RIVER-Class Frigate ordered on 9th December 1941 by
the US Navy from Canadian Vickers, Montreal, Canada and identified as PG108. The ship was laid down on 1st
October 1942 and launched on 30th April 1943 as HMS LOSSIE.
She was transferred to the Royal Navy
under the 1940 US/UK Lend-Lease
Agreement. and was the 1st Royal Navy ship to carry the name which is
that of a Scottish river.
Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign In March 1942
this ship was adopted by the civil community of Cannock, Staffordshire. Build
was completed on 14th August 1943.
B a t t
l e H o n o u r s
ATLANTIC 1943-44
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 3
August Contractors
trials
14th Build
completion date and commenced Acceptance trials.
On
completion of trials prepared for ocean passage.
September Passage to
UK with call at
St Johns.
On
arrival prepared for work-up and completed storing for war service.
October Joined
Western Approaches Command on completion of work-up for operational service.
November Deployed in NW
Approaches for Atlantic convoy defence.
to
December
1 9 4 4
January
Joined 10th Support Group and deployed with an Escort Carrier and HM Frigates
SPEY,
ROTHER and FINDHORN to reinforce escorts of convoys under threat from
U-Boat
attacks.
(For details of defence measures against newly deployed U-Boats using Acoustic
(T5 - ZAUNKONIG)
torpedoes and fitted with Schnorkel breathing apparatus see
U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO). RELENTLESS PURSUIT by D Weymss
and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair. )
February
Atlantic support duty in
continuation.
17th
Deployed with HM Escort Carrier STRIKER and frigates of 10th Support Group to
reinforce
defence of Convoy ONS29 against U-Boats of the HAI Group.
18th Took
part in attacks on U-boats during which U406 was sunk by HMS SPEY.
(For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and
HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR.)
March
Group support deployment in continuation.
April
Nominated for transfer to Eastern Fleet and prepared for foreign service.
May
Passage to join Fleet in Ceylon.
June
Deployed for convoy defence in
Indian Ocean.
July Joined
an anti-submarine Hunting
Group with Escort Carrier for search operations
in
Indian Ocean for Japanese and German submarines known to be active in Indian
Ocean.
(See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)
August
Deployed with HM Escort Carriers BEGUM, SHAH, HM Frigates FINDHORN, INVER
and PARRET in search for U-Boat reported in Arabian Sea.
10th U198
sunk by ships of Group after sighting by aircraft from HMS SHAH.
(See U-BOATS DESTROYED for details.)
September
Deployment with Hunting Group in
Indian Ocean in continuation.
to
December
1 9 4 5
January Indian
Ocean convoy defence duty in continuation.
to
May
June
Deployed in Bay of Bengal and off Burma for convoy defence and patrol.
to
Supported military operations in Burma.
August
P o s t W a r N o t e s
HMS LOSSIE returned to UK after
the end of hostilities against Japan and was Paid-off and de-stored. The ship was later manned by a steaming
party for return passage to USA and handed over to US
Navy on 26th January 1946. Sold for
mercantile use and renamed TEN in 1947 she was resold to a Greek ship owner in
1955 and re named ADRIATIKI. This mercantile was wrecked
in the Aegean Sea on 16th January 1968.
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMS
LOSSIE
by Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above
|
|
|
|
|
Date convoy sailed |
Joined convoy as escort
|
Convoy No. |
Left convoy |
Date convoy arrived |
|
|
|
|
|
02/12/43
|
06/12/43
|
SC 148
|
15/12/43
|
16/12/43 |
22/01/44
|
03/02/44
|
HX 276
|
05/02/44
|
07/02/44 |
07/02/44
|
10/02/44
|
ON 223
|
11/02/44
|
24/02/44 |
05/02/44
|
16/02/44
|
HX 278
|
17/02/44
|
20/02/44 |
12/02/44
|
17/02/44
|
ONS 029
|
19/02/44
|
29/02/44 |
14/02/44
|
17/02/44
|
ON 224
|
18/02/44
|
02/03/44 |
03/03/44
|
03/03/44
|
KMF 029A
|
17/03/44
|
17/03/44 |
28/03/44
|
28/03/44
|
AJ 002/2
|
04/04/44
|
04/04/44 |
16/04/44
|
16/04/44
|
CJ 023B
|
18/04/44
|
18/04/44 |
20/07/44
|
20/07/44
|
XC 024
|
22/07/44
|
22/07/44 |
09/07/45
|
09/07/45
|
KR 016/1
|
11/07/45
|
11/07/45 |
|
|
|
|
|
(Note on Convoys)