HMS Loch Killin (K391)

Loch Killin in May 1944
History
United Kingdom
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
Identification	pennant number K391
Honours and awards	Atlantic 1944 Biscay 1944 English Channel 1945
Fate	Sold for scrapping, 1960
General characteristics
Class and type	Template:Sclass2-
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 (102 mm) Mark V gun on 1 single mounting HA Mk.III** 4 × QF 2-pounder (40 mm) guns 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 was a Template:Sclass2- 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.

Service history

1944

Lock Killin along with the sloop Starling sank the German submarine U-333 on 31 July 1944 to the west of Land's End. This was first submarine kill using the Squid anti-submarine mortar. On 6 August 1944 Loch Killin sank U-736.

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. 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, with gunfire and depth charges.

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.

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.

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.
• Service Histories of Royal Navy Warships in World War II : HMS Loch Killin
• Uboat.net : HMS Loch Killin