LOCH Class Twin Screw Frigate
ordered from Caledon SB at Dundee on 2nd
February 1943 and laid down on 26th April 1944
as Job Number 11848
(Yard Number). The ship was launched on 12th
February 1945 as the first RN ship
to bear the name. Build was completed
on 4th July 1945 after being fitted out in Troon,
Ayrshire. This ship
was the
second to be fitted with turbine
propulsion machinery. See General Information.
G
e o g r a p h i
c D a t a
Inland
Loch in Argyllshire, Scotland
Grid
Reference
NM8716
B
a t t l e
H o n o u r s
None
He
r a l d i c D a t a
Crest
None is recorded in
the Official
List.
(Note.:
Many ships of the Class had
unofficial crests used during War Service.)
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
June
At Troon for fitting-out.
Commissioned for service.
Commanding Officer: Lt. Cdr. MS Wiork DSC
RNR
July
4th
Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
After acceptance and storing ship took passage
to Tobermory to work-up
August
On completion carried special machinery trials
in Clyde.
(Note: These were required to measure amount of
noise made whilst using
the propellers fitted during Build.
September
Carried out further Noise trials with new
propellers.
Deployed for escort and tow of surrendered U-Boats
from Londonderry to Loch Ryan
prior to their destruction in Operation DEADLIGHT.
October
Deployed for second escort of U-boats
Escorted merchant ship carrying ammunition from
Cairnryan for scuttling in NW Approaches.
November
Nominated for escort of a mercantile from
Cairnryan for scuttling.
(Note: This was not carried out because of
Boiler defect caused during preparation for
sailing
Damage was caused due to incorrect procedures
Taken in hand for repair
December
On completion joined Training Flotilla at
Londonderry.
1
9 4 6
January
Deployed at Londonderry for anti-submarine
training.
to,
Commanding Officer: Lt. Cdr. AD Piper DSO,
DSC RN (02/01/47)
March
April
Under refit at Devonport.
to
May
June
Deployed at Londonderry.
to
Commanding Officer: Lt. Cdr. V C F Clark
DSC RN.
July
August
Ship grounded off Skipness Point in Sound of
Bute
Taken in hand for repair at Devonport
September
Under repair
to
(Note: Special investigations carried out
because of extent of damage.)
December
1
9 4 7
January
Under repair
February
On completion of post repair trials resumed
training duties with Flotilla at Londonderry.
Commanding Officer: Lt. Cdr. A D Piper DSC RN
March
Londonderry deployment in continuation.
to.
June
July
Attended Review of Home Fleet by HM King George
VI in Clyde
August
Deployed at Londonderry for training.
to
Commanding Officer: Cdr. N J Wagstaff RN
December
1
9 4 8
January
Londonderry training duties with Flotilla in
continuation.
to
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes
changed to F655)
May
June
Took part in Home Fleet Exercise SW3 with
Flotilla
to
Resumed training deployed in release
July
Nominated for refit at Rosyth.
August
Under refit
to
(Note: Extensive work undertaken included
improvement of A/S facilities and fit
November
of an Operations Room.
December
Resumed Flotilla duties on completion of post
refit trials.
1
9 4 9
January
Deployed for Training duties with Flotilla
Commanding Officer: Cdr. R S Blacker RN
February
Sustained significant damage in collision with
Aberfoyle Light Beacon in Lough Foyle.
March
Under repair in Refit in Clyde commercial
shipyard.
to
(Note: This was necessary since no dock was
available in HM Dockyard at Rosyth.)
July
Starboard main propeller shaft and stern tube
found to be misaligned but major repair
needed was deferred until next routine docking.
Only other essential work to enable ship to
resume training was to be undertaken.)
August
Resumed Flotilla duties at Londonderry on
completion of post repair trials.
to
December
1
9 5 0
January
Deployed for training duties at Londonderry with
Flotilla
to
Took part in Home Fleet exercise and visits
programme.
October
November
Ran aground at Garrison Point Sheerness and
damaged Log Impeller .
to
Continued training deployment.
December
Commanding Officer: Cdr. RG Jenkins, OBE, DSC RN
1
9 5 1 t o 1
9 5 2
Training Flotilla deployment in continuation and
took Part in Home Fleet exercises and visits
(Note: Ship visited Haugesund and Norhelmsund in
Norway with LOCH ARKAIG in July 1951
and in 1952 Amsterdam and Copenhagen.)
Commanding Officer: Commander C K S Hoyle RN.
1
9 5 3
Nominated for reduction to Reserve status and
took passage to Portsmouth.
Paid off and de-stored before being laid up in
Reserve Fleet.
F i n
a l P h a s e
HMS LOCH TRALAIG was
transferred to the Reserve Fleet at Hartlepool
in
1954 and used as the headquarters ship for administration
and accommodation. She remained in Reserve until
1961 when placed on the
Disposal List. Sold to BISCO for demolition by P
& W MacLellan
in 1964 she arrived at the breaker’s yard
in Bo’ness on the
Forth in August that year.