LOCH-Class Frigate ordered from Swan Hunter at
Newcastle on 13th February 1943 with four others of this Class. The ship was
laid down as Job Number J4835 (Yard Number 1788) on 18th October 1943 and was
launched on 19th June 1944 as HMS LOCH CREE. She was the first RN ship to bear this name but as the ship was to be
transferred to the South African Naval Force (SANF) it was formally changed in
January 1945 to HMSAS NATAL. This name was introduced in 1905 for a cruiser
which blew up in 1915. It was also used by two minor RN warships
during WW2. Build was completed on 8th March 1945 and she was manned by South
African naval personnel.
G e o g r a p h i c L o c a t i o n s
LOCH CREE - Grid Reference for
River in Galloway NX7038
NATAL - Province in Republic of South Africa.
H e r a l d i c D a t a
NATAL
Badge :
On a field
azure, two Black wildebeest in full course at random, Or;
within
a circular border of cable also Or, ensigned with the
crest of the
Arms
of the Republic of South Africa proper, upon a tablet Azure
bordered and bearing the name NATAL in letters .
D e t a i l s o f
S e r v i c e
1 9 4 5
March
1st
Commissioned for service in South African Naval Force.
Commanding Officer : Lieutenant Commander D S Hall DSC SANF.
8th Build
completion and commenced Acceptance Trials
Allocated for service in 8th Escort Group, Western Approaches Command.
(Note : Other ships in Group were :-
HM
Frigates LOCH MORE, LOCH ACHRAY, LOCH GLENDHHU and AIRE.
This ship was the second of three LOCH Class Frigates to be presented to
South Africa and one of the first major warships in the SANF. )
12th
Prepared for work-up at Tobermory for operation service.
14th Sailed
from Tyne estuary to Methil.
Took part in search for U714 with HM Destroyer WIVERN after Norwegian ss MAGNE
had
been sunk whilst in convoy.
Carried out attack on submarine as a result of which oil and wreckage was
observed on the
surface.
Ship credited with sinking U714.
(Note : SEAGULLS IN MY BELFRY by Rear Admiral CC Anderson, who was in command
of
HMS WIVERN gives a different account which suggest that U714 was not sunk but
had sustained serious damage. He claims that the submarine was destroyed in a
series
of
depth charge attacks later in the day.
Awards made to ship's company were two DSC, two DSM with five Mentioned in
Despatches.)
No
British Battle Honour is recorded in official Record. See U-BOATS DESTROYED
by
P Kemp and HITLER'S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair.
See SEEK AND STRIKE by W Hackmann and U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC
(HMS0) for details of weapons and U-Boat deployments.).
17th
Worked-up at Tobermory.
April On
completion joined Group based at Greenock.
Deployed for convoy defence and
anti-submarine search operations in
Irish Sea and SW
Approaches.
23rd At
Milford Haven
May Taken
in hand for repair in Clyde shipyard.
(Note : After VE Day nominated for return to South Africa.)
June
Passage to South Africa with HMAS GOOD HOPE (Ex HMS LOCH ARD).
Called at Freetown.
30th
Arrived at Cape Town.
July
Passage to Durban with call at Port Elizabeth.
Prepared for service with British East Indies Fleet
August
20th Took
passage to Singapore from Durban.
(Note : This is at variance with details in WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO), THE FORGOTTEN
FLEET by J Winton, both of which record ship as being in the East Indies Fleet
on VJ
Day. It is assumed the ship had joined theFleet but not deployed in the
operational area
on
VJ Day.
September
1st
Escorted convoy from Colombo to Singapore.
On
arrival at Singapore deployed for convoy escort in Strait of Malacca.
Deployed as Guardship at Padang, Sumatra in place of HM Cruiser NIGERIA.
On
release from Guardship duty resumed convoy defence in Malacca Strait.
October
Deployment at Singapore with East Indies Escort Force in continuation.
November Nominated
for transport of South African personnel from Egypt
Took passage to Durban with call at Mauritius.
30th
Arrived at Durban
December Prepared for
trooping duties.
Passage to Suez.
1 9 4 6
January
4th
Sailed from Suez to Durban with returning personnel.
19th At
Durban.
February Trooping
duties in continuation.
to
(Note : Two round trips with South African service personnel were completed.)
March On
release from trooping duties returned to Cape Town.
April
Deployed at Capetown.
(Note : Reorganisation of Naval Service on a permanent basis made necessary the
reduction of complement of the ship.).
May
Deployed at Capetown with reduced manning.
to
Operational availability limited.
December Commanding
Officer : Lieutenant-Commander R P Dryden Dymond SANF.
(Later Commodore, SM, ED, SAN.)
Prepared for planned operation.
1 9 4 7
January Full
complement available for operational deployment.
7th Took
passage to relieve HMSAS TRANSVAAL at Marion Island.
(Note : The Sovereignty of Marion Island by the Government of the Union of South
Africa
was formally declared on 29th December 1946 and that of near-by Prince Edward
Island on 4th January 1947
These two isolated territories were annexed to prevent occupation by a foreign
power
and therefore considered to have strategic value as missile bases
.
(Operation SNOEKTOWN.)
12th
Arrived at Marion Island after meeting HMSAS TRANSVAAL for transfer of Charts
and
and local weather information.
14th
Unloading of equipment suspended due to weather conditions at anchorage.
Slipped cable and
sailed for open waters.
18th
Returned to anchorage and resumed unloading.
Cut path through kelp to allow entry of supply ship HMSAS GAMTOOS to Transvaal
Cove.
28th
Relieved by HMSAS GOOD HOPE.
(Note : Unloading of equipment from HMSAS GAMTOOS had been severely affected by
the
prevailing weather
conditions.
29th Took
passage to Cape Town from Marion Island.
February Deployed
at Cape Town.
March Took
passage to Marion Island to relieve HMSAS GOOD HOPE.
7th
Arrived at Marion Island with supplies including aviation fuel and livestock.
20th Made
return passage to Cape Town with personnel of Construction Party.
(Note : This completed the first phase of the establishment of a permanent base.
Technical assistance was given by ships staff to provide electric power supplies
and other domestic facilities.)
April Took
part in ceremonies to mark visit to South Africa by HM King George VI, H M Queen
Elizabeth. Princess Elizabeth and Princess Margaret. (Operation TOT SIENS).
(Note : Ships of the SAN provided escort for HM Battleship VANGUARD on departure
from
Capetown with Royal Family embarked.
May
Deployed with SAN ships for patrol, visits and exercises.
to
December
1 9 4 8
SAN operational deployment in continuation.
1 9 4 9
January SAN
operational deployment in continuation.
to
February
March Deployed
for hydrographic survey in Marion Island area by Commander Tripp SAN
to Two
visits to the area were made
April
Commanding Officer : Commander MR Terry-Lloyd SAN
.
(Later Rear Admiral, SSA, SM.)
May
Operational service with SAN in continuation..
to
Nominated for refit
November
December Under refit
by HM Dockyard, Simonstown.
1 9 5 0
January Under
refit.
February Carried
out post refit harbour and sea trials.
March Resumed
operational SAN service and carries out exercise programme with visits to east
to
coast ports.
June
July SAN
deployment including visit to Durban.
August Deployed
at Cape Town.
to
Commanding Officer: Commander A A C Ouvry DSC SAN.
December
1 9 5 1
SAN deployment in continuation including visit to Marion Island in October
1 9 5 2
Reduced to 'Care and Maintenance' on relief by HMSAS SIMON VAN DER STEL.
(Note : This ship, the former RN destroyer HMS WHELP, which had been laid up in
Reserve at
Simonstown since 1947. She was transferred to the
SAN in
1952 and
commissioned as a replacement.)
1 9 5 3 t o 1 9 5 4
Laid
-up at Cape Town.
1 9 5 5
Routine docking period at HM Dockyard Simonstown.
Selected for conversion for use as a Survey Ship similar to Royal Navy DAMPIER
type.
1 9 5 6
Taken in hand for conversion.
N o t e o n C o n v e r s i o
n
Electronic surveying equipment
fitted to reduce reliance en the use of visual methods of survey. This
significantly reduced the length of time taken and enabled surveying to be done
when beyond sight of land and at night.
1 9 5 7
January Under
refit and conversion.
to
September
October Pennant
Number for visual signalling purposes changed to A301
25th
Commissioned for service.
Commanding Officer : Lieutenant Commander J C Walters SAN (H).
Post
refit trials and prepared for hydrographic duty
November Deployed for
International Geophysical Year duty.
to Carried
cut cruise to south as far south as 51.30S.
December
Bathythermograph and hydrographic sounding recordings made.
1 9 5 8
January Deployed
for investigation of shoal water off Cape Agulhas and St Helena Bay.
to
Carried cut survey using ship's launches in Lamberts Bay.
May
June
Deployed for International Geophysical Year service.
to
Carried out cruise in southern waters
December (Note :
Survey tasks were restricted by bad weather and area assigned was not
fully covered.
1 9 5 9
January Carried
cut further coastal water surveys including extensive examination of shoal water
to in
St Helena Bay, Port Shepstone, Port St Johns, Cape Morgan, South Sand Bluff and
October Dakand
Point.
Deployed to survey planned route for undersea cable near Milnerton and Table
Bay.
November Deployed as
Relief Ship for support of Base at Marion Island.
(Note : Hydrographic sounding were
recorded during passages.
Carried stores and replenishment supplies for Marion Island,)
December Resumed
hydrographic survey programme.
1 9 6 0 t o 1 9 6 1
Deployed for hydrographic surveys in coastal areas around Cape of Good Hope.
(Note These included NE shore of Robben Island, Simons Bay, Gordons Bay and NE
part of False Bay.)
Western part of False Bay over Whittle Rock were examined by underwater swimmers
Survey was also made of Agulhas Bank south of Mossel Bay
(Note : Electronic position fixing using DECCA system was used when visual
contact
sighting was not possible)
Final stage in 1961 included examination of shoal areas off Bok Point between
Cape Town and Soldahna and survey of approaches to Port St Johns between
Port Elizabeth and Durban.
Sweep was carried out for obstructions off Dakana Pt.
(Note : After the formation of the Republic of South Africa warships were no
longer
designated HMSAS and
identified by the prefix
SAN.)
1 9 6 2
Deployed for International Geophysical research in Indian Ocean.
(Note
: Eleven cruises were carried out. During final cruise new
discovered with a depth
below
10 fathoms in position 685 miles south of Madagascar on the
Madagascar
Ridge.)
Commanding Officer : Lieutenant Commander C J F Netterberg DSC SAN (H) (May)
1 9 6 3
Resumed SAN Hydrographic duties and deployed for coastal surveys.
Commanding Oficer : Commander JC Walters,
SAN(H) (January)
Extensive surveys included coastal waters between Walker Point and Storms
River
which
were completed in four months.
(Note
: Completion before planned date was possible because of the availability of the
the
electronic equipment. See above.)
Commanding officer : Lieutenant Commander A Fawthrop SAN (H) (November),
1 9 6 4
January
Deployed for SAN Hydrographic
survey work in coastal area between Walker Point and
to Cape
St Blaize, Mossel Bay.
May
June
Resumed International Geophysical Year oceanographic work.
to
Carried out running line surveys in Indian Ocean starting at Cape St Lucia and
July
taking passage across the Agulhas current between oceanographic stations.
Scientists from Cape Town university were embarked
Detached party carried cut detailed survey of North Bay, Saldahana.
August During
surveys off Cape St Lucia, Zululand experienced heavy weather.
About one week later whilst 180 miles SE of Durban sustained structural damage.
(Note : Some equipment was lost including a launch which was carried away from
davits).
Commanding Officer : Lieutenant Commander A Fawthrop SAN (H)
September Taken in
hand for repair.
to
Resumed International Geophysical Year deployment on completion.
December
1 9 6 5
Deployment for coastal survey between Mossel Bay and Duivenhoks Rivisr.
Delivered survey launch to SAS HARLEEM for survey of harbour at Sildahana.
Carried out investigation of area off False Cape Friuo near border with Angola
to
follow-up a report pf breakers made in 1907.
(Note : It was established that shipping should not approach the coast due to
the
existence of a pinnacled reef . Further survey by boats was needed
at a later
date and a Notice to Mariners was issued.
Carried out extensive survey of approaches to Port St Johns, NE of East London.
1 9 6 6
Embarked expedition for passage to Bouvet Island (54 Degrees S 3 Degrees E in
South Atlantic
(Note : Objective was to determine its feasibility for use as a meteorological
station.)
Carried cut survey around island and made oceanographic trading during passages.
(Note : Geologist and Meteorological assessments made did not support future
use.)
Large scale survey carried out of Millers Point and of False Bay by a Detached
Party
as
well as a survey of the approaches to Khysna harbour, Alphard Banks and
St
Helena Bay .
(Note : These were completed with work between Duivenhoks river and Cape St
Balize
begun in 1965.)
A
new coastal survey between Duivenhoks river and Cape Alguhas was started.
Commanding Officer : Commander A Fawthrop SAN (H),
1 9 6 7
Coastal hydrographic work included completion of three investigations in Table
Bay and survey of Luderitz harbour with SAS HARLEEM which carried out inshore
.
work.
Commanding Officer : Lieutenant Commander J B de Wet SAN (H) (From April),
Deployed for seismic survey work in conjunction with Department of Mines.
1 9 6 8
Carried out surveys en Zululand coast and in Richards Bay area.
After completion in April resumed coastal survey east of Cape Agulhas
.
(Note : During the night of 13th July ship was diverted to carry cut search
and rescue operation for survivors of tanker WORLD GLORY which
had foundered to NE of Durban. Two survivors ware rescued and two
bodies recovered.
Commander De Wit was later awarded the Gold Medal of the Greek
Maritime Marine for his services en this occasion.)
1 9 6 9
Richards Bay Coastal survey completed in April.
Carried cut local surveys in Table Bay and on west coast of the peninsula.
On
completion resumed survey work between Cape Agulhas and Duivenoks river.
Commander A Fawthrop SAN (H) was appointed in command in November
(Note: He was last to command her in service and remained until Paying-off in
1972.)
1 9 7 0
Completed Cape Agulhas to Duivenoks river survey in March.
Survey of area between Cape Haugklip and Cape Agulhas completed except for some
inshore work which could be carried cut by smaller vessel.
A
survey was made off Isipinga, south of Durban, to enable a mooring buoy to be
used
by
large tankers for discharge of cargo without entering harbour
(Note : The whole African coastline from the Mozambique border to St Helena Bay
140 miles north of Cape Town had been accurately surveyed by the end of
the year.)
1 9 7 1
As
a final contribution to hydrography the ship was deployed to calibrate the South
West African and the Namagualand DECCA Chains.
Before paying-of the ship visited Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban for a
final
visit to these ports with which she had been associated during her duties.
1 9 7 2
SAS NATAL paid off on 15th March after relief by the new purpose built Survey
Ship
SSN PROTEA which was similar in design to the RN HECLA Class vessels.
F i n
a l P h a s e
SAS NATAL was taken in tow to a
position 14.5 miles SW of Cape Point in September 1572 and sunk by the Frigate SAS PRESIDENT STEYN in
September 1972. The signal recorded in
the Appendix paid well deserved tribute to the long service of the ship in
war and peace as a warship and a survey vessel.
A P P E N D I X
During her hydrographic service
NATAL covered some 250,000 miles and was acknowledged as being the most hard-worked ship in the SAN.
S i g n a l s o f
R e c o g n i t i o
n
The following congratulatory signals confirm the
high regard in which this ship NATAL was held as a 'happy' and efficient ship:
FROM: Chief of the South
African Navy
TO : Hydrographer SAN
(DTG 171435 March 1972)
1. It was with much sadness that I watched NATAL lower her Ensign for the
last time on
Wednesday
2. There are officers and men still serving who knew NATAL when
she was young though grey.
There are many others who knew her as a middle aged frigate and others who sailed in her when
she was old and white. All will remember her with pride and affection.
3. Soon she will be struck from the list
but she passes with the knowledge that she has served
mariners of all nations.
4 PROTEA takes over from a worthy predecessor.
On receipt of the final Report of Proceedings from
the Commanding Officer of SAS NATAL in 1971 the South African Defence Ministry made the following
signal to the ship.
"Throughout NATAL's life as a survey ship the passage has been one of
hard work with
few 'flag -showing'
visits to provide light relief. You can be satisfied that your tasks have
been well completed and
that the ship will always be remembered with pride in the
history of the Navy.
Well done!!"
Addendum
CONVOY ESCORT MOVEMENTS of HMSAS
NATAL
by Don Kindell
This convoy list has not been cross-checked with the text above
Date convoy Joined convoy Convoy No. Left convoy Date convoy
sailed as escort arrived
17/04/45
17/04/45
ON 297
18/04/45
02/05/45
(Note on Convoys)
