HMS Loch Achray (K426)

History
HMS Loch Achray
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Loch Achray
Namesake:	Loch Achray
Ordered:	25 January 1943
Builder:	Smiths Dock Co., Ltd.
Yard number:	1130
Laid down:	13 December 1943
Launched:	7 July 1944
Commissioned:	1 February 1945
Decommissioned:	July 1946
Identification:	pennant number K426
Honours and awards:	Atlantic, 1945
Fate:	Sold to Royal New Zealand Navy, 7 September 1948
New Zealand
Name:	HMNZS Kaniere
Namesake:	Lake Kaniere
Acquired:	7 September 1948
Commissioned:	27 September 1948
Decommissioned:	1961
Reclassified:	Training ship, 1957
Homeport:	Auckland
Identification:	pennant number F426
Motto:	Kia Maia ("Be firm")
Honours and awards:	Korea, 1953
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, September 1966
General characteristics
Class and type:	Loch-class frigate
Displacement:	1,435 tons
Length:	286 ft (87 m) p/p 307 ft 3 in (93.65 m) o/a
Beam:	38 ft 6 in (11.73 m)
Draught:	8 ft 9 in (2.67 m) standard 13 ft 3 in (4.04 m) full
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 (17,590 km) at 12 kt, 730 tons oil fuel
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 8 × 20 mm Oerlikon A/A on single mounts Mk.III 2 × Squid triple barrelled A/S mortars One rail and two throwers for depth charges

HMS Loch Achray was a Loch-class frigate of the Royal Navy. She was built by Smith's Dock Co. Ltd. in South Bank-on-Tees and launched on 7 July 1944. After service in World War II, she was sold to the Royal New Zealand Navy and renamed HMNZS Kaniere (F426) in September 1948. After service in the Korean War, she was used as a training ship from 1957. She was sold in 1966 for breaking up in Hong Kong.

HMS Loch Achray

After sea trials Loch Achray joined the 8th Escort Group in March 1945 for service in the Western Approaches. On 12 April, in the Irish Sea, the Group forced the German submarine U-1024 to the surface and engaged her with gunfire. The crew abandoned ship and the U-boat was taken in tow after being boarded, but sank the next day.^[1]

After the German surrender in May 1945 Loch Achray took part in "Operation Deadlight", escorting surrendered German U-boats from Scapa Flow to Loch Ryan.^[1]

In September 1945 Loch Achray joined the East Indies Escort Force in the Indian Ocean in supporting military operations and assisting with returning liberated prisoners of the Japanese to Singapore. The ship returned to Portsmouth in July 1946, and was placed in reserve.^[1] In 1948, she was part of a lot of six Loch-class frigates refitted and sold at a combined cost of £232,750 to New Zealand.

HMNZS Kaniere

Kaniere was commissioned in Portsmouth, England on 27 September 1948, and arrived in Auckland, New Zealand in January 1949, joining the 11th Frigate Flotilla. Patrols and exercises occupied her until November 1951 when she was put in reserve.^[1]

Recommissioned in November 1952, she joined the United Nations Naval Task Group based at Sasebo, carrying out her first patrol along the west coast of Korea in April 1953. She remained there after the declaration of the cease-fire in August, finally returning to Auckland in April 1954. In September the warship joined the 3rd Frigate Squadron, Far East Fleet, based at Singapore, as part of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve. She was detached to UN support duties off Korea, based at Sasebo, from October 1954 until May 1955, and returned to Auckland in July. After a refit she rejoined the 3rd Frigate Squadron in March 1956, once again being engaged in UN support duties from June to July.^[1]

From October 1956 until April 1957 Kaniere helped address the Malayan Emergency off Borneo, returning to Auckland in June to refit. Kaniere was then assigned as a training ship, taking part in exercises, training cruises and port visits.^[1]

On 17 November 1958, Kaniere towed the coaster Port Waikato, which had engine failure near the Chatham Islands, to Port Lyttelton.

On 3 August 1959 Kaniere collided with the ferry Makora in dense fog off Devonport.

The ship was decommissioned in 1961, and served as a harbour training ship until 1965. Kaniere was sold for scrapping in 1966.^[1]

Decommissioning and fate

On 18 January 1967 Kaniere was paired with her sister ship Rotoiti and towed by the tug Daisy to Hong Kong for breaking up.

References

Notes

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Mason, Geoffrey B. (1999). Smith, Gordon, ed. "HMS Loch Achray, frigate". naval-history.net. Retrieved 10 March 2010.

Bibliography

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.
HMS Loch Achray at Uboat.net
lochclassfrigates.com

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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