[1] The ship was originally ordered from Harland and Wolff of Belfast on 11 May 1943 as the Loch-class frigate Loch Lubnaig, and laid down on 8 February 1944 as Admiralty Job Number J3932.

After sea trials at Tobermory in August, and weapons testing at Portland in September, she sailed on 5 October in company with her sister ship Bigbury Bay.

[1] Whitesand Bay was initially deployed in the South China Sea for patrols and trade defence, including the escort of colliers from French Indochina to Hong Kong.

The ships sailed via Singapore, Trincomalee and Aden, transited the Suez Canal, and arrived at Malta on 22 April to join the 5th Frigate Flotilla of the Mediterranean Fleet.

O'Sullivan took command of Whitesand Bay and prepared for her new duty which was to intercept, board and detain ships carrying illegal Jewish immigrants to Palestine.

[1] Whitesand Bay was transferred to the West Indies Station, sailing from Malta on 20 September 1948, calling at Gibraltar, Madeira, and Horta in the Azores, before arriving at Bermuda on 14 October.

There she carried out patrols, made visits to various island ports, and took part in fleet and joint exercises, along with ships of the Royal Canadian and United States Navy.

Deployed off the west coast she carried out bombardments in the Han River and supported military operations in the Haeju estuary until February 1952, when she returned to Hong Kong where Commander M.W.B.

Her fourth Korean tour lasted from April to June 1952 where she was again deployed with the Allied Task Group off the west coast for blockade, patrol and support bombardment duties.

After post-refit trials in November she was deployed at Singapore for Flotilla for exercises and local patrol duties, returning to operate on the west coast of Korea in February 1953.

Forbes, Whitesand Bay was prepared for Home Fleet service, however in December she was paid off and the ship's company was transferred to the frigate Loch Killisport, then refitting at Chatham Dockyard.