HMS Whitesand Bay (K633)

Whitesand Bay in 1945
History
United Kingdom
Name:	HMS Whitesand Bay
Namesake:	Whitesand Bay, Cornwall
Ordered:	11 May 1943
Builder:	Harland and Wolff, Belfast
Yard number:	621
Laid down:	8 August 1944
Launched:	16 December 1944
Completed:	30 July 1945
Commissioned:	July 1945
Decommissioned:	December 1954
Identification:	pennant number K633/F633
Honours and awards:	Korea 1950-53
Fate:	Sold for scrapping, 1955
Badge:	On a Field Blue, a boar's head erased White, tongued Red
General characteristics
Class and type:	Bay-class frigate
Displacement:	1,600 long tons (1,626 t) standard 2,530 long tons (2,571 t) full
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:	12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Propulsion:	2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 2 shafts, 4-cylinder vertical triple expansion reciprocating engines, 5,500 ihp (4,100 kW)
Speed:	19.5 knots (36.1 km/h; 22.4 mph)
Range:	724 tons oil fuel, 9,500 nmi (17,600 km) at 12 knots (22 km/h)
Complement:	Frigates: 157 - Despatch vessels: 160 - Survey ships: 133
Sensors and processing systems:	Type 285 fire control radar Type 291 air warning radar Type 276 target indication radar High Frequency Direction Finder (HF/DF) IFF transponder
Armament:	4 × QF 4 inch Mark XVI guns on 2 twin mounting HA/LA Mk.XIX 4 × 40 mm Bofors A/A on 2 twin mounts Mk.V 4 × 20 mm Oerlikon A/A on 2 twin mounts Mk.V 1 × Hedgehog 24 barrel A/S projector 2 rails and 4 throwers for 50 depth charges

HMS Whitesand Bay was a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy, named for Whitesand Bay in Cornwall. In commission from 1945 to 1954, she served in the Pacific, Mediterranean, West Indies and Far East Fleets, seeing active service in the Korean War.

The ship was originally ordered from Harland and Wolff of Belfast on 11 May 1943 as the Loch-class frigate Loch Lubnaig, and laid down on 8 February 1944 as Admiralty Job Number J3932. However the contract was changed on 5 October 1944, and the ship was completed to a revised design as a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate, launched on 16 December 1944, and completed on 30 July 1945 with the pennant number K633.

Whitesand Bay was commissioned under the command of Lieutenant-Commander B.C. Longbottom for service with the Pacific Escort Force. After sea trials at Tobermory in August, and weapons testing at Portland in September, she sailed on 5 October in company with her sister ship Bigbury Bay. After exercises with ships of Mediterranean Fleet she sailed to Hong Kong, arriving in December 1945.

Whitesand Bay was initially deployed in the South China Sea for patrols and trade defence, including the escort of colliers from French Indochina to Hong Kong. In May 1946 she sailed to Auckland, New Zealand to refit, returning to Hong Kong in August to resume patrol and escort duties. In September she was deployed in the Formosa Strait, returning to Singapore in December. In February 1947 she was deployed at Hong Kong for trade defence and patrol duties, and took part in Fleet exercises.

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Wikipedia