LOCH Class Anti-Submarine Frigate ordered from Ailsa SB Co
at Troon on 24th January 1943 and laid down as Job No J1826 on 30th November 1943.
First of two ships of this Class built by this builder and the largest built by
the Company up to date of laying down. The ship was launched on 19th October
1944 and was the first RN ship to bear the name. Build was completed on 22nd
February 1945 and took somewhat longer than the period under construction than
the average for this type of warship. This may have been due possibly to lack
of experience in dealing with the requirements necessary for assembly of units
prefabricated elsewhere and delivered to the shipyard, as well as to increased
standards for the installation of many new types of equipment. She was for
example fitted with the improved radar Type 277 and a SQUID Anti-Submarine
Mortar Outfit comprising two sets of three mortar units.
G e o g r a p h i
c D a t a
Sea Loch on Isle of
Jura. Grid Reference NR5481
B a
t t l e H o n o u r s
None
(Note: Although no Battle Honour is appropriate, those serving on board
during
the support of military operations in the Dutch East Indies were
entitled to the Naval General Service Medal with Clasp SE Asia 1945-46)
H e
r a l d i c D a t a
Badge: On a Field White, a dexter hand couped above the
wrist erect proper
grasping
a cross crosslet fitches, Blue.
De t a i l s o f
S e r v i c e
(Note: Dates are
taken from Admiralty PINK List and may not have been maintained.
Most of the post-war dates are from a record compiled by Mr A Raper of
Bradford who
served on board as a Signals rating.)
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 5
February Contractors trials and commissioning for service in 12th
Escort Group.
Commanding Officer: Lieut. Commander BW Harris,
DSC RNVR.
22nd Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials in
Clyde area.
March Delayed at Troon for repair of defects found on trials.
On completion of repairs and storing took
passage to Tobermory from
Gourock
(Note: Commanding Officer sick on shore and
relieved by the First Lieutenant.
Lieutenant D G Matthews RN).
25th Commenced work-up at Tobermory for operational
service
April Work-up in continuation.
16th Arrived at Liverpool to join 12th Escort Group on
completion of work-up.
(Note: Commanding Officer resumed command.)
Deployed for anti-submarine patrols and escort
of convoys on UK-Gibraltar route.
(Note: Enemy submarine activities were
concentrated on coastal convoys in
SW Approaches and Irish Sea. See SEEK and STRIKE
by W Hackmann
U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC by W Hackmann and
HITLER’S
U-BOAT WAR, Volume II by C Blair.)
May Western Approaches deployment in continuation..
7th Returned to Liverpool for special deployment for
escort of surrendered
German submarines in NW Approaches (Operation
DEADLIGHT).
(Note: Submarines had been ordered to fly a
Black Flag and when located were
taken to Londonderry or Scapa Flow dependent
upon their position on
interception. See references and Naval Staff
History.)
8th VE (Victory in Europe) Day.
9th Passage in execution of DEADLIGHT.
12th Escort Group sailed for Operation
DEADLIGHT. Ship allocated Blue Route
(North West Approaches) to locate surrendering
U-Boats.
(Note: Subsequently escorted one U-Boat
(believed to be U244) to Lisahally.
First Lieutenant as Boarding Officer.)
June Western Approaches deployment in continuation.
Nominated for service in East Indies based at
Ceylon after refit in commercial
shipyard.
6th Arrived at Liverpool for refit including
modifications to suit intended service.
11th Taken in hand for refit.
(Note: This included some modifications to
ventilation and fit of additional
close range 20mm weapons to improve AA
defence.).
July On completion of refit work carried out post refit
trials and storing for foreign service.
Nominated for escort of HM Monitor ROBERTS with
sister ship HMS LOCH
SCAVAIG during passage to Ceylon.
23rd New Commanding Officer appointed: Lieut. Cdr WS
Thompson OBE RNR.
27th Took passage from Liverpool to join HMS ROBERTS for
escort to Gibraltar.
30th HMS LOCH SCAVAIG joined after delay for repair at
Liverpool.
August
1st Arrived at Gibraltar
3rd Independent passage from Gibraltar in western
Mediterranean
(Note: HMS ROBERTS and HMS LOCH TRALAIG were on
separate passage.)
7th Arrived Malta.
12th Sailed Malta
15th Arrived Port Said.
17th Passage to Aden.
20th HMS ROBERTS sighted on independent passage in Red
Sea.
(Note: HMS LOCH SCAVAIG parted company on 18th.)
21st Arrived at Aden.
22nd Passage in Indian Ocean to Ceylon.
(Note: One source records ship encountered
swarm of locust like insects which
were still on board some days later.)
27th Arrived at Colombo.
(Note: During this period Lieut. Cdr D G
Matthews RN took Command when Lieut. Cdr
W S Thompson RNR left the ship to return to UK
for release from the Service.)
Lieutenant Commander D G Matthews was granted
the rank of Acting Lieutenant
Commander from 5th December 1945 until 4th March
1946 when wartime acting
ranks were cancelled. Lieutenant DG Matthews
RN remained in Command until ship
Paid-off at Portsmouth on 12th May 1946.)
September Deployed at Colombo to prepare for service on East Indies
Station.
(Note: Planned landings in Malaya (Operation
ZIPPER) had been delayed but
the majority of East Indies Fleet were deployed
in Penang area to support
re-occupation after Japanese had surrendered.
Nominated for escort of HM Boom Defence Vessels
BARRANCA, BARBERRY and
BARNWELL, HM Tug EMINENT and six Motor Fishing
Vessels (MFV) during passage
Deployed at Colombo to prepare for service on
East Indies Station.
(Note: Planned landings in Malaya (Operation
ZIPPER) had been delayed but
the majority of East Indies Fleet were deployed
in Penang area to support
re-occupation after Japanese had surrendered.
Nominated for escort of HM Boom Defence Vessels
BARRANCA, BARBERRY and
BARNWELL, HM Tug EMINENT and six Motor Fishing
Vessels (MFV) during passage
10th Took passage to Port Swettenham from Colombo with
vessels in transit.
19th Arrived at Port Swettenham with escorted craft after
tedious journey due to defects
which involved tow of disabled vessels.
On release from escort took passage to Singapore
in company with HMS LOCH GLENDHU
21st Returned to Port Swettenham after visit to
Singapore.
(Note: This visit may have been to brief ship’s
officers on the intended
deployment in the Dutch East Indies in support
of the military operations
against dissident groups opposed to the
possibility of a return to Dutch
colonial rule and also defence of convoys
evacuating military and civil
personnel from ports in Java and Sumatra
(Returning Prisoners of
War and internees - RAPWI)
22nd Deployed at Port Swettenham for patrol and
supervision of convoys from Dutch
East Indies ports.
(Note: Passage into Singapore and other ports
was rendered dangerous by mines
and embarkation involved protection against
local population elements.)
Several LOCH Class Frigates were similarly
deployed.)
October Port Swettenham deployment in continuation.
10th Released from support duties for routine docking and
self-maintenance at Singapore.
Passage to Singapore.
11th Arrived at Singapore.
19th Docked in KGV Graving Dock for routine maintenance
including boiler clean.
27th Resumed operational service at Singapore for support
duties.
31st Embarked Major General Mansergh and staff officers
of 7th Indian Division for
passage to Batavia to command operations against
insurgents.
(Note: The Brigade with HM Landing Ship (HQ)
BULOLO and a convoy of Landing
Ships (Infantry) with other craft were also on
passage covered by HM Cruiser
SUSSEX, HM Destroyers CAESAR, CARRON and
CAVALIER.
November
2nd Disembarked Major General Mansergh and staff officer
and took passage to
Sourabaya for Guardship duties.
(Note: These included providing food to RAPWI
and providing support parties as
needed ashore. Other warships were providing
naval gunfire support to the
military operations. Ship received commendation
by CS5 for the work in
support of the evacuation of RAPWI.)
7th Salvaged disabled LST199 whose steering gear had
been damaged by a mine.
15th Took passage to Singapore on relief as Guardship.
Deployed as escort for nine Tank Landing Craft
of 74th LCT Flotilla and with HM
Tug ASSIDUOUS for passage to Singapore.
21st Arrived at Singapore with ASSIDUOUS in tow and
three other Landing Craft also
under tow.
23rd Sailed from Singapore with HM Frigate TAFF and took
passage to Colombo after
release from support and patrol duties based at
Singapore.
28th Arrived at Colombo after call at Sabang in Sumatra.
December Deployed at Colombo and nominated for Air Sea Rescue
duties
5th Sailed from Colombo to take up duty at Air Sea
Rescue Station in Indian Ocean area.
(Note: Ships of the East Indies Fleet were
deployed to carry out these duties
in Arabian Sea and Indian Ocean in case of any
assistance being required
by aircraft taking personnel from duty in SEAC
to UK. This duty was
carried out by several LOCH Class Frigates.)
22nd On release from ASR duty took passage to Cocos
Islands for visit.
25th At Cocos.
26th Took passage from Cocos for Trincomalee.
(Note: Admiralty records show the appointment
of another officer to command
on 15th December. Clearly this must have been
cancelled later.)
1 9 4 6
January
1st Arrived at Trincomalee and commenced routine
maintenance and repair work with
Station Leave granted at Dyatalawa Rest Camp.
(Note: Whilst at Trincomalee several of the
ship’s company left the ship under
the Release Scheme for demobilisation of
Hostilities Only personnel
and Regular Engagements which were extended
during WW2.)
Nominated for further period of support duties
based at Singapore
23rd On completion of repair and leave resumed
operational service and sailed independently
from Trincomalee for Cochin, India.
25th Arrived at Cochin.
28th Sailed Cochin escorting 14 Motor Fishing Vessels for
passage to Singapore.
30th MFV1512 sank at 1206, crew picked up by ship and
taken to Colombo, before
rejoining convoy.
February
12th Arrived at Penang with MFV.
(Note: Length of passage time was due
restricted speed possible, continual breakdowns
requiring towage and need to supply fresh meat,
bread and water each
forenoon of the voyage to craft in company.)
17th Sailed from Penang to take up duties at Singapore.
18th MFV reported sighting floating mine, which was sunk
by ship.
20th Took MFV in tow.
21st Arrived at Singapore for military support duties in
Sumatra.
(Note: One source records MFV were escorted
during passage to Singapore.
This is at variance with PINK List record which
indicates ship escorted
Landing Craft with RAPWI into Singapore. To be
confirmed.)
27th Deployed at Palembang as Guardship.
(Note: Special agreement with military
authorities had been given to use armed
Japanese army personnel to assist in maintaining
law and order. No specific
record of involvement of ship by provision of
shore parties is known but
records for other LOCH Class Frigates suggest
this was not uncommon and
at least one rating from another ship was killed
during duty ashore.)
March Nominated for return to UK to pay off into Reserve at
Portsmouth.
8th Took return passage to Singapore on release from
Guardship duties.
10th Arrived at Singapore and prepared for return passage
to UK.
12th Took passage to Trincomalee with call at Penang.
17th Arrived at Trincomalee.
25th Sailed from Trincomalee.
April Passage in Red Sea and Suez Canal transit
25th At Gibraltar
May Arrived at Portsmouth and Paid-off
June On completion of reduction to Reserve status laid-up
with Reserve Fleet at Portsmouth
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS LOCH TARBERT remained in Reserve and never
recommissioned for service. During the period she was laid-up at Portsmouth in 1949 she was refitted but
two years later her Reserve Status was reduced from Category A to Category B. Before the ship was
transferred to lay-up at Gibraltar dehumidification equipment was fitted to ensure preservation of exposed
armament equipment .In 1956 whilst at Gibraltar on offer sale was made to Portugal but this was not taken up
and the ship was reduced to Extended
Reserve category which had replaced Category C. She was placed on
the Disposal List in 1958 as part of the policy to reduce the number of ships in the Reserve Fleet. After
sale to an Italian shipbreaker she was taken in tow to Genoa and arrived at the Breaker’s Yard for demolition on
18th September 1959.
A c k n o w l e d g e m e n t s
To Mr A Raper
for most of the post-war details in this record which were invaluable and which, in addition to
giving information not previously known also
confirmed data recorded earlier.
To Commander D G Matthews Royal Navy for helpful advice,
providing details of Mr Raper’s record and his additional research since the
first issue of this record which have all contributed to a significant
improvement of this record of service.