HMS Lowestoft

Service life
The Lowestoft was part of the Harwich Force which made a sweep into the Heligoland Bight on 28th August 1914, tempting the German forces on to the guns of the British Battle-cruisers under the command of Admiral David Beatty. The plot was successful - three German cruisers were sunk; Ariadne, Köln and Mainz, and the destroyer V187.

Joined the 2nd Light Cruiser Squadron 1915-16.
Flagship of the 8th Light Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean 1916-17.
The ship had a refit in Malta in 1917.
On completion of refit returned to the 8th Light Cruiser Squadron 1918-19.
Joined the South Africa Squadron and the 6th Light Cruiser Squadron 1919-24; she was the Flagship of the Squadron from 1921 to 1924.
Had a refit from 1924 to 1925.
Rejoined the 6th Light cruiser Squadron 1925-29.
Returned to the UK and paid off in Devonport October 1929.
Sold to Wards of Milford haven in 1931.

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The eighth Lowestoft

Lowestoft L59, 1934. Grimsby Class sloop

Service life
The ship Commissioned on the 20th November 1934 and joined the China Squadron where she relieved HMS Bridgewater. Lowestoft remained on the China Station from 1934 until 1939 and the outbreak of the Second World War.
On 12th July 1942 Lowestoft collided with the French destroyer Leopard.
Lowestoft became the Senior Officer's ship the 57th Escort Group in 1945.
On the 4th October 1946 she was sold for conversion to a merchant vessel and would have worked under the Panamanian Flag with the name Miraflores. She was partially converted at Barry then moved to Dunkirk for completion. In 1948 the ship was arrested for owners' debts and laid up in Dunkirk.
The ship was sold to Belgian ship breakers in 1955 and was towed to Antwerp for breaking up on the 5th August 1955.

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The ninth Lowestoft

Lowestoft F103, Rothesay Class Type 12 Frigate

I joined HMS Lowestoft on 18thAugust 1975 and went straight to Portland for a short work up, then on to Scotland for submarine exercises in the Clyde, to be closely followed by exercise Highwood, then into Rosyth.

October saw the ship in Aberdeen where we were given a Civic Reception, and after just over a week went back to sea as Ark Royal's plane guard while she did her work up - then back back to Portsmouth.

At this time Lowestoft was part of the 3rd Frigate Squadron and in November the Squadron had a visit to Hamburg. Whilst in Hamburg we heard all was not well in the fishing grounds off Iceland, so we went to take part in the second Cod War so spending a chilly Christmas and New Year on patrol around Iceland.

Lowestoft, after being rammed by Thor

January 1976, Portsmouth and some leave - then back once again to Iceland. During this patrol the Gunboat Thor rammed us on the starboard side by the gun turret. The Captains of these ships had warped senses of humour - how large a hole they could make in a British Warship's side or how much damage they could do to our trawlers? It was only by superb seamanship on behalf of all the skippers (Royal and Merchant) that nobody was injured or killed. The actions were apparently without regard for safety and we felt the Icelandic Captains should have been arrested for attempted murder. One of our trawlers came under fire from the gunboats and we were sent to rescue them and the escort them home to Grimsby.

April took us back to the Clyde. We took part in submarines officers working up so they could become Captains. After this there was a short spell in Flushing where we took part in the tercentenary celebrations for Admiral De Ruyter, then back to Iceland for the third patrol - don't we all know how to have fun? Little did we know at that time our reward for all of this would take us to America for their bicentenary celebrations. We visited Bridgeport and New York but it all ended too quickly and we were soon heading back to the UK for Portsmouth Navy Days on the August bank Holiday.

Our next jaunt was four weeks on exercise Teamwork and on completion a visit to the town of Lowestoft before returning to Portsmouth for a large refit to convert us into the trials ship for towed array sonar. I was able to get away to RAF St Morgan in Cornwall to spend some time with 42 Squadron (Nimrods) and had a wonderful time.

The refit started on 5th October 1976 and was completed on 29th July 1977. The Ship was Rededicated on 21st October 1977. October and November was spent off Gibraltar doing trials, then back again to Portsmouth for leave.

1978 saw the ship in Scotland, then Maderia on trials. Late May to early June was spent in Chatham for Navy Days, then back to Gibraltar for an other set of trials before a second visit to Lowestoft - followed by - yes, Portsmouth again for yet another Navy Days (getting good at this). The remainder of the year was trials and a visit to Liverpool.

The rest of 1978 was the usual routine of trials and leave. We were due for a refit in Portsmouth in November but due to unrest in the dockyard work force we were sent to Falmouth in Cornwall where we arrived on 1st November 1978. I left the ship for the last time in Falmouth to go on draft to Vernon in Portsmouth - this time to be on the instructional staff to teach Oceanography which I thoroughly enjoyed. I was also given the great pleasure of being the Chairman of the TASI's Association for just over the two years that I served in Vernon.

Length of gun deck		104' 4"
Length of keel		89' 9"
Beam		27' 8"
Depth of hold		10' 4"
Displacement		357 tons
Armament
Upper deck		6 X 32 pounders
		22 X shakers
		4 X 3 pounders
Built by		Chatham Dockyard
Launched		1679
Broken up in 1722

Length of gun deck		106'
Length of keel		89' 9"
Beam		28' 4"
Launched		18th December 1723
Sold in 1744

Length of gundeck		112'
Length of keel		91' 6"
Beam		32'
Depth of hold		11'
Displacement		498 tons
Armament
Gundeck		2 X 9 pounders
Upper deck		20 X 9 pounders
Quarterdeck		2 X 3 pounders
Complement		160
Built by		Buxton of Deptford
Ordered		24th August 1741
Keel laid		28th October 1741
Launched		8th July 1742
Sold in 1749

Length of gundeck		117' 10"
Length of keel		96' 8"
Beam		33' 8"
Depth of hold		10' 2"
Displacement		583 tons
Armament
Upper deck		24 X 9 pounders
Quarterdeck		4 X 3 pounders
Complement		200
Built by		Greaves of Limehouse
Ordered		20th May 1755
Keel laid		June 1755
Launched		17th May 1756

Length of gun deck		130'
Length of keel		107'
Beam		35"
Depth of hold		12' 6"
Displacement		12' 6"
Armament
Upper deck		26 X 12 pounders
Quarterdeck		4 X 6 pounders
Forecastle		2 X 6 pounders & 12 swivels
Complement		220
Built by		West of Deptford
Ordered		24th April 1760
Keel laid		9th May 1760
Launched		5th June 1761

Displacement		5440 tons standard load
		6040 tons full load
Length		457' overall
Beam		50'
Draught		16'
Machinery		4 shafts Parsons turbines, 12 Yarrow boilers
		25000 shaft horsepower
Speed		25½ knots
Armament		9 X 6"
		4 X 3 pounders
Torpedo tubes		2 X 21" submerged on the beam
Complement		480
Built by		Chatham Dockyard
Laid down		27th July 1912
Launched		23rd April 1913
Completed		April 1914

Displacement		990 tons
Length		266' overall
Beam		36'
Draught		7½'
Machinery		2 shafts geared turbines, 2000 shaft horsepower
Speed		16½ knots
Armament		2 X 4.7" Anti-aicraft
		4 X .5" Anti-aircraft (1 X 4)
Complement		100
Built by		Devonport Dockyard. Finished by White of Cowes
Laid down		21st August 1933
Launched		11th April 1934

Displacement		2800 tons full load in modified Rothesays
Length		370' overall
Beam		41'
Draught		17' 4"
Armament		2 X 4.5" Dual purpose on a Mk VI mounting (1 X 2)
		1 X 40mm on STAGG mountings
Anti submarine weapons		2 X Limbo mortar Mk 10 mountings
Aircraft		1 X Wasp helicopter
Machinery		2 X Bacock & Wilcox boilers operating at 550lb sq. in, 850°F
		English Electric geared turbines, 2 shafts, 30000 shafts horsepower
Speed		30 knots
Complement		235 in modified Rothesays
Built by		Alex Stephens & Sons
Laid down		19th June 1958
Launched		23rd June 1960
Completed		26th September 1961