Allied Warships

HMS Louis (K 515)

Frigate of the Captain class

NavyThe Royal Navy
TypeFrigate
ClassCaptain 
PennantK 515 
Built byBoston Navy Yard (Boston, Massachusetts, U.S.A.) 
Ordered 
Laid down9 Jul 1943 
Launched13 Aug 1943 
Commissioned9 Nov 1943 
End service 
History

Assigned USN penant DE 517 but not named.

Returned to the USN on 20 March 1946. Scrapped.

 
Former nameDE 517

Commands listed for HMS Louis (K 515)

Please note that we're still working on this section
and that we only list Commanding Officers for the duration of the Second World War.

CommanderFromTo
1A/Lt.Cdr. Robert Johnston, RNR9 Nov 19437 May 1944
2Cdr.(Retd.) Lewis Bernard Alexander Majendie, RN7 May 19444 Mar 1945
3A/Lt.Cdr. John Humphrey Michael Sowry, RNVR4 Mar 1945???
4A/Cdr. Wilfred Lambert, RNVR???Oct 1945 ?

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Notable events involving Louis include:


2 Feb 1944
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.N. Joyce, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Louis (A/Lt.Cdr. R. Johnston, RNR), HMS Camellia (T/A/Lt.Cdr. A.H. Lyons, RNVR) and aircraft. (1)

5 Mar 1944
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.N. Joyce, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Louis (A/Lt.Cdr. R. Johnston, RNR). (2)

6 Mar 1944
HMS H 44 (Lt. P.N. Joyce, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Louis (A/Lt.Cdr. R. Johnston, RNR). (2)

7 Mar 1944
HrMs O 9 (Lt. J.B.M.J. Maas, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Louis (A/Lt.Cdr. R. Johnston, RNR), HMCS Waskesiu (Lt.Cdr. J.P. Fraser, RCNR), HMCS Rimouski (T/Lt. R.J. Pickford, RCNVR) and HMCS Snowberry (T/Lt. J.A. Dunn, RCNVR). (3)

9 Mar 1944
HMS H 34 (Lt. R.L. Jay, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Lough Foyle with HMS Louis (A/Lt.Cdr. R. Johnston, RNR). In the afternoon exercises were sheduled with aircraft but these had to be cancelled due to the weather conditions. (4)

14 Mar 1944
HrMs O 9 (Lt. J.B.M.J. Maas, RNN) participated in A/S exercises off Lough Foyle together with HMS Tavy (T/A/Lt.Cdr. F. Ardern, RNR), HMS Swale (Lt.Cdr. J. Jackson, DSC, RNR), HMS Starwort (Lt. A.H. Kent, RNR), HMS Geranium (T/Lt. G. Wallace, RNR), HMS Londonderry (Lt.Cdr. L.B. Philpott, DSC, RD, RNR), HMS Louis (A/Lt.Cdr. R. Johnston, RNR), HMS Anguilla (T/A/Lt.Cdr. C. Morrison-Payne, RNVR) and HMS Petunia (Lt. R.M. Roberts, RNR). (3)

24 Aug 1944
German U-boat U-445 in the Bay of Biscay west of St. Nazaire, France, in position 47°21'N, 05°50'W, by depth charges from the British frigate HMS Louis (A/Cdr. L.B.A. Majendie, RN (retired)).

24 Nov 1944
HMS Vitality (Lt. K.S. Renshaw, DSC, RNR) conducted A/S exercises off Campbeltown with HMS Narborough (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Muttram, DSC, RN), HMS Louis (A/Lt.Cdr. R. Johnston, RNR), HMS Inglis (T/A/Lt.Cdr. A.P. Cobbold, RNVR) and HMS Lawson (Lt. J.P. Somerville, RN). (5)

18 Dec 1944
HMS Vengeful (Lt. A.S. Melville-Ross, DSC, RN) conducted A/S exercises off Larne with HMS Louis (A/Lt.Cdr. R. Johnston, RNR), HMS Inglis (T/A/Lt.Cdr. A.P. Cobbold, RNVR), HMCS Hallowell (T/A/Lt.Cdr. Richard Heany Angus, RCNVR), HMCS Royal Mount (T/Lt.Cdr. J.S. Davis, RCNVR) and HMCS Chambly (T/Lt. S.D. Taylor, RCNR). (6)

26 Jan 1945

Convoy CU 56.

This convoy departed New York on 26 January 1945.

It was made up of the following ships (New York Section);
Alcoa Pointer (American, 6711 GRT, built 1943), Aztec (Hunduran, 5511 GRT, built 1929), Black Warrior (American, 8271 GRT, built 1944), Brandywine (American (tanker), 11401 GRT, built 1943), Chantilly (American (tanker), 10195 GRT, built 1943), Cristobal (American, 10021 GRT, built 1939), Cross Keys (American (tanker), 10195 GRT, built 1943), Elisabeth Bakke (Norwegian, 5450 GRT, built 1937), Empire Law (British (tanker), 8128 GRT, built 1944), Empire Protector (British (tanker), 8148 GRT, built 1944), Exhibitor (American, 6736 GRT, built 1940), Exminster (American, 6683 GRT, built 1944), Explorer (American, 6736 GRT, built 1939), Fair Wind (American, 8258 GRT, built 1944), General G.O. Squier (American, 9943 GRT, built 1942), General J.R. Brooke (American, 9943 GRT, built 1943), General T.H. Bliss (American, 9943 GRT, built 1942), George Washington (American, 23788 GRT, built 1908), J.W. McAndrew (American, 7997 GRT, built 1940), Lone Jack (American (tanker), 10296 GRT, built 1944), Marine Robin (American, 11757 GRT, built 1944), Nordahl Grieg (Norwegian (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Quaker Hill (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Robin Sherwood (American, 7101 GRT, built 1941), Rogue River (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), Valdosta Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1945), Warrior (American, 6165 GRT, built 1943), Washita (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1943), Wauhatchie (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944), White Bird Canyon (American (tanker), 10172 GRT, built 1944) and White Falcon (American, 8258 GRT, built 1944).

On departure from New York the convoy was escorted by the destroyer USS Clark (Lt.Cdr. R.H. Hopkins, USNR, with COMTASKUNIT 61.4, T/Capt. H.T. Chase, USN on board) and the destroyer escorts USS Price (Lt.Cdr. J.W. Higgins, Jr., USNR, with COMCORTDIV 58, T/Cdr. E.E. Garcia, USN on board), USS Strickland (Lt.Cdr. A.J. Hopkins, USNR), Forster (Lt.Cdr. J.N. Clayton, USNR), Stockdale (Lt.Cdr. R.W. Luther, USNR) and Hissem (Lt.Cdr. W.W. Low, USNR).

Around 0300Q/27, the Warrior returned to New York due to damage to her hull. Around the same time the George Washington joined which apparently had sailed later to overtake and join the convoy. She was being escorted by the USS Stockdale.

Around 1000Q/27, the Boston Section of eight ships joined, these were the;
Cape Horn (American, 5124 GRT, built 1944), Chapel Hill Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1944), frederick Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1944), General George W. Goethals (American, 12093 GRT, built 1942), James Parker (American, 10021 GRT, built 1939), Malden Victory (American, 7607 GRT, built 1944), Sweepstakes (American, 8258 GRT, built 1944) and Thomson Lykes (American, 6762 GRT, built 1940).

The Boston Section had departed there also on the 26th and was escorted by the destroyer escorts USS Edsall (Lt.Cdr. M. MacLean, USNR, with COMCORTDIV 59, T/Cdr. A.W. Slayden, USN on board), USS Stewart (Lt.Cdr. A.C. Wilson, Jr., USNR), USS Daniel (Lt.Cdr. E.D. Boynton, USNR) and USS Clarence L. Evans (Cdr. W.C. Hughes, USNR).

Around 2210N/1, the Irish Sea Section parted company in approximate position 45°48'N, 26°00'W.

Irish Sea section

This section was made up of the following ships;
Aztec, Brandywine, Chantilly, Elisabeth Bakke, Empire Law, Nordahl Grieg, Quaker Hill and Washita.

This section was escorted by the USS Price, USS Strickland and USS Daniel.

Around 1650Z/4, the frigates (from the 15th Escort Group) HMS Louis (Cdr.(Retd.) L.B.A. Majendie, RN), HMS Inglis (T/A/Lt.Cdr. A.P. Cobbold, RNVR), HMS Lawson (Lt. J.P. Somerville, RN), HMS Loring (Lt. J.A. Ogilvy, RN) and HMS Narborough (Lt.Cdr. W.R. Muttram, DSC, RN) joined.

Around 0330Z/5, the Landing Ship Infantry HMS Royal Ulsterman (T/A/Lt.Cdr. A.T. Cook, DSC, RNR) joined.

Around 0735Z/5, the five British frigates of the 15th Escort Group, which had joined the previous day, were relieved by five frigates from the 5th Escort Group; these were HMS Bligh (Cdr. B.W. Taylor, RN), HMS Grindall (T/A/Lt.Cdr. D. Turquand-Young, RNVR), HMS Keats (T/A/Lt.Cdr. N.F. Israel, DSC, RNR), HMS Kempthorne (Lt. H.J.A. Wilson, RN) and HMS Tyler (A/Lt.Cdr. C.H. Ranking, RN).

Around 0945A/5, the Liverpool section of the convoy parted company escorted by USS Price. They arrived off / at Liverpool in the afternoon.

The remainder of the Irish Sea Section arrived in Barry Roads early on the 6th.

English Channel Section.

The other section proceeded towards the English Channel and was made up of the remaining ships and the remaining escorts.

Around 0800Z/4, ' Force 26 ' joined in approximate position 47°52'N, 06°51'W which was made up of the destroyers HMS Faulknor (Cdr. D.E. Holland-Martin, DSO, DSC and Bar, RN), HrMs Van Galen (Cdr. F.T. Burghard, RNethN) and the escort destroyer HMS Tanatside (Cdr. B.J. de St. Croix, DSC, RN).

Around 0820Z/4, the transports Canara (British, 7024 GRT, built 1942), Condesa (British, 10367 GRT, built 1944) and Straat Malakka (Dutch, 6439 GRT, built 1939) joined coming from Gibraltar which they had departed on 1 February.

Around 1530Z/4, the frigate HMS Loch Fada (Cdr. B.A. Rogers, RD, RNR) joined.

Around 1930Z/4, the Straat Malakka parted company to proceed to Falmouth escorted by HMS Loch Fada.

Around 0020Z/5, HMS Faulknor, HrMs Van Galen and HMS Tanatside parted company fter the frigates HMS Garlies (T/A/Lt.Cdr. L.M.M. Stamp, RNVR), HMS Gore (Lt. J.V. Reeves-Brown, DSC, RN) and HMS Hoste (Lt. P.J.H. Hoare, RN) had joined.

Around 0115Z/5, the frigates HMS Hargood (Cdr. P.G. MacIver, DSO, RD, RNR), HMS Holmes (T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.S. Boyle, RNVR), HMS Ascension (Cdr. W.J. Moore, DSC, RNR) and the motor torpedo boats MTB 750 (T/A/Lt.Cdr. J.A.C. Findlay, RNVR) and MTB 760 (T/Lt. N.G. Kennedy, RNVR) joined.

Around 0415A/5, the Black Warrior was detached to proceed direct to Cherbourg escorted by HMS Garlies, HMS Gore and HMS Hoste.

Around 0645A/5, the convoy stopped off the Isle of Wight as it was unable to enter the Solent due to thick fog.

Around 1300A/5, the convoy commenced to enter the Solent after the visibility had improved. By 1700A/5, the entire convoy was at anchor in the Solent. Parts of the convoy departed for their respective destinations later the same day.

Media links


The Captain Class Frigates in the Second World War

Collingwood, Donald

Sources

  1. ADM 173/18513
  2. ADM 173/18514
  3. File 2.12.03.6372 (Dutch Archives, The Hague, Netherlands)
  4. ADM 173/18493
  5. ADM 173/19423
  6. ADM 173/19365

ADM numbers indicate documents at the British National Archives at Kew, London.


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