LOCH-Class Twin
Screw Frigate ordered from Charles Hill, Bristol on 25th January 1943 and laid
down as Job Number J494 (Yard No 298 ) on 4th January 1944. The ship was
launched by the Duchess of Beaufort on 3rd June 1944 and was the 1st RN ship
to bear the name. Build completion date was 6th October 1944. This ship was
adopted by the civil community of Hornchurch,
Essex to replace HM Destroyer HURRICANE
which was lost on 24th December 1943 and which had been adopted after a
successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign in March 1942
G e o g r a p h i c D a t a
Inland Loch in Inverness east
of Caledonian Canal
Grid Reference: NH6127
B a t
t l e H o n o
u r s
ENGLISH CHANNEL 1945
- 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, in front of
three sprigs of yew, one in Pale and two in Saltire,
fructed
Proper, a cinque foil White.
(Explanation: Based on the Arms and Badge of the Lovat
family who used to
own land in the vicinity.)
M o t t
o
Persto et praest:
'I preserve and I excel'
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
September
Contractors trials and
commissioning for service in 2nd Escort Group.
Commanding Officer: Lieut. Commander R T Horan RNR.
October
6th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
7th
Carried out sea trials in Bristol Channel
Passage to Tobermory on completion of trials and storing.
8th
Commenced work-up for operational service at Tobermory.
27th Joined
2nd Escort Group at Liverpool for service as Senior Officers ship.
Commander D E G Wemyss DSO, DSC RN joined as Senior Officer.
(Note: Commander Wemyss had relieved the famous Captain FJ Walker who died in
service earlier in 1944. This Group had an unrivalled reputation.)
November
4th
Deployed with Group for anti-submarine operations in NW Approaches
December
Anti-submarine operations in continuation.
1 9 4 5
January
Transferred with ships of Group for support of convoys in English Channel.
Deployed in Channel based at Plymouth
February Took part
in operations during which U327 and U1018 were
Group assisted by a US Navy
LIBERATOR aircraft, in defence of Convoy BTC81
For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by
C
Blair.
March SW
Approaches and Channel deployment in continuation.
Shared credit with HMS WILD GOOSE for the sinking of U683 off Lands End in
position
49.52N, 06.31W.
There were no survivors. See above references,
April
Deployed in NW Approaches and Irish Sea.
May
Nominated for foreign service.
5th Taken
in hand for refit by build shipyard prior to service
June Under
refit.
(Note: Ventilation system modified and additional 20mm Oerlikon mountings fitted
to
improve defence against close range air attack.
30th
Sailed to join Eastern Fleet.
July
17th At
Aden after call at Gibraltar.
23rd
Arrived at Colombo for briefing.
August
25th At
Bombay.
September Deployed for
escort of military convoys for landings in Malaya.
(Operation ZIPPER - For details see THE FORGOTTEN FLEET by J. Winton ,
WAR WITH JAPAN and for information about all mercantiles and warships taking
part
BRITISH INVASION FLEETS by J de Winser.)
(Note: This operation had been delayed several times due to problems in
implementing the
PYTHON Scheme for the repatriation of long serving personnel in SEAC and the
insistence of the USA. See reference
On
release from ZIPPER took passage to Singapore
11th
Deployed for Shipping Control duties at Singapore.
13th
Nominated for escort duties and support of military operations in East Indies.
October Deployed
for escort of ships taking PoW and internees from Java and Sumatra to
Singapore. See SEAGULLS IN MY BELFRY by C C Anderson.
4th At
Batavia.
November Escort and
support duties in continuation.
15th At
Bangkok.
December Escorted
convoys from Batavia and Semarang.
22nd
Deployed at Singapore.
1 9 4 6
January Singapore
deployment for escort and support duties in continuation.
February Nominated
for return to UK to Pay-Off and to reduce to Reserve status.
13th Took
passage to Trincomalee.
17th
Arrived at Trincomalee after towing disabled MMS19 to Port Blair, Andamans.
22nd Passage
to Amherst
23rd At
Amhurst
27th Sailed
from Trincomalee for UK
March New
Commanding Officer appointed: Lieutenant Commander M J S Phillips.
Passage in Red Sea.
April
Passage to Portsmouth with call at Gibraltar.
Paid-Off on arrival at Portsmouth and commenced reduction..
May
De-stored and reduced to Reserve status at Portsmouth
June On
completion laid-up at Portsmouth
July
Laid-up at Portsmouth.
to
December
1 9 4 7 t o 1 9 5 0
Laid-up at Portsmouth.
1 9 5 1
Approved to be modernised (June).
Refit at Portsmouth transferred to Devonport
(Note: This was because of work on HM Aircraft Carrier VICTORIOUS.)
Commencement of modernisation delayed due to work on HM Battleship VANGUARD.)
1 9 5 2
Taken hand for modernisation but completion delayed.
Nominated for service in 3rd Training Flotilla as relief for HMS LOCH TRALAIG.
1 9 5 3
January Under
refit
to
February
March Carried
out post refit harbour and sea trials.
April
24th
Commissioned for service with 3rd Training Flotilla with reduced complement.
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant Commander R AW Pool RN
(Note: A survivor from HMS REPULSE)
May
Shakedown and prepared for operational service
June
Attended Coronation Review of the Fleet by HM Queen Elizabeth II.
July
18th Sailed
from Portsmouth to join Flotilla.
20th Joined
3rd Training Flotilla at Londonderry
August Deployed
for training duties with Flotilla.
to
Visited Cairn Ryan (November)
December
1 9 5 4
Training duties with Flotilla in continuation.
Visited Rothesay (January).
Under refit at Rosyth (September - November).
1 9 5 5
Training duties with Flotilla in continuation.
Damaged in collision with ss HECLA in Manchester Snip Canal during visit.
Nominated for transfer to Reserve on relief (July)
After refit to be Stand-By ship for Persian Gulf service (November)
Returned to Portsmouth on relief by HM Frigate TYRIAN.
1 9 5 6
Reduced to Operational Reserve status (February).
Towed to Gibraltar for refit including Semi-tropicalisation (April)
During refit selected to relieve HMS LOCH INSH in Persian Gulf (December)
1 9 5 7
January Under
refit .
to
February
March
Commissioned for trials.
6th Took
passage to UK after post refit trials.
April
Prepared for operational service.
16th
Commissioned for General Service with Royal Marines Detachment.
Commanding Officer: Commander W B Smith RN.
May
Deployed for Shakedown
June
Carried out work-up for operational service at Portland.
July. On
completion deployed at Portsmouth.
August Sailed for
service in Persian Gulf
September Deployed at
Bahrain for patrol duties.
October Bahrain
service in continuation.
November During
patrol off Omani coast visited Muscat
Embarked stores and Medical supplies for Dubai after cyclone.
December Carried out
patrol in northern Gulf area and visited Bushire.
Xmas period at Mina-al-Amadi (Port of Kuwait).
1 9 5 8
January Bahrain
deployment in continuation.
February Passage to
Karachi for routine docking.
March On
completion resumed duties at Bahrain.
April
Deployed at Bahrain
(Note: Corporal Alan Francis Hedges RM killed during detached duty in Oman with
RM
Detachment against rebels.)
May Sailed
from Bahrain for Aden.
(Note: During commission over 200 Dhows were intercepted
and searched for arms and supplies
intended for insurgents.)
June
Deployed for visits to East African ports.
(Note: Visits included Mombasa.
Sailed for Aden before return to UK to re-commission
July
Passage in Red Sea.
Deployed briefly at Aqaba as Guardship before resuming passage
August On arrival
at Portsmouth Paid-Off.
Taken hand for refit by HM Dockyard.
September Under refit.
October
21st
Re-commissioned for service in Persian Gulf.
Commanding Officer: Commander R L Eveleigh DSC RN.
November Carried out
sea trials and shakedown.
December Commenced
work-up at Portland.
Returned to Portsmouth for Leave.
1 9 5 9
January Completed
work-up.
February Took
passage to Persian Gulf.
March Deployed
for patrol duties in Persian Gulf based at Bahrain.
to
June
July
Interim docking at Karachi.
August On
completion returned to resume patrol duties at Bahrain.
September Bahrain
deployment for patrol in continuation.
to
October
November Took part in
multi-national CENTO Exercise in Indian Ocean with HMS LOCH FYNE.
December Deployed at
Men.
1 9 6 0
January Passage
to UK with calls at Massawa and Port Sudan.
February On arrival
at Devonport Paid off for refit.
March Under
refit
April
28th
Re-commissioned for service in Persian Gulf.
Commanding Officer Captain D P Law MBE, DSC RN.
May Carried
out harbour trials on completion of dockyard work.
June
Carried out sea trials and commenced work-up at Portland.
July
Work-up in continuation and returned to Devonport on completion.
August Prepared
for foreign service.
18th Took
Passage to Aden.
24th At
Gibraltar.
September
18th
Arrived at Bahrain for patrol duties in Persian Gulf.
October Deployed
in southern Gulf area with visits to Dubai and Muscat.
21st
Assisted in salvage operation after fire on Norwegian tanker mv POLYANA with HM
Survey Ship DALRYMPLE and HM Landing Ship BASTION.
Took disabled ship in tow.
Later tow taken over by HMS DALRYMPLE.
(Note: Tanker had been severely damaged after an explosion which killed 15 of
crew.
Fire-fighting parties boarded tanker which was taken to Bahrein
.
Fires were not extinguished until 29th.
Salvage payments were the largest made up to that date
November Deployed for
Batina coast Dhow interception patrol.
(Note: Lord Carrington, Civil Lord visited ship.
Royal Marines Detachment were landed for Exercise MUDLARK with Sultan of
Oman Regiment.
Deployed at Kharg Island in northern Persian Gulf for Exercise KHARGEX with
ships of
Iranian Navy.
December Visited
Bushire before resuming patrol in southern Gulf.
Xmas period at Mina.
1 9 6 1
January Passage
to Karachi for routine docking.
(Note: HMS LOCH FADA and HMS LOCH FYNE were in company to attend visit to
Karachi by HM
Queen Elizabeth II.
Taken in hand for docking and refit.
(Note: During period at Karachi Somali ratings were charged with smuggling of
gold worth
£13,000 and returned to Bahrain in HMS LOCH FYNE)
February. On
completion of docking and refit joined exercises with Pakistan Navy.
On
release from exercises took passage to Bahrain to resume duties.
25th
Arrived at Bahrain.
March Deployed
in northern Gulf and called at Mina-al Ahmadi on return to Bahrain
21st
Carried out patrol in southern Gulf area.
April
Deployed at Bahrain and exercised with HMS LOCH FYNE.
8th
During exercises despatch to assist rescue operations after fire broke out in mv
DARA
19
miles from Jazira Tumb (Position 25.55N, 55.13E).
Carried out fire-fighting operations with HMS LOCH ALVIE and HMS LOCH FYNE.
9th
Towing attempt by HMS LOCH ALVIE failed. Weather prevented further attempt to
tow.
After tow established with Salvage Vessel SEA SALVOR to take DARA to beach, the
mercantile increased list, turned over and sank.
(Note: Final death toll was 238.
As
salvage failed no awards were made.
The British
India Shipping Company did later make payments to the Welfare Funds
of
these three LOCH Class Frigates.)
May Annual
Inspection by Flag Officer Middle East.
June Flag
Officer Middle East embarked and took passage for Flag visits.
14th At
Mombasa
18th At
Sar-es Salaam
22nd At
Zanzibar
24th
Returned to to Mombasa,
27th. On
completion returned to Mombasa.
FOME Disembarked.
Ordered to proceed to Aden at full despatch.
(Note: This deployment was part of the increase in RN presence in the Persian
Gulf
after the
threat to Kuwait by Iraq (Operation VANTAGE).)
July
Retained at Men pending arrival of HMS LOCH INSH on Station.
3rd Took
passage to UK after HMS LOCH INSH arrived.
August
4th At Gibraltar.
8th
Arrived at Devonport
Took passage to
Rosyth for refit
Paid-Off and taken in hand by HM Dockyard,
September Under refit
21st
Re-commissioned for service in Persian Gulf as Senior Officer 9th Frigate
Squadron.
Commanding Officer: Captain P S Beale RN
October Carried
out post refit trials.
November Carried out
Shakedown during passage to Portland for work-up.
December Work-up for
operational service at Portland
.
Returned to Portsmouth for Xmas Leave.
1 9 6 2
January Under
repair at Portsmouth before return to work-up.
On
completion took passage to Portland
February Resumed
Work-up.
March Prepared
for foreign service at Portsmouth
Took passage to Aden.
April
Deployed at Aden and visited Mogadicio.
May Passage
to Bahrain and commenced Persian Gulf duties.
to
Carried out patrol in southern Gulf and visited Lingeh and Charbarah.
June
Deployed with HMS LOCH LOMOND and Iranian warships in Northern Persian Gulf
(Exercise KHARGEX)
On
completion took passage to Karachi for routine docking.
July Under
refit and maintenance at Karachi.
August Resumed
Persian Gulf deployment at Bahrain.
to Dhow
intercepted was found to be carrying arms and explosives with a rebel Qmani
September on board.
Visited Abu Dhabi and Dubai.
Took part in Amphibious Warfare exercise (DUFFEL) with HMS BULWARK off Sharjah
October Southern
Persian Gulf patrol and Flotilla exercises.
Prepared for Fleet exercises.
November Took passage
to Karachi for Exercise MIDLINK 5.
Deployed with other ships of Squadron in Multi-national CENTO Exercise (MIDLINK
5)
December On
completion of MIDLINK 5 took passage to Mombasa for East African visits.
Visited Zanzibar and Pemba.
Returned to Mombasa for Xrnas period.
1 9 6 3
January
2nd
Passage to Aden arriving on 8th.
11th Flag
Officer Middle East (FOME) embarked for Flag visit to Djibouti, French
Somaliland.
12th At
Djibouti returning with FOME
14th Took
return passage to Aden..
17th Sailed
with FOME embarked for Flag visit to Massawa.
19th At
Massawa FOME visited Ethiopian Naval Academy. Emperor of Abyssinia present.
22nd
Ceremonial departure from Massawa.
23rd
Arrived at Aden.
FOME disembarked.
Sailed for visit to Berbera.
24th At
Berbera.
27th Return
passage to Aden.
31st
Arrived at Aden to prepare for return passage to UK.
February At Aden
for Accession Day ceremonies.
(Note: US warship present.)
8th Took
passage for Port Sudan.
12th At
Port Sudan.
15th Took
passage to Malta.
18th
Transit of Canal
22nd At
Malta
March
2nd
Arrived at Devonport without stay at Gibraltar.
12th
Paid-off and commenced destoring.
F i n a l P h a s e
HMS LOCH RUTHVEN was put on the
Disposal List and approval given for demolition in May 1963. The ship was
de-equipped in 1964 and sold to BISCO in November 1966 for demolition by Davies
and Ann at Plymouth. She was towed to the breaker’s yard later in the year.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS LOCH RUTHVEN
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
|
|
|
|
|
|
28/11/44
|
30/11/44
|
ONS 037
|
01/12/44
|
21/12/44
|
19/12/44
|
unknown
|
HX 327
|
unknown
|
02/01/45
|
23/01/45
|
unknown
|
HX 334
|
unknown
|
06/02/45
|
25/01/45
|
31/01/45
|
MKS 079G
|
02/02/45
|
02/02/45
|
18/02/45
|
unknown
|
HX 339
|
unknown
|
03/03/45
|
07/03/45
|
09/03/45
|
ON 289
|
10/03/45
|
25/03/45
|
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)