H .  M .  S .   L O C H    M O R L I C H   ( K 5 1 7 )

 

LOCH-Class Frigate ordered with seven other of this Class from Swan Hunter at Wallsend on 13th February 1943. Only five of the were completed and two were converted for use as Depot Ships during build. The three others completed as Anti-submarine Frigates were all sold to Commonwealth navies after the end of WW2 and served for many years after hostilities ended. This ship was laid down on 15th July 1943 and launched on 20th January 1944 as the first RN ship to bear this name. Build was completed on 2nd August 1944 and the ship was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy which provided the crew under an Inter government Agreement in exchange for ALGERINE Class minesweepers built in Canada also manned by the RCN. This arrangement allowed prefabricated construction in British shipyards whilst some of these minesweepers could be built in Canada. After the end of WW2 this frigate was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy and renamed HMNZS TUTIRA.

 

G e o g r a p h i c    D a t a

Loch in Inverness.  Grid Reference NH8609.

(Note : The Gaelic Name is 'Mhor Thulaich' and the Clan associated with

this area is Clan Graham.)

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

None is recorded in the Official List of Heraldic Crests

but many ships named during WW2 for the first time

    adopted an unofficial Badge which has not been traced.

 

D e t a i l s   o f   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 4

 

July                         Contractors trials

                17th        Commissioned for service in 8th Canadian Escort Group..

                                Commanding Officer Lieut. Cdr. L L Foxall RCNVR.

 

August                  Completion of contractors harbour trials.

                2nd         Build completion and commenced Acceptance trials.

                                Final departure from shipyard delayed by damaged caused when ship collided with buoy.

                                On completion of repair and storing took passage to Tobermory to work-up for operational

                                service

                28th        Took passage to join Group in Londonderry on completion of working-up.

 

September             Deployed for convoy escort and interception patrols in Western Approaches Command..

                                Sustained weather damage and withdrawn from service for repair in London.

                                Passage to commercial shipyard.

 

October                  Rejoined Group after repair and deployed in English Channel for convoy defence

to                            and anti-submarine search operations.

December              (Note : German SCHNORKEL fitted submarines were carrying out attacks at focal

                                areas for convoys and Atlantic traffic was using the Channel for passage to and

                                from east coast ports following removal of air threat from French bases.)

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Channel deployment with Group in continuation.

to                            Sustained minor damage in collision with merchant ship.

March                    Nominated for transfer to eastern seaboard of Canada with Group.

 

April                       Passage to Canada to resume Atlantic convoy defence.

 

May                        Deployed in Canadian waters.

                8th          To be returned to RN control.

                                Passage to UK.

 

June                        Paid-off at Sheerness and reduced to Reserve status.

 

July                         Laid-up at Sheerness

to December

 

1 9 4 6    t o   1 9 4 7

 

                                Laid-up at Sheerness in Reserve Fleet.

 

1 9 4 8

 

                                Sold to New Zealand for £228,250 including cost of refit by HM Dockyard, Sheerness.

                                (Note : Initial name chosen was WAIRARAPA, a lake in North Island, 30 miles NE

                                of Wellington.

                                Six LOCH-Class Frigates were transferred under the same agreement and

                                were all given names of lakes in New Zealand.)

                                Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to F517.

 

1 9 4 9

 

January                  Under refit at Sheerness

to March                Post refit trials

 

April                       Passage to Chatham for formal transfer

                11th        Renamed HMNZS TUTIRA by Lady More, wife of CinC Nore.

                19th        Commissioned for service in Royal New Zealand Navy.

                                Commanding Officer Lieut. Cdr. F J Rand RN.

 

 

S e r v i c e   a s    H. M. N. Z. S.    T U T I R A   ( F 5 17 )

 

G e o g r a p h i c    D a t a

Lake in Hawke Bay area, North Island, New Zealand.

Position  39.20S  177.00E

(Note : Meaning of the Maori name is A Row or File of men.

Motto : 'Tutira Upoko pipi' – A maori proverb

   Tutira, the place where heads are softened or broken.

The name TUTIRA reflects the history of the Maori people who

inhabited the area. After yet another attack by their enemies had been

repulsed they were left in peace which gave rise to this proverb.)

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

KOREA 1950-51

 

H e r a l d i c   D a t a

A traditional Carved Maori Head coloured red ochre.

      The eyes are made of paua shell (a type of abalone) which

turns white with age.

(Note : This Badge is intended to neatly encapsulate the

spirit of the ship’s name and motto)

 

Acknowledgement : Details relating to the name of  the ship after transfer were provided

by the RNZN Museum at Auckland.

 

 

May                        Passage from Chatham with sister ship HMZNS ROTOITI (Ex HMS LOCH

                                ACHANALT to work-up with ships of the Mediterranean Fleet based in Malta.

 

June                        Worked-up in Malta with HMNZS ROTOITI.

                                On completion took passage with HMNZS ROTOITI to join 11th Frigate Flotilla

                                in Auckland, New Zealand.

 

July                         Passage in Red Sea and Indian Ocean with call at Aden.

 

August                  Arrived in Auckland

 

September             Deployed with Flotilla for exercises and patrol in South Pacific.

                20th        New Commanding Officer Lieut. Cdr W H Brereton RN.

 

October                  Took part in exercises with RAN ships art Jervis Bay and called at Sydney.

 

November              Australian exercises and visits in continuation with calls at Melbourne and Hobart.

                                Return passage to Auckland.

 

December              Deployed for patrol in south Pacific after call at Wellington.

                                Visited Campbell Island and MacQuarrie Island.

                                Returned to Auckland with call in Wellington.

 

1 9 5 0

 

January                  Flotilla duties in continuation at Auckland.

 

February                Took part in Flotilla exercises.

 

March                    Deployed for patrol with calls at Fitzroy, Napier, New Plymouth and Akaroa.

                                Took part in Fleet exercises in Bay of Islands area.

 

April                       Deployed at Auckland.

 

May

                12th        New Commanding Officer Lieut. Cdr P J Hoare RN

                                Deployed for Island visits and patrol with calls at Suva and Ocean Island.

 

June                        Patrol and visits to Pacific islands in continuation.

                                Called at Tarawa, Tabiteuea, Fanfuti and Suva

                29th        During return passage to Auckland from Fiji nominated with sister ship HMNZS

                                PUKAKI for service with United Nations naval Task Group as part of New Zealand

                                Government response to the United Nations request for member states to provide

                                forces to assist the South Korean Republic against the invasion by North Korea.

                                On arrival in Auckland call made for volunteers to serve on board during deployment

                                with other Commonwealth navies on war service based at Sasebo.

 

July                         Prepared for passage to Japan..

                3rd          Sailed from Auckland with HMNZS PUKAKI for UN service.

                19th        Arrived at Hong Kong after refuelling at Port Moresby.

                27th        On completion of repair work, embarkation of war storing and exercises took

                                passage from Hong Kong to Sasebo to join UN naval forces.

 

August                  On arrival deployed for escort of military convoys from Japan to Pusan on west coast

                                of Korea.

 

September

                12th        Joined escort of military convoys taking US troops for landings near Inchon of west

                                coast of Korea.

                15th        Detached from convoy when close escort of US Navy warships covered landings.

                                (Note : These landings were made to support a UN Force by interception of North

                                Korean forces being forced to retreat.)

                                Deployed for patrol off  Inchon with other warships.

                                (Note : Ship was replenished at sea during this duty and was only three days in

                                harbour.

October                  Patrol duty off Inchon in continuation.

                14th        On release transferred to US Navy Task Group.

                16th        Deployed to take revised orders to landing craft on passage to Wosan on east coast of

                                Korea for a planned landing.

                                (Note : Landings had been delayed due to extensive enemy mining of the area and

                                capture of the port by South Korean forces.)

                18th        After delivery or revised orders carried out patrols off Wosan with HMNZS

                                PUKAKI until landings established. Sank floating mine.

 

November              Return passage to Sasebo.

to                            Redeployed in rotation with recently arrived HMNZS ROTOITI, for control of

December              coastal traffic in Chinampo area off west coast, North of 38th Parallel.

                                Visited Sasebo for R&R

                                (Note : British and Commonwealth warships were based at Sasebo but spent these

                                periods at Kure where docking and repair facilities were available as well as

                                some recreational facilities for Commonwealth personnel.).

 

1 9 5 1

 

January                  Deployed to carry out patrol to deny enemy use of coastal waters to reinforce troops

                                carrying out an advance across border into South Korea.

                                (Note : UN forces were forced to withdraw from North Korean territory and the

                                ports of Inchon and Chinampo were evacuated.)

 

February                Resumed shipping control duties off Inchon after port was re-occupied.

 

March                    Deployed as escort for South Korean Navy minesweepers near Peng Yong Island

                                off west coast.

 

April                       On completion of minesweeping took passage to Kure for short refit.

                                Passage to Sasebo for relief by HMNZS HAWEA which arrived on 26th.

 

May                        Took passage to Auckland with call at Hong Kong

                                Visited Brisbane before return to rejoin Flotilla

                30th        Arrived at Auckland

                                (Note : Ship had steamed 35,400 miles on this tour of UN duty in Korea.

                                Captain and two ratings were awarded a Mention in Despatches.)

 

June                        Deployed with 11th Flotilla and took part in local exercises.

 

July                         Passage to Australia for Fleet Exercises with RAN and visits programme.

 

August                  Nominated for reduction to Reserve status.

 

September             Paid-off and laid-up in Reserve at Auckland.

 

October                  Laid-up at Auckland.

to

December

 

1 9 5 2    t o    1 9 6 0

 

                                Laid-up at Auckland.

 

1 9 6 1

 

January                  Nominated for Disposal List.

to                            Sale negotiations in hand.

November

 

December              Sold for demolition by shipbreaker at Hong Kong

 

1 9 6 2

 

                                Passage under tow to Hong Kong.