HMS Veryan Bay ( K651 ) HMS " Veryan Bay " ( K651 / F651 ) was a anti - aircraft frigate of the British Royal Navy , named after a bay on the south coast of Cornwall . In commission from 1945 until 1957 , she saw service in the Pacific , Mediterranean , Home , West Indies and South Atlantic Fleets . Construction . The ship was ordered from Charles Hill & Sons of Bristol on 6 March 1943 as Admiralty Job No . J600 , and laid down on 8 June 1944 as the " Loch Swannay " . However the contract was then changed , and the ship was completed to a revised design as a Bay - class anti - aircraft frigate . " Veryan Bay " was launched on 11 November 1944 , and completed on 13 May 1945 . Service history . Pacific Fleet . " Veryan Bay " was commissioned for service on 15 May 1945 under the command of Lieutenant - Commander J . S . Brownrigg . After completing her sea trials , training , and weapons tests she sailed to join to the Escort Group of the British Pacific Fleet . She was at Malta engaged in exercises when the war ended in August , not joining the fleet at Singapore until October . She remained with the Escort Group , based at Hong Kong , into 1946 , carrying out patrols in the South China Sea . She visited U . S . Naval Base Subic Bay in the Philippines in March , and travelled to HM Dockyard , Cockatoo Island , Sydney , for a refit in May and June , before visiting the Solomon Islands in August , and in November was deployed off Batavia to support military operations against insurgents opposed to the resumption of Dutch colonial rule . In early 1947 she was deployed with the Flotilla for local patrols and exercises with the Fleet , and made a visit to Japan in March . Mediterranean Fleet . On 21 March 1947 " Veryan Bay " was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet , sailing via the Indian Ocean and Suez Canal , and arriving on 2 May to join the 2nd Escort Flotilla . A new Commanding Officer , Captain R . S . Wellby , was appointed three days later . The ship was then deployed to prevent the illegal immigration of European Jews to Palestine . She sailed to Leghorn on the west coast of Italy to watch for the ship SS " President Warfield " , now renamed , then sailed to Piraeus in June , before returning to Malta . After a refit at Gibraltar Dockyard in July , she returned to the Palestine Patrol , based at Haifa , in August . In November she sailed to Trieste to act as guardship until January 1948 . After local exercises at Malta in February , and then a refit ( at which time her pennant number was changed to F651 ) , " Veryan Bay " was deployed to patrol in the Red Sea in April and May , before returning to the Palestine Patrol , based at Cyprus , then to Trieste for further guardship duty . On 13 December Captain H . C . N . Rolfe assumed command of the ship , and early in the new year a complement of Boy ratings joined for training . After guardship duty at Aqaba in January and February 1949 , she returned to Malta for exercises and a new Commanding Officer , Captain G . T . Lambert , in April . " Veryan Bay " remained at Malta taking part in Flotilla and Fleet exercises and visits , with further spells of duty as guardship at Trieste and Aqaba , until April 1950 . Under her new commanding officer , Commander J . F . R . Crews , she was transferred on loan with the Royal New Zealand Navy , along with , exchanging with the frigates and . She arrived at Auckland on 3 July to join the 11th Frigate Flotilla . There she made visits to various ports and carried out exercises with other RNZN ships , eventually leaving on 28 October , and arriving back at Malta on 4 January 1951 . Home Fleet . After a refit in February and March at HM Dockyard , Malta , the ship was transferred to the 7th Frigate Flotilla , Home Fleet , arriving at Plymouth on 21 April . After Fleet exercises at Invergordon , she took part in convoy defence exercises in the English Channel , and visited Cherbourg , Penzance and Swanage . In September the ship called at Holyhead while en route to Derry for joint anti - submarine exercises in the North West Approaches . In December , after her annual inspection , she sailed to Plymouth to refit . West Indies Squadron . In January 1952 command was assumed by Commander R . Horncastle . She then sailed to Bermuda , arriving on 18 February , to join the West Indies Squadron . She was promptly despatched to the Falkland Islands to act as guardship at Port Stanley , arriving in early April . In June she left the islands , taking a cargo of penguin s , destined for Vancouver Zoo , to Montevideo for air transport to Canada . She spent August – September deployed in the West Indies for Flotilla duties and exercises , and in October returned to the UK and was paid - off to refit . " Veryan Bay " was recommissioned on 5 March 1953 for service in the 7th Frigate Squadron in the West Indies , under the command of Captain R . G . W . Hare . She arrived at Bermuda on 30 April , and in June was at Kingston , Jamaica for ceremonies for the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II . The ship then visited Antigua , Barbados , Grenada , Puerto Cabello , Trinidad , Recife and Montevideo while en route to the Falklands for another tour as guardship , arriving in 22 July . After patrols around the islands , she left on 14 October , arriving at Kingston on 19 November to embark troops , and the next day was stationed for Air - Sea Rescue duty during the Royal Flight to Bermuda from the UK . At Bermuda in December she carried out ceremonial duties during the summit meeting between U . S . President Dwight D . Eisenhower , and the British and French Prime Ministers Winston Churchill and Joseph Laniel , to discuss relations with the Soviet Union following the death of Stalin and their development of a hydrogen bomb . In January 1954 , after exercises with off Nassau , " Veryan Bay " sailed to Palm Beach and Jacksonville , Florida to exchange calls with the civil authorities and the U . S . Navy . She returned to Bermuda on 4 February , then sailed to the UK , arriving at Plymouth on the 18th to be paid - off and then refitted at the Devonport Dockyard . In May the ship was recommissioned for service on West Indies under the command of Commander L . R . P . Lawford , and after trials and exercises , she sailed for Bermuda , arriving on 17 August . In September she sailed once more to the Falklands for guardship duty , calling at Antigua , Trinidad , Georgetown in British Guiana , and Belém and Salvador in Brazil , and Rio de Janeiro , before arriving at Port Stanley on 23 October . " Veryan Bay " visited South Georgia , and also Tristan da Cunha and the South Shetland Islands , reinforcing Britain ' s territorial claims , which were disputed by both Argentina and Chile . On 24 February 1955 the Commander - in - Chief of the America and West Indies Station arrived at Port Stanley , flying his flag in the cruiser . In March " Veryan Bay " returned to Bermuda , by way of the west coast of South America , calling at Punta Arenas , Puerto Montt , and Antofagasta in Chile , Mollendo in Peru , and La Libertad , Ecuador , before transiting the Panama Canal . From May to July she was deployed at Bermuda for exercises and visits programmes , and in August returned to the UK to refit at Devonport . The ship was recommissioned on 15 October for further service with 7th Frigate Squadron , under the command of Commander J . Bitmead . After trials and exercises in January and February 1956 " Veryan Bay " sailed from Devonport on 12 March , arriving at Bermuda on the 24th . On 4 April she sailed for the Falklands for guardship duty , routed down the west coast of South America , calling at Callao , Peru , and Antofagasta and Talcahuano , Chile , before transiting the Strait of Magellan , and arriving at Port Stanley on 17 May for local patrols and exercises . In June she visited to South American Atlantic ports , and in July was deployed on the South Shetland Patrol . In early August she began a programme of visits , first calling at Puerto Belgrano , Argentina , then Mar del Plata , before sailing 190 miles up - river to Rosario . She called at Montevideo , Uruguay , before returning to Port Stanley on 8 September . After local patrols and exercises she sailed once again to Argentina in late September , calling at Río Gallegos and Puerto San Julián , returning to Port Stanley on 11 October to prepare to return to Bermuda . The ship left Stanley on 17 October and was at Santos , Brazil , when she received orders to transfer to the South Atlantic Station . South Atlantic Squadron . " Veryan Bay " arrived at Simon ' s Town , South Africa , on 19 November . After a series of visits to East African ports , the ship was nominated for transfer to the Reserve . On 19 January 1957 she sailed for the UK , calling at Lobito in Portuguese West Africa , Boma in the Belgian Congo , and sailed up the Congo River to Matadi . She then called at Libreville in French Equatorial Africa , São Tomé Island in the Gulf of Guinea , Lagos , Nigeria , Monrovia , Liberia , and Freetown , Sierra Leone . " Veryan Bay " arrived at Plymouth on 11 March , paid - off and was reduced to Reserve status . In reserve and disposal . She remained in the Reserve Fleet at Plymouth until 1959 when she was placed on the Disposal List . The ship was sold to British Iron & Steel Corporation ( BISCO ) for demolition by Metal Industries and arrived in tow at the breaker ' s yard in Charlestown near Rosyth on 1 July 1959 . References .