HMS Woodbridge Haven (K.654) was a Royal Navy Coastal Forces depot ship built in 1945. Originally designed as a Loch-class anti-submarine frigate, the ship was converted to be an auxiliary for the Coastal Forces after the end of World War II. Woodbridge Haven displaced 1,650 tons, measuring 307 ft (94 m) long, 38.5 ft (11.7 m) wide, and with a draft of 13 ft (4.0 m). It had two diesel engines which provided 5,500 HP to two screw propellers, allowing for a speed of 19.5 knots. The ship was armed with a single 4-inch gun and six 20mm anti-aircraft guns. It was manned by a complement of 103 crew.[1][2]

History
Royal Navy EnsignUnited Kingdom
Name
  • HMS Woodbridge Haven (K.654)
  • HMS Loch Torridon
Ordered13 February 1943
BuilderSwan Hunter & Wigham Richard
Yard number1790
Laid down2 May 1944
Launched13 January 1945
Commissioned10 October 1945
Decommissioned11 July 1963
Nickname(s)Woo Ha
FateScrapped 1965
General characteristics
Class and typeConverted Loch-class frigate
TypeDepot ship
Displacement1,650 tons
Length307.3 ft (93.7 m)
Beam38.5 ft (11.7 m)
Draught12.8 ft (3.9 m)
Speed19.5 knots
Complement103
Armament

History

edit

The ship was originally intended to be named HMS Loch Torridon in keeping with the naming scheme of the Loch-class frigates. It was launched as an anti-submarine frigate in January 1945, but by that point the Royal Navy had no need for further ships in the Loch-class. As such, the ship was converted into a depot ship for service in the Far East with the Coastal Forces. However, because of the further construction time needed for the conversion, the ship was not commissioned until after VJ Day, and was again no longer needed. Just a month after commissioning as HMS Woodbridge Haven in October 1945, the ship was placed into reserve at Harwich.[1][3][4]

Woodbridge Haven, nicknamed Woo Ha by its crew, was accepted into service in early 1946 as a submarine target ship with the 5th Submarine Flotilla at Rothesay. The ship remained in this role until 1955, when it was refitted yet again as a headquarters ship for minesweeping operations in Malta. It took part in minesweeping missions in the Suez Canal as part of the Suez Crisis in 1956, and was then transferred to Singapore in 1959. In 1963, Woodbridge Haven was relieved of its duties by HMS Manxman and was decommissioned. The ship was sold for scrap and was towed to Blythe to be broken up in August 1965.[3][4]

References

edit
  1. ^ a b Worth, Jack (1992). British warships since 1945. Maritime. p. 153.
  2. ^ "Woodbridge Haven 1945". www.tynebuiltships.co.uk. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  3. ^ a b "HMS Woodbridge Haven, depot ship, post-WW2". www.naval-history.net. Retrieved 2023-05-07.
  4. ^ a b "HMS Woodbridge Haven". TON Class Association. Retrieved 2023-05-07.