HMS Loch Dunvegan (K425)

History
Loch Dunvegan in August 1944
United Kingdom
Name:	Loch Dunvegan
Namesake:	Loch Dunvegan
Ordered:	19 January 1943
Builder:	Charles Hill & Sons, Bristol
Yard number:	453
Laid down:	29 September 1943
Launched:	25 March 1944
Completed:	25 June 1944
Commissioned:	June 1944
Decommissioned:	April 1947
Recommissioned:	1 May 1950
Decommissioned:	November 1953
Identification:	pennant number K425/F425
Honours and awards:	Arctic, 1944 North Sea, 1945
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, 1960
General characteristics
Class & type:	Loch-class frigate
Displacement:	1,435 tons
Length:	307 ft 9 in (93.80 m)
Beam:	38 ft 9 in (11.81 m)
Draught:	8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Propulsion:	2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers 2 shafts 4-cylinder vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines, 5,500 hp (4,100 kW)
Speed:	20 knots (37 km/h)
Range:	9,500 nautical miles (17,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement:	114
Armament:	1 × QF 4 inch Mark V on 1 single mounting HA Mk.III** 4 × QF 2-pounder Mk.VII on 1 quad mount Mk.VII 4 × 20 mm Oerlikon A/A on 2 twin mounts Mk.V (or 2 × 40 mm Bofors A/A on 2 single mounts Mk.III) Up to 8 × 20 mm Oerlikon A/A on single mounts Mk.III 2 × Squid triple barreled A/S mortars 1 rail and 2 throwers for depth charges

HMS Loch Dunvegan was a Loch-class frigate of the British Royal Navy, named after Loch Dunvegan in Scotland. Launched in 1944 the ship saw service in World War II, and in the Mediterranean Fleet in the early 1950s, before being broken up in 1960.

Service history

World War II

Commissioned in June 1944, the ship was allocated for service in the 10th Escort Group for Atlantic convoy defence duty. In August she was detached to the 20th Escort Group for Russian convoy duty, joining Convoy JW-59 to Murmansk. On 24 August Loch Dunvegan took part in the sinking of the German submarine U-354. The next day the convoy arrived at Kola Inlet and the ship was detached to join Convoy RA-59A for the return journey. She rejoined 10th Escort Group at Derry on 5 September, to serve in convoy and anti-submarine operations. On 14 February 1945 she took part in the sinking of U-989. In March the Group was transferred to the English Channel to continue operations against U-boats.^[1]

Post-war

After the German surrender in May 1945 the ship was transferred to the Rosyth Escort Force and also employed in Air-Sea Rescue duty in the Atlantic. She also supported re-occupation operations in Norway. In August 1945 Loch Dunvegan was transferred to 1st Anti-Submarine Training Flotilla based at Londonderry, where she served until August 1947 when she was decommissioned and placed in reserve at Devonport.^[1]

In 1948 her pennant number was changed to F425 from K425.^[1]

Mediterranean Fleet, 1950s

After a refit Loch Dunvegan was recommissioned on 1 May 1950 for service in the 2nd Frigate Flotilla of the Mediterranean Fleet, arriving at Malta on 26 June. The usual programme of exercises and visits followed, and including a period as Guard ship at Aqaba. While under repair at Gibraltar on 27 April 1951 she gave assistance after the destruction of the ammunition ship RFA Bedenham in an explosion. In May 1951 she returned to Malta to rejoin the 2nd Frigate Flotilla, but when entering Mellieħa, she grounded, sustaining extensive damage, including the loss of propeller blades. Further repairs took until September, and on her arrival at Sliema the ship was involved in a series of collisions, including one with the destroyer Saintes, the Leader of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla. In January–February 1952 Loch Dunvegan was deployed as Guardship at Port Said during Egyptian threats to nationalise the Suez Canal, and provided shore parties in support of the military authorities after widespread anti-British riots. Flotilla duties and exercises then occupied her until November 1952 when she returned to the UK, was decommissioned and put into reserve at Devonport and then Penarth.^[1]

Loch Dunvegan remained in reserve at Penarth until 1960 when she was sold for scrapping at T. W. Ward of Briton Ferry, where the ship arrived under tow on 24 August 1960.^[1]

References

1 2 3 4 5 Mason, Geoffrey B. (2005). Gordon Smith, ed. "Loch Dunvegan, frigate". naval-history.net. Retrieved 11 March 2010.

Publications

Colledge, J. J.; Warlow, Ben (2006) [1969]. Ships of the Royal Navy: The Complete Record of all Fighting Ships of the Royal Navy (Rev. ed.). London: Chatham Publishing. ISBN 978-1-86176-281-8. OCLC 67375475.

Loch-class frigates

Royal Navy

Completed	Naver / Loch Achanalt Loch Achray Loch Alvie Loch Ard Loch Arkaig Loch Assynt / Derby Haven Loch Boisdale Loch Craggie Loch Cree Loch Dunvegan Loch Eck Loch Fada Loch Fyne Loch Glendhu Loch Gorm Loch Insh Loch Katrine Loch Killin Loch Killisport Loch Lomond Loch More Loch Morlich Loch Quoich Loch Ruthven Loch Scavaig Loch Shin Loch Tarbert Loch Torridon / Woodbridge Haven Loch Tralaig Loch Veyatie

Reordered as Bay class	Loch Achility / St Brides Bay Loch Amish / Tremadoc Bay Loch Arklet / Start Bay Loch Brachdale / Enard Bay Loch Carloway / Bigbury Bay Loch Carron / Gerrans Bay / Surprise Loch Coulside / Padstow Bay Loch Eil / Herne Bay / Dampier Loch Fannich / Hollesley Bay Loch Foin / Largo Bay Loch Frisa / Widemouth Bay Loch Garasdale / Wigtown Bay Loch Glass / Luce Bay / Dalrymple Loch Harport / Burghead Bay Loch Heilen / Morecambe Bay Loch Kilbernie / Mounts Bay Loch Laxford / Cardigan Bay Loch Lubnaig / Whitesand Bay Loch Lyddoch / St Austell Bay Loch Maddy / Carnarvon Bay Loch Mochrum / Pegwell Bay / Cook Loch Muick (K640) / Thurso Bay / Owen Loch Muick (K650) / Loch Seaforth / Porlock Bay Loch Roan / Cawsand Bay Loch Scamdale / Dundrum Bay / Alert Loch Swannay / Veryan Bay

Cancelled	Loch Affric Loch Awe Loch Badcall Loch Caroy Loch Clunie Loch Creran Loch Doine Loch Earn Loch Enoch Loch Ericht Loch Erisort Loch Eye Loch Eynort Loch Garve Loch Glashan Loch Goil Loch Griam Loch Harray Loch Hourn Loch Inchard Loch Ken Loch Kirbister Loch Kirkaig Loch Kishorn Loch Knockie Loch Laro Loch Linfern Loch Linnhe Loch Lurgan Loch Lyon Loch Maberry Loch Minnick Loch Nell Loch Odairn Loch Ossian Loch Ronald Loch Ryan Loch Scridain Loch Sheallag Loch Shiel Loch Skaig Loch Skerrow Loch Stemster Loch Stenness Loch Striven Loch Sunart Loch Swin Loch Tanna Loch Tilt Loch Tummell Loch Urigill Loch Vanavie Loch Vennachar Loch Watten

Other operators

Royal Canadian Navy	Loch Achanalt Loch Alvie Loch Morlich

Imperial Iranian Navy	Babr (ex-Derby Haven)

Royal Malaysian Navy	Hang Tuah (ex-Loch Insh)

Royal New Zealand Navy	Hawea (ex-Loch Eck) Kaniere (ex-Loch Achray) Pukaki (ex-Loch Achanalt) Rotoiti (ex-Loch Katrine) Taupo (ex-Loch Shin) Tutira (ex-Loch Morlich)

South African Navy	Good Hope (ex-Loch Boisdale) Natal (ex-Loch Cree) Transvaal (ex-Loch Ard)

Preceded by: Captain class
Followed by: Bay class

List of frigates of the Royal Navy

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