HMS Loch Katrine (K625)

HMS Loch Katrine was a Loch-class frigate of the British Royal Navy, built by Henry Robb at Leith, Scotland, and named after Loch Katrine in Scotland. The ship was laid down on 31 December 1943, launched on 21 August 1944, and completed and commissioned in December 1944. The ship served in World War II as a convoy escort in the Atlantic, and afterwards in the Indian Ocean. Decommissioned in May 1946, the ship was sold to New Zealand in 1948, and renamed HMNZS Rotoiti (F625). The ship saw active service during the Korean War, and was finally sold for scrap in 1965.[1]

Loch Katrine in December 1944
History
United Kingdom
NameHMS Loch Katrine
NamesakeLoch Katrine
Ordered25 January 1943
BuilderHenry Robb, Leith
Yard number347
Laid down31 December 1943
Launched21 August 1944
Completed29 December 1944
CommissionedDecember 1944
DecommissionedMay 1946
IdentificationPennant number K625/F625
FateSold to New Zealand, 1948
New Zealand
NameHMNZS Rotoiti
Acquired1948
Commissioned7 May 1949
DecommissionedApril 1953
RecommissionedFebruary 1957
DecommissionedAugust 1965
IdentificationF625
FateSold for scrapping, 1966
General characteristics
Class and typeLoch-class frigate
Displacement1,435 long tons (1,458 t)
Length307 ft 9 in (93.80 m)
Beam38 ft 9 in (11.81 m)
Draught8 ft 9 in (2.67 m)
Propulsion
Speed20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range9,500 nmi (17,600 km) at 12 kn (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement114
Armament

Service history

After sea trials Loch Katrine joined the 20th Escort Group based at Derry on 25 January 1945 and was deployed as escort for a Gibraltar convoy. On her return in February the ship was transferred to 24th Escort Group as the Senior Officer's ship for further Gibraltar convoys until the German surrender in May. The Group was then deployed in the North-Western Approaches to escort surrendering U-boats to Lisahally as part of "Operation Deadlight".[1]

Loch Katrine returned to Derry to refit before departing in July with Loch Quoich to join the East Indies Escort Force. The ships arrived at Colombo on 4 August, and took part in preparations for planned landings in Malaya ("Operation Zipper"). On 7 September Loch Katrine was at Singapore for the formal surrender ceremonies. Local convoy escort duties and patrols occupied her until December, when she sailed to Batavia to support military operations in Dutch East Indies.[1]

In 1946 she was deployed for convoy escort in the Malacca Strait and Bay of Bengal during repatriation operations, and carried out Air-Sea Rescue duty. In March she departed for the UK, arriving back at Portsmouth on 29 April to decommission, and was placed in Reserve. In 1947 her Pennant number was changed to F625.[1]

Loch Katrine was sold to the Royal New Zealand Navy for £234,150 in 1948, and after refitting was commissioned into RNZN service at Portsmouth on 7 May 1949, and was renamed Rotoiti on 16 May.[1]

References
  1. Mason, Geoffrey B. Gordon Smith (ed.). "HMS Loch Katrine, frigate". naval-history.net. Retrieved 20 March 2010.

Bibliography
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