HMSAS Natal

	Natal fitting out, 5 March 1945
History
United Kingdom
Name	Loch Cree
Ordered	13 February 1943
Builder	Swan Hunter & Wigham Richardson, Wallsend
Laid down	18 October 1943
Launched	19 June 1944
Fate	Transferred to the South African Navy, 1944
South Africa
Name	Natal
Namesake	Natal Province
Completed	8 March 1945
Acquired	1944
Commissioned	1 March 1945
Decommissioned	1972
Out of service	15 March 1972
Fate	Sunk as a target, September 1972
General characteristics (as built)
Class and type	Loch-class frigate
Displacement	1,435 long tons (1,458 t) (standard load); 2,260 long tons (2,300 t) (deep load);
Length	307 ft (93.6 m)
Beam	38 ft 7 in (11.8 m)
Draught	12 ft 4 in (3.8 m)
Installed power	2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers; 5,500 ihp (4,100 kW);
Propulsion	2 shafts; 2 × vertical triple-expansion steam engines;
Speed	20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph)
Range	9,500 nmi (17,600 km; 10,900 mi) at 12 knots (22 km/h; 14 mph)
Complement	114
Sensors and ; processing systems	Types 144 and 147B ASDIC; Type 277 surface-search radar;
Armament	1 × single QF 4-inch Mark V; 1 × quadruple 2-pounder (40 mm) "pom-pom" AA gun; 2 × twin, 2 × single 20 mm (0.8 in) Oerlikon AA guns; 2 × triple-barrelled Squid anti-submarine mortars; 1 × rail, 2 × throwers for 15 depth charges;

HMSAS Natal (pennant number: K10) was one of three Loch-class frigates in the South African Navy (SAN). It was built as HMS Loch Cree (K430) for the Royal Navy during World War II, but was transferred to the SAN before completion in 1945 and renamed as HMSAS Natal. Just hours after finishing fitting out, the ship sank a German submarine off the coast of Scotland in early 1945. It was assigned convoy escort duties for the remaining few months of the war in Europe. Natal had her anti-aircraft armament reinforced for service in the Far East after arriving in South Africa in June. In September–October, the ship participated in the reoccupation of British Malaya before returning home the following month.

It was assigned to ferry troops home from Egypt afterwards and participated in the annexation of the Prince Edward Islands in late 1947. Together with her sister ships, Natal made port visits in Middle Africa in 1948. It was placed in reserve in 1953 and was converted into a survey ship during the mid-1950s. The ship participated in the 1957–58 International Geophysical Year and the 1962–63 International Indian Ocean Expedition. Natal was obsolete by 1972 and was sunk as a target that year.

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