HMNZS Kaniere (F426)

HMS Loch Achray
History
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.

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.

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.

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. 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.

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