HMS Loch Killin (K391)

Loch Killin in May 1944
Career
Name: HMS Loch Killin
Namesake: Loch Killin
Ordered: 6 March 1943
Builder: Burntisland Shipbuilding Company
Yard number: 283
Laid down: 2 June 1943
Launched: 29 November 1943
Completed: 12 April 1944
Commissioned: April 1944
Decommissioned: September 1945
Honours and
awards:
Atlantic 1944
Biscay 1944
English Channel 1945
Fate: Sold for scrapping, 1960
General characteristics
Class and type:Loch-class frigate
Displacement:1,435 long tons (1,458 t)
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 ihp (4,100 kW)
Speed:20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range:9,500 nmi (17,600 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph), 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 (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 barrelled A/S mortars
• 1 rail and 2 throwers for depth charges

HMS Loch Killin (K391) was a Loch-class frigate of the Royal Navy, named after Loch Killin in Scotland. The ship was laid down at Burntisland Shipbuilding Company's yard in Fife on 2 June 1943, and launched on 29 November 1943. She was one of the first vessels armed with the brand new Squid anti-submarine mortar. Decommissioned in September 1945, the ship was put into Reserve, and finally scrapped on 24 August 1960. She was captained during the war by Lieutenant-Commander S. Darling, DSC and Bar, RANVR.[1]

Service history

1945

In January and February 1945 Loch Killin was detached for service in the English Channel providing convoy escort and support for short periods, before the rest of 17 EG was transferred to Plymouth for support duty in the Channel in April.[1] On 15 April 1945 Loch Killin sank U-1063 in the English Channel west of Land's End, in position 50°8′54″N 3°53′24″W / 50.14833°N 3.89000°W, with gunfire and depth charges.[2]

After the German surrender in May 1945 Loch Killin and 17 EG returned to the Clyde. In June the ship was transferred to the Rosyth Escort Force to escort convoys to Norway, paying visits to Stavanger, Bergen and Trondheim. In September Loch Killin sailed to Dartmouth to decommission.[1]

Decommissioning and disposal

After her stores and supplies were removed Loch Killin was put into the Reserve on 7 November 1945 as a Category "B" vessel. The ship was later transferred to Plymouth, and nominated for modernisation, but this was cancelled in June 1951. The ship was transferred to the Reserve Fleet at Penarth in June 1956, and finally placed on the Disposal List on 12 April 1960. The ship was sold for demolition by John Cashmore Ltd of Newport, and the ship was towed to the breaker's yard on 24 August 1960.[1]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "HMS Loch Killin, frigate". naval-history.net. Retrieved 17 March 2010.
  2. "HMS Loch Killin (K 391) - Frigate of the Loch class - Allied Warships of WWII - uboat.net". uboat.net. Retrieved 17 March 2010.

Bibliography