BAY Class Anti-Aircraft Frigate
initially ordered on
19th January 1944 for build as a LOCH Class
Anti-submarine Frigate, but the contract was
changed later
that year before build. Originally to have
been named LOCH COULSIDE
she was laid down as an Anti-Aircraft
Frigate as Job Number J11867 (Yard Number 350)
on 25th September 1944 and launched as PADSTOW
BAY by Henry Robb at Leith on 28th August
1945. She was the first RN ship to carry this
name
and build was completed on 11th March 1946.
G e o g r
a p h i c
L o c a t i on
Grid
Reference: SW9179. Bay 12 miles NW of Bodmin,
Cornwall
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 per fess wavy Gold and barry
wavy of
four Blue and White upon a crook
in
fess, head to the dexter
Gold. a wolf couchant Proper.
M a n n i
n g P o r t
Devonport
S
u m m a r
y 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
March
Contractors trials
11th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance
Trials.
13th
Completed trials and prepared for passage to
Plymouth
15th
At Plymouth
April
Deployed at Plymouth with reduced complement
pending availability of full complement
to
for service on America and West Indies
Station.
May
June
Commissioned for service at Plymouth and
prepared for work-up.
26th
Deployed at Portland for weapon calibration
and work-up for foreign service in West
Indies.
July
Took passage to Bermuda
27th
Called at Punta Delgado, Azores for fuel.
August
8th
Arrived at Bermuda
31st
Sailed from Bermuda with units of Squadron for
exercises and visits programme.
September
Calls were made at Havana, Vera Cruz, Mexico,
Honduras,
Kingston
Jamaica, Bluefields
to
Nicaragua,
Cartagena Columbia, Curacoa, La
Guava Venezula, Trinidad. Georgetown, British
October
Guiana, Paramaribo Surinam and Cayenne French
Guinea
November
Return passage to Bermuda with calls at
Trinidad and
Kingston for fuel.
15th
Arrived at Bermuda.
December
Deployed at Bermuda for exercises and local duties.
31st
Sailed From Bermuda with ships of Squadron for
exercise and visits programme
1
9 4 7
January
10th
At Antigua after call at Kingston,
Jamaica for fuel
Deployed for visits including Leeward Islands,
Tobago.
February
Return passage to Grenada after call at
Trinidad for fuel.
22nd
Arrived at Bermuda.
29th
Sailed for visit to St Thomas, Virgin Islands
(US) and ports in Leeward Islands.
March
Visited Guadaloupe, Marie Galante and St
Eustaticus.
April
Called at St Bartholomew
21st
Returned to Bermuda.
May
Deployed at Bermuda
Taken in hand for routine docking by HM
Dockyard, Bermuda.
June
On completion prepared for visit to North
America with HM Cruiser SHEFFIELD.
Took passage to Halifax with HMS SHEFFIELD.
July
1st
Arrived at Halifax.
(Note: One of the objectives for this visit
was carry out joint exercises with ships of
the Royal
Canadian Navy.)
On completion of exercises sailed from Halifax
for visits to ports in Eastern Canadian
Provinces.
August
Visits paid to Bathurst New Brunswick, Ellis Bay
Anticosti, Miquelon (French), Argentia,
Newfoundland,
St Johns
Newfoundland, Cornerbrook Newfoundland.
September
At Montreal with HMS SHEFFIELD,
25th
Arrived at Bermuda after call at Portsmouth
New Hampshire.
October
Nominated for reduction to Reserve status and
prepared for return to Pay-off,
16th
Took passage from Bermuda
to Plymouth.
November
18th
Arrived at Plymouth
Paid off at Devonport and de-stored.
December
On completion of reduction to Reserve laid-up
with Reserve Fleet at Plymouth.
F i n a
l S t a g e
HMS PADSTOW
BAY remained in
the Reserve Fleet until 1958 when the ship was
placed on the Disposal List. In 1959 the
ship was sold to BISCO
for demolition by an Italian shipbreaker
and taken in
tow to La Spezia,
where she arrived on 11th August for
demolition.
|