Second LOCH Class Twin Screw Frigate built by Blyth SB, ordered on
25th January 1943. The ship was laid down as Job No J4793 (Yard No 298) on 3rd
December that year and launched on 2nd September 1944 as the 1st R N ship to
carry the name. Build was completed on 11th January 1945.
G e o g r a p h i c
D a t a
Inland Loch in Inverness
Grid Reference NR0102
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
Badge: On a Field barry wavy of six White and Blue, a Camel Proper.
(Explanation: From the Arms of Inverness.)
D e t a i
l s o f W a r S e r v i c e
(for more ship information,
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to
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1 9 4 4
November Fitted out for service at Bolcow's
Battleship Wharf, Gambols, Sunder land.
Contractors Trials.
December Commissioned for service
Commanding Officer: Lieut. Cdr. G
MacClelland DSC RN.
Builder presented ship for
Acceptance Trials.
Acceptance delayed by defects
found on trials.
1 9 4 5
January
11th Accepted for service from builders
after further sea trials.
(Note:
Embarked party of WRNS during
trials in North Sea.)
Took passage to Tobermory for
work-up on completion of trials and storing.
13th Began work-up for operational
service.
31st Joined 24th Escort Group in Western
Approaches Command based at Londonderry.
February Deployed in Irish Sea for convoy defence.
Involved in collision with HM
Frigate DART
at
Greenock.
During patrol in Irish Sea,
BARRACUDA aircraft crashed after
making low passes over
the ship.
None of the aircraft crew
survived.
(Note: The Pilot
was brother of ship's Navigating
officer which caused great distress on
board.)
16th Deployed on convoy defence with
UK-Gibraltar route convoys with 37th Escort
Group.
March Convoy defence in SW Approaches and
Irish Sea continued.).
to Part of
escort for Convoys KMF42 outward and MKF41 inward to UK.
April Escorted Convoys KMF43 outward and
MKF 43 inward to UK.
May Deployed on A/S patrol in NW
Approaches and Irish Sea.
7th Joined ships of 24th Escort Group to
meet three U-Boats which were, in accordance with
surrender terms were remaining on
the surface and flying a Black Flag.
Sent boarding party to accept
surrender and escorted submarines to Loch Foyle.
Nominated for service in East
Indies and refitted at Londonderry
(Note: Six 20mm Oerlikon
mountings were fitted and some modifications made to ventilation
system.)
June On completion took passage to
Colombo.
August New Commanding Officer Joined ship:
Lieut. Cdr. J E B Healey RNVR.
On arrival at Colombo nominated
for escort of assault convoys for landings at Port
Swettenham.
(Operation ZIPPER: This operation
had been delayed several times due to problems
associated with the
implementation of the PYTHON Scheme to return long serving
service personnel to UK and US
insistence. See THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J
Winton, WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO) and
for information about all mercantiles and
warships taking part BRITISH
INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)
September Deployed for escort of assault convoys
during passage to Beach Head.
On release from ZIPPER deployed
at Singapore for support of military operations
and repatriation of allied
nationals in Dutch East Indies (RAPWI)
October Embarked British Embassy official for
passage to Bangkok.
to Escorted HM Landing Ship PERSIMMON
taking troops including Lincolnshire
November Regiment to accept formal surrender of
Sumatra.
On completion continued
deployment in Dutch East Indies and escorted landing
craft carrying RAPWI from ports
in Sumatra and Java and Bali to Singapore.
Stationed periodically at Sabang
as Guardship.
Carried out patrols to prevent
arms reaching Indonesian dissidents who were determined
to prevent the return of the
Dutch colonial authorities.
December Carried out rescue mission to Bengkulu in
Sinatra to collect Dutch doctor.
(Note: On arrival found the doctor
had already been taken to safety by an RAF aircraft.
The civil population were most
unfriendly).
Transferred to Trincomalee for
duty with East Indies Fleet for Indian Ocean and
Persian Gulf patrol duties.
Took passage to Trincomalee.
Nominated for routine docking by
HM Dockyard Bombay before commenced new duties.)
Passage to Bombay..
1 9 4 6
January Transferred to Karachi for Air-sea
Rescue duties in Indian Ocean off Gwadar with HM
Destroyer PETARD, HM Frigate TAFF
and other LOCH Class frigates.
(Note: These were required to
provide an emergency facility in the event of any accident
involving aircraft, being used
for return of personnel from Far East and India to UK.)
Mail was delivered by RAF.
February Air Sea Rescue deployment continued.
21st Present at Karachi during RIN Mutiny
and sailed to Bombay to support RN presence after the
mutiny on RIN ships in the port.
27th Sailed for Karachi with HM Destroyer
PETARD.
March
3rd Began 3rd ASR Duty.
10th Relieved by HM Frigate LOCH MORE and
returned to Karachi
Deployed for patrol between
Bombay, Colombo and Trincomalee.
New Commanding Officer appointed
as Senior Officer (Frigates), East Indies:
Commander J E Fentor RN.
April
6th Towed Yacht WHITE BEAR from Colombo
to Kilindini.
(Note: This ship had been
requisitioned in 1939 for survey
work.)
15th On return the owner refused to accept
WHITE BEAR because of its condition.
26th Towed WHITE BEAR back to Colombo.
May
5th Arrived at Colombo.
8th Escorted tug CROCODILE for passage
to Cochin.
10th Took CROCODILE in tow.
11th Returned to Trincomalee.
24th Commenced refit in Colombo.
June Under refit.
July Deployed for first time in Persian
Gulf as SO (Frigates) -for patrol duty
to and support, of colonial
administration.
December Calls made at Basra and Bahrein.
Returned to Trincomalee on
relief.
1 9 4 7
January Deployed with East Indies Squadron at
Trincomalee.
February Under refit by HM Dockyard, Singapore.
to New Commanding Officer appointed as
SO (Frigates):
March Commander S S Stamwich RN.
April Passage to Trincomalee with call at
Penang.
to Deployment in Persian Gulf in
continuation..
August Calls made at Basra, Kuwait, Muscat and Khor Kuwai in Straits of Hormuz.
September Carried out Self maintenance at Colombo.
October Under refit in Singapore.
to
December
1 9 4 8
January Carried out patrol duty in Indian Ocean.
February Diverted to assist civil power for
security duties at Mogadiscio.
to On release resumed Indian Ocean
patrol duty and took part in Squadron exercises.
March Calls made at Lamu, Mombasa, Zanzibar,
Dar es Salaam and Seychelles.
April Joined combined RN/RIN exercises in
Ceylon sea area.
May Deployed in Persian Gulf.
to New Commanding Officer appointed as
SO (Frigates): Commander GFM Bsst (?), RN.
December Based at Bahrein and calls made at Basra,
and Abadan during series of patrols.
Pennant number for visual
signalling purposes changed to F434.
1 9 4 9
January Persian Gulf duty based at Bahrein in
continuation.
to Calls made at Lingah, Khor Kuwai,
Muscat and Kuwait.
February Nominated for extended refit.
March Passage to Singapore with call at
Trincomalee.
April Under extended refit.
to
October
November New Commanding Officer appointed as SO(F):
Commander E T L Dunsterville RN
Completion was delayed due to
addition defects found on survey.
December On completion of post refit trials took
passage to Trincomalee.
1 9 5 0
January Deployed on patrol duty in Indian Ocean.
to Called at Mombasa
March
April Attended ceremonies at Mogadishu on
return to Italian administration
Passage to Colombo for self refit
period.
New Commanding Officer appointed
as SO(F): Commander E F S Back DSC RN
May Deployed for patrol off Indian Coast
with visits to Madras and Calcutta.
to
July
August Deployed for Indian Ocean patrol off East
Indies with calls as Port Andaman
to and Cocos.
September
October Joined Joint RN/RIN exercises off
Cochin.
November Passage to Singapore with calls at Galle
and Cocos.
December Under refit at Singapore.
1 9 5 1
January Under refit at Singapore including
docking in AFD10.
Approval given for ship to be
retained in East Indies.
February On completion of post refit trials took
passage to Trincomalee with calls at Penang,
Nicobar, Calcutta and Vizgapatam.
(Note: Investigation carried out
into missing pistol)
March
1st On completion of post refit trials
deployed for patrol in Bay of Bengal with calls at Calcutta
and Vizgapatan
April Bay of Bengal Patrol in continuation
25th At Colombo
28th Sailed for patrol in Indian Ocean.
May
3rd At Maldives
7th At Seychelles
June Indian Ocean patrol in continuation
including calls at Mombasa, Tanga, Mauritius and
Rodriguez.
Returned to Trincomalee.
Passage to Colombo for self refit
July Under self refit.
August On completion took passage to Trincomalee
for duties with East Indies Squadron
September Deployed in Persian Gulf for patrols with
calls at Bahrein, Mina al Ahmadi, and Muscat.
to (Note: Iraq nationalised oil fields
in May 1951 increasing need for an additional RN
October presence in the Persian Gulf).
November Passage to Colombo with call at Karachi.
Visited Cochin and Cocos Islands.
December Took part in RN/RIN exercises off Cochin.
1 9 5 2
January Deployed for patrol in Bay of Bengal.
Called at Chittagong and Port
Cornwallis
February Passage for refit at Singapore via Penang.
March Under refit by HM Dockyard Singapore.
April Passage to Trincomalee.
On arrival detached for escort of
Motor Minesweepers from Aden.
May Met HM Frigate LOCH LOMOND at Aden and
took over escort, duty.
Passage from Aden to Trincomalee
with 110th Minesweeping Flotilla.
June Deployed on patrol in Indian Ocean.
Provided aid to civil power at
Mombasa during Mau Mau rebellion.
July On release from support in Mombasa
resumed patrol with calls at Lindi, Mirawa, Reunion
to Island (French), Mauritius and
Cochin.
August
September Under routine Docking and repair at
Colombo.
October Deployed in Persian Gulf with calls at
Muscat
Returned to Karachi,
November Carried out Indian Ocean patrol with calls
at Mombasa, Lamu, Malindi and Dar el Salaam.
December Returned to Trincomalee via Mombasa.
New Commanding Officer appointed
as SO (Frigates): Commander J A Harper DSC RN.
1 9 5 3
January Passage to Singapore and patrol in Bay
of Bengal.
to Calls made at Vizgapatam,
Chittagong, Rangoon and Penang.
February Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard
Singapore.
March Under refit.
to Refit extended to cover additional
work.
May Carried out post refit trials on
completion.
June Passage to Trincomalee with call at
Cocos.
July Carried out self maintenance period
at Colombo prior to detached service in Persian Gulf.
August Deployed for final Persian Gulf patrol
and support duty.
to Calls made at Bahrein, Doha and
Basra.
September
October Passage to Karachi prior to Indian Ocean
duty.
10th Embarked Governor of Mauritius for
visit to Dependencies.
Calls made at Agalega, St.
Brandan and Rodriques
November Passage to Colombo on completion.
Under self maintenance at
Colombo.
(Note: Relief by HM Frigate LOCH
INSH delayed.)
December Passage to Trincomalee.
1 9 5 4
January Deployed for patrol off eastern coast-of
India and west coast of Burma.
to Called at Calcutta, Chittagong,
Port Blair and Nicobars.
April During return passage to Trincomalee
visited Cocos.
May On relief took return passage to UK
with call at Male before return via Red Sea.
June Called at Gibraltar and sailed for
Portsmouth
Arrived at Portsmouth.
(Note: Not to be refitted but to
pay-off and reduce to Reserve status.
July
De-stored and placed in Category III Reserve
F i
n a l P h a s e
HMS LOCH QUOICH was
de-equipped and placed in extended reserve in
October 1955. Placed on the Disposal List
in 1957 the ship was sold to BISCO for demolition by
Clayton Davies at Dunston. She arrived in tow at the
breaker’s yard in the Tyne at Dunston on 13th
November that year. (Note: An advertisement in NAVY NEWS of December 1957 for offers
to buy trophies from ships being disposed of included a Gurkha Knife in good condition from this
ship.)
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
LOCH QUOICH
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
10/03/45
|
10/03/45
|
KMF 041
|
17/03/45
|
17/03/45
|
25/03/45
|
25/03/45
|
MKF 041
|
30/03/45
|
30/03/45
|
31/03/45
|
31/03/45
|
KMF 042
|
07/04/45
|
07/04/45
|
17/04/45
|
20/04/45
|
KMF 043
|
23/04/45
|
23/04/45
|
29/04/45
|
29/04/45
|
MKF 043
|
05/05/45
|
05/05/45
|
|
|
|
|
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(Note on Convoys)