H . M . S. L
O C H A CH R A Y ( K 4 2 6 )
LOCH Class Twin
Screw Fast Frigate ordered on 25th January 1943 from Smiths Dock,
Shipbuilders at Middlesbrough and laid down on 13th
December 1943 as Job Number 4781 (Yard Number 1130). The ship was launched on 7
July 1944 as the 1st Royal Navy ship to carry this name. Build was completed on
1st Feb. 1945.
G e o
g r a p h i c
D a t a
Loch
in Perthshire (Grid Reference NN5106)
Gaelic
Name :
Ath Chrathaig ('Ford of shaking')
B a t
t l e H o n o
u r s
ATLANTIC
1945
H e r a l d i
c D a t a
Only ships of this Class which remained
in service or re-commissioned
after 1950 were
officially given Crests. Many which served during WW2
did have an
unofficial Badge. often having an
association with the Clan
of the area
in which the namesake was geographically placed.
R e c o r d
o f S e r v i
c e
1 9 4 5
January
Contractors trials and commissioned for service.
Commanding Officer : Lieutenant Commander L H Stammers RNVR.
(Note : Ship's company provided mainly from Portsmouth Depot.)
Allocated for service with 8th Escort Group in Western Approaches on completion.
February
1st
Build completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
6th On
completion of trials and storing took passage to Clyde
9th Under
repair at Clyde commercial shipyard
March
7th
On completion of repair took
passage to Tobermory to work-up for operational service.
28th
Passage to Greenock to join Group
on completion of work-up.
(Note : Other ships in Group were HM Frigates AIRE, NATAL (SANF), LOCH MORE and
LOCH GLENDHU.) |
April
Deployed for convoy defence in
Irish Sea and SW Approaches.
(Note : Commander J H Eaden DSC RN joined ship as Senior Officer 8th Escort
Group.
During this period SCHNORKEL fitted submarines were making attacks on coastal
waters
shipping. See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackman which also has details of weapons
used,. BUSINESS IN GREAT WATERS by John Terraine and ENGAGE THE ENEMY
MORE CLOSELY by C Barnett give further information.)
Visited Belfast.
11th
Deployed with ships of 8th and
25th Escort Groups for an anti-submarine search
operation in
Irish
Sea (Position 54.02N, 05.03W).
12th
After submarine was detected by
HMS LOCH GLENDHU took part in joint anti-submarine
operation
Submarine forced to surface and engaged by surface gunfire from main and close
range
armament.
Crew abandoned submarine which was identified as U1024.
Submarine taken in tow by HMS LOCH MORE after being boarded.
(Note : 37 of crew survive. See U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp.)
13th
U1024 sank during tow in position
53-39N 05.53W west of Anglesey after weather
conditions
deteriorated.
20th
Convoy defence and patrol with
Group in continuation.
28th
Deployed with Group in Irish Sea
and Western Approaches to supplement escort of
joint
convoy
OS129/KMS99 during passage to Gibraltar.
May
Nominated for foreign service in Indian Ocean with Eastern Fleet.
1st
Detached from OS129/KMS99 and returned to Clyde.
6th VE
Day. In Clyde.
19th Part
of escort for joint convoy OS129/KMS1103 to Gibraltar.
20th
Detached during passage and returned to Belfast to refuel.
21st
Nominated for escort of German submarines during passage from Scapa Flow to
Assembly
point at Loch Ryan (Operation DEADLIGHT).
(For details of U-Boats surrendered see HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C. Blair.)
June
DEADLIGHT deployment in continuation.
4th
Escorted ten U-Boats from Scapa Flow.
5th
Detached on arrival at Loch Ryan.
6th Taken
in hand for refit in Clyde commercial shipyard prior to foreign service.
27th Lieut.
.Commander C J Aldridge RNR appointed in command.
July Under
refit
to
August
September On
completion of post refit trials prepared for foreign service in Clyde.
26th Sailed
from Clyde for passage to Colombo.
October On
passage in Mediterranean and Red Sea after call at Gibraltar
November On passage
in Indian Ocean.
7th
Arrived at Colombo for service in East Indies Escort Force.
(Note : Lieut. Commander H G Chesterman DSC RNR had been appointed in command
on 28th
September and may have joined in Colombo.
Other ships in Escort Force included HM Frigates LOCH CRAGGIE, .LOCH ECK, LOCH
KATRINE, LOCH SCAVAIG and LOCH TARBERT which were all to be deployed in
Singapore for service in support of military operations and to assist with
repatriation of allied
civilian and service personnel captured or interned by Japanese in the Dutch
East Indies.
These were known as RAPWI.)
December Prepared for
support duties.
16th Took
passage for Singapore to join support operations.
Deployed in Java and Sumatra for escort of craft carrying RAPWI.
Carried out duty as Guardship at Batavia.
1 9 4 6
January Returned
to Singapore.
Nominated for Air-Sea Rescue duties off Gwadar.
(Note : Ships of East Indies Escort Force were deployed for this duty to provide
emergency aid
to
aircraft carrying personnel to UK for repatriation.)
February Took
passage to Air Sea Rescue Station and relived HM Frigate LOCH GORM.
On
relief by HM Frigate LOCH KATRINE resumed support duties in East Indies.
Nominated for return to UK and to be reduced to Reserve status.
March Visited
Port Blair in Andaman Islands on passage to Singapore from Trincomalee
for support
to
duties.
May
Lieutenant Commander C C Anderson RN joined ship in command.
(Later Rear Admiral, CB)
Deployed at Singapore in continuation of Guardship and support duties.
(Note : During this period visited Rangoon and Penang.)
June
Returned to Trincomalee to prepare for return passage to UK
10th
Sustained minor damage in collision with HM Frigate LOCH SCAVAIG during passage
to
Trincomalee in Malacca Straits.
16th Sailed
from Trincomalee for return passage to Portsmouth.
July
Passage in Mediterranean with calls at Malta and Gibraltar.
On
arrival at Portsmouth paid-off and reduced to Reserve status.
August Laid-up in
Portsmouth Reserve Fleet
N o t e s o n
P o s t W a r S e r v i c e
HMS LOCH ACHRAY was sold to New Zealand with five
other LOCH Class Frigates in 1948.
H. M. N. Z. S. K A N I E R E
LOCH ACHRAY was renamed HM New Zealand Ship KANIERE
by Lady Willis, wife of CinC Portsmouth. After work-up in Malta with three of
the other LOCH Class also being transferred she arrived in Auckland in January
1949.
HMNZS KANIERE was again brought forward in 1953 for service with
the UN Task Force off Korea and deployed off the east coast for support of
military operations. She remained with RN ships based at Hong Kong after the
cease-fire in July 1953 and continued service with the UN until 1954 when she
returned to New Zealand.
This ship remained in commission and was
detached for service at Singapore with the 3rd Frigate Squadron for two periods
between 1955 and 1957- She then was used for sea training duties mainly in
coastal waters although deployed periodically for visits to Pacific islands. By
1961 she had been withdrawn from sea duties and placed in Reserve. Used for
harbour training until placed on the Disposal List in 1966 she was sold to Hong
Kong Rolling Mills and arrived at the breaker's yard in tow during February
1967.
B a t t l e H o n o u r s
KOREA 1 9 5 3
H e r a l d i c D a t a
The Badge was designed by the ship and features one of the world’s
rarest birds.
In former times the Kakapo was abundant on the shores of Lake Kaniere. The chief of
the Maori Kai Taku snared this bird in this area. Some of the feathers
obtained were
used to make
a special garment for his daughter. The Kapako
was a ground dwelling
bird
and the Badge shows a green field to represent this
feature.
M o t t o
Kia Maia :
'Be firm'
D e t a i l s o f S e r v i c e
1 9 4 8
January Laid-up at Portsmouth.
to (Note : Sale of the ship to New Zealand was agreed
at a cost of £232,750 and the ships was to
May be refitted prior to transfer to the RNZN.)
June Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard Portsmouth.
to Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes
changed to F 426.
August Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander BE Turner.
September Carried out harbour trials
27th Commissioned into RNZN service and renamed HMNZS
KANIERE by Lady Willis, wife of
CinC Portsmouth.
(Note : The original choice of her new name was
HMNZS HAIPO but this changed before the
ceremony.)
Commanding Officer : Lieutenant T W Stocker RN.
October Carried out post refit trials and calibrations.
On completion took passage to Malta to work-up
for operational service with the ships of the
Mediterranean Fleet.)
Commenced work-up in Malta.
November Took passage to New Zealand on completion of work-up.
Transit of Suez Canal.
December Passage in Red Sea AND Indian Ocean with call at Aden.
At Singapore,
1 9 4 9
January Passage from Singapore to Auckland.
Joined 11th Frigate Flotilla on arrival.
February Deployed at Auckland with Flotilla for exercises.
to
Nominated for Pacific Ocean patrol and visits/.
June
July
Carried out patrol with calls at Suva, Fiji and Samoa
to
Returned to Auckland.
August
September Deployed at
Auckland
Commanding Officer : Commander CC Stevens and Senior Officer 11th Frigate
Flotilla.
Nominated for joint exercises with RAN.
October Passage
to Sydney
to Took
part in joint exercises in Jervis Bay area
November Calls were
made at Melbourne and Hobart, Tasmania
December Return
passage to Auckland.
1 9 5 0
January Deployed
at Auckland and took part in Flotilla and RNZN exercises and visits.
to
Nominated for refit.
August Commanding
Officer : Lieutenant D B Holdsworth RN.
September Under refit
at Auckland by HM Dockyard.
to
(Note : Ship had been intended for exchange service with Mediterranean Fleet
Frigate
October but she
was replaced by sister ship HMNZS HAWEA.)
November Carried out
post refit trials and rejoined Flotilla.
to
Deployed for Flotilla duties.
December
1 9 5 1
January Deployed
with Flotilla for exercises and visits.
to
Nominated for Pacific patrol
August Commanding
Officer Lieutenant Commander J O’C Ross.
September Carried out
Pacific patrol with visits to Apia, Ellice Islands, Rotuma, Suva,, Tonga.
to
Retuned to Auckland
October Nominated
for reduction to Reserve status.
Commanding Officer Lieutenant A G Rhodes
November Paid-off and
reduced to Reserve at Auckland.
December Laid-up at
Auckland
1 9 5 2
January Laid-up
at Auckland
to
October
November
Re-commissioned for service in 11th Frigate Squadron.
Commanding Officer: Lieutenant AG Rhodes
December Deployed for
work-up and Flotilla duties based at Auckland.
1 9 5 3
January Prepared
for operational service and exercised with ships of Flotilla.
Nominated for detached service with UN naval Task Group at Sasebo
February
2nd Took
passage to Sasebo as relief for HMNZS ROTOITI
Commanding Officer L G Carr RNZN.
Called Sydney.
March Passage
to Singapore
April
Passage from Hong Kong to Sasebo.
23rd
Arrived at Sasebo to commence UN service.
24th
Passage to carry out first patrol of west coast of Korea.
May
Deployed for patrol and naval gunfire support including cover for minesweeping
operation
and the evacuation of wounded guerrillas from Chodo Island off west coast.
Later provided support to US warship in Regency Channel and came under shore
gunfire.
Returned to Sasebo before taking passage to Hong Kong
June At
Hong Kong with HMNZS HAWAE
(Note : During this period took part in Commonwealth celebrations including
inspection by
Commander in Chief , British Forces in Korea.
10th
Resumed service at Sasebo after carrying out anti-submarine exercises during
passage from
Hong Kong.
15th
Resumed patrol duties off west coast of Korea
July UN
service in continuation including evacuation of partisans from outlying islands
above the
the 38 parallel of latitude being proposed as future dividing line as well as
providing naval
gunfire support to military operations.
28th
Remained for UN duties based at Sasebo after declaration of Cease-Fire
(Note : Rest and Recreation facilities were still to be carried out at Kure
which had been
used by Commonwealth troops since outbreak of hostilities. Repair facilities
were also
available in the commercial shipyard at Kure.)
August Deployed
for patrol off west coast of Korea based at Sasebo in continuation
to
December
1 9 5 4
January
Deployment for patrol and support of UN in continuation
Nominated for return to New Zealand.
Took passage to Hong Kong
February Passage to
Auckland with call at Suva.
to
March
April
Rejoined Flotilla and deployed with 11th Frigate Squadron for Local duties and
exercises.
to
Nominated for detached service with Commonwealth Strategic Reserve based at
Singapore,
June
July
Prepared for detached service.
Passage to Sydney
August Sailed
from Sydney to Singapore with calls at Brisbane and Cairns.
September Joined 3rd
Frigate Squadron, Far East Fleet.
Nominated for detached service in Japan with UN.
Passage to Sasebo with call at Hong Kong.
October Deployed
at Sasebo for UN Support in Korean waters.
to Took
part in international exercises with US Navy and other warships deployed for UN
December
support.
1 9 5 5
January Took
passage to Hong Kong for R&R and Maintenance period.
Returned to Sasebo to resume UN support duties.
February Deployed
at Sasebo for UN service.
March Passage
to Hong Kong for R&R
Returned to Sasebo for further UN service.
April UN
service at Sasebo in continuation.
May In
release from UN deployment took passage to Singapore to rejoin Squadron.
June
Deployed at Singapore with Squadron and took part in Fleet exercise.
July
Released from detached service at Singapore and took passage to Auckland with
calls at
Celebes and Cairns.
Rejoined 11th Frigate Squadron
August Taken in
hand for routine Docking and inspection of underwater fittings at Auckland.
September Deployed
with Squadron for Fleet exercises and visits including Wellington, Bluff and
Suva.
to
Nominated for refit.
October
November Under refit.
to
December
1 9 5 6
January Carried
out post refit trials
Nominated for further detached service at Singapore in Commonwealth Strategic
Reserve.
February Passage to
Singapore
March Re-joined
3rd Frigate Squadron, Far East Fleet.
Took part in major Fleet Exercises and visits with Squadron
April
Deployed at Singapore with Squadron
Nominated for detached UN service based at Sasebo.
May Passage
to Sasebo with call at Hong Kong.
June
Deployed for UN support based at Sasebo/
to Took
part in international exercises.
July
August Released
from UN duties and took passage to Singapore
September Took part in
Fleet exercises with Squadron.
October On
release took passage to Hong Kong
Deployed for patrol off Borneo in support of military operations
against Indonesian insurgency. (KONFRONTASI))
November Deployed for
anti-piracy patrols and military support.
to
Returned to Hong Kong and later to Singapore.
December Passage to
Hong Kong for Christmas
1 9 5 7
January Deployed
support duties in Borneo.
to
Returned to Hong Kong for R&R
February Resumed
duties off Borneo.
Took part in major international Fleet exercise
March Deployed
for Borneo support with R&R at Hong Kong.
to
April
May Took
part in Exercise ASTRA with Squadron based at Singapore.
On
completion took return passage to Auckland
June Taken
in hand for refit at Auckland.
to
Nominated for deployment as Training ship
September
October Deployed
for training
to
(Note : During this visit deployed in local area and also for visit to Christmas
Island.)
November
December Training
duties in continuation and took part in joint exercises with RAN.
1 9 5 8
January Deployed for training duties including visits to
Melbourne, ports on western coast of New
to Zealand and Hobart.
February
March Deployed local for training based at Auckland
April Carried Pacific training cruise with visit to Suva
Nominated for refit.
May Under refit
to
June
July On completion of post refit trials deployed at
Auckland for training duties.
to
October
November
Deployed for training with visits to Lyttleton and Dunedin
(Note : Carried out oceanographic research work
during this period.)
December
Deployed at Auckland for training.
1 9 5 9
January Deployed
for training duties.
to
Nominated for refit.
April
May Under
refit at Auckland.
to
June
July On
completion of post refit trials resumed training duties.
to
November
December Routine
docking for inspection of underwater fittings
1 9 6 0
January Training
duties in continuation including visit to Sydney
to
September
October Embarked
RNZVR personnel for training and visited Ngapona
November Took part in
Fleet exercises during which involved in collision with HM Submarine
ANCHORITE.
December Deployed for
training based at Auckland.
Nominated for harbour training.
1 9 6 1
Deployed for harbour training and Paid off
After de-storing deployed for harbour training.
1 9 6 2 to 1 9 6 5
Harbour training in continuation
Nominated for withdrawal from use.
De-stored and de-equipped
Placed on Sales List
F i n a l P ha s e
HMNZS KANIERE was sold for demolition in Hong Kong and towed to
the breaker’s yard in 1966.
