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 SANS 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
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
Deployed at Simonstown.
to
July
August New
Commanding Officer: Commander H G Fougstedt SAN
September Nominated
for transport of South African service personnel being repatriated from
Middle East,
October Deployed
with HMSAS NATAL and HMSAS TRANSVAAL for trooping duties between
to Suez
and South Africa.
December
1 9 4 6
January Trooping
deployment in continuation.
February Complement
reduced due to run-down of SAN pending the establishment of a permanent
to
South African Navy.
December Not deployed
operationally,
1 9 4 7
January Remained
non-operational with reduced complement.
to
March
April
Prepared for ceremonial duties during Royal visit by HM King George VI to South
Africa.
24th
Participated in the ceremonial farewell the 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
Deployed at Simons Town with reduced complement
to
November
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 Deployed for exercises and visits with SAN ships at
Durban.
to
August
September
Embarked Commodore F J Dean, SAN for formal visit to Portuguese West Africa (now Angola)
to with
HMSAS NATAL and HMSAS TRANSVAAL.
October
Calls made at Mossamedes, Zuhito, Quanda and Matadi.
November
Reverted to ‘Care and Maintenance’ role.
to
December
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. HMASA 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
Under conversion at Simonstown for use as Despatch
Vessel.
to Main
armament and A/S SQUID Mortar outfit were retained to allow use as an
Anti-submarine
May 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 Rejoined
10th Frigate Flotilla for joint SAN exercises.
to
Visited coastal towns and embarked Citizen Force (Reservists) for sea training.
December
1 9 5 6
January Deployed
with 10th Frigate Flotilla and exercised with RN ships
to
Embarked Chief of Naval Staff for visits and inspections
December
1 9 5 7
January Continued
role as Flag Frigate including:
to
Attendance at formal transfer of RN Dockyard at Simonstown
to South African Navy (2nd
December
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
Under refit at Simonstown which included replacement of single 4in gun by a twin
4in
to
mounting as fitted
in modernised RN LOCH Class Frigates. The SQUID A/S Mortar outfit was
March
still retained.
April Resumed
Flag Frigate duties and transferred to 6th Escort Squadron which had replaced
the
to
10th Frigate
Flotilla.
Carried out joint RN/SAN exercises
December
1 9 5 9
January Deployed
as Flag Frigate and deployed with 6th Escort Squadron,
to New
Commanding Officer appointed: Commander P Selk SAN.
July
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 Resumed duty
with 6th Escort Squadron.
to
December
1 9 6 0
January
Deployed with 6th Escort
Squadron and as Flag Frigate for Inspections of SAN ships and
to
Establishments
December 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 Continued
Flag Frigate deployment.
to New
Commanding Officer appointed (January).
July
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 Resumed Flag
Frigate and Squadron duties.
to
Deployed on Fisheries Protection duties as required.
December
1 9 6 5
January Deployed
in Flag Frigate role to carry out official visits to Fleet.
to
Detached service when required for Fisheries Protection.
September
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.
Addenda
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMSAS
GOOD HOPE
by Don Kindell
These convoy lists have not been cross-checked with the text above
Date convoy Joined convoy Convoy No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
