H .  M .  S .   L O S S I E   ( K 3 0 3 )

 

RIVER-Class Frigate ordered on 9th December 1941 by the US Navy from Canadian Vickers, Montreal, Canada and identified as PG108. The ship was laid down on 1st October 1942 and launched on 30th April 1943 as HMS LOSSIE.  She was transferred to the Royal Navy under the 1940 US/UK Lend-Lease Agreement. and was the 1st Royal Navy ship to carry the name which is that of a Scottish river. Following a successful WARSHIP WEEK National Savings campaign In March 1942 this ship was adopted by the civil community of Cannock, Staffordshire. Build was completed on 14th August 1943.

 

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

 

ATLANTIC 1943-44

 

D e t a i l s  o f    W a r   S e r v i c e

 

1 9 4 3

 

August                  Contractors trials

                14th        Build completion date and commenced Acceptance trials.

                                On completion of trials prepared for ocean passage.

 

September             Passage to UK with call at St Johns.

                                On arrival prepared for work-up and completed storing for war service.

 

October                  Joined Western Approaches Command on completion of work-up for operational service.

 

November              Deployed in NW Approaches for Atlantic convoy defence.

to

December

 

1 9 4 4

 

January                  Joined 10th Support Group and deployed with an Escort Carrier and HM Frigates SPEY,

                                ROTHER and FINDHORN to reinforce escorts of convoys under threat from U-Boat

                                attacks.

                                (For details of defence measures against newly deployed U-Boats using Acoustic

                                (T5 - ZAUNKONIG) torpedoes and fitted with Schnorkel breathing apparatus see

                                U-BOAT WAR IN THE ATLANTIC (HMSO). RELENTLESS PURSUIT by D Weymss

                                and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR by C Blair. )

 

February                Atlantic support duty in continuation.

                17th        Deployed with HM Escort Carrier STRIKER and frigates of 10th Support Group to reinforce

                                defence of Convoy ONS29 against U-Boats of the HAI Group.

                18th        Took part in attacks on U-boats during which U406 was sunk by HMS SPEY.

                                (For details see U-BOATS DESTROYED by P Kemp and HITLER’S U-BOAT WAR.)

 

March                    Group support deployment in continuation.

 

April                       Nominated for transfer to Eastern Fleet and prepared for foreign service.

 

May                        Passage to join Fleet in Ceylon.

 

June                        Deployed for convoy defence in Indian Ocean.

 

July                         Joined an anti-submarine Hunting Group with Escort Carrier for search operations

                                in Indian Ocean for Japanese and German submarines known to be active in Indian

                                Ocean.

                                (See WAR WITH JAPAN (HMSO).)

 

August                  Deployed with HM Escort Carriers BEGUM, SHAH, HM Frigates FINDHORN, INVER

                                and PARRET in search for U-Boat reported in Arabian Sea.

                10th        U198 sunk by ships of Group after sighting by aircraft from HMS SHAH.

                                (See U-BOATS DESTROYED for details.)

 

September             Deployment with Hunting Group in Indian Ocean in continuation.

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December

 

1 9 4 5

 

January                  Indian Ocean convoy defence duty in continuation.

to

May

 

June                        Deployed in Bay of Bengal and off Burma for convoy defence and patrol.

to                            Supported military operations in Burma.

August

 

P o s t   W a r   N o t e s

 

HMS LOSSIE returned to UK after the end of hostilities against Japan and was Paid-off and de-stored. The ship was later manned by a steaming party for return passage to USA and handed over to US Navy on 26th January 1946. Sold for mercantile use and renamed TEN in 1947 she was resold to a Greek ship owner in 1955 and re named ADRIATIKI. This mercantile was wrecked in the Aegean Sea on 16th January 1968.