Loch Fada 1943 HMS - Frigate

[Woody]

HMS Loch Fada
Frigate, Loch Class - K.390, F.390
Laid down 8/6/1943 and launched by John Brown Clydebank, Yard No 614, on 14/12/1943. Arrived at Faslane to be scrapped on 28/5/1970
1435t standard; 2260t deep load
307ft oa x 38ft 7in x 12ft 4in mean deep load
2-shaft, 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 5500ihp giving 19.5 knots
1 x 4in/45 QF Mk V HA, 4 x 2pdr pompom (1 x 4), 2 Squid and 15DC
Crew 114

Commissioned 10/4/1944 and worked up at Tobermory before joining the 2nd Escort Group at Plymouth for anti-submarine duties in theBay of Biscay.
June 1944 the group preventing U-boats entering the channel during the Normandy landings and sank U-333
August 1944 the Group sank U-736 and U-385
September 1944 the Group was deployed at Londonderry for escort duties in the Irish Sea
December 1944 docked at Belfast for Hull stiffening (design weakness in the Loch Class)
January 1945 group deployed in SW Approaches
27/2/1945 sank U-1018 in the Channel South of Penzance by depth charges from her Squid. Assisted by HMS Labuan and Wild Goose
6/5/1945 Group transferred to the Home Fleet for the re-occupation of Norway
July 1945 to Rosyth for anti-submarine training duties
November 1946 joined the A/S Training Squadron at Londonderry
December 1945 took part in Operation Deadlight (destruction of U-boats)
18/3/1946 to Devonport for Refit
14/6/1946 resumed training duties at Londonderry
September 1946 transferred to the 4th Escort Flotilla at Londonderry for training duties
June 1947 damaged in a collision with repairs starting at Londonderry and then transferred to Rosyth for Refit
January 1948 resumed duties at Londonderry
January 1949 Flotilla renamed 3rd Training Flotilla
April-August 1949 Refit at Rosyth
April 1952 Reduced to Reserves at Portsmouth prior to modernisation
October 1953 commenced modernisation at Portsmouth
July 1954 towed to Barry for dehumidification and Reserves
February 1955 towed back to Portsmouth to prepare for Operational Service
21/6/1955 re-commissioned for service and worked up at Portland for service with the Home Fleet
9/11/1955 left Portsmouth for Bahrein, for duties in the Persian Gulf, via Malta and the Suez Canal
4/3/1956 diverted to Mombassa to pick up Archbishop Makarious for his detention in the Seychelles
April 1956 Refit at Colombo prior to service with the East Indies Squadron
July 1956 returned to Bahrein for Persian Gulf Duties
8/11/1956 arrived at Portsmouth, via Simonstown, for Refit
May 1957 left for Bahrein via the Cape to continue duties in the Gulf and Far East
May-November 1958 Refit at Portsmouth and back to Bahrein
7/7/1959 passage to Portsmouth with a defective propeller shaft, causing withdrawl from service.
19/1/1960 following repairs and refit, re-commissioned for service with the 6th FS, Home Fleet and worked up at Portland
19/3/1960 passage to Iceland for Fishery Protection duties
May 1960 prepared for Foreign Service at Portsmouth and sailed for Bahrein via the Red Sea
May 1961 arrived at Chatham for long term Refit
26/6/1962 re-commissioned for service with 3rd FS. Far East and worked up at Portland for five more years of service in the East
27/10/1967 paid off at Portsmouth and Reduced to Reserves
1/2/1968 towed out to be laid up at the MOD range at Luce Bay, Scotland and was used as a floating platform for test firing of Vertical Launch Sea Wolf missiles off the quarter deck
5/11/1968 broke away from her moorings and drifted into the Irish Sea. She was recovered, taken to Pembroke dock where she was found unsuitable for further trials.

Battle Honours: NORMANDY 1944 - ENGLISH CHANNEL 1945 - ATLANTIC 1945