Twin Screw Fast Frigate ordered from Blyth SB on 28th December 1942 and laid down on 8th November 1943 as Job 4791 (Yard Number 297). The ship was launched on 5th July 1944 as HMS LOCH BOISDALE. Before build was completed on 1stv December 1943 the ship was transferred to the South African Naval Forces (SANF) and to be renamed  HMSAS GOOD HOPE., the 4th  Royal Navy or Commonwealth ship to bear the name.

 

G e o g r a p h i c   L o c a t i o n

LOCH BOISDALE: Lake in South Uist, Outer Hebrides

GOOD HOPE: Cape near Cape Town.

 

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

The Virgin with an anchor as a symbol of Hope

(Note: This allegoric symbol probably dates from the time of the Renaissance.

The name GOOD HOPE was given to the Cape by the Portuguese but the

first representation of the Lady with the anchor is on the seal of the Dutch

Reformed Church of Cape Town. A copy of the seal was included in an

article written in 1930 by a theological authority.)

 

M o t t o

De Hoop en beschant niet :'Hope does not disappoint'

(Note: The same symbol is used by the 'Good Hope' silversmiths and has become

established as an emblem for the Colony. It is included in the established

coat-of arms of the Republic of South Africa.

 

 

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 4

 

November

 

Contractors Trials

 

9th - Commissioned for service in Western Approaches Command. Lieutenant Commander RP Dryden Dymond SANF in command.

 

December

 

1st - Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials.

 

On completion of trials and storing took passage to Tobermory. Worked-up at Tobermory for Operational service

 

 

1 9 4 5

 

January

 

Deployed on escort of troopship to Iceland. Sustained major structural damage to hull plating in heavy weather. Returned to Clyde for repair.

 

February

 

Under repair in Clyde commercial shipyard.

 

March

 

On completion rejoined 24th Escort Group for convoy defence and Anti submarine patrol in English Channel, Irish Sea and SW Approaches. (Note: This deployment was made because of an increase in the activity of SCHNORKEL fitted submarines in these waters.)

 

April

 

Returned to Greenock

 

May

 

Passage to South Africa with HMSAS NATAL. Called at Freetown.

 

June to July

 

Deployed at Simonstown.

 

August

 

New Commanding Officer: Commander H G Fougstedt SAN

 

September

 

Nominated for transport of South African service personnel being repatriated from Middle East,

 

October to December

 

Deployed with HMSAS NATAL and HMSAS TRANSVAAL for trooping duties between Suez and South Africa.

 

 

1 9 4 6

 

January

 

Trooping deployment in continuation.

 

February to December

 

Complement reduced due to run-down of SAN pending the establishment of a permanent South African Navy. Not deployed operationally,

 

 

1 9 4 7

 

January to March

 

Remained non-operational with reduced complement.

 

April

 

Prepared for ceremonial duties during Royal visit by HM King George VI to South Africa.

 

24th - Participated in the ceremonial farewell of HM King George VI when HM Battleship VANGUARD left Cape Town to return to UK after the Royal visit to South Africa.

 

Carried out joint exercises with HM Battleship VANGUARD, HM Cruiser NIGERIA, HM Frigates ACTAEON and NEREIDE, accompanied by sister ships HMSAS TRANSVAAL and HMSAS NATAL (Operation TOTS SIENS).

 

May to November

 

Deployed at Simons Town with reduced complement

 

December

 

Full complement joined and prepared for planned operation.

 

 

1 9 4 8

 

January

 

Passage to Tristan da Cunha to collect islanders and special boats required for annexation of Marion Island and Prince Edward Island in Southern Ocean by South Africa to prevent their use by any foreign power as a site for guided missiles (Operation SNOEKTOWN). On completion of embarkation of timber and personnel took passage to join HMSAS NATAL and HMSAS TRANSVAAL in support of SNOEKTOWN after brief call at Cape Town.

 

28th - Relieved HMSAS NATAL at Marion Island.

 

February

 

After delay due to extreme weather conditions landed timber and assisted in the establishment of a base ashore. Carried out coastal investigations.

 

16th - On relief by HMSAS TRANSVAAL returned to Simonstown and then reverted to reduced complement.

 

March

 

New Commanding Officer appointed: Lieut Cdr. J. Johnson DSC SAN (Later Vice Admiral, SSA, SAN)

 

April

 

Transferred to new Naval Base at Salisbury Island, Durban

 

May

 

New Commanding Officer appointed: Lieutenant Commander RP Dryden Dymond SAN. Resumed operational service;

 

June to August

 

Deployed for exercises and visits with SAN ships at Durban.

 

September to October

 

Embarked Commodore F J Dean, SAN for formal visit to Portuguese West Africa (now Angola) with HMSAS NATAL and HMSAS TRANSVAAL. Calls made at Mossamedes, Zuhito, Quanda and Matadi.

 

November to December

 

Reverted to Care and Maintenance role.

 

 

1 9 4 9  t o  1 9 5 4

 

Remained in Reserve role at Durban and docked periodically at Simonstown.

 

On 1st January 1951 the South African Naval Force (SANF) became the South African Navy (SAN)

 

 

C o n v e r s i o n    a n d    E m p l o y m e n t    a s    D e s p a t c h    V e s s e l

 

The expansion of the South African Navy was considered justify provision of a Despatch Vessel. This type of Frigate was used in that role for the use of Commanders-in-Chief on the Mediterranean and Far East Stations HMS SURPRISE and HMS ALERT, both of which were LOCH Class Frigates. Such a vessel, in addition to acting a Flagship for the SAN could also be used for the training of reservists or cadets. HMSAS GOOD HOPE was selected for this role and began an extensive refit in 1954 during which many changes were made. These included the provision of additional accommodation in a new superstructure on 01 Deck. The top of this structure could used for receptions or other formal gatherings during Flag Visits. It was later strengthened for use as a Helicopter Landing Platform.

 

 

1 9 5 5

 

January to May

 

Under conversion at Simonstown for use as Despatch Vessel. Main armament and A/S SQUID Mortar outfit were retained to allow use as an anti-submarine frigate in any emergency.

 

June

 

3rd - Commissioned as Despatch Vessel and Flagship of SAN.

 

Joined 10th Frigate Squadron. Commanding Officer: Lieut. Cdr. R Cousins SAN.

 

July

 

Embarked Governor General of South Africa (The Hon Dr E G Jansen) for a formal visit to Madagascar.

 

August to December

 

Rejoined 10th Frigate Flotilla for joint SAN exercises. Visited coastal towns and embarked Citizen Force (Reservists) for sea training.

 

 

1 9 5 6

  

Deployed with 10th Frigate Flotilla and exercised with RN ships Embarked Chief of Naval Staff for visits and inspections

 

 

1 9 5 7

 

Continued role as Flag Frigate including: Attendance at formal transfer of RN Dockyard at Simonstown to South African Navy (2nd April). Embarked Rear Admiral H H Biermann SSA, OBE SAN for visit to Lorenco Marques and Beira with HM South African Frigates VRYSTAAT, KAAPSTAD and PRETORIA. (Note: This was First time that the Flag of an Admiral in the SAN had been flown at sea (July).)

 

Routine support visit to Marion Island meteorological station.

 

 

1 9 5 8

 

January to March

 

Under refit at Simonstown which included replacement of single 4in gun by a twin 4in mounting as fitted in modernised RN LOCH Class Frigates. The SQUID A/S Mortar outfit was still retained.

 

April to December

 

Resumed Flag Frigate duties and transferred to 6th Escort Squadron which had replaced the 10th Frigate Flotilla. Carried out joint RN/SAN exercises.

 

 

1 9 5 9

 

January to July

 

Deployed as Flag Frigate and deployed with 6th Escort Squadron. New Commanding Officer appointed: Commander P Selk SAN.

 

August

 

Embarked Chief of Naval Staff for passage to Angola on formal visit. Call at Matadi involved 70 mile journey up the Congo River.

 

September to December

 

Resumed duty with 6th Escort Squadron.

 

 

1 9 6 0

 

Deployed with 6th Escort Squadron and as Flag Frigate for Inspections of SAN ships and Establishments. Deployed on patrol and training duties.

 

 

1 9 6 1

 

Continued deployment with routine refit at Simonstown. (Note: On 31 May the Union of South Africa became a Republic and withdrew from the British Commonwealth. South Africa warships were no longer designated HMSAS and identified by the prefix SAN.)

 

Joint exercises were continued with warships of other nations including RN ships until 1975 when the Simonstown Treaty was abrogated.

 

New Commanding Officer appointed: Commander D K Kinkead Weekes SAN (July) (Later Commodore SAN).

 

 

1 9 6 2   a n d   1 9 6 3

 

 Continued Flag Frigate deployment and duties with 6th Escort Squadron.

 

 

1 9 6 4

 

January to July

 

Continued Flag Frigate deployment. New Commanding Officer appointed (January). Commander R D Kingon SAN (Later Commodore SAN).

 

August

 

Embarked State President for passage to East London for visit on the occasion of the presentation of the Freedom of the city to the South African Navy. (Note: Frigates of the SAN provided escort during visit.)

 

September to December

 

Resumed Flag Frigate and Squadron duties. Deployed on Fisheries Protection duties as required.

 

 

1 9 6 5

 

January to September

 

Deployed in Flag Frigate role to carry out official visits to Fleet. Detached service when required for Fisheries Protection.

 

October

 

Withdrawn from service and Paid-off. Placed in Reserve.

 

 

P o s t   S e r v i c e   N o t e

 

SAS GOOD HOPE remained in Reserve until 1975 when after being de-equipped she was sunk by SAN divers as part of an artificial reef in False Bay near Cape Town.

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Addenda

 

CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMSAS GOOD HOPE

by Don Kindell

 

These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above

 

(Note on Convoys)

 

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COMMODORE  R P DRYDEN DYMOND and HMSAS GOOD HOPE

by Vice Admiral  Alan Grose, RN (Rtd), now living in Simons Town

 

My father-in-law Richard Paul Dryden Dymond was one of the earliest members of the South African Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve in the 1930s, which then became the South African Seaward Defence Force in January 1940. He served from the outbreak of World War II in command of a number of His Majesty's South African Ships, culminating in HMSAS GOOD HOPE. At the time, being probably the most experienced and capable officer in the South African Naval Force, by which the SDF was now called, he was selected in 1943 as a Lieutenant Commander to go to England to command the first of the three frigates (as HMSAS GOOD HOPE, NATAL, and TRANSVAAL) transferred from the RN to the SANF.

 

When HMS LOCH BLOISDALE was handed over and commissioned as HMSAS GOOD HOPE on 9 November 1944, he was in fact her first commanding officer. Interesting enough I have a copy of the Commissioning Service and Orders for that occasion in his records.

 

As you record in the entry for HMSAS NATAL, he went on to command her in December 1946, still as a Lieutenant Commander, but rejoined GOOD HOPE in May 1948. He was promoted Commander in late 1949, just after the cruise up the west coast of Africa, and ended his naval career as Commodore, SM, ED, SAN.

 

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SOUTH AFRICAN NAVAL NOMENCLATURE FOR NAVY and SHIPS

by Vice Admiral  Alan Grose, RN (Rtd), now living in Simons Town

I have checked my facts regarding the nomenclature of the South African Ships with a number of books on the South African Navy, especially "South Africa's Navy - The First Fifty Years" by Commodore J C Goosen SM published in 1973. Goosen had served in the South African Navy during the Second World War and so I think he would have got his facts right about the titles of ships and establishments at that time. The following certainly ties in with what is in my father-in-laws old photographs and records.

The background to the titles given to the Service, rather than the ships, is quite complicated. The South African Navy essentially began in October 1921 by Governmental decree as "the South African Naval Service (SANS) with locally recruited personnel enrolled in the RNVR (South African Division) but placed on whole-time service with the SANS" which was officially promulgated in the Government Gazette in January 1923.

This title and arrangement continued until January 1940 when the Seaward Defence Force (SDF) was formed which effectively took over the responsibilities of the former SANS which essentially became moribund but not actually disbanded. The situation was further resolved in 1942 when the the South African Naval Force (SANF) was  formally constituted and all members of the old RNVR (South African Division) transferred into the SANF. The title South African Naval Force remained until 1 January 1951 when it was changed to the South African Navy (SAN).

Throughout this time all ships of the SDF, SANF and SAN were designated His Majesty's Ship..., and the title HMSAS.... used. It was not until  a Government Gazette dated 20 June 1952 changed the prefix of South African ships from HMSAS to SAS. From the same date the cap tallies worn by SAN sailors were changed from HMSAS followed by the name of the ship or establishment to plain SAS.

I hope it clarifies the situation regarding the ship prefix - they were definitely called HMSAS, much the same as HMAS for Australian ships and HMCS for Canada.