LOCH-Class Frigate ordered with HMS LOCH TARBERT from Ailsa Shipbuilder on 25th January 1943.
The ship was laid down on 30th March 1944 as Job No 1827 and launched on 8th October 1945 as the first
RN ship to
carry this name. This shipyard had
a poor record for completion of build but in this case may have been due to the
completion of A’s and A’s introduced for this Class of Frigate in 1944 to 1945.
These included hull stiffening and the installation of a Mark XXI 4in
gun mounting for the first time in a LOCH-Class. Build was completed on
13th
July 1946 and she was the
last of the Class to enter service.
G e o g r a p h i c D a t a
Loch
on the border between Sutherland and Ross and Cromarty, now in Highlands
and Islands Region of Scotland. Grid Reference NC1813.
(Note: The Gaelic Name is Mheathdaiugh and the Clan
associated with
this area is Clan Macleod.)
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 Blue, a mountain in flames proper.
(Note: Based on the Arms of the Earls of
Cromarty.)
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 6
July Contractors trials
Commissioned for service in 4th Escort Flotilla
Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander G W
McGuiness RNR
(Note: Had previously commanded HMS LOCH
DUNVEGAN.)
13th Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
August On completion of storing, weapons calibration and
shakedown took passage to join
Flotilla at Londonderry for duties at Joint
Anti-submarine Training School.
Lieutenant M R S Smithwick RN appointed in
command.
Prepared for Flotilla duties at Londonderry
October Flotilla duties for A/S training in continuation
to (Note: Ships of LOCH Class in Flotilla were HM
Frigates LOCH DUNVEGAN
December (transferred later), LOCH FADA, LOCH TRALAIG (till 1954)
and LOCH
ARKAIG (till 1954).)
1 9 4 7
January Resumed Flotilla duties after repair at Londonderry
February Flotilla duties in continuation
to
March
April Resumed Flotilla duties on completion of repair.
to Visited Barrow (October).
December
1 9 4 8
January Passage to Rosyth for refit
February Under refit by HM Dockyard, Rosyth
to
March
April Resumed Flotilla duties at Londonderry
to
June
July Lieut. Commander K A Cradock-Hartopp MBE, DSC* RN
appointed in command.
(Note: This officer later commanded HMZN
Frigate TAUPO, Ex LOCH SHIN)
Training duties and Home Fleet visits with
Flotilla.
August Training duties with Flotilla at Londonderry in
continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 9
January Deployed at Londonderry for Flotilla duties
Nominated for refit at Rosyth including up-date
of radar outfit.
Transferred with Flotilla to newly designated
3rtd Training Flotilla,
(Note: Ships as for 4th Escort Flotilla.)
February Under refit by HM Dockyard, Rosyth
to
August Lieut. Commander I D S Forbes DSC RN appointed in
command (March).
(Note: Type 277 radar modified to new standard
and red-designated Type 277P.
For details of post changes to radar equipment
see RADAR AT SEA
by D Howse.}
Keel examination took place when docked.
September Carried out post refit trials including Type 277 Radar
(CANNIBAL Trials)
Resumed Flotilla duties at Londonderry.
Lieut. Commander P B de B Jeayes RN appointed in
command.
October Training duties in Londonderry with Flotilla
to
December
1 9 5 0
January Training duties at Londonderry in continuation.
to
April
May Routine docking and essential repair at Rosyth
June Resumed Flotilla duties at Londonderry
Took part in Annual Summer War conducted by Flag
Officer Submarines
July Deployed at Londonderry and for Home Fleet
programme.
to
August
September Took part in Exercise SWX5 (Flag Officer Submarines Summer
War)
October Flotilla Training deployment in continuation.
to
December
1 9 5 1
January Training duties in continuation with reduced
complement.
(Note: Manning problems had made necessary the
reductions in order
to ensure availability of personnel for priority
requirements in
other ships.)
February Malicious damage to radar equipment investigated.
Deployed at Portland for A/S training
March Under refit by HM Dockyard, Rosyth
April Planned visit to Bergen cancelled after loss of HM
Submarine AFFRAY
6th On completion of post refit trials took Passage to
Plymouth to join search operations
to find missing submarine.
May Resumed training duties at Londonderry
2nd Involved in collision with jetty at Lisahally
without significant damage
June Londonderry training duties in continuation.
17th Involved in collision with HM Submarine Depot Ship
MONTCLARE in Clyde
July Training deployment in continuation.
August Deployed at Portland for special equipment trials
(CANDIAL)
September
4th Visited Vejle, Denmark.
12th Paid visit to Hortens, Denmark and Kiel, Germany
with HM Frigate LOCH FADA.
29th Malicious damage reported when bolt found in moving
components of steering gear..
October Routine Docking and self refit at HM Dockyard
Devonport.
November
14th Resumed training duties on completion of self refit
period.
December
19th Involved in collision with No 2 jetty at HM Dockyard
Devonport without significant
damage.
Passage to Londonderry
1 9 5 2
January Resumed Training duties at Londonderry.
8th Assisted in Salvage of Irish drifter MAEVE which
had run ashore at Inishtrahull and was
adrift without power after clearing from shore.
Took drifter in tow until tug arrived.
(Note: Salvage awards were paid later.)
February Londonderry deployment in continuation.
to
May
June Under refit at Rosyth.
to Lieut. Commander T P Baillie-Groham appointed in
command (15/7)
July
August Post refit trials
Visited Harwich and Copenhagen
27th Involved in collision with Barge under tow off
Ymuiden and sustained slight damage aft.
September Took part in NATO Exercise MAINBRACE.
October Resumed training duties at Londonderry
to
December
1 9 5 3
January Training deployment with Flotilla based at Londonderry
to
April
May Passage to Portland.
30th Visited Stranraer
June
4th Passage to Portland
5th At Portland to prepare for review
15th Took part in Coronation Review by HM Queen Elizabeth
II at Spithead
On release took passage to resume duties with
TF3
July Training deployment in continuation.
to
September
October
7th Involved in collision with No 5 Wharf at Devonport
15th Under repair by HM Dockyard, Devonport
On completion took passage to Londonderry to
resumed Flotilla duties.
November Training deployment with Flotilla in continuation.
December Nominated for refit at Chatham and took passage to Nore.
28th Lieut. Commander HP Fleming appointed in command
1 9 5 4
January Under refit by HM Dockyard, Chatham
to (Note: Proposed re-insulation of Cold and Cool
Rooms was deferred unless deployment
March in tropics was confirmed. Otherwise to wait for ship
modernisation.)
April Carried out post refit trials in Thames area after
re-ammunitioning.
(Note: Re-insulation was deferred till
modernisation.)
May Training duties with ships of Squadron in
continuation
to
August (Note: Re-designated as 3rd Training Squadron and without
HMS LOCH FADA)
September Visited La Pallice
October Training duties in continuation.
November Took part in Exercise BRIGHT BONFIRE IX
December Training duties with Flotilla in continuation.
1 9 5 5
January Deployed for training duties with Flotilla
February Training duties with Flotilla in continuation
Nominated for reduction to Reserve status on
completion of Summer visits programme.
March Training deployment in continuation
to
April
May
20th Visited Port Stewart
June Training deployment with Flotilla in continuation
with Home Fleet visits programme.
11th Visited Fowey and Bayonne with ships of Flotilla
July Visits and training programme in continuation.
2nd Visited Dunoon during passage to Londonderry
9th Passage to resume training duty at Londonderry
25th Took passage from Londonderry to Plymouth to Pay off
27th Administration transferred to SORF Devonport.
August Paid off at Devonport
To refit for Reserve in London.
25th Administration transferred to SORF Chatham
Passage to Chatham
September Passage to London
Taken in hand for refit by Green and Silley Weir
shipyard, Millwall Docks.
October Under refit.
to
December
1 9 5 6
January Under refit
to (Note: This refit completion date had been
extended from planned date in May to
August ensure work required to meet specified standards could
be finished.)
September Harbour trials in shipyard
October Carried out sea trials in Thames estuary before taking
passage to Chatham for
preservation of upper deck equipment.
November Deployed with Reserve Fleet at Chatham during
preservation.
to
December
1 9 5 7
January Preservation work by contractor at Chatham in
continuation
to
April Nominated for lay-up in Reserve Fleet at Lisahally.
May Passage under tow to Londonderry.
31st Arrived in Londonderry
June Fit of dehumidification equipment at Londonderry.
to
October
November Placed in Supplementary Reserve at Lisahally.
to
December.
F i n a l P h a
s e
HMS LOCH VEYATIE remained at
Lishally in Supplementary Reserve until 19th July 1961 when placed on the Disposal List. The
ship was sold to BISCO for £24,640 on 3rd August 1965 for breaking-up by W H Arnott Young at Dalmuir on
the Clyde. She arrived there in tow for demolition on 12th
August that year.