On completion of patrol duty sailed for Hong Kong.
March
4th Arrived at Hong Kong.
9th Sailed for Singapore for refit and docking.
13th Arrived at Singapore.
April
24th Resumed Flotilla duties and took passage to Gan for Guardship duty.
May
1st Visited Male.
2nd Relieved HM Destroyer CAMBRIAN as Guardship.
7th Visited Male. British Representative took passage to Gan for return
to UK.
20th Visited Seychelles returning to Can on 29th.
June
15th Visited Male
19th took passage to Singapore arriving on 26th.
July
3rd Sailed for Hong Kong for Fleet exercises.
8th Arrived at Hong Kong with defective Port Engine.
9th Under repair at Hong Kong.
17th took passage to Manila arriving on 20th.
24th took passage from Manila for Borneo patrol duty.
27th Deployed for patrol based at Tawau.
August
Borneo patrol duty in continuation.
21st Arrived at Singapore on completion of patrol duty.
September
9th took part in Fleet exercises.
13th Carried out patrol off east coast of Malaya.
16th At Singapore.
21st Deployed with HMS LOCH FADA for Malayan coast patrol and exercises.
28th Returned to Singapore after calls at Tumpat, Dungun and Kuantan.
October
2nd took part in Flotilla exercises.
9th Deployed of west coast of Malaya.
10th Machinery repairs on Starboard engine took 7 hours.
12th took passage to Hong Kong arriving on 17th.
27th Returned to Singapore.
November
4th Sailed from Singapore with Paying-Off Pennant flown.
11th Arrived at Gan to refuel resuming passage on 12th.
19th At Aden.
28th Suez Canal transit.
December
7th At Gibraltar.
13th Arrived at Portsmouth.
19th Paid -Off.
Miles steamed in last Commission - over 40,000.
F i n a l P h a s e
HMS LOCH LOMOND
was placed on the Disposal List in February 1965 and remained at Portsmouth until
1967 when she was taken to Chatham to be de-equipped prior to Sale. The ship was sold in 1968 to BISCO for demolition by.
Metal Industries and arrived in tow the breaker’s yard
in at Faslane on 7th October that year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
LOCH
LOMOND
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
18/01/45
|
unknown
|
HX 333
|
unknown
|
01/02/45
|
23/02/45
|
unknown
|
HX 340
|
unknown
|
10/03/45
|
29/03/45
|
unknown
|
HX 347
|
unknown
|
14/04/45
|
18/04/45
|
unknown
|
HX 351
|
unknown
|
03/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)