HMS Surprise (K346) was a Bay-class

Bay class frigate

The Bay class was a class of 26 anti-aircraft frigates built for the Royal Navy under the 1943 War Emergency Programme during World War II...

 anti-aircraft

Anti-aircraft warfare

NATO defines air defence as "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action." They include ground and air based weapon systems, associated sensor systems, command and control arrangements and passive measures. It may be to protect naval, ground and air forces...

 frigate

Frigate

A frigate is any of several types of warship, the term having been used for ships of various sizes and roles over the last few centuries.In the 17th century, the term was used for any warship built for speed and maneuverability, the description often used being "frigate-built"...

 of the British

United Kingdom

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

 Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

. In commission from 1946 to 1965, she served in the Mediterranean Fleet

Mediterranean Fleet

Several countries have or have had a Mediterranean Fleet in their navy. See:* Mediterranean Fleet * French Mediterranean Fleet* Mediterranean Squadron * United States Sixth Fleet...

 as a Despatch Vessel for the Commander-in-Chief. Although principally employed for the use as a yacht by the CinC, Surprise was also deployed in its operational role as an anti-aircraft frigate. The archaic term "Despatch Vessel" was replaced by "Flag Frigate" in 1961.

Construction

The ship was originally ordered from the Smiths Dock Company

Smiths Dock Company

Smiths Dock Company, Limited, often referred to simply as Smiths Dock, was a British shipbuilding company.-History:The company was originally established by Thomas Smith who bought William Rowe's shipyard at St. Peter's in Newcastle upon Tyne in 1810 and traded as William Smith & Co. The company...

 of South Bank, Middlesbrough

South Bank, Middlesbrough

South Bank is a small town which forms part of the Middlesbrough urban area that lies 2.3 miles from Middlesbrough centre, in North East England. As the name suggests, it lies on the south bank of the River Tees. Although it is part of the Middlesbrough conurbation, it is a ward of Redcar and...

 on 25 January 1943 as the Loch Carron. However the contract was changed in 1944, and the ship was laid down as Admiralty Job No J4788 on 21 April 1944 to a revised design as a Bay-class anti-aircraft frigate. She was launched on 14 March 1945 as Gerrans Bay, but after the end of the war the plans were changed again and the ship was converted to a Despatch Vessel for use by the Commander-in-Chief, Mediterranean Fleet. The aft twin 4 in (10.2 cm) gun mounting was removed and replaced by offices and accommodation for the CinC and his staff. The ship was completed on 7 September 1946 and renamed Surprise.

Service history

After sea trial

Sea trial

A sea trial is the testing phase of a watercraft . It is also referred to as a "shakedown cruise" by many naval personnel. It is usually the last phase of construction and takes place on open water, and can last from a few hours to many days.Sea trials are conducted to measure a vessel’s...

s Surprise was commissioned in September 1946, and sailed to Valletta

Valletta

Valletta is the capital of Malta, colloquially known as Il-Belt in Maltese. It is located in the central-eastern portion of the island of Malta, and the historical city has a population of 6,098. The name "Valletta" is traditionally reserved for the historic walled citadel that serves as Malta's...

, Malta

Malta

Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...

, where she remained with the ships of the Mediterranean Fleet for exercises and visits throughout the Mediterranean Sea

Mediterranean Sea

The Mediterranean Sea is a sea connected to the Atlantic Ocean surrounded by the Mediterranean region and almost completely enclosed by land: on the north by Anatolia and Europe, on the south by North Africa, and on the east by the Levant...

 and the Red Sea

Red Sea

The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...

, with periodic refits at HM Dockyard, Valletta.

In November 1952 Surprise returned to Portsmouth

Portsmouth

Portsmouth is the second largest city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire on the south coast of England. Portsmouth is notable for being the United Kingdom's only island city; it is located mainly on Portsea Island...

. As the Royal Yacht

Royal Yacht

A royal yacht is a ship used by a monarch or a royal family. If the monarch is an emperor the proper term is imperial yacht. Most of them are financed by the government of the country of which the monarch is head...

  was still under construction Surprise was selected for conversion for use by her Majesty in the Coronation Review. The forward twin 4 inch mounting was replaced by a special viewing platform. The work was completed in March 1953, and after trials in the English Channel, the ship was deployed at Portsmouth. She then sailed to the Solent

Solent

The Solent is a strait separating the Isle of Wight from the mainland of England.The Solent is a major shipping route for passengers, freight and military vessels. It is an important recreational area for water sports, particularly yachting, hosting the Cowes Week sailing event annually...

 and took part in the Fleet Review by Queen Elizabeth II in 15 June 1953. All members of ship's company were subsequently awarded Coronation Medal

Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal

The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal made to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.-Issue:For Coronation and Jubilee medals, the practice up until 1977 was that United Kingdom authorities decided on a total number to be produced, then allocated a proportion to...

. The Royal Crest fitted in front of the bridge was retained as a permanent feature to commemorate her service. Surprise returned to Malta in July to resume her previous duties.

In 1961 a decision was made to retain the ship in service as the Flag Frigate as long as possible without a major refit, and the complement was reduced to 80.

In late 1964 Surprise returned to the UK, arriving at Portsmouth on 12 December. In January 1965 she was decommissioned and placed on the Disposal List. She was sold to the British Iron & Steel Corporation (BISCO) for breaking-up by P&W McLellan at Bo'ness

Bo'ness

Bo'ness, properly Borrowstounness, is a coastal town in the Central Lowlands of Scotland. It lies on a hillside on the south bank of the Firth of Forth within the Falkirk council area, north-west of Edinburgh and east of Falkirk. At the 2001 census, Bo'ness had a resident population of 13,961...

where she arrived in tow on 29 June 1965. No other warship has since been deployed for use by the CinC Mediterranean as a Flag Frigate.