List of River-class frigates


The River class was a ship class of British-designed frigates built and operated during World War II. One hundred and fifty-one frigates were built, and these were operated by seven different nations during the war.

Royal Navy

ShipPennant numberBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedPaid offFate
K296Canadian Vickers, MontrealTransferred to USN before completion as.
K262Fleming & Ferguson, PaisleyRenamed as base ship HMSTamar, 1946. Reverted to HMS Aire; it ran aground on Bombay Reef near Paracel Islands off Hainan Island, December 1946.
K297Canadian Vickers, MontrealTransferred to RCN before completion as. Transferred to USN as, 1942. Transferred to Dominican Navy as, 1947.
K404Hall, Russell & Company, AberdeenTransferred to RCN before completion as. Returned to RN, 20 June 1945. Transferred to Denmark as, 27 November 1945.
K97Charles Hill & Sons, BristolTransferred to Portugal as, 1949.
K526Fleming & Ferguson, PaisleyTransferred to Portugal as, 1949.
K298Canadian Vickers, MontrealOrdered by USN as. Transferred to RN before completion under Lend-Lease. Returned to USN as PG-103, 27 February 1946.
K263W Simons & Co, RenfrewTransferred to Free French Navy as, 21 January 1944.
K264George Brown & Company, GreenockBadly damaged during a coordinated depth charge attack on a possible submerged U-boat off St. Catherine's Point, injuring 46 crew, 18 July 1944. Towed by to Yarmouth, then by tug to Portsmouth. Declared to be total loss and scrapped at Sunderland, July 1945.
K299Canadian Vickers, MontrealOrdered by USN as. Transferred to RN before completion under Lend-Lease. Torpedoed and badly damaged by off Algeria and was declared a total loss. Returned to USN as PG-104, 6 November 1946.
K265Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-Tees1945Transferred to India as, 1945.
K523Fleming & Ferguson, PaisleyScrapped, 2 November 1955.
K300Canadian Vickers, MontrealOrdered by USN as. Transferred to RN before completion under Lend-Lease. Returned to USN, 5 March 1946.
K266Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesLoaned to Burma, 25 May 1947. Transferred to Burma as, 29 August 1948.
K301Canadian Vickers, MontrealOrdered by USN as. Transferred to RN before completion under Lend-Lease. Returned to USN, 20 March 1946. Participated in the sinking of near Seychelles, 12 August 1944.
K267Blyth Shipbuilding & Drydock, BlythTransferred to Free French Navy as, 3 March 1944.
K258Henry Robb, LeithSank U-boat, in concert with, on 17 January 1944: Possibly or. Renamed, 1 February 1944. Transferred to Free French Navy as, 25 September 1944.
K417A & J Inglis, GlasgowSold to Townsend Brothers as ferry Halladale, 1 April 1949; renamed Norden, 1962, then Turist Expressen, 1962.
K252Hall, Russell & Company, AberdeenScrapped, 29 June 1956.
K253A & J Inglis, GlasgowScrapped, 14 November 1957.
K302Canadian Vickers, MontrealOrdered by USN as. Transferred to RN before completion under Lend-Lease. Returned to USN, 4 March 1946.
K259Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesSank with and a Swordfish from, 12 May 1943. Sank with by depth charges, 13 May 1943. Torpedoed and badly damaged by while escorting Convoy ON 202, 20 September 1943. Towed to the United Kingdom and declared a total loss. Sold for scrap, 21 May 1946.
K365Hall, Russell & Company, AberdeenScrapped at Troon, 29 June 1956.
K303Canadian Vickers, MontrealOrdered by USN as. Transferred to RN before completion under Lend-Lease. Returned to USN, 26 January 1946.
K269A & J Inglis, GlasgowTransferred to RCN as. Returned to RN, 23 April 1945. Scrapped, 14 May 1966.
K441Charles Hill & Sons, BristolTransferred to RCN as, 3 August 1944. Returned to RN, 11 June 1945. Transferred to Denmark as, 1945.
K261Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesTorpedoed and sunk by in the English Channel at 49-35N, 05-30W, 15 June 1944.
K260Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesTransferred to Free French Navy as, 15 October 1944.
K392Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-Tees1945Transferred to India as, 1945.
K270Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesSank with and by depth charges, 20 November 1943. Sank with by depth charges, 24 February 1944. Transferred to RCN as, 4 June 1944. Returned to RN, 11 June 1945. Scrapped, August 1955.
K356Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesScrapped, June 1957.
K304Canadian Vickers, MontrealOrdered by USN as. Transferred to RN before completion under Lend-Lease. Returned to USN, 5 February 1946.
K271Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesDestroyed off the Montebello Islands, Western Australia with the detonation of a 25 kilotons nuclear bomb in the hull as part of Operation Hurricane, the first British nuclear test, 3 October 1952.
K525Blyth Shipbuilding & Drydock, BlythTransferred to RCN as, 24 July 1944. Returned to RN, 11 June 1945. Scrapped, 9 July 1957.
K305Canadian Vickers, MontrealOrdered by USN as. Transferred to RN before completion under Lend-Lease. Returned to USN as, 4 March 1946.
K637Charles Hill & Sons, BristolScrapped, June 1957.
K272Charles Hill & Sons, BristolSank with by depth charges, 5 July 1944. Scrapped, 28 September 1956.
K293Hall, Russell & Company, AberdeenScrapped, 16 July 1956.
K458Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesTransferred to RCN as, 28 February 1944. Torpedoed and badly damaged by off Lands End at 50-07N, 05-45W, 29 March 1945. Declared a total loss. Returned to RN, 4 May 1945. Sold for scrap, 8 December 1945.
K292Blyth Shipbuilding & Drydock, BlythTransferred to Free French Navy as, 6 June 1944.
K294Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesScrapped, 27 July 1956.
K295Smiths Dock Co, South Bank-on-TeesTransferred to Egypt as, 1948.
K370Henry Robb, LeithFebruary 1944Transferred to Free French Navy in October 1943 and named as in February 1944. In service with the French Navy until 1959. Beached fire training ship under the name of Lucifer II at Querqueville, France between 1967 and 2002.
K371Henry Robb, LeithScrapped, 22 February 1955.

Royal Australian Navy

ShipPennant numberBuilderLaid downLaunchedCommissionedPaid offFate
HMAS BalmainJ467Cancelled,.
HMAS BoganK09Cancelled,.
HMAS CampaspeK424Cancelled,.
K698State Dockyard, NewcastleServed in the Korean War July 1952 – April 1953 and March 1955 – November 1955. Sold for scrap, September 1961.
K408Williamstown Dockyard, WilliamstownSold for scrap, 15 February 1972.
K442Evans Deakin & Company, BrisbaneSold for scrap, 5 July 1972.
HMAS MurrumbidgeeK534Cancelled,.
HMAS NamoiK55Cancelled,.
HMAS NepeanJ468Cancelled,.
K535Walkers, MaryboroughPlaced in reserve in 1954. Sold for scrap in January 1962.
HMAS WarburtonK533Cancelled,.
HMAS WilliamstownK66Cancelled,.
HMAS WimmeraK86Cancelled,.
HMAS WollondillyK98Cancelled,.

Royal Canadian Navy

Free French Navy

Royal Netherlands Navy

South African Navy

United States Navy