H . M . S . LOCH S H I N
(K 4 2 1 )
LOCH-Class Twin Screw Past Frigate ordered on 15th February 1943 from Swan Hunter, Newcastle and laid down
on 6th
September 194 as Job No 4808. The
ship was launched on 23rd February 1944 as the 2nd
RN ship
to carry this name. It had previously been used by a trawler hired in 1939 for
use as Boom Defence
Vessel.
The first LOCH SHIN was lost when she capsized at Harstad, Norway after
being damaged in air
attacks.
Build was completed on 10th October 1944.
G
e o g r a p h i c
D a t a
Inland Loch in Sutherland, extending NW from Lairg
.
Grid Reference NC 4816
B a t t l e H o n o u r a
NORWAY
1940* - ATLANTIC 1945
- ARCTIC 1945
(* Awarded to lst
LOCH SHIN (See above).)
H e r a l d
i c D a
t a
None is recorded in the Official
List.
(Note : Many ships of the Class had unofficial crests used
during War Service.)
M a n n i
n g P o r t
C
h a t h a m
D e t a i l s o f
S e r v i c e
1 9 4 4
October Commissioned
for trials.
Contractors trials.
Commanding Officer : Lieutenant Commander AL Turner RNR.
10th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
into
service for duty in Western Approaches.
On
completion took passage to Tobermory for Work-up.
November On completion
of work-up took passage to Greenock.
10th Joined
18th Escort Group and deployed for convoy defence in NW Approaches.
December Convoy defence
in NW Approaches in continuation.
5th
Transferred to Channel area for duty with CTG 125.2 baaed at
Portsmouth.
Deployed in English Channel for convoy defence.
1 9 4 5
January Channel
deployment in continuation.
Transferred to Clyde to join 19th Escort Group as Senior Officer.
(Senior Officer : Commander CA de W Kitcat DSO RN).
Deployed as escorted for HM Escort Carrier KHEDIVE.
Under
repair in Clyde.
February Deployed for
convoy defence and support in NW Approaches and Irish Sea.
with
ships of Group.
4th
Participated in attacks on U1014 (Oberleutnent sur See Wolfgang Glaser)
off
the
Ulster
coast with HM Frigates LOCH SCAVAIG, PAPUA and NYASALAND.
Shared credit with HM Frigate
LOCH SCAVAIG for
sinking of U1014 in position
55.17N 06.44W.
None
of submarine's crew survived.
25th Began
maintenance period in Liverpool.
March Nominated
for detached duty with Group for support of Russian Convoy JW66.
6th
Lieutenant Commander PF Broadhead RNR appointed in command.
7th Rejoined
Group on completion and deployed in Irish Sea for convoy defence.
16th Deployed
with HM Frigates LOCH INSH, C0TTON, GOODALL and ANGUILLA for
defence of Convoy JW66 during passage to Murmansk.
(For
details of all Russian Convoy operations see CONVOY! by P Kemp, CONVOYS TO
RUSSIA by RA Ruegg,, ARCTIC CONVOYS by R Woodman and THE RUSSIAN
CONVOYS by B. Schoefield)
18th HM
Cruiser BELLONA and eight Home Fleet Destroyers joined Convoy.
. 22nd Detached
with ships of Group to provide anti-submarine protection to HM Cruiser APOLLO,
HM
Destroyers OBEDIENT, OPPORTUNE and ORWEL during lay of anti-submarine
minefield off Kola Inlet (Operation TRAMMEL)
(For
details of all minelaying operations see Naval Staff History (Mining))
. 25th Convoy
arrived at Kola Inlet after unscathed passage.
29th Took part
in anti-submarine operations off Kola Inlet with ships of Group prior to passage
of
return Convoy RA66.
(Note
: 120 U-boats were known to be laying off the port to attack the convoy).
Took
part in sinking of U286 with HM Frigates ANGUILLA and COTTON in position 69.29 N
33-37E by concentrated depth charge and SQUID projectile attacks.
There
were no survivors from U286.
(Note
: During the operations U966 torpedoed HMS GOODALL which was than abandoned
and
sunk).
May Escort of
RA66 in continuation.
5th Detached
from RA66 before arrival in Clyde after safe passage.
6th Carried
out boiler cleaning in Liverpool.
16th
Transferred to Rosyth Escort Force but deployed in English Channel.
June Channel
deployment in continuation
(Note
: Increase attacks by SCHNORKEL equipped U-Boats has required an increase in
deployment of anti-submarine escorts.
Atlantic convoys to Thames had been routed through Channel after threat of air
attacks had been removed by military advance in France.)
16th Passage
to Rosyth.
Nominated for support of re-occupation operations in Germany.
23rd At
Wilhelmshaven.
27th At
Stranraer
(Note
: German submarines were being taken to Stranraer for assembly before being
sunk
in NW
Approaches (Operation DEADLIGHT).
28th Returned
to Rosyth.
July Rosyth
Escort Force deployment in continuation.
22nd At
Bremerhaven.
28th Returned
to Rosyth.
August
15th Deployed
at Loch Ryan.
(Note
: This may also have been support for DEADLIGHT.)
26th Returned to Rosyth.
September Rosyth Escort
Force deployment in continuation.
20th At
Hamburg.
22nd Returned
to Rosyth.
October Passage to
Iceland.
23rd At
Reykjavik.
31st Passage
to Rosyth.
November
3rd At
Rosyth.
21st
Lieutenant Commander SH Lampard RNR appointed in command.
Passage to Clyde area for support of DEADLIGHT.
24th Deployed
for sinking operations in NW approaches.
to Tow of
U2328 parted but submarine was later recovered and sunk in accordance
31st
programme.
December DEADLIGHT
support in continuation in Clyde and
Londonderry areas.
26th Passage
to Londonderry for DEADLIGHT sinking operations.
30th Sank
U294.
1 9 4 6
January DEADLIGHT
participation in continuation.
3rd Sank
U1010.
5th Sank
U901.
February Deployment in
Clyde area at Greenock.
10th Sank
U975.
11th Diverted
from DEADLIGHT operation to assist as EMPIRE MOMBASA on difficulty in NW
Approaches.
18th Visited
Whitehaven, Cumberland.
22nd At Rosyth.
Deployed for visit to Wilhelmshaven
and returned to Rosyth.
(Note : Routine visits were paid to German ports for support of re-occupation.)
March Under repair
and refit at Rosyth.
to
August
September Post refit
trials.
October Deployed at
Rosyth
November Deployment at
Rosyth in continuation.
13th
Lieutenant I N Mayfield RN appointed in command.
December Rosyth
deployment in continuation.
1 9 4 7
January Deployed at
Rosyth.
to
May
June Nominated
for reduction to Reserve status.
Took
passage to Harwich.
July Paid off
and reduced to Reserve at Harwich.
August Nominated for
transfer to Reserve Fleet Division, Sheerness.
to Waiting
tow to Medway at Harwich.
December
1 9 4 8
January In Reserve
at Sheerness
to
Transfer to Royal New Zealand Navy under negotiation.
May To be
refitted for RNZN service before transfer.
(Note
: Sold for £228,350, including costs of refit.
Nominated for duty as
Senior Officer's ship of 11th Frigate Flotilla.
Take
in tow to Chatham
June Under
refit by HM Dockyard, Chatham.
to To be
renamed HMZNS TAUPO.
July (Note :
Anti-submarine (ASDIC) equipment was up-dated). Under refit
Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to F421.)
August
18th Commander
LP Bourke, DSC* RNZN appointed in command.
September Carried out
Post Refit trials in Nore Command area.
3rd Renamed
TAUPO by Lady Burrough (wife of CinC Nore, Admiral Sir Harold Burrough).
S e r v i c e a s
H . M . N .
Z. S . T A U P O
G e o g r a p h i c D a t a
Largest
lake
New Zealand
(Position 38.40S
176.00E)
(Note : Taupo means
iron-stone or rock).
B a t t l e
H o n o u r s
KOREA
1950-52
H e
r a l d i c D
a t a
Badge : Gules, in a base barry
wavy of six Argent and Azure,
thereon a double canoe under sail.
Explanation : Designed by the ship feauring a
Maori canoe with the wavy lines
representing the sea.
(The canoe being double hulled is the likely type of construction to
have
been used for 'Te Arawa', which was
the vessel bringing the ancestors
of the Arawa people to New Zealand. This type of craft with double hull
and a deck house is in accordance with the Maori tradition and noted by
Tasman (1642) and James Cook in
the late 18th century.
The volcanic nature of the North Island is represented by the red
background. This type of canoe
is no longer used in New Zealand).
1 9 4 8
(Continued)
September On completion
of trials took passage to Portsmouth.
October Shakedown in
Portland area.
Passage to
Malta for work-up.
November Worked-up in
Malta with
sister ships HMZNS PUKAK1 and HMNZS KANIERE.
(Note
: These were transferred to the RNZN at the same time).
December On completion
took passage to New Zealand with HMNZS PUKAKI and HMNZS
KANIERE.
Passage to Singapore with
calls at Aden and Trincomalee.
1 9 4 9
January Passage to
Auckland from Singapore.
5th Joined
Flotilla on arrival.
February Deployed for
South Pacific patrol with visits to Fiji, Suva and Samoa.
14th
Lieutenant Commander WH Brereton, RN appointed in command.
March Pacific
patrol and visits deployment in continuation.
to
Auckland
September Deployed at
Auckland.
5th
Commander AB Gilfillan VRD RNR appointed in command.
October Passage to
join exercises with RAN ships in Australia.
to Took
part in joint exercise programme.
November
December Deployed at
Auckland.
1 9 5 0
January Deployed in
New Zealand
waters for patrol and exercises.
to
Selected for exchange with HM Frigate VERYAN BAY of Mediterranean Fleet.
March (Note :
Sister ship HMNZS HAWEA as also selected.)
April
Passage to Trincomalee with call at
Singapore.
May Passage to
Malta to join 2nd Frigate Squadron and called at Aden.
June Took part
in Mediterranean Fleet Summer cruise, exercise and visits programme.
July
Mediterranean Fleet deployment in continuation, based in Malta.
Won
'Cock of the Fleet’ at Fleet Regatta held at Marmarice, Turkey
August Took part in
Flotilla and Fleet exercises.
Visited
Suda Bay and Phaleron Bay.
September
Took part in Fleet
visits programme including call at
Taranto.
October Loan service
in Mediterranean completed and took passage to rejoin Flotilla.
November Passage from
Singapore to
Auckland with calls at Darwin and Cairns
December Rejoined 11th
Flotilla
1 9 5 1
January Deployed for
Fleet exercises in New Zealnd waters.
23rd Captain L
P Bourke OBE, DSC* RN appointed in command and as SO 11th Flotilla.
February Passage to
Sydney to take part in joint RAN/RNZN exercises with HM New Zealand
Cruiser BELLONA.
March Carried out joint exercises
with RAN ships and called at
Hobart.
On
completion took passage to
Auckland
to rejoin Flotilla.
April Deployed
in New Zealand
waters.
to
Nominated for detached service with UN off Korea as relief for HM NZ Frigate
ROTOITI.
July (Note :
HMZNS ROTOITI was also transferred in 1948)
August Deployed at
Auckland.
Prepared for UN Service.
13th
Lieutenant Commander KA Craddock-Hartopp MBE, DSC RN appointed in command.
September
3rd Worked
up for operational service during passage to
Sydney.
13th Took
passage to Singapore from Sydney.
October
2nd Took
passage from Singapore to Hong Kong.
7th Took
passage to Sasebo, Japan from Hong Kong to join UN command
(Note
: Warships serving with United Nations Task Groups were based at Sasebo .
Limited support facilities were available and operational control was carried
out
locally to support military operations.)
10th Relieved
HMNZS ROTTTI which returned to Auckland.
Nominated for service off west coast of Korea.
Joined Task Unit 95.13 and took passage to west coast of Korea.
Carried out survey of anchorage in
Han River for use by ships during
naval support
bombardments.
Provided bombardment spotting parties and continued survey of bombardment
anchorage
31st Returned
to Sasebo for R&R.
November
3rd Deployed
for escort and patrol duty on West coast.
11th Nominated
for detached service under US Navy command and transferred to East coast of
Korea
for loan service in Task Unit 95.22.
Deployed for patrol in Haeju area.
December Deployment with
TU95.22 in continuation.
1st Carried
out bombardment of railway targets with HMNZ Frigate HAWEA
(Note
: This sister ship was also transferred to RNZN in 1948.)
12th Took
passage to Kure, Japan for refit and docking.
(Note : British commonwealth warships carried
out assisted maintenance at commercial
shipyard.
Limited leave facilities were available.)
Carried out maintenance period at
Kure.
21st Resumed
detached duty with Commonwealth ships off West coast of Korea in TU95.12.
1 9 5 2
January West coast
deployment in continuation for support of military operations and for
bombardment of enemy positions.
3rd Returned
to Sasebo.
Nominated for further detached service with TU95.22 on East coast of Korea.
4th Rejoined
Task Unit for support duties on east coast..
13th Took
passage to Kure for maintenance and leave.
21st Rejoined
TU95.22.
February
1st
Returned to Kure.
3rd Passage
to Sasebo prior to rejoining to join TU95.22.
6th Took
passage for support duties with TU95.22 off east coast.
19th Deployed
for bombardment of railway targets.
20th Deployed
to assist in defence of Yang-Do island threaten by invasion from mainland
of
North Korea.
Joined USS END1COTT and USS SHELDON in attack on sampans destroying ten.
Sustained slight damage by return fire from shore batteries on mainland.
21st Landed
medical party to help treat casualties in Yang-Do.
Embarked wounded who were later transferred to USS ST PAUL.
27th Returned
to Sasebo on completion of patrol and bombardment duties with TU95.22.
(Note
: In addition to being awarded a DSC for his part in this action Lieutenant
Commander K A Craddock-Hartopp was awarded the US Legion of Merit.)
March Deployed
with other Commonwealth warships off west coast of Korea.
April Relieved
of UN service in Korea
Visited Kure before sailing to Hong Kong.
11th Passage
to Hong Kong.
14th Arrived
at Hong Kong.
25th Provided
Guard for ANZAC Day ceremonies at Hong Kong.
May
1st Took
passage to Sasebo from Hong Kong to resume UN duties
6th Deployed
off West coast of Korea for patrol and support duties in Task Group 95.
15th Returned
to Sasebo.
Nominated for reduction to Reserve after return to New Zealand.
June West
Coast gunfire support, patrol and shipping control duties in continuation.
to (Note :
During this period the ship assumed responsibility for shipping movements and
August liaison with
military commanders for bombardments and other support).
September
9th Sailed
from Sasebo for last operational patrol to relieve HMNZS ROTOITI off west
coast.
17th Returned
to Sasebo on completion of patrol and bombardment duties.
(Statistical Notes:
Mileage steamed: 53,000
Days
at sea: 311 out of the 421 on detached UN duties.
Ammunition expended : 16,044.rounds
Took
passage from Sasebo to Hong Kong.
October
21st Paid off
on arrival at Auckland and began to de-store.
November Laid-up in
Reserve at Auckland.
F i n a l P h a s e
HMNZS TAUPO remained
in Reserve at Auckland and was in Category A Reserve. Her upper deck
equipment was preserved. During 1954 her readiness Category
was reduced and she went on the Disposal List in 1961. The ship was sold on
15th December 1961 and towed for breaking-up in Hong Kong in 1962.
