Dates: 1943 - 1947
H.M.S. Fal (K266)
Built by Smiths Dock Co., South Bank-on-Tees
Laid Down: 20th May 1942
Launched: 9th November 1942
Commissioned: 2nd July 1943
Paid Off: 25th May 1947
Fate: Loaned on 25th May 1947 to Burma. Transferred to Burma on 29th August 1948 as Mayu
Displacement: 1,375 Tons
On 15th July 1943 HMS Fal arrived at Tobermory for her work up, when successfully completed she was allocated as a member of the 38th Escort Group based at Londonderry Cdr. Christie was in command. In August she was transferred to the West Africa Command based at Freetown, where she was a member of the 57th Escort Group.
Fal spent 1944 escorting convoys and conducting anti-submarine sweeps along the West African coast, and at years end sailed for Bermuda. During February – March 1945 Fal completed a refit at Bermuda, and returned to Devonport.
In May, she arrived at Tobermory once more for a work up with a majority of new members of her crew. In July she rejoined the West African Command at Freetown. November 5th, Fal and the corvette HMS Porchester Castle were responsible for the sinking of the old Edinburgh Castle which had laid up at Freetown for the duration of the war, and used as an accommodation ship there. She had deteriorated so badly over the years, that it was considered unsafe for towing back to the UK for scrapping.
In 1946 while Fal was entering the port of Dakar her propellors snarled a steel wire causing her to collide into a caison, considerable damage was caused to her bows and it was decided that she proceed to Simonstown, South Africa for repairs, On May 1st, Fal arrived at Simonstown on re-allocation to the South Atlantic Station, and on the 29th she was docked in the Selborne dry dock. On July 2nd she was undocked. From October 29th-November 8th she was once again dry docked. On December 27th she left Simonstown on passage to Rangoon.
On 25th May 1947 Fal was handed over to the Government of Burma on loan to that country. On 29th August 1948 Fal was transferred permanently to the Burmese Navy as a free gift and renamed Mayu. In 1979 Mayu was deleted from the active list, and hauled up high and dry alongside the river in Ranjbon, surrounded by a barbwire fence and used as a training ship.
Commanding Officers:
Lt. Horace William Barrett, DSC, RNR
7 August 1943 – 7 February 1944
T/A/Lt.Cdr. F.S. Howell, RNR
7 February 1944 – January 1945
T/A/Lt.Cdr. P.T. Clothier, DSC, RNVR
January 1945 – still in command in October 1945 according to the Navy List
The only ship of this name to serve in the Royal Navy
Notes on River Class Frigates
The River class frigate was a class of 151 frigates launched between 1941 and 1944 for use as anti-sub Marine convoy escorts in the North Atlantic.
The majority served with the Royal Navy and Royal Canadian Navy, with some serving in the other Allied navies; the Royal Australian Navy, the Free French Navy, the Royal Netherlands Navy and, post-war, the South African Navy. Ten ships built in Canada were assigned to the United States Navy to cover for a shortage of suitable convoy escorts until American built ships became available. In the event, only two were commissioned in the UNITED STATES NAVY, the remaining eight were commissioned in the RN and RCN.
After World War II they found employment in many other navies the world over; several RCN ships were sunk as breakwaters.
River class ships were designed by naval engineer William Reed to have the endurance and anti-submarine capabilities of the Black Swan class sloops, while being quick and cheap to build in civil dockyards using the machinery (eg reciprocating steam engines instead of turbines) and construction techniques pioneered in the building of the Flower-class corvettes.
The River class design was used as the basis for the United States Navy’s Tacoma class (known to the Royal navy as the Colony class frigate), and the hull design was later elaborated into the Loch class frigate, and subsequently the Bay class fr
Memories of HMS Fal
hms falcon hal far malta 53-55 in 1953Written by anthony rogers
Contact this person >> 
" Any old NATSU members out there. we had some good times, especially drinking "tea without milk" -screech- waiting for crash alarm to sound in Ronnies bar. I am in touch with Stuart Wagstaff & Will Langham where are you all?Buck Rogers
After the RN I joined RAF. looking for any old TCW guys who served with me at Tangmere & later on Benson. and GCA Luqa"
HMS Falmouth, in 1979Written by Robert Rudd (Mouse)
Contact this person >> "Great 1st Ship. Celebrated my 18th birthday in Gib. Can’t remember much except waking up in the street just outside the dockyard gates. Far East-Australia Deployment, a fantastic trip. Then in 1980 our farewell visit to Falmouth before going into reserve fleet. The sick bay went up in flames in the middle of the night. Myself & 2 P.O’s, who’d just got back from their run ashore, putting the fire out. The sad sight of Falmouth mothballed in Chatham as we left her for the last time."
Forces Reunited Forum Posts involving HMS Fal
"Looking for mates who served at HMS Falcon.Hal Far,malta 1946-1948.728 Squadron FAA "
Click For More
" Good day all, I could do with a leg up here; ANY assistance at all would be highly regarded. I need to trace further my birth mothers service details. She joined the WRNS in April 1945 but unfortunately is now deceased. I have her full Naval records but would like to see if I can find ..."
Click For More
" Hi Arthur. They certainly were good old days mate, though they are getting harder to remember now, than they used to be. You got around a bit like me, I didn’t like to spend too long in the one place. The Naval Air Station", at "Hal Far" was that "HMS Falcon", mate ?? I was crew for a ..."
Click For More
" [QUOTE]Quoting: Doug Welch[/B] [I]Hi Arthur. The Naval Air Station", at "Hal Far" was that "HMS Falcon", mate ?? I was crew for a while on the gun boat ............ When were you on the "Yarmouth", " Arthur" ?? ...............Images/Smilies/baa.gif[/IMG] [IMG]Images/Smilies/baa.gif[/IMG] ..."
Click For More
" I`m just finding out if anyone out there remembers my father, info/anecdotes etc.He was Fleet Air Arm, served HMS Falcon, HMS Centaur, HMS Victorious, Malta, Singapore (HMS Simbang), Brazil (Naval Attache). I`d be grateful for any information at all "
Click For More
