RNZN Ship Of The Week [Archive] - World Naval Ships Forums

kookaburra

08-05-2009, 05:24

Commencing RNZN Ship Of The Week:

A thread of lesser known RNZN ships launched in the same spirit as 'RAN Ship Of The Day' on the Aussie forum. The motive is also, of course, to add to the Forum's overall role as a Net encylopaedia of warship images.

HMZNS Breeze, Auxiliary Minesweeper, 622 tons gross. She was equipped with asdic and radar, carried a single four-inch gun on a bandstand, two 20mm Oerlikons, 2 m.gs and 50 depth charges.

The following is mainly from Wikipedia, with a photo added from Ross Gillett's 1983 book Australian and New Zealand Warships, 1914-1945.

Requisitioned from the Canturbury Steam Shipping Company, Breeze joined the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla at Tulagi in April 1943. On her arrival she was also formed, with Matai and her sister ship Gale, into the 9th Auxiliary Minesweeping group within the flotilla. They carried out night-time patrol and escort duties under COMSOPAC control. The Japanese were well north by this time, but occasionally made sudden attacks into American strongholds around Guadalcanal.

In July 1943, prior to being fitted with radar, Breeze collided with USS LST895 off Guadalcanal while patrolling in a monsoon rainstorm. Grazing port to port, she had a boat wrecked.

During convey escort duty in Ironbottom Sound she was attacked, but not damaged, by dive-bombers.

From time to time the flotilla boats would return to Auckland for refits, usually escorting freighters bound the same way.By mid 1944 the owners were demanding the return of Breeze and her twin Gale. COMSOPAC released her on 10 November 1944.

She was sold to Philippines interests in 1964, and subsequently re-named Balabac.

There is a nice photograph of Breeze down the page here, laid up in Lyttleton in 1964: it's posted on the shipping compoany's site, on a send-for request basis, something I've not quite had time to do.

http://images.google.com.au/imgres?imgurl=http://www.nzcoastalshipping.com/Cargo%2520Ships%2520Storm%2520Lytt%25201974%2520NT .jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.nzcoastalshipping.com/canstem.html&usg=__wWzeMKXQzwEGWhdKzjeQYg98oU0=&h=484&w=697&sz=48&hl=en&start=40&um=1&tbnid=LtQjGu7_UeOz0M:&tbnh=97&tbnw=139&prev=/images%3Fq%3DHMNZS%2BBreeze%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den% 26rlz%3D1W1DVXA_en%26sa%3DN%26start%3D20%26um%3D1

____________________________________
FORUMERS: My own feeling is that this thread and the Warships of New Zealand thread with now more than 70 images and a fair amount of RNZN detail in them, are little 'lost' here in Everything Else.

I'm putting a proposal to the Mods that these threads might be transferred to:

(1) An expanded Australian forum section, which could become an 'Australian and New Zealand Ships' section. Or...

(2) A separate New Zealand ships forum.

My own instinct is that the latter might be hard to sustain, in that we appear to have only a handful of NZ members at present - but such a step might bring more in. I guess the question is whether anyone, Kiwi or Aussie, would object
to the combining of a forum for the two services in this way, but to my mind there is a natural synergy in it - sister services in the same part of the world, which often operate together.

You might offer any views on this, so the Mods can guage any reaction. I've put a similar notice on the other NZ thread here. Thanks. K.

alanbenn

08-05-2009, 11:23

Jeff, as promised here's the larger version of that photo from my collection.

Regards
Alan

kookaburra

08-05-2009, 13:44

Thanks Alan - the pic of HMNZS Breeze just caught my eye, and your larger version looks even better. K.

astraltrader

08-05-2009, 14:59

Jeff - what you say regarding either a combined Australian and New Zealand section or a stand alone New Zealand section is compelling and has my full support. The problem is that only Kc can change the actual main headings of the forum.

Hopefully he will see this and come back with an answer.

I will Pm him as well on your behalf unless you would rather do so yourself...

08-05-2009, 15:48

I'll add a separate NZ section. Although it has been said that perhaps this would be unsustainable, the fact that it exists will help drive it in the future, rather than smothering it as a sub-section of the Oz navy. I'll transfer a few threads later, but the mods can also perform this task. If there's any threads still needing to be transferred, let me know after the weekend and I can move them.

astraltrader

08-05-2009, 16:00

Thanks Kc I am sure this will please Jeff. I am quite happy to move the New Zealand threads later this evening...

kookaburra

08-05-2009, 17:33

Thanks very much Kc and Terry, and Alan, for supporting the proposal. Let's hope its a good new addition and get's some new Kiwi members in, and has wider interest on the forum.

I'll certainly do my best to make sure it gets some posts and images. Thanks again. K.

astraltrader

08-05-2009, 18:20

A pleasure Jeff. I think the RNZ navy deserves its own section.

kookaburra

14-05-2009, 06:38

I'm worried. I'm deeply worried. You'll appreciate that I'm doing these particular entries from a distance without many back-up references - and how will I fare if I get a word, one word, wrong with this one? A ship that is a legend, a pure legend, known to thousands of men who passed through the ranks of Royal New Zealand Navy in the years between 1926 and 1946.

I'm particularly worried about a 90+year old gentleman named Jack Harker, a one-time Navy wireless telegraphist who was one of the men who served on her, along and with a number of larger ships including cruisers. As the last of his many books, Jack published Left Hand Down A Bit ! the Wakakura Story.

I hope he will be tolerant of these meagre efforts to honour her, partly drawing on his work, and that of the more usual Internet sources.

Nonetheless, here goes ...HMNZS Wakakura, ex-RN Castle Class trawler/ minesweeper and training ship, is our RNZN Ship Of The Week.

I think the lesson here, when one is so worried about making a mistake, is not to say too much. The 540-620 ton full load Wakakura was built in Canada for the Royal Navy in 1917 and at present I don't find any other name for her - still searching, and will edit it if one appears. But 'Wakakura' may have even been her original name. As everyone in NZ knows, it is the Maori word for 'precious canoe' or 'training ship.'

Wakakura was purchased 'as is, where is' by NZ as a training ship for the RNVR New Zealand Division off the 'rotten row' scrap heap at Inverness, and with an RN crew was dolled up for her long voyage to the Antipodes.

Jack Harking writes that her delivery voyage itself was legendary, and that along the way she totted up repair bills four times her original purchase price just to get there.

Jack says : '(The) little trawler paid a big part in the lives of New Zealand's pre-war and wartime naval reservists. Her Majesty's Trawler (later HMNZS) Wakakura...also left an impression on various wharves and a couple of other ships as she roamed from port to port around New Zealand instructing young would-be sailors in naval procedures.'

Wakakura served through WW11 as a training ship and danlayer. In war service she was armed with a single 4-inch, two Vickers .303 m.g.s, and a Lewis twin m.g.s and four depth charges. She was deleted from the New Zealand Navy lists in 1946, and sold to the Tasman Steamship Company (formed by returned servicemen), and converted in 1947 to a refrigerated cargo ship, where I presently lose trace of her.

Well, there it is. What a ship! HMNZS Wakakura, the 'precious canoe,' and I'm sure loved by all who sailed on her (now that couldn't be a mistake, could it?), is our RNZN Ship Of The Week.

kookaburra

21-05-2009, 09:50

The RNZN operated 39 minesweepers and danlayers during WW11, including 20 purpose-built naval ships and 19 converted trawlers and merchantmen.

Our RNZN Ship of the Week, HMNZS South Sea, is one of the latter, which unfortunately came to a premature end in a collision with the Union Steamship Company's Trans-Tasman steamer and sometime HMT Wahine (means 'wife') off Point Haswell in Wellington Harbour on December 19, 1942.

The 312 ton South Sea had been built by Goole Shipbuilding and Repair Pty Ltd in the U.K. in 1912 as the steam trawler Ferribly (not 'Terribly').

Wahine, 4,436 tons, was completed at Denny's Dumbarton Yard a year later, and served as a HMT in the Mediterranean and at Gallipoli in WW1 (3rd pic) - famous among dockside loungers for her capacity to frequently reverse full steam down crowded Valetta Harbour without mishap, despite ships all around. The secret, few knew, was a special rudder that had been fitted in Lyttelton soon after her arrival in NZ, for some reason I've now forgotten.

She served as a HMT again at times in WW11, but the fourth pic shows her in unusual the unusual livery of a repatriation ship in June 1942, taking Japanese diplomats and other enemy aliens to Sydney as the first stages of their return to their own countries.

Wahine, however, was on an inter-island ferry run between Lyttelton and Wellington in the week before Christmas, 1942, when the two ships, finished a year apart, were destined to meet - probably not for the first time - but now heading on courses that intersected at a right angle across Wellington Harbour.

It was broad daylight, 8.30 a.m., and visability was excellent. This really didn't have to happen.

South Sea , under the command of Temporary Lieutenant Peter Bradley, was crossing the Harbour on a picket line from Somes Island being maintained alternately with her minesweeping sister ship HMNZS Rata not far away.

The little minesweeper was to port of Wahine, Captain Alexander Howie, coming out of Fryatt Quay, and the bigger ship had right of way - but Temp. Lt. Bradley maintained his course and speed resolutely, thinking he would get past her.

Captain Howie had no doubt watched this was rising alarm, and finally ordered engines astern and a turn to starboard at the last minute. Wahine's bow met HMNZS South Sea amidships, knocking her helmsman unconscious.

All was done for the stricken little ship that could be. HMNZS Rata took off her crew, while the harbour tug Toia came out with a powerful pump, but to no avail. The dear little minesweeper sank below the waves near Point Haswell.

Ah well. All good things come to an end. At least noone was lost. But ... poor Temp Lt Bradley. No ship and a Board of Enquiry for Christmas. I wonder if his appointment was ever confirmed. And poor little HMNZS South Sea . She's our RNZN ... Ship Of The Week.

PS: SS Wahine was sold to the breakers in 1951.

kookaburra

28-05-2009, 08:52

Everyone connected with New Zealand's 1950s pioneering efforts in the Ross Dependency of Antarctica remembered this little 900-ton vessel three years ago, when the scientific community commemorated the 50th anniversary of her voyage there to establish New Zealand's Antarctic Scott Base.

While the base was built, the late Sir Edmund Hillary, leader of the Kiwi Trans Antarctica Expedition, and his men set out on tractor-wheeled vehicles laying depots along the routes to the Pole.

HMNZS Endeavour, ex-HMS Pretext, ex-BDV and Antarctica Research Vessel, RNZN 1955-1962, is our RNZN Ship Of The Week.

The first of three RNZN vessels thus far to carry the name Endeavour (following a line of nine in the Royal Navy, including Cook's), she was built in the U.S. by the American Car and Foundry Company as the netlayer USS Satinwood, AN 76, but passed almost immediately on completion to the RN under the Lend Lease Agreement in 1944, a Pre-class boom defence vessel commissioned as HMS Pretext.

In 1947 was she was sold to the Falkland Islands Dependency Government, taking the name John Briscoe, and her hull sheathed in three inches of greenheart timber for performing survey work in ice.

New Zealand acquired the ship for the RNZN in June 1955 when it was clear that the country defence forces and scientific community would be playing a major role in the U.K.-inspired Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition, also co-operating with U.S. Antarctic research efforts, and the establishment of American Base at McMurdo Sound.

After a re-fit in Southampton, Endeavour steamed to New Zealand and, with her heavy steel bow, pushed South in the summer of 1956 with materials and men to establish the Scott Base at Pram Point, which passed to New Zealand ownership two years later.

The former BVD made five voyages to Antarctica but by 1962 she was showing signs of wear, and a mercantile-built vessel, to become HMNZS Namakagon, was acquired to take her place. Endeavour was sold to a Canadian Company , becoming a sealer under the name Arctic Endeavour. Sadly, she foundered off Newfoundland on November 11, 1982.

Clearly, in EnZed there are still many warm memories of her pioneering work in the early days of Scott Base, when she was both home and lifeline in that spectacular, but unforgiving environment. For our purposes, I think some images here give a sense of her story...HMNZS Endeavour is our RNZN Ship Of The Week.

kookaburra

04-06-2009, 11:55

Looking very stately, with a bridge almost as high as her funnel, the eighth and last of the RNZN's steel Castle Class anti-submarine minesweepers HMNZS Waiho steams off Auckland.

Built by Stevenson and Cook at Port Chalmers, the 540-612tons full load Waiho, T34, came into service in June 1944 just as the larger Modified Flower Class corvettes Arabis and Arbutus were arriving from the Royal Navy.

The move towards these ships with much greater range, speed and escort capacity saw the next Castle Class ship remain incomplete, and orders for four more cancelled. Waiho herself, armed with a single 12-pounder and two m.g.s, swept and patrolled off Auckland, where she was based, and paid off for disposal in 1946.

She became one of three RNZN WW11 trawler-minesweepers sold to the Red Funnel Fisheries fleet in Sydney, while two others went to A.A. Murrell in the same city.

Hence, they served out their lives trawling the Australian East Coast for more prawns to throw on the Barbie.

Waiho's service with the RNZN was quite brief, and although I did search high and low, I haven't lucked on any more personalized stories to go with the photos. With a complement of 35, and less than 18 months naval service, perhaps the chances this time were a little slim. Still, she answered the call when asked, and her service deserves recognition.

She looks good, and HMNZS Waiho, T34, is our RNZN Ship Of The Week.

kookaburra

11-06-2009, 03:59

Well, as soon as I saw the photo below, I knew that was it: could hardly wait for Thursday to post it.

HMNZS Muritai, auxiliary minesweeper and anti-submarine patrol vessel, is the RNZN Ship Of The Week.

The 462 ton Muritai was a Wellington harbour ferry built for Eastbourne Borough Council in 1922-23, and from a brief scan of some manuscript items in the Borough archives I gather people had warm summer excursions memories of her, in that way people tend to feel about tugboats and ferries,

Muritai was commissioned as a minesweeper in 1940, operating out of Wellington, and was involved in a number of successful minesweeping operations with the local MS flotilla. There was an interruption in her war service in 1943 when she got entangled in the NZ Naval Board's long search for a minelaying vessel, recounted in S.D. Waters's New Zealand navy history.

In 1939, the NZ naval authorities had drawn up ambitious plans for extensive anti-invasion minefields to be laid around all its main ports and in some cases within harbours close to important military installations. Most crucial was Auckland for which 422 mines were ordered from Australia, with an agreement that the RAN would send HMAS Bungaree to lay them.

Demands for the services of the RAN's sole minelayer extended however from the Dutch East Indies to New Caledonia and Noumea, and while the defensive fields into Auckland were finally laid, the experience convinced the RNZN that it needed its own vessel, both for minelaying and maintaining the fields.

A long and fruitless search for a suitable vessel, both within New Zealand and the United States followed, and in the end, with some misgivings, it was decided that the little former ferry HMNZS Muritai would have to be it.

In 1943 she was sent into the Devonport dockyard for the necessary work, but lay there for months with nothing done. The yard was at full stretch repairing US ships coming from the Pacific. In the end, Muritai was simply taken back and resumed duties as a port minesweeping and anti-submarine patrol vessel.

She was released from service in 1946, and I'm afraid I can't readily find trace of what happened to her since.

Again, I'm always impressed by the way the RNZN turns its ships out, and with fewer hulls in the water, how much they pack onto them. HMNZS Muritai here is a good case on both points. I don't have a reference for her armament fit, but that looks like a TWIN gun installation on the bandstand up front, which would be very unusual for a ship of this size and type.

And finally, of course, she looks just a treat. HMNZS Muritai is the RNZN Ship Of The Week.

kookaburra

19-06-2009, 07:25

Folks, I'm under pressure from heavy posting and other chores elsewhere, and apologise for this late entry. Anyway, I have limited info, but invite you to contemplate the sweet lines and serene setting of one of the RNZN's first WW11 auxiliary minesweepers.

HMNZS Thomas Currell, auxiliary minesweeper , RNZN 1939-1945, is this week's RNZN Ship Of The Week.

This is another of those little ships where I suspect there is probably a lot of local knowledge out there somewhere, but not easy for a distant outsider the access.

Originally constructed as a Strath Class minesweeper for the Royal Navy in 1919, the 204 tons gross trawler Thomas Currell was one of three requisitioned from Sanford Ltd of Auckland in October 1939, and decommissioned in November 1945. I'll edit in any further details as I find them, but as one of the smaller auxiliaries I think her duties were confined to local waters - not sure at present.

As for her later career, the one trace I find is this second photo posted by Phil NZ on flickr in 2006, which shows her wrecked but still very recognisable at Port Hutt on Chatham Island. There is a passing reference to her having been a 'freezer,' presumably a refrigerated vessel in the fishing fleet.

Anyway, she looked very fine - our RNZN Ship Of The Week.

kookaburra

25-06-2009, 06:19

We are indebted today to Alan Benn for sending us Down Under this fine moody pic of HMNZS Scarba, which is now our RNZN Ship of The Week.

Scarba was one of four (Scottish) Isles Class minsweeper trawlers ordered by the RNZN in 1941, and commissioned in 1942, when she initially conducted escorts from California across the Pacific and then from Hawaii to Auckland, with LCDR Peter Phipps (later VA) initially in command of her - immediately before he went on to fame with Moa at Guadalcanal.

Scarba, 560 tons standard, was built at Cook Welton and Gemmell Ltd at Beverley in the U.K. and was armed with a single 12-pounder, three 20mm AA and DCs.

I lack a copy with Waters's RNZN history and ready access often to the service records of some of the smaller ships. A total of 22 RNZN ships, for example, were involved in the Solomons Islands campaigns, the New Zealand Navy's major area of operations during the Pacific War, and I think Scarba was involved in escorts into that warfront area, but would need to confirm that.

A total of 197 Isles Class were built during the war. The four NZ ships were all laid in 1946 and placed in reserve until they were finally listed for disposal in 1958. At least one went into civilian use after that, but I'm not sure about Scarba. Glad if anyone can complement this rather scant history. She's our RNZN Ship Of The Week.

EDIT: Having now had a chance to read the minesweeping chapter of the J.D. Waters history of the RNZN online, I can add that Scarba was attached to the 7th Trawler Group based in Auckland, the other ships in the group being Inchkeith, Killegray and Sanda. Scarba played a role in escorting and protecting supply ships to Norfolk Island, equidistant between NZ and Australia, where an anti-submarine patrol base was being developed. In October 1943 Scarba also gave protection to Cable Enterprise1 while that ship was repairing the Norfolk Island – Suva (Fiji)submarine cable. In late 1943, Scarba was one of a team of minesweepers used to successfully clear all but nine of 258 mines laid defensively earlier in the war in the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland, the others thought to have drifted out to sea. A similar sweep of a smaller independent field was done in the Bay of Islands.

Towards the end of the war, Scarba was also one of the sweepers going over track charts obtained of the German ship Orion, seeking mines laid by that ship but none were found in two phases of this operation. These operations were also hampered by a lack of steaming coal at the time.

Thus, although her field of operations appears to have extended out as far as Fiji and Norfolk, it appears that much of Scarba's wartime work was done in local waters. She appears not to have been one of the ships involved in the Solomons operations. K.

kookaburra

09-07-2009, 05:02

Folks, I'm admitting defeat on RNZN Ship Of The Week as originally conceived: the smaller EnZed ships and their stories.

I find I just don't have the back-up material to fill their stories in, and - this goes back to my publishing background - I feel something produced weekly should have greater depth to it.

Please accept what I'm able to offer here for the time being as an 'RNZN Small Ship Pic Of The Week.'

This week is HMNZS Hinau, one of a group of four 612 ton full load Castle Class minesweepers, of which 19 were originally planned. Built of kauri planking, Hinau was armed with a single 12-pounder and two MGs.

Built by Senior Foundry, Hinau was commissioned on July 15, 1942, and paid off in 1946. She was held in reserve until her sale in 1955, and there I lose trace of her.

As I've said before, the Kiwis always seem to present their vessels well, and she's another nice looking little ship.

kookaburra

14-07-2009, 14:58

kookaburra

03-08-2009, 10:07

Williamc

05-09-2009, 00:38

G'day,
i just thought you might want to know a little more about MANAWANUI, there were 3 ships commisioned with that name the first 2 are in the photos above, in '88 when the third was commissioned that was the north sea diving tender which isn't pictured and as soon as i get on my other computer i'll see if i can find something from when i was posted there.

The little ship MANAWANUI that was replaced in '88 was never sold for scrap but is still in service today and has been re-named HMNZS KAHU it still does a little bit of work with the operational diving team but mostly works with the seamanship school for watchkeeper training

The first photo shows the first MANAWANUI i haven't seen that photo before but there was another photo of the same ship in the Dinning hall on board

hope this is of interest

astraltrader

05-09-2009, 01:10

This is the best picture I have ever seen of Manawanui - from a postcard kindly supplied by member Bill1938....

Williamc

05-09-2009, 02:16

Thats a pretty old picture with the black pennant marking

These twoare of HMNZS MANAWANUI taken from HMAS WEWAK in 2006 during an exercise off the coast of Queensland Australia

the photo i was looking for was also taken in 2006 of HMNZS MANAWANUI entering Port Nelson NZ. it was of the ship passing thru the cut flying it's callsign

Williamc

19-09-2009, 22:14

Incase asnyone was wondering i was driving past where the first photo was taken from the post on the 15th and the first ship to hold the name MANAWANUI is nolonger berthed where that photo is

where it is gone i couldn't tell you but the warrent who was with me said it had been the a couple of months ago when he last went past, but there was still a "Black Boat" patrol craft berthed there

Geoff Brebner

04-01-2010, 12:37

Hi all,new recruit here,referring to Manawanui at Paeroa in previous post,she has recently (2009)been broken up.And the "black boat"mentioned is HDML Koura,P3564,been there since 1984.(museum ship).And going back to post of WAKAKURA,1st photo is actually of WW1 Saint class tug TOIA,ex St Fergus,supplied to NZ by the Admiralty back in 1920's,deleted 1955.
Regards to all,Geoff.

astraltrader

04-01-2010, 14:12

Thanks for the update on the Toia Geoff.

If you have any photos/pictures of RNZN [or any!] warships that you wish to add then please go ahead they will always be appreciated! :)

Geoff Brebner

05-01-2010, 12:25

Hi all,a little bit more about Hinau.One of 4 composite (kauri planking on steel frames) Castle-class minesweepers,the others being Rimu,Manuka,and Tawhai (not commisioned).The wooden Castles with Maori tree names,the steel ones with Maori NZ river names.The first 4 of the sweepers were built in wood owing to the shortage of steel.They were fitted with boilers and engines from old ships from "rotten row".One of the old ships was twin engined,one of her engines going into Hinau,the other into Rimu. Consequently,one ship had a right handed screw,the other left handed.A story I was told was about the skippers of the two ships (friends)once swapping ships and the fun and games coming to grips with the opposite propellers.I digress.The 3 ships paid off in 1945,Manuka was sold as a fishing vessel,Hinau and Rimu went into reserve at the Devonport Dockyard for the next 10 years,being used to provide steam for the mothballed reserve fleet. In 1955 they were sold for scrap,Rimu being sunk as a bombing target off Cuvier Island.Hinau was stripped and her empty hull was towed to Wharekawa,about 40 nm from Auckland, where she was beached as a breakwater at a shingle quarry.She has the distinction of being the first NZ built warship to be launched in the WW2 shipbuilding program.Her hull survives,still substantially intact,but getting very weary.Here is a pic of her being launched at Auckland in 1941,and basically how she looks today. Regards,Geoff.

Don Boyer

07-01-2010, 05:40

Just wanted to let you all know how much your posts of the ships of the New Zealand Navy are appreciated by some of us out here in the Pacific who have never seen these ships before. There photos and histories are very interesting to anyone like me who loves ships and the history of naval operations in the Pacific. I do hope you keep it up even if you don't get many hoorays from out there....

Regards,

BigE

27-01-2010, 21:02

kookaburra

23-03-2010, 08:01

This is a fine photo of the little Castle Class WW11 auxiliary minesweeper HMNZS Waiho featured in Post #12, where some of her details are given

It is one of many photographs that were kindly sent along by UK Moderator Alan Benn who was supporting these RNZN threads from the background when they were first getting started. For some forgotten reason I was having a brain fade about transferring some kinds of photo files from e-mail to my folders at the time this particular pic, and several others came in.

In short, it is one of several that that got accidentally left behind and forgotten. I re-discovered them in a clearing of my old e-mail files recently.

So, here's little HMNZS Waiho,looking fine, and I'll catch up with the others too over the course of the next few days. Thanks Alan, and I didn't mean that to happen. K.

kookaburra

25-03-2010, 11:51

As promised in the previous post, still catching up with some lovely photos sent for the NZ forum by U.K. Moderator Alan Benn, and overlooked in some technical incompetence on my part.

Here's another of them: the WW11 Castle Class auxiliary minesweeper HMNZS Waipu, sister ship to HMNZS Waiho of the last post.

Thanks again Alan.

alanbenn

25-03-2010, 13:42

Jeff, glad to see these little ships of NZ getting an airing, I had forgotten I had sent them in all honesty, but I know you have been busy with your Photostream project, so thanks for taking time out to get these onto the forum.

Regards
Alan

Geoff Brebner

25-03-2010, 20:32

Hi Kookaburra,have sent you a PM.Regards,Geoff Brebner.

Geoff Brebner

26-03-2010, 09:13

Gunnery exercise aboard Waiho1944 or 45

Regards to all,Geoff.

steve roberts

26-03-2010, 10:24

Hi Geoff.Very interesting photo.It does raise one question though.Why is one of the gun crew in full rig,plus the officer? Everyone else seems to be correctly dressed in overalls and anti-flash gear? Many Regards Steve.:confused:

Geoff Brebner

26-03-2010, 11:17

First up,best dressed? :D I think life on the trawlers may have been slightly infomal !

Geoff Brebner

26-03-2010, 22:05

Hi all,some more of the NZ-built Castle-class trawlers.Pic#1 & 2 show Maimai T27 as a minesweeper,and in her later role as a Wellington steam trawler.The next 3 are of Waikato T30 which was completed,but not commissioned into the RNZN.She was later fitted out as a fishing trawler,renamed Taiaroa and also fished out of Wellington for many years.Her last guise was as a film prop,made up to portray a nineteenth-century German gunboat.Regards,Geoff.

steve roberts

26-03-2010, 22:49

Hi Geoff. Busy little ship.I dont think she looks particularly menacing as a German Gunboat! Any Idea what film it was for? Regards Steve.:)

Geoff Brebner

26-03-2010, 23:49

Hi Steve,the film was called "Savage Islands",from memory late1980's, NZ made.After a few more years of idleness,the old Taiaroa was given to the Navy and sunk as a gunnery target.She was almost the last surviving Castle (of the original WW1 design) left afloat.I believe there is still one of the original hulls (1920's) still in existence somewhere in the UK. Regards,Geoff.

P.S. Ahaah! Did a spot of googling,and came up with this (abridged).Samuel Green was one of numerous Castle-class trawlers built for the Admiralty during WW1.Launched in 1919,she was never commissioned into the RN,and was put up for disposal.She was bought by one K L Guinness,one of the Irish brewing family.He was also known for the developement of the KLG spark plug,and was a keen motor racer.The trawler was converted into a luxury steam yacht and named Ocean Rover We shall skip the rest of the story,but mid 2000's the old Samuel Green was still afloat near HMY Britannia at Leith.

kookaburra

27-03-2010, 09:31

Hi Kookaburra,have sent you a PM.Regards,Geoff Brebner.

Enjoyed the pics and stories Geoff. Thanks. Great to see them coming straight from source.

Geoff Brebner

27-03-2010, 11:20

Found this of Samuel Green from post#37.Hope it comes out.In the meantime have found some more Kiwi Castles which I shall post later.Regards,Geoff.
Oh ho,I see I've been promoted to a killick!!

astraltrader

28-03-2010, 03:50

Geoff - PM sent.

Geoff Brebner

31-03-2010, 11:53

Another couple of the Castle-class trawlers.The 1st image is of Aroha T24,the first of the steel ships to be completed.She was launched at Port Chalmers 8/9/42.And the 2nd image is Hautapu T26,although in the pic she displays her Admiralty number. Regards to all,Geoff.

Old Salt

03-04-2010, 10:32

'Look Skup,' Uh sud, 'the thung uz, it's been as hot as Hades out there un the Harbour, and the buzs wud like a lumum drenk.'

...the boys would like a lemon drink

'Ahh, Okey' sud the Skup, and tunned the wheel over for the crek at Paeroa.

...they headed up the creek at Paeroa

The thung uz, you mey nut no ut, but Paeroa mekes a drunk thet's 'world femous un Nuy Zulund.' Lumun and frush Paeroa sprung wuter.

Paeroa makes a lemon drink that's 'world famous in New Zealand'

We unly munt to stey 10 munuts, but Mum wuz there and sud sh'ud mud a spunge cuk.

...Mum was there and said she'd made a sponge cake.

Thun Grun tunned up with Untty Bee und sud she hud some bulley sugurs in hur hundbug eft Uh dudn't but muh nuls. Sully uld cow.

...Grandma turned up with Aunty Bee and promised him some barley sugars if he didn't bite his nails

So wuy phulled the gungplunk ut and hulped Dud rull some putrul drums up the hull tuwuds the bunn.

They pulled the gangplank out and helped Dad roll some petrol drums up the hull towards the barn

We stufft usselves sully then Skup sud we'd butter gut bek tuh buz.

...they ate more than sufficient and then the Skipper said they'd better get back to base

Uh ruckun Paeroa uz the must buwttiful pluss un the wuld. Uh wush U'd nuvur luft ut.

...he reckons Paeroa is the most beautiful place in the world ... wishes he'd never left it.

AND IT UZ!

Not only the most beautiful, but in a country that is one of the last places on earth where people will actually across the road just to ask a stranger if they can help.

Celebrating the homely values we desperately hope New Zealand never loses, HMNZS MANAWANUI, 90 ton diving tender to the RNZN Operational Diving Team, and Lemon Paeroa spring water vessel, RNZN 1979-1988 is today's RNZN ...SHUP OF THE WEEK!

Sad to say, the little vessel, built by Whangarei, NZ to naval spefications and commissioned on May 28, 1979, was replaced in 1988 by a former North Sea oil rig diving support vessel, formerly named Star Perseus. I'm not sure of the little ship's fate, but at 911 tons, the third HMNZS Manawanui could never get up that creek [actually, it appears to be where she went after she was sold].

Paeroa, sometimes spelt Paeorao is in beautiful gorge country about midway between Auckland and the Rotorua Hot Springs. Its lemon and spring water drink is national icon in New Zealand, and there is a 7m Big Bottle, of course, there.

Finally, please don't take my overworked and badly executed jokes too seriously. The word 'Manawanui' means to be brave, or steadfast, which the Kiwi always ...er, IS.

The ship in the left hand picture was the first HMNZS Manawanui, a naval tug which was modified for use as a diving tender by the RNZN. She was built in Auckland in 1945 by Steel Ships Ltd for the USN as the US navy tug YLT622. She was transferred to the New Zealand Marine Department who named her Tug 622 and used her to service the large post war fleet of surplus boats scattered around Waitemata Harbour.
In 1948 Tug 622 was transferred to the RNZN and became HMNZS Manawanui. In 1953 she was converted to a diving tender and functioned in this role for the next 15 years. In 1956 she assisted in recovering an Avenger aircraft that had ditched in Hauraki Gulf. In 1957 she towed the badly damaged patrol launch SDML P3561 off rocks near Rangipukea Island and beached her in a nearby bay. In 1958 she investigated the wreck of the coaster Holmglen off Timaru. . In November 1978 she was sold for a nominal sum, to the Paeroa Historic Maritime Park for preservation and display. Her future seems uncertain.

The ship in the right hand picture is the second HMNZS Manawanui, a Moa class patrol boat built in Whangarei in 1978 and specially modified to function as a diving tender/diving support vessel. In this role she assisted with the exploration and salvage work of the wreck MS Mikhail Lermontov in March 1986.
On 17 May 1988, she was renamed HMNZS Kahu (A04) and recommissioned as the basic seamanship and navigation training vessel attached to the Royal New Zealand Naval College.

NOTE: The third and current diving support vessel HMNZS Manawanui (A09) was commissioned in 1988, having originally been the Star Perseus, a North Sea oil rig operations support vessel.

.

Old Salt

03-04-2010, 19:30

HMNZS Rimu was a 540-ton Castle Class minesweeper built by Seager Brothers Shipbuilders Ltd of Auckland and served with the RNZN from 1942-1946. In 1943 she was based in Auckland with the 194th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group, with Hinau, Manuka, Hawera, and Kapuni, equipped for magnetic mines and anti-submarine patrols.

Laid up in 1946, Rimu was sold in 1955, and a RNZN careeer note mentions that she was sunk off Caviar Island on August 21, 1958, but in circumstances I've not been able to ascertain [nor, to tell the truth the location - a search using the word 'caviar' is hopeless].

In any event this photo was another kindly sent by UK moderator AlanBenn, who helps us fill the photo gaps of the smaller RNZN vessels from his wonderful collection of high resolution ships photos. Thanks Alan.

Rimu was sunk in 1958 near Cuvier Island just outside the Hauraki Gulf and appoaches to Auckland. The following is an extract from the website 'Wings over New Zealand Aviation Forum :

In 1958 the RNZN minesweeper Rimu was to be dispatched by RNZAF aircraft just outside the Hauraki Gulf. A Sunderland was to Machine gun it, then carry out a Depth charge attack on it, before a flight of Vampires from Ohakea would finish it off with rockets. However the 5 Sqn crew placed the depth charges beautifully, and the last one broke the Rimu's wooden hull clean in half, causing it to sink instantly. The leader of the Vampire flight was not impressed when he found a lone Sunderland had destroyed his target

kookaburra

03-04-2010, 22:38

Rimu was sunk in 1958 near Cuvier Island just outside the Hauraki Gulf and appoaches to Auckland. The following is an extract from the website 'Wings over New Zealand Aviation Forum :

In 1958 the RNZN minesweeper Rimu was to be dispatched by RNZAF aircraft just outside the Hauraki Gulf. A Sunderland was to Machine gun it, then carry out a Depth charge attack on it, before a flight of Vampires from Ohakea would finish it off with rockets. However the 5 Sqn crew placed the depth charges beautifully, and the last one broke the Rimu's wooden hull clean in half, causing it to sink instantly. The leader of the Vampire flight was not impressed when he found a lone Sunderland had destroyed his target

Thanks Brian. That clears up Rimu's fate nicely, and a good story with it.

Thank heavens there is now some real local knowledge and good sense coming onto the RNZN threads in p[lace of me!

Old Salt

04-04-2010, 03:55

Thanks Brian. That clears up Rimu's fate nicely, and a good story with it.

Thank heavens there is now some real local knowledge and good sense coming onto the RNZN threads in p[lace of me!

You have done a magnificent job, I have learned some things from you.
I am happy to post an RNZN Ship of the week if that is OK with you. I have heaps of data for them.

Old Salt

12-04-2010, 19:54

HMNZS HAWEA F422

Built : Smith's Dock Co Ltd South Bank on Tees
Commissioned 25-Apr-1944 as HMS Loch Eck K422.
Designation: Loch Class anti-submarine convoy escorts.
Displacement: 1435 tons (2260 tons full load).
Length: 307ft, beam 38ft., draught 12ft.
Armament: 1 x 4in, 4 x 2 pounder, 6 x 20mm AA, 2 squids, depth charges.
Machinery: triple expansion, 5500 ihp, 2 shafts. Performance: 19.5 kts.
Complement: 103

Saw WWII service as A/S escort protecting shipping in the North Atlantic approaches to the British Isles. Took part in sinking two U-boats north of the Shetland Islands. Also saw service in the Far East, taking the formal Japanese surrender at Bali. Paid of into reserve 1945.
Purchased from Britain in 1948, commissioned as HMNZS Hawea (F422) and with five sister ships formed the formed the 11th Frigate Flotilla in August 1948. She undertook numerous visits to NZ Ports and carried out exercises with Australia and in the Pacific. . Hawea completed two deployments during the Korean War between 1951 and 1953. She operated primarily close to the West Coast of Korea in support of land operations; often well up the Han River. Much of the time was spent providing gunfire support to units ashore. For two hard years, often in extreme weather conditions, she had none of the headline brilliance of great naval battles. Although hard worked and frequently operating close inshore, the ship was particularly fortunate in seldom coming under fire. Hawea escorted Endeavour to the edge of the pack ice in December 1956 in support of the Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition. Placed in reserve 1957 and sold for scrap 1966

Old Salt

19-04-2010, 09:25

HMNZS Achilles

Built : Cammell Laird, Birkenhead, England
Commissioned: :Oct. 1933 as HMS Achilles

Type: Improved Leander class cruiser Displacement: 7,270 tons (9,740 tons full load)
Length: 555 ft (169 m)) Beam: 56 ft (17 m Draught: 19.1 ft (5.8 m)
Propulsion: 4 Parsons geared steam turbines, 6 boilers, 4 shafts, 72,000 shp Speed: 32.5 kt

Complement:680
Armament: Original configuration:
8 × 6 inch (152 mm) guns , 8 × 4 inch (102 mm) anti-aircraft guns
8 × 2 pdr anti-aircraft guns, 12 × 0.5 inch machine guns
8 × 21 inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes
Armour: sides 102 mm, deck 51 mm, turrets 25 mm,
Aircraft: 1 Fairey Seafox

Lent to the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy and was commissioned on 31 March 1936. In the first major battle in WW II, Achilles sailed into history with HMS Ajax and HMS Exeter by engaging the German pocket battleship Graf Spee in the Battle of the River Plate. In September 1941 with the creation of the Royal New Zealand Navy, she was renamed HMNZS Achilles. After Japan entered the war, she escorted troop convoys, then joined the ANZAC squadron in SW Pacific. While operating off New Georgia with US forces, she was hit by a bomb on X turret on 5 January 1943. Repaired at Portsmouth from April 1943 to May 1944, during which X turret was replaced by four two-pounders. Sent to the Eastern Fleet, Achilles then joined the British Pacific Fleet (Task Force 57) in May 1945 for final operations in the Pacific. After the war, Achilles was returned to the Royal Navy and was sold to India in July 1948, renamed INS 'Delhi'; and served until scrapped in 1978.

Old Salt

27-04-2010, 11:15

HMNZS Santon

Built : UK 1955 Type: Ton Class Minesweeper Pennant No. M1178
Displacement: 360 tons, 425 tons full load.
Length overall 153ft, beam 28ft 9in, draught 8ft 3in.
Machinery: Two 2500 bhp Mirrlees engines, two shafts. Performance: 15 kts
Armament: 1 x 40mm, 2 x 20mm AA, Bren light machine guns Complement: 27 - 32

In 1965 NZ offered to man two vessels as military assistance in the protection of Malaysia from Indonesian terrorist attacks during an undeclared war known as Confrontation. HMNZS Santon was commissioned at Singapore as on 10 April 1965 with sister ship HMNZS Hickleton . She was used on anti-infiltration patrols between Malaysia and Singapore and Indonesia with the 11th Minesweeping Squadron, RN based on HMS Mull of Kintyre at Singapore. Most actions took place at night with many daylight interceptions of smugglers and suspect craft that may have carried terrorist bombs. All actions took place at close range within 100 yards with no warning. For their gunboat role the ships were fitted with additional machineguns, Bren guns, rocket flare launchers and smaller personal weapons. In their first year the two NZ ships carried out over 200 patrols and dealt with twenty incidents involving intruding Indonesians, often capturing prisoners. In March 1966, SANTON assisted in the rescue of the crew of a wrecked Panamanian freighter CARINA off Eastern Sabah. Following peace being declared at the end of 1966 the two ships were steamed back to the UK and reverted to the Royal Navy. Santon had by now steamed over 60,000 miles in her NZ colours. She was then modernised and sold to Argentina in 1967 as the Chubut where she served until scrapped in 1997.

Note : Regrettably she never got to visit NZ

kookaburra

29-04-2010, 02:46

Old Salt

29-04-2010, 10:25

Very interesting story on HMNZS Santon Brian. I never knew the RNZN participated in the anti-infiltration patrols in this way. Also thanks for picking up the baton for this thread with this and other excellent entries.

My pleasure entirely. For a fairly young navy NZ has had a lot of ships and history and I hope to post some of it gradually. I am so glad I found this great site.

Guess you are Oz and may be interested in the story of my involvement in the Melbourne/Evans collision, court of inquiry and US court martials. I have quite a bit of stuff to sort out first. Which forum should it be posted ?

Bri

Geoff Brebner

29-04-2010, 12:14

Isa Lei served the RNZN from late 1952 until she was disposed of in 1958.A composite ship (wooden planking on steel frames),she was one of several built at Auckland 1944-45 for the American armed forces working in the SW Pacific.Known as 114' powered lighters,they were used for ammunition and stores carrying. Originally USS YF1038 she was sold after the war to Fiji and named Isa Lei.The RNZN used her as a fleet auxiliary.After disposal,she lay idle for a number of years before being broken up.The pic attached is of a sister,YF1047.Regards to all,Geoff.

Old Salt

30-04-2010, 22:21

Old Salt

03-05-2010, 20:06

HMNZS Resolution

Displacement: 2,262 tonnes
Length: 68 m Beam: 13 m Draught: 4.4 m
Propulsion: Four Caterpillar D398B diesel generators 3,200 hp (2.4 MW)
Twin shafts. Bow thruster 550 hp (410 kW) Speed: 11 knots
Range: 21,500 nautical miles
Complement: 41 (7 officers, 34 ratings) max accommodation 45

Originally commissioned as the USNS Tenacious (T-AGOS-17) on 29 September 1989, a Stalwart class ocean surveillance ship designed to collect data by towed array.

Purchased by New Zealand on 6 February 1997, and commissioned as HMNZS Resolution (A 14), the Hydrographic Survey and Acoustic Research ship of the RNZN, She replaced both the previous hydrograhic vessel HMNZS Monowai and the research vessel HMNZS Tui. She is named after Captain James Cook’s ship during his second and third voyages to NZ and is fitted with a multiple beam echo sounder for hydrographic surveying.

Old Salt

10-05-2010, 10:05

HMNZS TE KAHA

Built : Tenix Defence Systems.Williamson, Australia
Pennant No: F77
Displacement: 3,600 tonnes
Length: 118 m. Beam: 14.8 m. Draught: 6.2 m.
Armament: 5 inch Mk45 Mod 2 automatic rapid fire gun, Mk 41 vertical launch system with Sea Sparrow anti-air missile, PHALANX Close In Weapon System 2 x Mk32 Mod 5 triple mounted torpedo tubes, 4 x 50 calibre (12.7mm) machine guns
Main Machinery: 1 GE LM 2500 Gas Turbine (30,000 hp) , 2 MTU 12V 1163 Diesel's (8,500 hp) , Twin Shaft ,Controllable Pitch Propellers
Speed: More than 28 knots
Ship's Company: 177
Aircraft : 1 KAMAN SH-2G Super Seasprite helicopter that can be armed with torpedoes, depth charges and Maverick missiles.

Te Kaha is built to the German Meko 200 Class design with sections of the ship built separately in Australia and NZ and final fitout was in Williamstown, Australia . The name Te Kaha is Maori, meaning 'fighting prowess' or 'strength'. The first of the Royal New Zealand Navy's (RNZN) ANZAC class frigates, TE KAHA was launched in Melbourne on 22 July 1995, and commissioned in Auckland exactly two years later. Te Kaha’s roles include protecting New Zealand, our maritime resources and our neighbours surveillance; Civil Defence; Search and Rescue; participation in UN peacekeeping missions; and providing gunfire support to troops on the ground.. Te Kaha has already completed several deployments to Australia for joint exercises and has visited many ports in the Far East. She has also deployed to the Persian Gulf and taken part in ‘Operation Enduring Freedom’.

Geoff Brebner

12-05-2010, 01:43

Bump Hello all,referring back to Post # 13, Muritai was converted back to her form as a passenger ferry,and used on the Waiheke Island (Auckland) trade from about 1947.She proved to be very expensive to run,and after a few years,was taken out of service and hulked as a breakwater.She was finally broken up in the 1970's. Hereby a very poor image of her in the 1950's

Old Salt

17-05-2010, 00:51

HNNZS Tui (AOR)

Built : Christy Corp, Sturgeon Bay, WI.
Displacement : 1,200 t.(lt) 1,370 t.(fl)
Length : 209 ft. , Beam: 40ft. Draft : 16'
Speed : 12 kts.
Propulsion : diesel-electric, single propeller, 2500shp, retractable bow thruster
Type : Oceanographic Research ,
Commissioned : 25 January 1963 as USNS Charles H. Davis (T-AGOR-5)

Transferred, on loan to New Zealand, 28 July 1970, and commissioned at Brooklyn, New York on 11 September 1970 as HMNZS Tui. Named after the Tui bird, she was the second ship with this name to serve in the RNZN. She sailed for New Zealand 24/9/70, via Panama and Tahiti arriving in Wellington 7/11/70, and Auckland on 13/11/1970.

After a partial refit and the installation and testing of scientific equipment, Tui began a program of work for the Defence Scientific Establishment in Auckland. For 27 years Tui went unobtrusively about the kind of work she was designed for, primarily underwater acoustics research into the detection and tracking of submarines.

She also undertook general oceanographical work for the DSE, Auckland University, DSIR, and took part in several American research programs. During the 1970s she made an extensive search for the Maria Theresa Reef. These programmes were mainly in the South Pacific but she also worked in Australia and the Indian Ocean. Tui took part in many ceremonial occasions, including a visit to Niue in 1974 for their independence celebrations.

Between 1975-77 she received new scientific and navigational equipment and auxiliary machinery to improve her usefulness and performance. and was given a major refit in 1979-80 after her loan was renewed.
In 1978 she was sent to Raoul Island to bring back to Auckland the men from a wrecked motor vessel.

.In 1984 Tui was refitted at Lyttelton under private contract, the first time since WW11 that a large RNZN ship had undergone a refit in NZ away from Devonport. Subsequent refits were also done in Lyttelton.

One of her last missions was in 1995 acting as flag ship to the protest fleet off France's Mururoa nuclear testing site.

She was finally decommissioned on 18 February 1998 and was sunk on 20 February 1999, off Tutukaka NZ as a recreational dive wreck. Her mast was sited at Tutukaka Marina as a memento and one of her anchors was recovered by RNZN divers in 2009 and is sited on Marine Parade, Napier, Tui’s adopted homeport in NZ.

Brian

Old Salt

23-05-2010, 23:25

HMNZS Waikato

Built : Harland & Wolfe Ltd, Belfast,
Type: Leander Class Frigate
Pennant No.: F55
Displacement : 3182 Tonnes
Length: 113.4m. Beam: 12.4 m. Draught: 5.6 m.
Armament : Twin 115mm guns : Wasp helicopter carrying homing torpedoes : Two twin barreled torpedo tubes : One Phalanx close weapon system.
Machinery: Twin steam turbines, twin shafts 30,000 hp.
Speed : 30 kts.
Complement : 240

The first Leander Class frigate to be built for the RNZN, HMNZS Waikato was commissioned in Belfast on 16th September 1966 and arrived in NZ on 2 June 1967. The Wasp helicopter was new to NZ and maintained by RNZAF crew onboard. During her long years of service, Waikato performed many duties including regular deployments to the Far East and Australia for multi-national exercises and to Bouganville for peacekeeping duties. In NZ waters she took part in ceremonial occasions, SAR, and as escort for the royal tours. In 1979 Waikato and her Wasp helicopter went to the aid of an injured seaman on board the Soviet trawler ARDATOV in foul weather about 300 miles south-east of NZ. The pilot, Lieutenant Joe Tunnicliffe RNZN was awarded the Air Force Cross and his crew members were also awarded medals... During the Falklands War Waikato deployed to the Indian Ocean in Operation Armilla to release RN units for war duty. She was decommissioned in 1998 after 32 years of service and on 25th Nov 2000 was sunk as a diving attraction off Tutukaka on the NE Coast of NZ.

Old Salt

29-05-2010, 20:13

HMNZS HINAU

Built: Senior Foundry, Auckland
Type : Castle Class Minesweeper
Pennant No..: T17 (NZ) (T399 - RN)
Displacement: 350 t
Length: 134 ft. Beam: 23 ft. Draft: 13 ft.
Armament: 1 × 76mm, 2 × MG
Propulsion: Triple Expansion, 480 hp, 1 shaft
Speed: 10 kts.

Crew: 26 HMNZS Hinau (T17), was locally built and commissioned at Auckland on 23 July 1942. Known as a composite or LL minesweeper, she was fitted with electrical equipment to deal with magnetic mines. Hinau spent many months of service on the NZ coast, lengthy spells of harbour duty, and training cruises from port to port. The efficiency of her constant training was not put to a practical test for no magnetic mines were ever found or suspected in New Zealand waters. In 1946 she was placed in reserve and sold in 1955 to be used as a breakwater. She remains in this capacity (2007) at Kaiaua in the Firth of Thames, NZ.

Old Salt

05-06-2010, 23:29

HMNZS KAHU (A04)

Built : Whangarei Engineering Co. NZ
Type : Diving Tender/Training Vessel.
Pennant No.: A04
Displacement: 105 tons
Dimensions: Length: 26.8m Beam : 6.1m Draught: 2.4m
Machinery: 2 x Cummins KT-1105M – 530kW, 2 Diesel Generators
Speed 12kts Complement: 18
Weapons: 1 x 12.7mm MG

Laid down: 8 December 1978 Completed: May 1979 Commissioned: 17 May 1988

HMNZS KAHU began service as the HMNZS MANAWANUI (A09) on 28 May 1979 and operated as a support vessel for the RNZN diving teams in a variety of under water tasks. Most took place in the Hauraki Gulf to Bay of Plenty region and had a clear naval aspect, but some civilian in nature, such as the exploration and salvage work on the sunken Soviet passenger liner Mikhail Lermontov in Port Gore, Marlborough Sounds, in March 1986.

In March 1988 the RNZN bought a larger ship to provide facilities for deeper diving and an increased range of dive activities which was commissioned as HMNZS MANAWANUI (A09) . The original MANAWANUI re-commissioned on 17 May 1988 as HMNZS KAHU (A04) , being given the Maori name for a NZ native harrier hawk. She commenced operations as the navigation and seamanship training vessel, providing backup support the RNZN Dive School, and conducting operations with other Government Agencies such as Fisheries, Customs, Police and DOC.

She provided sterling service in these roles for over twenty years, and was decommissioned on 30 October 2009 and sold for use as a pleasure craft on 18 February 2010.

Old Salt

05-06-2010, 23:36

HMNZS KAHU

Two more good photod of Kahu

Brian

Old Salt

14-06-2010, 08:39

HMNZS Inverell

Builder: Mort’s Dock and Engineering Co Ltd, Sydney
Type: Bathurst Class corvette/minesweeper
Pennant No: M233
Displacement: 650 tons.
Length: 186 ft. Beam: 31 ft. Draught 8½ ft.
Machinery: Triple expansion, 2 shafts, 2,000 hp, Speed: 15 knots
Complement 85
Armament 1 x 4-inch, 3x20mm, 1x40mm , Machine guns, Depth charges chutes & throwers,

Commissioned 17 September 1942 as HMAS Inverell and saw WW2 service on patrol and escort duties around the coasts of Australia. Paid off into reserve 14 June 1946 and transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy as HMNZS Inverell on 5 March 1952 and placed into reserve. In 1954 she was reclassified as an ocean minesweeper (M233).

In 1965 she began a refit to convert her for training and fisheries patrol duties, sweeping gear being removed, two 40mm AA Bofors fitted and a deckhouse aft. On 15 August 1965 Inverell recommissioned at Auckland and for the next 11 years served both as a training and fishery protection vessel. She paid off at Devonport Naval Base, Auckland, on 19 August 1976 and was sold for scrap.

Old Salt

22-06-2010, 02:43

HMNZS Manawanui (A09)

Type : Diving Support Vessel
Pennant No.: A09
Displacement: : 911 tonnes
Length: 43 metres Beam: 9.5 metres Draft: 3.2 metres
Propulsion: Two Caterpillar marine diesels (565 hp) Two shafts, Bow thrusters Diesel with CPP (Controllable Pitch Propeller)
Speed: 11 knots Range: 5000 nautical miles
Complement : 24 Officers and ratings

HMNZS MANAWANUI was originally the STAR PERSEUS, built as a diving support vessel for North Sea oil rig operations. She was renamed and commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) in 1988.

Manawanui has a capability to hold station over a fixed position. She has a triple lock recompression chamber, a crane with 13 tonne lifting capacity, wet diving bell and a small engineering workshop. She also has limited deck cargo carrying capacity.

The divers of the New Zealand Navy who work onboard Manawanui are trained for deep diving with mixed gases, underwater demolition and unexploded ordnance disposal.

An ROV operated from the Manawanui returned photos of the wreck of the MV Princess Ashika, which sunk near Ha'apai, Tonga on 5 August 2009.

Brian

Old Salt

28-06-2010, 02:46

HMNZS Tui

Built: Henry Robb, Scotland Type: Bird Class minesweeper /corvette
Pennant No.: T234
Length: 156 ft. Beam: 30 ft. Draught: 13 ft.
Displacement: 597 tons 825 full load
Propulsion: Triple Expansion, 1,000 hp, 1 shaft. Speed: 13 knots
Crew: 35
Armament: 1 x 4 inch, machine guns

On 2 May 1939 he NZ government placed orders in UK for three ships to be built in the UK to satisfy minesweeping torpedo training and gunnery requirements.

She was commissioned on 26 November 1941 and sailed from Greenock 15 March 1942 in company with the four new Isles class minesweepers as escorts for an Atlantic convoy. Then as an anti-submarine escort for a convoy of ten US Navy tankers from San Pedro to Pearl Harbour, where they arrived on 22 June. On passage from Suva the Sanda and Scarba ran short of coal about 300 miles from New Zealand and were taken in tow by the Tui and Inchkeith, the flotilla arriving at Auckland on 4 August except for Killigray which arrived under tow on 16 September.

In Auckland Tui was assigned to the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla and sailed for Suva to replace Matai. In December she joined her sister ships Kiwi and Moa at Nouméa. The 25th Minesweeping Flotilla had been offered to COMSOPAC, and by early December Tui, Moa, and Kiwi with Matai as flotilla leader, were all together at Nouméa ready to move north. They sailed for the Solomons, escorting a convey some of the way. Making Tulagi their base they began anti-submarine screen patrols on 19 December 1942 off Tulagi and Lunga Point, Guadalcanal.

On 21 January 1943, Tui and Moa came across four Japanese landing barges stopped close inshore. The barges opened fire with machine guns and small arms, and got underway. At close range Moa fired on the leading barge, but a fluke shot passed through the 4-inch gun aperture, ignited a cordite charge and injured all seven in the gun crew. Moa managed to silence the first barge and sink the last in line with 20mm fire, then withdrew and attended to the cordite fire and injuries. Tui then opened fire on the barges, sinking one with her 4 inch gun, and the remaining two escaped inshore in the darkness.

On 19 August 1943, while escorting a convey from Noumea, Tui picked up a submarine contact. She dropped depth charges over it but contact was lost and Tui signaled some US seaplanes who joined the search. The submarine was sighted surfaced on the horizon and Tui opened fire at maximum range and aircraft dropped depth charges.The Japanese submarine I-17 sank.. Ninety-seven crewmen were lost but Tui picked up six survivors who said that Tui's depth charge attacks had damaged the submarine and forced it to the surface.

COMSOPAC released the New Zealand ships in June 1945, and Tui departed the Solomons escorting a group of six RNZN Fairmiles. On her return to Auckland, Tui worked with Kiwi and the 7th Trawler Group on the final clearing of the German minefield in the outer Hauraki Gulf.

Tui was put in reserve in June 1946. but in 1952 she was recommissioned in February 1952 to take over training duties previously undertaken by the frigate Kaniere. This training was carried out for the Naval Volunteer Reserve and included training for compulsory reservists as well as volunteer reservists and sea cadets.

She was also used part time by the DSIR and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).and in October 1955 Tui was docked for conversion to an oceanographic research ship. On 5 March 1956, the now disarmed Tui was recommissioned and reclassified as a fleet auxiliary. She made many scientific cruises for the DSIR and NRL to places around New Zealand and Pacific islands. She investigated shipwrecks, notably MV Holmglen off Timaru in in 1959 and Kaitawa off Cape Reinga in 1966.

Tui was finally decommissioned on 22 December 1967. She was stripped of her equipment and sold in December 1969 to Pacific Scrap Ltd who demolished her.

Old Salt

04-07-2010, 23:12

HMNZS Rotoiti (1975)

Built: Brooke Marine UK Type: Lake class IPC
Pennant No.: P3569
Displacement: 105 tons Full load 135 tons
Length: 107.8 ft. Beam: 20 ft. Draft: 11.1 ft.
Propulsion: 2 x Paxman 12Y JCM diesels 3000 hp, 2 shafts
Speed: 25 knots Range : 2500 nm at 12 knots
Complement :21Armament: 2 x 12.7mm MGs (1 x 2) 1 x 81mm mortar/12.7mm MG

HMNZS Rotoiti (1975) was one of four Lake class inshore patrol vessels of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was built by Brooke Marine in Lowestoft U.K. and shipped to NZ in the heavy lift vessel Starman.

She was commissioned on 27 February 1975 for fishery protection and resource duties around NZ. These included activities in support of the Ministry of Fisheries, the Department of Conservation and the Customs Service.

The sea keeping qualities of this class in rough weather produced resonance in some sea states and their light aluminum construction resulted in some violent motions.

She was decommissioned and deleted in 1991

Old Salt

18-07-2010, 09:06

HMNZS Otago (F111)

Built: Southampton UK
Type: Rothesay class frigate
Pennant No.: F111
Displacement: 2144 tons
Length: 370ft overall Beam 41ft Draft: 17ft
Propulsion: two sets geared turbines, two shafts, 30,000 shp.
Speed: 30 knots.
Complement: 250
Armament: 1 quadruple Seacat missile launcher, 2 x 4.5in guns in twin turret,
2 limbo 3 barrelled depth charge mortars, 8 x 21in. later replaced by 6-12.75 in.
AS torpedo tubes

Completed as Rothesay Class frigate to specific NZ modifications, HMNZS Otago commissioned at Southampton, 22 June 1960 and arrived in NZ in 1961

She was fitted with the Seacat sea-to-air missile system in 1963. During her long service OTAGO took part in regular deployments to the Far East, to North America, Hawaii, Australia and the Pacific Islands for multi-national exercises.

In NZ waters she took part in ceremonial occasions, SAR, royal tours and supply duties to outlying islands.

In 1973 Otago was sent by the NZ Government to protest against French atmospheric nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll. On 28 June, OTAGO sailed from NZ bound for the test zone. The first bomb took place on 21 July and the frigate flashed news of the explosion to the world.

OTAGO finally decommissioned on 7 November 1983 and was subsequently scrapped in Auckland.

Brian

astraltrader

18-07-2010, 23:58

Interesting information Brian although I am sure I have seen most of these pictures before in the forum??

Old Salt

19-07-2010, 12:13

Interesting information Brian although I am sure I have seen most of these pictures before in the forum??

I put some time and effort into preparing this thread each week, so I am sorry to see your comment. I am unsure what you are meaning ??
I guess we all use the same sources of info and photos from Google ??
Or is there another rule of the forum I have missed ?
Am I expected to search the forum to see if a photo is already posted ?
Even if there are, they surely can be posted again alongside the ship's details to provide a quick concise record for members?

:confused:

Brian

astraltrader

19-07-2010, 16:41

Brian - Because of the sheer amount of pictures we have to carry here in the forum combined with a maximum capacity level that will soon have been reached - we ask that members before posting their pictures do their best to check by using the search facility at the top of this page that these pictures have not appeared in the forum before. We do appreciate that there will be the occasional duplication but we ask that our members do their best to prevent this.

Many thanks.

Old Salt

01-08-2010, 01:18

HMNZS Kaniere

Built: Smith's Dock Co. Ltd. South Bank-on-Tees UK
Type: Loch (Lake) Class anti-submarine convoy escort
Pennant No.: K426.
Displacement: 1435 tons (2260 tons full load).
Length: 307ft, Beam: 38ft., Draft: 12ft.
Propulsion: triple expansion, 5500 ihp, 2 shafts. Speed: 19.5 kts
Complement: 103
Armament: 1 x 4in, 4 x 2 pounder, 6 x 20mm AA, 2 squids, depth charges

Commissioned 07-Jul-1944 as HMS Loch Achray, the ship saw WWII service as A/S escort protecting shipping in the North Atlantic approaches to the British Isles and in the Far East. She was paid of into reserve in 1945.

Purchased from Britain in 1948, commissioned as HMNZS Kaniere (F426) and with five sister ships formed the formed the 11th Frigate Flotilla in August 1948. She undertook numerous visits to NZ Ports and carried out exercises with Australia and in the Pacific.

Kaniere completed a one year deployment during the Korean War 1953-54. She operated close to the West Coast of Korea in support of land operations and continued security patrols there after the armistice. Although hard worked and frequently operating close inshore, the ship was particularly fortunate in seldom coming under fire.

Kaniere completed two tours of duty on the Far East station between 1954-1957. When the British and French invaded Suez in 1956, Kaniere was in Hong Kong and was designated to remain as guard ship whilst the RN units redeployed to the Indian Ocean. She spent three long months alongside until the units returned.

On return to NZ she then took over duties as a training ship until later placed in reserve and sold for scrap 1966.

astraltrader

06-08-2010, 17:03

Old Salt

06-08-2010, 19:16

I thought I would upload this postcard I recently was given as it is quite a nice shot of Resolution. :)

Thanks Terry, a good photo indeed.

Brian

Old Salt

08-08-2010, 02:09

HMNZS Matai

Built: 1930 Type: Auxiliary minesweeper
Pennant No.: T01
Displacement: 1050 tons
Length: 219 ft., Beam: 35.1 ft. Draft: 13.6 ft.
Propulsion: triple expansion oil steam reciprocating, 1,050 ihp, twin shaft
Speed: 13/10 knots
Complement : 81
Armament: 1 x 4 inch gun, 2x20mm Oerlikons, 2 MGs, 40 depth charges

HMNZS Matai was a Marine Department steam lighthouse tender requisitioned by the RNZN in January 1941, converted and used as a minesweeper during WW2. She was commissioned as a fast minesweeper on 1 April 1941 and took over as the flotilla leader of the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla. She commenced operations with the flotilla and then began sweeping a minefield in the Hauraki Gulf.

At the beginning of March 1942 Matai had just completed a long refit.and sailed to Suva, where Lieutenant-Commander A. D. Holden, RNZNR, the SO 25th M/S Flotilla took command. In March she assisted the RAN survey party in surveyed the Nandi area. In April she cooperated with the USN in laying protective minefields in Nandi Waters.

For the next five months the Matai and Viti, in co-operation with aircraft of the RNZAF, maintained almost continuous anti-submarine patrols and provided close anti-submarine escort for the increasing number of troop transports and supply ships arriving at and sailing from Suva.

Matai was relieved at Suva by HMNZS Tui and then sailed to Noumea , arriving there on 25 October 1942 for escort and patrol duties.

On 12 December 1942 Matai sailed from Espiritu Santo in the New Hebrides with Kiwi, Moa, and Tui for the Solomon Islands, where the Guadalcanal campaign was then nearing its climax. They arrived in Tulagi harbour on the 15th and, four days later, began a tour of duty that kept the flotilla hard at work in and about the Solomons for two and a half years.

In January 1943 Matai was attacked by a US bomber, fortunately without damage or injury.

In 1944 Matai was reclassified as a transport. She paid off at Wellington on 25 April 1945 and was returned to her owners in 1946.

Old Salt

14-08-2010, 19:41

HMNZS Killigray

(Definitely not a Kiwi name this week !)

Built: Cook UK Type: Isle class minesweeper
Pennant No.: T174
Displacement: 560 n
Length: 164ft Beam: 27.6 Draft: 10.6 ft
Propulsion: Triple expansion 1 shaft 850 ihp
Speed: 12
Complement : 40
Armament: 1 x 12 pdr 3 x 20mm, DCs

Completed on 7 November 1941 in Scotland, at at an estimated price of £65,000 sterling and named after a Scottish island, she was commissioned as HMNZS Killigray under the command of Lieutenant Commander Alan Bell RNZNVR. .

She sailed from Greenock on 15 March 1942 with four other new RNZN ships as escorts for an Atlantic convoy and then formed an anti-submarine escort for a convoy of ten US Navy tankers from San Pedro to Pearl Harbour, where they arrived on 22 June.

As very little coal was available at Pearl Harbour, the Killegray left that port for Suva on 29 August in tow of the Dutch motor-vessel Japara and finally arrived at Auckland on 16 September 1942.

She joined the 7th Trawler Group at Auckland and conducted minesweeping and anti-submarine patrols in the Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of islands, and at times escorting ships to Norfolk Island.

In January-February 1944 she took part in sweeping the independent minefield in the Bay of Islands and in May was sweeping of the defensive minefield laid in March 1942 across the main channel in the Hauraki Gulf.

In March-May 1945 the minesweepers began a final clearance of the German minefield laid in June 1940 in the approaches to the Hauraki Gulf. A shortage of coal interrupted the sweep for Killigray and she was paid off in February 1946, placed in reserve until 1958, and then sold for dismantling.

Old Salt

23-08-2010, 18:29

HMNZS Wellington (F69)

Built: Vickers Type : Leander Class frigate
Pennant No.: F69
Displacement: 3182 tons
Length: 113 m. Breadth: 13m Draught: 5.5 m.
Propulsion: 2x boilers, 2x steam turbine, twin shafts: 30,000 hp. , Speed: 30 knots
Armament :2 x 1 Vickers 114 mm , 4 x 12.7 mm A/S torpedoes, helo launched Mk 46 ASW torpedo,
Aircraft: Wasp helicopter.
Complement: 245

Commissioned 17 October 1969 as HMS Bacchante, she served in the RN until she was purchased by NZ and commissioned as HMNZS Wellington on 4 October 1982.

She arrived in NZ on 2 December 1982 and was extensively modernised at Auckland. This included removal of the VDS, updating the 4.5” gun system, removal of the ASW mortars , extending the flight deck, adding two triple torpedo mounts, installing new weapons control system, updating radars and conversion to diesel fuel.

The ship entered service in 1987 and served throughout the Pacific, from Australia to Singapore, Hong Kong , Korea, Japan and also the SW Pacific islands for Cyclone Relief and peacekeeping.

She also saw service in the Arabian Gulf in 1995, and attended the 1998 International Fleet Review in Korea.

Decommissioned in 1999, the ship was sunk on the 13 November 2005 off the south of Wellington Harbour as a dive attraction. The ship now has now broken into three pieces.

Teuchter

27-08-2010, 17:13

The NZ ship I remember most was the Taranaki - in 1965 when I had a few games of rugby for Singapore Naval Base (not Terror) on some Saturdays when we were alongside for nearly a month cos of a boiler fire (I was on the Ark) we had several Taranaki crew play for us a couple of times - one was an ex All Black I think his name was Rocky (the rocket) Graham

Vegaskip

27-08-2010, 18:43

When she was Bacchante, about 1976/7, I was a Leading Fireman in Fife Fire Brigade, we did an off shore ship fire fighting exercise with her in the Firth Of Forth. We were picked up at Thornton fire station by a Whirlwind from I think 22 Sqd at RAF Leuchars, and flown out to the ship. The crew were supposed to be foreign and couldn't speek English, we couldnt get the 'featherwieght' pump to start, but going by the smirks and giggles of the onlookers, I checked the plug leads, and found that some one had pulled them up enough to break contact but look like they were still attached, pitty I'm a bit clumsy, but I tripped over the hose and 'Inadvertantly' soaked some of the onlookers.
We were landed at Burntisland by one of the Rosyth tenders Aberdovy I think.
'And a jolly good time was had by all'
Regards

Old Salt

18-09-2010, 03:49

( Apologies for the delay in posting, I have been in drydock and we had a major earthquake.)

HMNZS MAKO

Built: Madden & Lewis, Sausalito, California.
Type: Harbour /Seaward Defence Motor Launch
Pennant No.: Q1183/P3551
Name means: shark
Displacement: 47 tons std, 54 tons full load
Length: 72 ft./22 m Beam: 5.8 ft./ 4.8 m Draft: 5.3 ft./ 1.6 m
Propulsion: 2-shaft Gray diesels, bhp 330 Speed: = 10 knots
Complement: 10
Armament: 1 x 20mm AA, 2 x 0.5in Colt Browning mg, 4 x .303 machine guns, 8 DC

Q1183 was the first of 16 Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) to be delivered to the RNZN in 1943. She was commissioned on 6 March 1943 and was the lead vessel in forming the 124th. ML Flotilla at Auckland. She was used in anti-submarine patrols in the port approaches and the Hauraki Gulf northwards to Cape Brett. In July 1944 she was transferred for detached duty at Dunedin. A planned deployment to Manus Island for the Admiralty in November 1944 was cancelled and she returned to Dunedin. On 30 June 1945 she paid off in Auckland, was disarmed and placed in reserve on a mooring.

Q1183 was commissioned on 15 July 1946 for fishery patrols, a task she was to perform for the next 28 years with one short break on the Tamaki’ run’ in 1950. In 1948 she was reclassified as a Seaward Defence Motor Launch (SDML) and was named Cook. In 1949 she was renamed Maori and renumbered P3551 until being commissioned as HMNZS Mako in July 1955.

The engines were replaced 1958 with Foden 12 220 bhp, doubling the power but only increasing her speed to 12 knots. In 1960 she was modernised with radar and a mast and the hull was painted black. In 1962 she took part in an extensive whale survey around NZ.

On 12 October 1969 the Fishery Squadron was adopted by Wairoa and Mako led Kahawai and Haku over the Wairoa bar to receive the freedom of the town. In early 1970 Mako and Maroro were guard boats for HMY Britannia during the Royal Tour.

In 1972 Mako retired from fishery patrols and was transferred to the RNZNVR until finally dismantled and declared surplus 1976. She was sold to a private buyer and is today (2010) in excellent condition as a private launch in Australia.

Brian

Old Salt

18-09-2010, 03:54

Forgot to post photos of Mako !

james.dunn

20-09-2010, 04:24

Hi Brian, This is my first posting,and I was pleased to see Mako getting a reveiw.
I served on her, also Paea from 17th Feb 1957 till 28th July 1958, I use to interchange boats while I was doing a Diver 3 course,just to be handy at all times also Manawanui as a Stoker mechanic, so as we in the Diving school operated from the same pontoon it was a close family.

We did many good trips around the Gulf and also a New Zealand cruise,which I missed unfortunately, sea time was up to 10 plus days, and as we had no washing facilities only a hand basin in the forward head a pump discharge unit, it was not a time to be shy, we used to go over the side for a bath or call into various spots for a bath at a motel or milk factory like Whitianga, we of course used to have neaters daily so we used to save that and trade for scran at various ports, a couple of gallons of squirt could buy anything. I think we were allowed 7/6 pence a day per head for vitals, we never had a fridge only an ice chest so we ate alot of fish which we caught or bludged off stopped fishing boats,
We also used to tag whales from the bow, riding nearly on top of them before shooting a tag into them, most exciting, glad we never got a retaliation from any of them, an old wooden double skinned hull could be easy holed, days to remember but we used to take a pounding sometimes, thank goodnes they were a good sea boat and predictable. I am enjoying this forum very much kind regards, Jim. NZ 14179

Old Salt

20-09-2010, 04:46

Old Salt

25-09-2010, 18:45

HMNZS MANAWANUI (1)

Built: Steel Ships Ltd, Auckland Type: Tug/Diving support vessel
Displacement: 125 tons standard
Length: 76 feet Beam: 18 feet :
Propulsion: 320 hp diesel, 1 shaft Speed: 10 knots
Complement : 4

She was built in Auckland in 1945 by Steel Ships Ltd for the USN as the US navy tug YLT622. She was transferred to the New Zealand Marine Department who named her Tug 622 and used her to service the large post war fleet of surplus boats scattered around Waitemata Harbour.

In 1948 Tug 622 was transferred to the RNZN and became HMNZS Manawanui. In 1953 she was converted to a diving tender and functioned in this role for the next 15 years. In 1956 she assisted in recovering an Avenger aircraft that had ditched in Hauraki Gulf. In 1957 she towed the badly damaged patrol launch SDML P3561 off rocks near Rangipukea Island and beached her in a nearby bay. In 1958 she investigated the wreck of the coaster Holmglen off Timaru. .

In November 1978 she was sold for a nominal sum, to the Paeroa Historic Maritime Park for preservation and display. Her future seems uncertain

james.dunn

25-09-2010, 22:41

Hi Brian, Thank you for the further info on Manawanui,she was a good boat.
I was one of the diving team which salvaged the Grummen Avenger aircraft NZ 2503,while towing an anti-aircraft drogue target for HMNZS Kiwi in the Hauraki Gulf, 27 miles from Auckland,it force-landed on the water due to engine failure. The aircrew were promptly rescued by Kiwi's seaboat manned by National Service trainees, and were returned to Auckland none the worse for their experience, this was 14th March 1956.

Manawanui, commanded by Commissioned Gunner (TAS) T. H. Wickman, RNZN, with 8 divers.

I also was on the team when we dived on the Holmglen only one diver went down CPO Diver Frank Brady ex RN, we had a pretty rough time down in that area of sea off Timaru, but that is a good story. The team did many good salvage jobs with the gear we had compared to this day and time, good memory's.
There was another tug built also and she was in Westport as a harbour tug, dont know her history
Regards Jim

Old Salt

26-09-2010, 01:50

James

Hope it brought back some happy memories !

The current 'Manawanui' is very much Rolls Royce to the old girl !

Regards from Christchurch, the earthquake centre of the Pacific

Brian

Old Salt

12-10-2010, 07:45

HMNZS Kaiwaka

Built: 1937 W.G. Lowe, Auckland. Type: Danlayer
Pennant No.: T14
Displacement: 169 tons gross, 98 tons net
Length: 88.3 ft./26.9 m Beam: 23 ft./7 m Draft: 7.75 ft./2.3 m
Propulsion: Motor 145 bhp single screw diesel Speed: 10 knots.
Complement: 12
Armament; 1 X light MG, DCs

Kaiwaka was a wooden motor-powered cargo lighter owned by NZ Refrigerating Co. Ltd employed carrying meat to overseas ships off Wanganui.

She was requisitioned on 7 January 1941 for conversion to a danlayer. A danlayer is a small vessel employed in minesweeping operations to lay dan-buoys to mark the limits of the channels swept through a minefield.

She was delivered to the naval authorities on 5 March 1941 and commissioned for service on 21 May 1941 by Lieutenant A. K. Griffith RNZNVR. She was based mainly at Auckland operating with the 25th MS flotilla and occasionally towing targets.

At the beginning of March 1942 Kaiwaka sailed to Suva where she was employed as a danlayer assisting the USN in laying protective minefields in the Nandi area, returning to Auckland on 25 April.

She visited Wellington several times , being temporary port danlayer for two months in 1943.

During October 1943 Kaiwaka and Thomas Currell swept the short lines of mines in the minor channels on either side of Rakino Island in the Hauraki Gulf.

In January-February 1944 she took part in sweeping the independent minefield in the Bay of Islands and in May she assisted with the sweeping of the defensive minefield laid in March 1942 across the main channel in the Hauraki Gulf.

In March-May 1945 Kaiwaka and the minesweepers began a final clearance of the German minefield laid in June 1940 in the approaches to the Hauraki Gulf.

Kaiwaka paid off on 16 September 1945 when replaced by a converted Castle class minesweeper. She was handed over to the Marine Department and refitted but return to her owners was clouded by legal issues over her condition and delayed until 19 July 1947.

Brian

james.dunn

13-10-2010, 05:01

Brian, A very grand little small boat, she would have been a good sea boat also.
The James Cosgrove and Humphrey and as mentioned the Thomas Currell, were all rush purchases as the Orion German raider was in our waters, which of course layed the mines which claimed Niagara.

We had many good ships doing sweeping from then on and most were made in the South Island of NZ. The Hinau was one of them, and I did stoke her with a coal shovel while in Philomel, a rear privalige indeed, but not at the time, poor old stokes
Regards Jim

Old Salt

13-10-2010, 08:52

Hi Jim

They certainly were the backbone of the RNZN protecting our harbours during WW2. Have you read Jack Harker's book about Wakakura .
Life as it really was !
Cheers

Brian

Old Salt

18-10-2010, 02:45

HMNZS BELLONA

Built: Fairfield Shipbuilding Scotland.
Type: Improved Dido Class cruiser
Pennant No.: C63
Named after: Roman goddess of war
Displacement: 5770 tons
Length: 512 ft./ 56.1 m Beam: 50.5 ft./ 15.4 m Draft: 18.5 ft./5.6 m
Propulsion: Parsons single reduction geared turbines, 4 Admiralty 3 drum boilers, 62,000 shp, four shafts. Speed: 32.5 knots.
Complement: 551
Armament: 8 x 5.25in dual purpose, several 40mm and 20mm AA, 6 x 21in torpedo tubes.
Armour: 2 in. sides and turrets

HMS Bellona commissioned in the RN on 30 September 1943 and the ship saw WWII service in the North Sea, Norway, France, Normandy landings, and several Russia convoys.

Plans were announced to replace both Gambia and Achilles and the ship was commissioned into RNZN October 1946 as HMNZS Bellona. As the RNZN flagship she made numerous NZ port visits, annual Pacific Islands cruises and many visits to Australia for exercises with the RAN.

In 1951 her crew assisted NZ wharves during a waterfront strike.

In 1952 Bellona completed a voyage to the UK and took part in a large NATO exercise.

On her return to NZ on 14 December 1952 she was placed in reserve, serving as alongside training ship.

HMNZS Bellona was refitted in 1954 and recommissioned in 1955 for her return voyage to UK. She was sold and broken up at Swansea, Wales in 1959.

Brian

Old Salt

24-10-2010, 23:54

HMNZS HAUTAPU

Built: Stevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers
Type: Castle Class Minesweeper
Pennant No.: T26
Named after: NZ river
Displacement: 540 tons std. Full load: 612 tons
Length: 134 ft./40.8 m Beam: 23.4 ft./7.1 m Draft: 14.5 ft./4.4 m
Propulsion: Triple Expansion, 480 hp, 1 shaft Speed: 10 knots
Complement: 27
Armament: 1 × 12 pounder. 2 × MG, Depth Charges

HMNZS Hautapu was launched on 18.November 1942 and commissioned by Lieutenant-Commander Ralph-Smith, RNZNVR, on 28 July 1943,

She joined the 96th Auxiliary Minesweeper Group at Lyttelton and operated from there as a port minesweeper.

In September 1945 Hautapu swept the Lyttelton area for the mines reported to have been laid by the German raider ‘Adjutant’ but none were located. It was later established that these were magnetic mines which fortunately had failed to detonate.

Hautapu was paid off on 26 November 1945 but was recommissioned in April 1946 to take part in the ‘Canterbury Project’, a scientific investigation of long-range radar observations.

She was paid off again at Auckland in April 1947 and transferred to the Marine Department, which provided a crew for the few remaining months of her scientific service.

The Hautapu was sold later for £17,500 to New Zealand Fisheries Ltd., of Wellington.,

She later sank at Shelley Bay wharf in Wellington and remained there until dismantled by Navy divers and removed in August 1972

Old Salt

31-10-2010, 07:57

HMNZS LEANDER

Built: HM Dockyard UK
Type: Leander class light cruiser
Pennant No.: C75
Named after: Mythological figure
Displacement: 7270 tons std. (9,740 tons full load)
Length: 554.5 ft. /169 m Beam: 55.3 ft. /17 m Draft: 20 ft. /6.1 m
Propulsion: 4 Parsons geared steam turbines, 6 boilers, 4 shafts, 72,000 shp Speed: 32 knots
Complement: 570
Armament: 8 × 6 in, 4 × 4 in, 12 × 0.5 machine guns, 8 × 21 in torpedo tubes.
Armour: 3 in. magazine box, 1 in. deck, 1 in. turrets
Aircraft: 1 x Walrus

Commissioned on 24 March 1933 into the RN as HMS Leander and entered service in the New Zealand Division in April 1937.

HMNZS Leander escorted the New Zealand Expeditionary Force to the Middle East in 1940, and was then deployed in the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, and the Indian Ocean, where she was subjected to air and naval attack from Axis forces, conducted bombardments and escorted convoys.

On 27 February 1941 she sank the Italian "auxilary cruiser" Ramb 1 near the Maldives.

After serving in the Mediterranean she returned to the Pacific and on 13 July 1943 fought in the battle of Kolombangara in the Solomon Islands with USS Honolulu and USS St. Louis . A Japanese cruiser and five destroyers were engaged, the cruiser Jintsu was sunk but all three Allied cruisers were hit by torpedoes and severely damaged.

Thanks to superb damage control Leander made Tulagi for temporary repairs before steaming to Auckland. She took no further part in the war; in 1945 she was repaired for return to the Royal Navy and scrapped in 1949.

Old Salt

07-11-2010, 03:51

HMNZS MOA (P3553)

Built: Whangarei NZ
Type: Inshore patrol craft/training
Pennant No.: P 3553
Named after: WW2 ships of the RNZN
Displacement: 92 std.105 tons f/l
Length: 88 ft./26.8 m Beam: 20 ft./6.1 m Draft: 7.2 ft./2.2 m
Propulsion: Cummins KT-1105M – 530kW, 2 Diesel Generators
Speed: 12 knots
Complement: 18
Armament: 1-12.7mm MG

HMNZS Moa was launched on 16 July 1983 and commissioned on 28 Nov 1983 for the Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve (RNZNVR). She was handed over to HMNZS Toroa for the RNZNVR in Dunedin on 19 February 1984. The ship was used for conducting basic seamanship and navigation training and also supported many Naval and Defence Force exercises. Moa also took part in multi agency government work including fishery patrols and search and rescue operations.

In 1994 she was modified to conduct mine countermeasures route surveying using side scan sonar. This was also used to assist in search and rescue and transport investigations.

In 2005 Moa reverted to the RNZN to provide basic sea training and had the side scan sonar removed.

HMNZS Moa was formally decommissioned from operational service on 23 January 2007 and was sold to a private buyer

Old Salt

16-11-2010, 08:08

HMNZS KIAMA
Built: Evans Deakin & Co Ltd, Brisbane
Type: Bathurst Class minesweeper
Pennant No: M353
Named after: Australian town NSW
Displacement: 790 tons, 1025 tons full load
Length: 186 ft./56.7 m Beam: 31ft./9.5 m Draft: 8.5 ft./2.6 m
Machinery: Triple expansion, 2 shafts, 2,000 hp, Speed: 15 knots
Complement 85
Armament (original); 1 x 4-inch, 1 x 20mm, 4-6 Machine guns, 20 Depth charges , asdic
(NZ) : 2 x 40mm. (MS gear and asdic removed )

The ship was commissioned on 26 January 1944 as HMAS Kiama. Based at Darwin she was deployed mainly on escort duties off East Australia, Papua New Guinea and the Dutch East Indies. Kiama bombarded enemy troops in the Solomon Islands and New Guinea and is credited with sinking a Japanese submarine off Manus Island in May 1944. She escaped unharmed by many Japanese air attacks and later that year rescued the crew of a US freighter torpedoed off Jervis Bay. She paid off on 3 April 1946 and was placed in reserve in Sydney.

In February 1952 she was nominated by Australia to be gifted to NZ and was formally taken over and commissioned as HMNZS Kiama on 24 April 1952. She sailed to Auckland for a refit by Mason Bros. and Stevenson & Cook. On completion in October she sailed to Auckland and was placed into reserve. In 1954 she was reclassified as an ocean minesweeper

In 1965 she began a refit to convert her for training and fisheries patrol duties, sweeping gear being removed, two 40mm AA Bofors fitted and a new deckhouse aft. In 1966 recommissioned at Auckland and for the next 9 years served both as a training and fishery protection vessel. She paid off at Devonport Naval Base, Auckland, on 31.May 1974 and was sold for scrap.

Old Salt

23-11-2010, 07:47

HMNZS Arabis (K385)

Built: George Brown & Co., Greenock, Scotland
Type: Modified ‘Flower Class corvette (1)
Pennant No.: K385 (F85 from 1948)
Named after: A flower
Displacement: 980 tons standard 1,350 tons full load
Length: 208 ft./63.4 m Beam: 33 ft./10.1 m Draft: 17.5 ft./5.3 m
Propulsion: 2 fire tube boilers, one 4-cycle triple-expansion steam engine, oil, 2,880 ihp (2,130 kW)
Speed: 16 knots Range: 3,500 nautical miles at 12 knots
Complement: 85
Sensors and processing systems: ASDIC, radar (4x1-20mm)
Armament: 1 x 4inch gun, 8 x 20mm Anti-aircraft guns, ‘Hedgehog’ Depth charge launcher

HMNZS Arabis was laid down on 26 Feb 1943 , launched on 28 October 1943 and commissioned on 22 February 1944 under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Seelye, RNZNVR . She sailed with an Atlantic convoy as far as the Azores Islands. Thence she proceeded by way of Bermuda, the Panama Canal, San Diego, Pearl Harbour, and Suva, arriving at Auckland on 15 August 1944.
After a refit, Arabis sailed for the Solomon Islands , arriving at Renard Sound on 14 December 1944 where she took over as SO, 25th Minesweeper Flotilla, under the command of Commander Peter Phipps RNZN (2). From 6 April to 28 May 1945 Arabis was stationed in the Ellice Islands.
She returned to Auckland on 20 June 1945. Two voyages to Nouméa followed in July 1945 with HMNZS Tui to escort the twelve RNZN Fairmiles back home to Auckland. The 25th Minesweeping Flotilla and the motor-launches had well earned Admiral Halsey's tribute that the ‘alert and courageous actions of the crews of these gallant little ships merit the highest praise.

After a tour of NZ ports, the oil burning Arabis was converted temporarily as a minesweeper to replace the minesweepers hampered by a shortage of coal and in January 1946 she took over duties clearing the Cuvier Island channels to Auckland.

Arabis paid off into reserve 25 July 1946 and was recommissioned on 27 January 1948 for return to Britain under the command of Commander L.P. Bourke RNZN. There she was decommissioned, the crews transferring to the Loch Class frigates. The ship reverted to the Royal Navy, was placed in reserve and and broken up for scrap in August 1951.

Notes: (1) Modified ‘Flower Class corvettes were 3ft longer, the foremast was shifted aft of the Bridge and they had a slightly more powerful engine.

(2). (Later Vice Admiral Sir Peter Phipps KBE DSC VRD)

Old Salt

28-11-2010, 18:16

HMNZS TAKAPU (ML)

Built: Everett Marine, Seattle USA
Type: Harbour/Seaward Defence Motor Launch
Pennant No.: Q1188 / P3556
Name means: black –backed gull
Displacement: 45 tons std., 54 tons full load
Length: 72 ft,/22 m Beam: 15.8 ft./ 4.8 m Draft: 5.3 ft./ 1.6 m.
Propulsion: 2-shaft Gray diesels, bhp 330 Speed: = 10 knots
Complement: 10
Armament: 1 x 20mm AA, 2 x 0.5in Colt Browning mg, 4 x .303 MG, 8 DC

Q1188 was one of 16 Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) to be delivered to the RNZN in 1943. She was commissioned on 22 May 1943 and joined the 125th. ML Flotilla in Wellington. She was used on anti-submarine patrols around the harbour entrance and Cook Strait.

In March 1945 she was ready for deployment with the other MLs to move north to Manus Island, but this was cancelled. She arrived in Auckland in July 1945 and paid off in October. She was declared surplus, disarmed and laid to moorings for disposal. In February 1947 Q1188 was withdrawn from sale for spare parts.

In 1948 she was reclassified as a Seaward Defence Motor Launch. In 1949 the need arose for two MLs to assist HMNZS Lachlan with survey duties. 1188 was the only one available but had been cannibalized for parts. She was quickly reassembled and commissioned as SML 1188, sailing on 4 March 1950 to commence surveying in Cook Strait. In accordance with custom she was painted white. From then until retired from surveying in 1979, the two SMLs covered most parts of the NZ coast, sometimes with the survey ship or alone.

She was renumbered P3556 in 1950 but after some confusion with her sister ship (P3566) the letter ‘A’ was added. In 1955 she was briefly named Philomel and on 21 July she was commissioned as HMNZS Takapu. In the 1960s she was modernised and re-engined but radar was not fitted.

With the introduction of the new inshore survey craft with same names, Takapu paid off from surveying in November 1979 and was renamed HMNZS Kahawai (ii). Painted black and with radar fitted she was assigned to the RNZNVR Division in Dunedin until 5 October 1983 when she was withdrawn and dismantled for disposal She was sold in 1984 for charter cruises in Whakatane.

Old Salt

14-12-2010, 18:05

HMNZS TARANAKI

Built: White & Co, Isle of Wight UK 1961
Type : Rothesay class frigate
Pennant No.: F148
Named after: NZ province
Displacement: 2144 tons
Length: 370ft./ 112.8 m Beam: 41ft./ 12.5 m Draft: 17.3ft./5.3 m
Armament: 1 quadruple Seacat missile launcher (from 1963) , 2 x 4.5in guns in twin turret, 2 limbo 3 barrelled depth charge mortars, 8 x 21in torpedo tubes.
Machinery: two sets geared turbines, two shafts, 30,000 shp. Speed: 30 kts
Complement: 250

Completed as a Rothesay Class frigate to specific NZ modifications HMNZS Taranaki was commissioned on 28 March 1961 and arrived in NZ in October 1961.

During her long service Taranaki took part in regular deployments to the Far East, to North Hawaii, Australia and the Pacific Islands for multi-national exercises. In NZ waters she took part in ceremonial occasions, SAR, royal tours and supply duties to outlying islands.

In 1977 Taranaki was placed in reserve, refitted for new training and fisheries roles, recommissioning on 25 January 1979 for training and 200-mile EEZ resource protection.

In 1982 it was planned to modernize Taranaki and convert her to gas-turbine propulsion. However the NZ government arranged to purchase two Leander class frigates and Taranaki was decommissioned on 18 June 1982 , sold in 1983 and subsequently scrapped in Auckland.

BigE

22-12-2010, 07:13

HMNZS Santon preparing for a graunch transfer with HMNZS Hickleton in South China Sea circa 65-66

Old Salt

22-12-2010, 18:34

HMNZS Santon preparing for a graunch transfer with HMNZS Hickleton in South China Sea circa 65-66

Thanks for that, Big E, I have not seen many photos of the two RNZN 'Ton' class.

Have you read Gerry Wright's book 'Kiwi on the Funnel" ?? a good account of the two ships.

Brian

BigE

23-12-2010, 07:04

I served on the HICKLETON during her 2nd commision. I was the LEM and the the senior electrical rating onboard. Our total electrical staff was an LEM, EM1 and an REM1. Great ships. Gerry Wright was on the SANTON during the same period.

brian james

23-12-2010, 07:48

Great Pic Big E.......Especially in the non digital age!! Regards Brian

Old Salt

31-12-2010, 19:19

I thought I would start off the New Year with our newest ship :

HMNZS WELLINGTON (P55)

Built: Tenix Melbourne Australia
Type: Inshore Patrol vessel
Pennant No.: P55
Displacement: 1,900 tonnes
Length: 85 metres Beam: 14 metres Draft: 3.6 metres
Propulsion: 2 × MAN B&W 12RK280 diesel engines with a continuous rating of 5,400 kW at 1,000 rpm
Speed: Baseline speed 22 knots Economical speed 12 knots Loiter speed 4–10 knots
Range : 6000 nautical miles
Complement : Core ships company 35, Flight personnel: 10 , Government agencies: 4 Additional personnel: 34 Total: 83
Armament: 25mm Bushmaster Naval gun and two .50 calibre machine guns
Helicopter capability : Kaman SH-2G (NZ) Seasprite

HMNZS Wellington is the second Protector class off-shore patrol vessel in service with the RNZN, she was launched in Williamstown, Victoria on 27 October 2007 and was expected to enter service in late 2008. However in 2008 it was not considered to meet all contract specifications. After lengthy negotiations she was finally accepted into the RNZN on 6 May 2010 and arrived in NZ in June..

This class of vessel enables the RNZN to conduct patrol and surveillance operations around New Zealand, the NZ EEZ, the southern ocean and into the Pacific. Roles include maritime patrol, surveillance and response. Maritime patrols in conjunction with the P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft in the New Zealand EEZ, southern ocean and South Pacific Wellington can conduct helicopter operations using a Seasprite SH2G helicopter, boarding operations using the ships Rigid Hull Inflatable Boats, or Military Support Operations with embarked forces.

She will also conduct surveillance tasks in support of civilian agencies and involve specialist staff from government agencies. Her strengthened hull enables her to enter southern waters where ice may be encountered.

CGRET

31-12-2010, 22:46

Old Salt

01-01-2011, 03:52

I found through my experiences in this forum that this thread along with others are ALWAYS informative and is a learning experience. I commend all for there efforts to preserve the Nautical History of the RNZN.

Regards
Charles

Thank you Charles, a certain encouragement for me to continue this and other NZ threads.

This year the RNZN celebrates 70 years service: it should be a good year to find out a lot more

Brian

Don Boyer

01-01-2011, 04:42

Scurs

01-01-2011, 09:35

Old Salt

02-01-2011, 02:39

I gotta second Charles' comments -- a great thread to learn about ships I've never heard of before whose histories are extremely interesting. Bravo Zulu to all who contribute to the RNZN story.

Regards all,

Aloha Don.

Thank you for your kind support, it is appreciated. One wonders sometimes whether anybody actually reads them, but so good to know you do.

We do have a lot of history for a small Navy only 70 years old.

Regards

Brian

Old Salt

02-01-2011, 02:46

Old Salt.............your posting 91................the two coloured photos (taken with an old "Ilford Sporti" camera. I apologise for quality, I photographer I am not), November 1966. Taken from Hangar Deck, HMS AJAX. Our skipper, Captain A.G. Tait, himself a New Zealander - hence "jolly".

No need to apologise, I hope you do not mind me posting them. Photos of 'Kiama' are rather hard to find. It is a small world, is it not !

Brian

Scurs

02-01-2011, 09:13

Old Salt

02-01-2011, 18:27

Brian - your welcome, just thought you might like the background of them.
We visited Dunedin, Lyttleton, Wellington, Napier & Auckland, then went across to see your neighbours in Cairns & Port Darwin...........so quite a decent trip.

It wasn't until I joined this site that I discovered the name of that Minesweeper!

I had some good times with RNZN ships........ROYALIST, ROTOITI, PUKAKI from the late 1950's and TARANAKI, OTAGO, BLACKPOOL (not forgetting KIAMA), from the mid 1960's.

I had a chance to emigrate to Dunedin after I left the RN, always wonder how life would have turned out had I done so, but wife Mk.1 was against the idea.

Sounds like a good trip ! Those were the good days when we all saw a lot more of each other : we hardly ever see an RN ship these days. We did see a lot of HMS Nottingham, but that is another story .. as they say.

Personally I am very glad I took the opportunity to come to NZ 45 years ago and have never looked back. Now you have me wondering how we would have made out in UK.

Cheers
Brian

Tizme

07-01-2011, 00:00

In Matthew Wright's book "Pacific War New Zealand and Japan 1941-45" page 91 there is a photo of Lt Radford and 3 ERA's supposedly on a "Bird" class minesweeper.
This is almost certainly the Matai where he served, which had 2x TE engines as opposed to the Bird class mentioned which only had one.
My father served under him on HMNZS Matai for a while. I will scan and show Dad the photo when next I visit him.

brian james

07-01-2011, 20:11

Scurs we could have'Bumped into each other' ..served on Royalist and Blackpool Tis a really small world!!!

Old Salt

08-01-2011, 08:12

Old Salt

08-01-2011, 08:14

Scurs we could have'Bumped into each other' ..served on Royalist and Blackpool Tis a really small world!!!

Hi Scurs and Tizme.

I served on Blackpool 1967-69 ... you ??

Brian

Scurs

08-01-2011, 09:10

Brians (2)............James & Old Salt............I served in CEYLON 1958-60, we were often in company with ROYALIST.

Likewise 1965-66, when I was in AJAX, we frequently bumped into (not literally) BLACKPOOL.
Think it was 1966 (though could have been 65) when we left Hong Kong bound for Subic Bay, with HAMPSHIRE, DEVONSHIRE & TARANAKI in company......., Typhoon caught up with us.....next time I saw the other three ships was back in Singapore!

Old Salt

10-01-2011, 08:27

From the new to the very old :

HMNZS HUMPHREY

Built: Abdela & Mitchell, Scotland 1918
Type: Auxiliary minesweeper
Pennant No.: T12
Displacement: 205 tons gross, 79 tons net.
Length: 115.7 ft/ 35.3 m. Beam: 22.1 ft./6.7 m Draft: 12.2 ft./ 3.7 m
Propulsion: steam Recip, Ihp 430coal fired
Speed: 10 knots
Armament: 1 x 4 in., MGs, DCs
Complement: 21

Humphrey was built as a HMS Farecloth, a RN Strath class minesweeper in 1917, sold post-war as a trawler and brought to Auckland by Sandfords Ltd. in 1928. Within a day of war being declared she was requisitioned from Sandfords, initially on charter and later purchased. Her conversion took five weeks and she was commissioned by her former master, Lieutenant Axill G. Nilsson, RNZNR on 10 October 1939. (Unfortunately he died in service in January 1942.)

She joined the 1st. MS Group at Auckland and carried out routine sweeping patrols in the Hauraki Gulf.area. After the sinking of Niagara on 19 June 1940 the Group swept likely mined routes in the area and on 28 June Humphrey sailed south to sweep off Wellington, Lyttelton, Cape Campbell, and Cape Farewell. She returned to Auckland and rejoined the Group.

Humphrey went to Wellington early in 1944 for conversion to a boom gate vessel. The improving war situation led to a cancellation of this plan and the ship returned to Auckland and paid off on 20 July 1944 awaiting disposal, She was resold to her former owners Sanford Ltd., at Auckland, was refitted and returned to trawling.

Old Salt

17-01-2011, 08:23

HMNZS PAEA

Built: Madden & Lewis, California. USA 1942
Type: Harbour/Seaward Defence Motor Launch
Pennant No.: Q1184 / P3552
Name means : swordfish
Displacement: 45 tons std., 54 tons f/l
Length: 72 ft,/22 m Beam: 15.8 ft./ 4.8 m Draft: 5.3 ft./ 1.6 m.
Propulsion: 2-shaft Gray diesels, bhp 330 Speed: = 10 knots
Complement: 10
Armament: 1 x 20mm AA, 2 x 0.5in Colt Browning mg, 4 x .303 MG 8 DC

Q1184 was the second of 16 Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) to be delivered to the RNZN in 1943; she was commissioned on 9 March 1943 and joined with Q1183 to form the 124th ML Flotilla at Auckland. Her anti-submarine patrols covered the port approaches, the Hauraki Gulf and northwards to Cape Brett. In November 1944 she sailed to Fiji for duties in Suva, returning the following month for deployment to Manus island. This was cancelled and she returned to Auckland patrols. In August 1945 she was withdrawn from service, paid off, was disarmed and placed in reserve.

In 1946 the ‘Tamaki’ runs to Motuihe began and Q1184 transferred to this service and at times stood in for Q1183 on fishery patrols. In 1948 she was reclassified as a Seaward Defence Motor Launch and named Philomel. In 1950 she was renumbered P3552 and on 22 September 1954 she was commissioned as HMNZS Paea for fishery patrols.

The engines were replaced in 1958 with Foden 12s, doubling the power but only increasing the speed to 12 knots. In the 1960s she was modernised , fitted with radar and lattice mast, and the hull was painted black.

In September 1963 the ‘Tamaki’ runs ended and Paea was placed in operational reserve for three years and was used on fishery patrols when Mako was in refit. She ended fishery patrols in 1974 and from 1975 until 1977 Paea was painted white and used as a Survey Motor Launch. Painted black again she then transferred to Wellington as the RNZNVR launch but was also used for survey work in 1978. In 1980 she moved to the Auckland Division.

In April 1985 she was laid up for dismantling and disposal. She was sold and remains (2010) in use in Auckland as a private launch.

regg3y

17-01-2011, 18:39

Ref HMNZS PAEA

Could you tell me why the Paea had both numbers painted on her bow?
There maybe a simple reason but it doesn't seen to make sense to me.

brian james

17-01-2011, 20:04

Brian I picked up 'the Puddle' in 66 and left in 70 from memory ,just before she returned to the UK...I was the asac onboard....

Old Salt

18-01-2011, 08:50

Ref HMNZS PAEA

Could you tell me why the Paea had both numbers painted on her bow?
There maybe a simple reason but it doesn't seen to make sense to me.

Ref: the ship's history (above) In 1950 she was renumbered P3552

My ancient eyes read : Q1184 (1943) P3552 (1950)

I would say that the photo was taken in 1950 when the new numbers were allocated. Presumably for people to get used to them.

Brian

Old Salt

18-01-2011, 08:54

Brian I picked up 'the Puddle' in 66 and left in 70 from memory ,just before she returned to the UK...I was the asac onboard....

Brian (what a good name we share )

It is a long time since I heard that nickname ! 'Walking sticks' ( F77) was my favourite. I really enjoyed my time on her .... except for one middle watch we both remember !

Brian

Geoff Brebner

18-01-2011, 19:04

Ref: the ship's history (above) In 1950 she was renumbered P3552

My ancient eyes read : Q1184 (1943) P3552 (1950)

I would say that the photo was taken in 1950 when the new numbers were allocated. Presumably for people to get used to them.

Brian
Hi Brian & all.The photo is from 2003,of her alongside in Picton.The owner of her at that time (who onsold her to the present owners in 2010),had painted both pennant no's,obviously to show her historical career.Regards to all,Geoff.

Old Salt

19-01-2011, 03:14

Thank you Geoff, as always a fountain of knowledge.

Brian

paea3552

29-01-2011, 21:47

Hi Jim, we are now the proud owners of PAEA. We bought her from Jack Dodds in Picton back in 2009 and bought her up to auckland where we happily use her on the harbour at every single opportunity. We took her to the book launch of Salty Dits at Torpedo Bay/Navy Museum last year. Would love to hear from you - would love it if you had any piccies of our girl. All the best. Regards Keith & Heather

paea3552

29-01-2011, 21:51

Hi there. Because Jack Dodd (the Picton owner) painted it that way as in her life she had two numbers (he also had 1950 painted in brackets). We have painted out the Q number and she now only has P3552 on her.

Old Salt

01-02-2011, 18:29

HMNZS GALE

Built: 1935 Scott & Sons Scotland
Type: Auxiliary Minesweeper
Pennant No.: T04
Displacement: 622 tons gross, 314 tons net
Length: 175 ft./53.3 m Beam: 30.1 ft./9.2 m Draft: 10.3 ft./3.1 m
Propulsion: motor, 725 bhp single screw diesel Speed: 10 knots.
Armament: 1 X 4 in., 2 x 20mm2 x Lewis MG, 50 DCs
Complement: 42

Gale was a coastal cargo vessel on inter-island services owned by the the Canterbury Steam Shipping Company Ltd. She was requisitioned by the RNZN on 10 October 1940, converted and commissioned on 3 April 1941 as HMNZS Gale.

She joined the 1st. MS Flotilla (mobile) sweeping for mines in the Hauraki Gulf and on14 May rescued the survivors from HMNZS Puriri sunk by a mine. The flotilla later swept the areas near Cuvier Island and Farewell Spit.

In December Gale was hastily got ready and sailed for Suva, where she arrived on Christmas Day 1941. She served there whilst the local Viti was under refit, returning herself to NZ for a refit and installation of asdic in late January 1942.

Gale returned to Suva on 25 May 1942 but a month later was ordered to Noumea. From the beginning of August 1942, the start of the Solomon Islands campaign, Gale and the the 25th MS Flotilla were assigned to anti-submarine duties at Noumea, the forward base of Comsopac. whose headquarters was later established there. She served well in that area under Lt. Cdr.H.A. McLeod who earned a commendation for rescuing a US plane and aircrew.

After three months as port MS in Wellington she joined the NZ flotilla at Tulagi in the Solomon Islands in February 1943. With Matai and her sister ship Gale, they formed the 19th Auxiliary MS Group within the flotilla. Duties there included night time patrol duties screening vessels at Lunga Point and escorting landing craft to new beachheads

In 1944 Gale’s return to trade was demanded and with new minesweepers coming into service In November, she was withdrawn, paid off on 26 October 1944 and restored to her owners.

Old Salt

13-02-2011, 02:22

HMNZS THOMAS CURRELL

Built: R. Williamson, England 1919
Type: Auxiliary minesweeper
Pennant No.: T11
Displacement: 204 tons gross, 84 tons net.
Length: 115.2 ft./ 35.1 m Beam: 22.1 ft./ 6.7 m Draft: 12.2 ft./ 3.7 m
Propulsion: Steam recip., ihp 430 , single screw, coal fired Speed: 9.5 knots
Armament: 1 x 4 in., MGs,DCs
Complement: 21-24

Originally constructed as a ‘Strath’ Class minesweeper for the Royal Navy in 1919, Thomas Currell was sold in 1922 and brought to New Zealand as a trawler by Sandfords Ltd., Auckland.

On 2 September 1939 she was immediately requisitioned, purchased.for £22,500 and quickly fitted out as a minesweeper. She was commissioned for service on 16 October 1939 under the command of her former master, Lieutenant J. Holt, RNZNR.who was given the temporary naval rank.

On 19 June 1940 she carried out sweeps off Bream Head following the sinking of the ship Niagara in a minefield laid in April by the German raider Orion. Two mines were loated there and destroyed. A further search was carried out in the Colville Channel and approaches to Auckland locating more mines. On 28 June 1940 the flotilla divided, Thomas Currell remaining in the Auckland area.

She was initially appointed to the 1st. MS Group of minelayers operating mainly in the Hauraki Gulf and as required around the coast. In November 1940 with more sweepers available,she joined the 3rd. Group in Lyttelton and in March 1941 she swept a channel into Wellington.

During October 1943 the short lines of mines in the minor channels on either side of Rakino Island in the Hauraki Gulf were swept by the Thomas Currell and Kaiwaka.

Thomas Currell was paid off on 5 September 1944 and sold back to Sanfords in January 1945. She is now wrecked but still very recognisable at Port Hutt on Chatham Island. There is a passing reference to her having been a 'freezer,' presumably a refrigerated vessel in the fishing fleet.

(The attached shows her post-war as a fishing vessel )

Old Salt

28-03-2011, 17:42

(Sorry for the gap these past few weeks, blame the earthquake !)

HMNZS Endeavour (A184)

Built: Cargill, Inc., Savage, Minn USA
Type: Tanke/Store ship
Displacement: 1850 tons std., (4335 tons full load).
Length 311 feet, Beam 49 feet, Draught 16 feet.
Machinery: GM diesel electric, 3300 bhp, 2 shafts,
Speed: 14 knots
Complement: 60 plus 12 extra berths...

The ship was commissioned 18 June 1945 as USS Namakagon (AOG-53) , decommissioned, 20 September 1957, and entered the Pacific Reserve Fleet.

Transferred to the RNZN on 5 October 1962 and commissioned as HMNZS Endeavour (A-184), she became the Antarctic supply ship in support of Operation DeepFreeze and the NZ Antarctic Research Program. She sailed south in each Antarctica Season from 1963 to 1970. Each season included two trips, returning to New Zealand between trips for re-supplying – taking on diesel fuel, aviation fuel and dry stores. She supplied over 1 million gallons each year to McMurdo Sound alone.

In 1971 Endeavour was withdrawn from Antarctic service and decommissioned for return to the USN. At a double ceremony on 30 June 1971, the ship was returned to the USN, renamed Namakogon and then handed over to the Taiwanese Navy and immediately renamed Lung Chuan.

Old Salt

06-04-2011, 18:01

HMNMZS MARORO

Built: Grays Harbour Shipbuilding USA
Type: Harbour /Seaward Defence Motor Launch
Pennant No.: Q1192/P3554
Name means: flying fish
Displacement: 47 tons gross, 54 tons full load
Length: 72 ft,/22 m Beam: 15.8 ft./ 4.8 m Draft: 5.3 ft./ 1.6 m.
Propulsion: 2-shaft Gray diesels, bhp 330
Speed: = 10 knots
Complement: 10
Armament: 1 x 20mm AA, 2 x 0.5in Colt Browning mg, 4 x .303 machine guns, 8 DC

Q1192 was one of 16 Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) to be delivered to the RNZN in 1943. She was commissioned on 28 September 1943 and joined the 126th. Flotilla at Auckland . Her anti-submarine patrols covered the port approaches, the Hauraki Gulf and northwards to Cape Brett.

She was ready in March 1945 to be deployed to Manus Island but this was cancelled and she transferred to Wellington instead. She paid off from war service in October 1945 at Auckland, was disarmed and placed in reserve on a mooring.

In 1948 she returned to service and commenced duties on the ‘Tamaki’ run to Motuihe Isand. At this time she was reclassified as a Seaward Defence Motor Launch (SDML) and in 1950 was renumbered to P3554 and named Irirangi. The Tamaki services ended in August 1963: she was modernised and re-engined with Foden 8s, radar was added, and on 4 August 1964 she was commissioned as HMNZS Maroro for Fishery patrol duties.

Over the years Maroro performed many additional tasks; search and rescue, port visits, escorting visiting warships and in 1970 with Mako was guard-boat for HMY Britannia during the Royal Tour. She was then restricted to sheltered waters and in 1972 was dismantled for disposal. In July 1972 she was sold and went to Fiji as a tourist launch. She was wrecked on a reef on 27 August 1982 and became a total loss.

Old Salt

11-04-2011, 19:35

HMNZ Fairmiles

Built: Auckland 1942-43
Type: Patrol Craft
Pennant No.:Q400-Q411
Displacement: 73 tons std., 88 tons full load
Length: 112 ft /34.1 m Beam: 18.2 ft / 5.5 m Draft:5.2 ft,/1.6 m
Propulsion: 2 x 12 cyl. Hall Scott ‘Defender, bhp 1260. twin shafts, petrol Speed: 18.5 knots
Complement: 16
Armament: 1 x 2 pdr., 1x 20mm, 2 Lewis MG, 1 x ‘Y’ gun, 12 x DC

On 4 April 1941 the British War Cabinet approved a proposal for a striking force of anti-submarine motor-boats, six at Auckland, four at Wellington, and two at Lyttelton. Drawings and specifications of the Fairmile Class B anti-submarine motorboat developed by Fairmile Marine were sent from England and it was agreed that these craft could be built in New Zealand providing the engines, ordnance and some prefabricated components came from England.

The orders were distributed among four Auckland firms. The estimated cost of each vessel was £35,000, making a total of £420,000 for the twelve. They were built using prefabricated hull parts from Fairmile Marine Co. with local timber (kauri) for double-diagonal hull planking, decking, hardwood keel, stem and sternposts. Delays were frequent due to awaiting the delivery of prefabricated components, first-class kauri timber and a serious shortage of skilled labour.

ML 403 was launched on 29 September 1942 and commissioned on 21 October. Thereafter the completed boats were delivered at short intervals until the last of them, ML 411, was commissioned on 20 December 1943. They were formed into the 80th (Auckland) and 81st (Wellington) Motor Launch Flotillas and were employed for anti-submarine patrols in the port approaches.

In February and March 1944 the flotillas moved to the Solomon Islands, calling at Norfolk Island, Noumea and Espiritu Santo. HMNZS Scarba escorted them as far as Noumea. Under the operational control of Comsopac (Commander South Pacific) they were based at Renard Sound in the Russell islands and used mainly for anti-submarine patrols there and at Guadalcanal. They also escorted ships as far north as Bouganville, New Georgia and New Ireland. In July 1945 they returned to NZ, each launch having averaged 2400 miles every month. They did not encounter any Japanese forces.

The crews paid off in August 1945 and the launches were moored for disposal. They were widely sought for private or passenger use and were a familiar sight around NZ for many years.

james.dunn

11-04-2011, 22:11

Hello Brian, Another interesting part of our Naval history and one most of us 1950 recruits will never forget.

Yes you guessed it the first trip on a navy vessel to "Tamaki" the rock.

I think that was on Kahu or similar, not so nice, more like penned up sheep and the smell of diesel exhaust, below in the cabin.

The Iris Moana known by most as the" irish banana"was more of a sight seeing launch with a large built cabin going the length of the hull full of bench seats, those were the days, but like every thing they were taken for granted and I never really was that interested in the smelly things till I had to drive them as a Stoker, and they were really great to crew and a good sea boat ideal for the Tamaki bus route.

Keep up the good work you are doing, always a pleasure to read.

Regards Jim

Old Salt

12-04-2011, 09:03

Well, thanks Jim ! Great encouragement for me. Much appreciated.
Brian

Old Salt

17-04-2011, 01:56

HMNZS CHARLES UPHAM

Built: Completed 6 April 1984 Frederikshavns Vft, Frederikshavn
Type Sealift ship
Pennant No.:A02
Displacement: 7,955 light, 10,500 full load
Length: 131.7 metres (432 feet) Beam: 21.1 metres (69 feet) Draft: 6.2 metres (20 feet)
Propulsion: 1 x MaK M 453AK diesel; 4,890 hp, 1 shaft, bow thruster
Speed: 14 knots
Range : 7,000 nautical miles
Complement : 32 (8 officers)
Armament: 4 x 0.5 calibre HMG
Launched: 12 December 1983, completed: 6 April 1984.

Renamed: Continental Queen II (1992), Mercandian Queen II (1992), Charles Upham (1995), Don Carlos (1998), Don Carlos II (2007)

Following a Defence review recommending that the NZDF acquire a commercial roll-on/roll-off vessel "as a matter of priority", the NZ Government approved the purchase of a second hand ship on 28 November 1994. The ship was purchased ship on 16 December for a cost of Danish Kroner 55 000 000 or NZ$14.15 million. She was modernised and fitted with naval communications equipment costing an additional NZ$ 7 million and arrived in New Zealand on 14 March 1995 carrying a commercial cargo on her delivery voyage to offset some of the costs of her purchase.

She was commissioned on 18 October 1995 as HMNZS Charles Upham, named after Charles Upham VC & Bar. Further modifications were planned after some operational experience.Two trips were made but she rolled so heavily that she was taken out of service in August 1996 to be modified to improve both her stability and the reliability of her engines. She received ballast tank modifications and a STP was installed.[ Studies showed that the ship required at least 3,500 tons of cargo or ballast to limit her motion to an acceptable level for helicopter operations No further work was undertaken on the shipdue to financial constraints and she remained tied up at Devonport Naval Base.

Funding shortfalls led to Charles Upham being leased to a commercial operator in 1998 and she left Auckland on 12 May that year under lease to a Spanish company for two years. The Sustainable Defence Review of December 2000 recommended that the ship be sold, the Government agreed and decided to sell her on 2 April 2001. In July Charles Upham was sold to the Spanish company she was under charter to, renamed Don Carlos and remained in commercial service as of 2008.

Old Salt

24-04-2011, 03:04

HMNZS INCHKEITH

Built: J. Lewis, Aberdeen, Scotland
Type: Isle class minesweeper
Pennant No.: T155
Named after: Scottish island.
Displacement: 545 tons std. , 770 tons full load
Length: 164 ft./50 m Beam: 27.6 ft./8.4 m Draft: 13.5 ft./4.1 m
Propulsion: Triple expansion 1 shaft 850 ihp, coal
Speed: 10 knots
Complement : 40
Armament: 1 x 12 pdr ., 3 x 20mm, 2 MGs, 30 Depth Charges

HMNZS Inchkeith was one of four new Isles class minesweepers purchased by NZ and commissioned on 17 October 1941 with Lieutenant-Commander Harold A. Dunnet, RNR in command. She sailed from Scotland on 15 March 1942 with four other RNZN ships as escorts for an Atlantic convoy and then escorted US Navy tankers from San Pedro to Pearl Harbour, where they arrived on 22 June.

On passage from Suva her sister ships Sanda and Scarba ran short of coal about 300 miles from New Zealand and were taken in tow by Tui and Inchkeith, the flotilla arriving at Auckland on 4 August 1942 After a short refit, Inchkeith joined the 7th Trawler Group at Auckland, carrying out minesweeping and anti-submarine patrols in the Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of Islands.

Inchkeith provided anti-submarine protection to troopships on passage to Norfolk Island during October 1942 and whilst they discharging there. She was later assigned to escort and anti-submarine duties at Noumea, the forward base of Comsopac, whose headquarters was later established there.

Back in NZ in late 1943, Inchkeith took part in clearing mines from the defensive minefield laid earlier in the war in the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland. In early 1944 she took part in sweeping the independent minefield in the Bay of Islands, completing the task by the end of February 1944.

At wars end a shortage of coal prevented her from clearing the Hauraki Gulf minefields, she was paid off in February 1946 and placed in reserve. She was declared surplus in 1957 and broken up in Auckland in 1958.
.

Old Salt

04-05-2011, 19:31

HMNZS TAUPO (F421)

Built : Swan Hunter & W. R. Ltd, Wallsend UK
Type : Loch (Lake) class frigate.
Pennant No.: F421
Named after: NZ lake
Displacement: 1435 tons (2260 tons full load).
Length: 307.3ft. /93.7 m Beam 38.6 ft./ 11.8 m Draft: 14.2 ft. / 4.3 m.
Machinery: 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, triple expansion steam reciprocating, 5500 ihp, 2 shafts Speed: 19.5 kts
Range: 9,500 nautical miles at 12 knots
Complement: 103
Armament: 1 x 4in, 4 x 2 pounder, 6 x 20mm AA, 2 squids, depth charges

The ship was commissioned as HMS Loch Shin in 1944 and served as an anti-submarine escort protecting shipping in the North Atlantic approaches to the British Isles and escorting convoys to Russia. She paid off in July 1947 and was placed in reserve.

Purchased by NZ , she was commissioned as HMNZS Taupo (F421) on 13 Sept. 1948 and with five sister ships formed the formed the 11th Frigate Flotilla. She undertook numerous visits to NZ Ports and carried out exercises with Australia and in the Pacific. During 1950 Taupo and Hawea deployed to the Mediterranean Fleet in an exchange programme with the RN.

In 1951 the crew of Taupo were required to man Westport during the waterfront strike,

She served in the Korean War and during a 14 month deployment from August 1951 to October 1952, Taupo fired over 16,000 rounds from her 4 inch gun, wearing out the barrel in the process. A number of close inshore gunfire missions were also conducted using the ships' 40mm Bofor guns. Although hard worked and frequently operating close inshore, the ships were particularly fortunate in seldom coming under fire. However Taupo was engaged by enemy shore batteries whist assisting in the foiling of an invasion of Yang Do, an island off the East Coast of Korea. Ship’s company were awarded one DSC and four ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’.

The ship was decommissioned on 26 January 1953 and placed in reserve, serving as alongside training ship. She was disposed for scrap in 1966.

Old Salt

12-05-2011, 19:23

HMNZS AWATERE

Built: Wellington Patent Slip Co.
Type: Castle Class Minesweeper
Pennant No.: T25
Named after: NZ river
Displacement: 540 tons std. Full load: 612 tons
Length: 134 ft./40.8 m Beam: 23.4 ft./7.1 m Draft: 14.5 ft./4.4 m
Propulsion: Triple Expansion, 480 hp, 1 shaft Speed: 10 knots
Complement: 27
Armament: 1 × 12 pounder. 2 × MG, Depth Charges

Awatere was launched on 26 September 1942 and commissioned at Wellington 26 June 1943 by Lieutenant E. M. C. Stevens RNZNVR. She joined the 95th Auxiliary MS Group at Wellington.

On 3 November 1943 there were reports of unknown radar contacts off Cape Campbell. Awatere and HMNZS Maimai left port shortly after midnight to maintain an anti-submarine patrol between Baring Head and Karori Rock. However, nothing was sighted.

In September 1945 Awatere swept the Wellington area for the mines reported to have been laid by the German raider ‘Adjutant’ but none were located. It was later established tht these were magnetic mines which fortunately failed to detonate.

The ship paid off on 25 September 1945 and together with Pahau was sold in 1946 to A. A. Murrell of Sydney for £30,500. Awatere made only two cruises for Murrell and was bought by the Australian Government for the UN relief operations in China. The last known fate of this ship is that she was fishing from Taiwan.

Old Salt

25-05-2011, 04:43

HMNZS Endeavour (A11)

Built: Hyundai, Ulsan, Korea
Type: Replenishment Ship
Displacement: 12,354 tons Full Load
Length: 446.2 feet. Beam: 60.4 feet. Draught: 24 feet.
Propulsion: 1 x MAN Burmeister & Wain diesel, 5,300 hp, single shaft
Speed: 14 knots.
Armament: none
Aircraft: Aft helicopter flight deck.
Complement: 49

Commissioned in Ulsan, South Korea on 8 April 1988, HMNZS Endeavour set sail for New Zealand on 14 April. The first NZ fleet replenishment ship, carrying 7500 tonnes of fuel capable of fuelling ships underway or alongside and fuel to helicopters fitted with in flight refueling She also carries supplies in four containers on deck.

She has deployed numerous times to Australia and the Far East for multi-national exercises and to USA, usually accompanying RNZN frigates. In February 2002 Endeavour sailed to Gisborne where she offloaded fuel from the grounded log ship Jody F Millennium.

In July 2002 she was off the Australian coast when the RN destroyer HMS Nottingham grounded on a rock at Lord Howe Island. Endeavour responded immediately and on arrival provided meals, showers and general support to Nottingham's sailors.

In August 2004 the ship’s lifeboat plunged 10 metres into the harbour at Sydney and five sailors were hospitalised.

She continues her busy programme of supporting the RNZN fleet.

Old Salt

02-06-2011, 08:55

Thanks to you forum members out there ..... 10,000 views on this thread.!!

:D:D

Brian

Old Salt

03-06-2011, 22:42

HMNZS Pukaki (F424)

Built: Henry Robb Ltd., Leith, Scotland
Type: Loch (Lake) Class frigate
Pennant No.: F424
Named after: NZ lake
Displacement: 1435 tons (2260 tons full load).
Length: 307.3ft./ 93.7 m Beam: 38.6 ft./ 11.8 m Draft: 14.2 ft./ 4.3 m.
Armament: 1 x 4in, 4 x 2 pounder, 6 x 20mm AA, 2 squids, depth charges.
Machinery: 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, triple expansion reciprocating engines, 5500 ihp, 2 shafts. ``
Speed: 19.5 knots
Range: 9,500 nautical miles at 12 knots
Complement: 103

The ship was launched on 23 March 1944, loaned to the Royal Canadian Navy and commissioned 31 July 1944 as HMCS Loch Achanalt (K424). She saw war service in convoy defence and anti submarine operations in the North-Western Approaches, the English Channel and Nova Scotia. On 16 October 1944 the ship sank U-1006 off the Faroe Islands and in July 1945 was returned to the RN and placed into reserve.

The ship was purchased by NZ from Britain in March 1948 and commissioned on 13 September 1948 as HMNZS Pukaki (F424), arriving at Auckland in January 1949 to join five sister ships in the 11th Frigate Flotilla.

On 3 July 1950 Pukaki sailed with HMNZS Tutira for a deployment during the Korean War, carrying out escort duties and supporting invasion forces at Inchon. Pukaki collided with an LST on 6 December 1953, sustaining some damage. Two ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’ were awarded to the ship’s company. Returning to NZ on 3 December 1950 the ship was then placed in reserve.

Recommissioned in December 1952 the ship completed four tours of duty in the Far East station between 1953 -62, was escort for the 1956 Royal tour and in December escorted HMNZS Endeavour to the edge of the pack ice in support of the Commonwealth Antarctic Expedition.

In 1957 and 1958 the ship carried out four tours of duty as a weather reporting ship during the "Operation Grapple" nuclear tests at Christmas Island. Between 1959 and 1962 she once more joined the Far East Fleet for SEATO exercises and patrols. From 1963-1965 she performed training duties and also completed four tours of duty as a weather ship in support of the United States "Operation Deep Freeze" in Antarctica.

Placed in reserve in May 1965, Pukaki was sold in October and scrapped in Hong Kong in January 1966.

Gerry Wright

10-06-2011, 04:57

On 20 June, 1968, the then new, now current, white ensign was first flown.
Where were you and what celebrations took place?
I'd like to hear your story.

Regards
Gerry
gerrywright@xtra.co.nz

Old Salt

10-06-2011, 08:30

Hi Gerry

Great to see you onboard ! :D

I posted mine in the 'Significant NZ Naval Moments' thread :

http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?p=126123#post126123

Cheers

Brian

Old Salt

13-06-2011, 19:49

HMNZS Waikato

Built: Harland & Wolfe Ltd, Belfast
Type: Leander Class Frigate
Pennant No.: F55
Named after: NZ province
Displacement: 2450 tons std 2990 tons f/l
Length: 372 ft./113.4 m Breadth: 41 ft./12.5 m Draft: 18 ft./5.5 m
Propulsion: : Twin steam turbines, twin shafts 30,000 hp.
Speed: 30 knots.
Armament: 2 x 4.5 in., 6 x 12.75in. AS torpedoes, limbo three barreled DC mortar (until 1977), SAM:4 x GWS22 SeaCat later replaced with one Phalanx closed weapon system
Aircraft: Wasp helicopter carrying homing torpedoes
Complement: 240

The first Leander Class frigate to be built for the RNZN, HMNZS Waikato was commissioned in Belfast on 16th September 1966 and arrived in NZ on 2 June 1967.

The Wasp helicopter was new to NZ and maintained by RNZAF crew onboard. During her long years of service, Waikato performed many duties including regular deployments to the Far East and Australia for multi-national exercises and to Bouganville for peacekeeping duties. In NZ waters she took part in ceremonial occasions, SAR, and as escort for the royal tours.

On 15 March 1970 three crewmen were washed overboard from HMNZS Waikato while escorting the Royal Yacht Britannia from Wellington. There were heavy seas and one of the crewmen was not recovered.

In April 1978 when exercising with the USN she embarked a large Seaking helicopter which was almost out of fuel. The helo was much larger than the ship’s helipad was designed to carry.

Also in 1978 Waikato and her Wasp helicopter went to the aid of an injured seaman on board the Soviet trawler Ardatov in foul weather about 300 miles south-east of NZ. The pilot, Lieutenant Joe Tunnicliffe RNZN was awarded the Air Force Cross and his crew members were also awarded medals. In December 1978 Waikato went south into the Southern Ocean to assist with scientific work.

During the Falklands War Waikato deployed to the Indian Ocean in Operation Armilla to release RN units for war duty.

She was decommissioned in 1998 after 32 years of service and on 25th Nov 2000 was sunk as a diving attraction off Tutukaka on the NE Coast of NZ.

Old Salt

09-07-2011, 09:36

HMNZS Black Prince

Built: Harland & Woolf
Type: Improved Dido Class cruiser
Pennant No: C81
Named after: Prince Edward 1330- 1376
Displacement: 5770 tons
Length: 512 ft./ 56.1 m Beam: 50.5 ft./ 15.4 m Draft: 18.5 ft./5.6 m
Armour: 2 in. sides and turrets.
Armament: 8 x 5.25in dual purpose, several 40mm and 20mm AA, 6 x 21in torpedo tubes.
Machinery: Parsons single reduction geared turbines, 4 Admiralty 3 drum boilers, 62,000 shp, four shafts.
Performance: 32 kts.
Complement: 551

Commissioned on 21 October 1943 as HMS Black Prince she saw WWII service in Russian convoys, France, the Aegean. Sea, Sumatra, Malaya, Japan and was at Hong Kong during the Japanese surrender in 1945.

Transferred to the RNZN 1946 as HMNZS Black Prince, she was placed in reserve until refitted in 1952. Recommissioned in 1953 she sailed to UK for the Coronation Spithead Review. During her return voyage she gave aid to the earthquake stricken Ionian Islands of Greece.

She carried out Royal Tour escort duties for the liner Gothic, and then headed to Australia for exercises and a Pacific Islands visit. Refitted in 1954 she went on a NZ ports tour during January 1955, and then visited Australia again. She took part in exercises at Singapore in June 1955 and was placed in reserve on return to NZ in July serving as alongside training ship. The ship reverted to the RN April 1, 1961 for disposal, and was broken up in Japan 1962.

Brian

Old Salt

09-07-2011, 19:26

HMNZS Futurist

Built: J.L. Meyer, Germany, 1917
Type: Auxiliary Minesweeper
Pennant No.: T09
Displacement: 234
Length: 128.8 ft./39.3 m Beam: 23.4 ft./7.1 m Draft: 10.1 ft./3.1 m
Propulsion: steam recip., ihp 550 , single screw, coal burner
Speed: 10 knots
Armament: 1 x 4 in., MGs, DCs

Futurist was built as the German minesweeper, Papenburgh in WW1, surrendered in 1920, sold and in use as a Napier trawler. She had been nominated for requisition and was already fitted with basic minesweeping gear whilst still fishing in April 1940. On 20 June 1940, the day after the sinking of the liner Niagara, she was requisitioned and commissioned for permanent service as a minesweeper.

Her first task was to sweep the entrances to Wellington and Lyttelton Harbours. Futurist swept off Wellington for eight hours on 21 June 1940, and then sailed to Lyttelton where she searched the approaches from 23 June till 2 July.

In September she sailed to Auckland where the full conversion to minesweeper was completed. After a tour of duty as the Auckland port MS Futurist was assigned the duty of port MS at Wellington which mainly involved the sweeping of the entrance channel very day.

On the night of 25th./26th. June 1941 Futurist very nearly had an enemy encounter off Wellington Harbour. She was sent to search for a suspicious ship which she did not locate. Post-war it was revealed the the ship had been the German raider Adjutant laying mines with her parent ship Komet.

On 20 June 1942 HMNZS Futurist reported having sighted a suspicious object resembling a submarine six miles south of Island Bay, Wellington. An immediate search revealed nothing further

In August 1943 she was withdrawn from minesweeping, converted into a boom gate vessel and recommisioned for that duty at Wellington. This task required her to open and close the boom gate across the harbour entrance to allow ships to pass through,

She was paid off and returned to her owners in 1945.

Old Salt

17-07-2011, 09:45

HMNZS Taupo (1975)

Built: Brooke Marine UK
Type: Lake class Inshore Patrol Craft
Pennant No.: P3570
Displacement: 105 tons Full load 135 tons
Length: 107.8 ft./32.8 m Beam: 20 ft./6.1 m Draft: 5.5 ft./1.7 m
Propulsion: 2 x Paxman 12Y JCM diesels 3000 hp, 2 shafts
Speed: 25 knots Range: 2500 nm at 12 knots
Complement :21
Armament: 2 x 12.7mm MGs (1 x 2) 1 x 81mm mortar/12.7mm MG

HMNZS Taupo (1975) was a Lake class inshore patrol vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was built by Brooke Marine in Lowestoft U.K. and shipped to NZ in the heavy lift vessel Starman.

She was commissioned on 29 July 1975 for fishery protection and resource duties around NZ. These included activities in support of the Ministry of Fisheries, the Department of Conservation and the Customs Service.

The sea keeping qualities of this class in rough weather produced resonance in some sea states and their light aluminum construction resulted in some violent motions. They also proved inadequate to patrol the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone declared on 1 October 1977.
She was decommissioned and deleted in 1991

Old Salt

28-07-2011, 00:11

HMNZS Gambia

Built: Swan Hunter, Wallsend, UK
Type: Colony class light cruiser
Pennant No.: C48
Named after: British colony Gambia
Displacement: 8000 tons.
Length: 555.5 ft./ 169.3 m Beam: 62 ft./18.9 m Draft: 21ft./6.4 m
Propulsion: Parsons geared turbines, 72,000 shp, four shafts.
Speed: 32 knots
Range: 6520 nautical miles at 13 knots
Complement: 730
Armament: 12 x 6in, 8 x 4in AA, 16 smaller, 6 x 21in torpedo tubes
Armour: sides 3 to 4.5 in, turrets 1 to 2 in, conning tower 4 in.

Gambia was launched on 30 November 1940, commissioned on 21 February 1942 by the Royal Navy and saw active service in the East Indies and Indian Oicean, including the Battle of Madagascar in September 1942. After a refit she operated anti-blockade runner patrols in the Bay of Biscay Operation Stonewall.

With both NZ cruisers damaged in action it was decided to recommission her as HMNZS Gambia, for the use of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Gambia was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy on 22 September 1943.but remained under RN control until October 1944, when it was agreed that the formal transfer date would be 8 May 1944.

She joined the Eastern Fleet at Ceylon in February 1944 operating with carrier forces against military targets in the Indian Ocean and returned to Auckland on on 7 November 1944.

In 1945 Gambia joined the British Pacific Fleet.and participatedd in attacks on Japanese positions throughout the Pacific. In February 1944 she was searching for blockade runners in the Cocos Islands area. She also supported carrier raids against oil installations and airfields. She saw action off Okinawa and Formosa and was under attack by Japanese aircraft at the time that a ceasefire was announced, so has the honour of firing some of the last shots of World War II. She was present on 2 September 1945 in Tokyo Bay for the signing of Japanese Instrument of Surrender.

Gambia was returned to the Royal Navy at Portsmouth on 27 March 1946 and following a lengthy RN career was paid off to reserve in December 1960. She was sold for scrapping in 1968.

Old Salt

13-08-2011, 08:36

HMNZS Hawera

Built: W.H. Brown , Auckland 1912
Type: Auxiliary Minesweeper
Pennant No.: T16
Displacement: 188 tons gross, 92 tons net
Length: 106 ft./32.3 m Beam: 20 ft./6.3 m Draft: 7.9 ft./2.4 m
Propulsion: Motor vessel, 140 bhp, single shaft, diesel
Speed: 8 knots.
Armament : 2 x light MG
Complement: 22

Hawera was a wooden coastal cargo motor-vessel owned by South Taranaki Shipping Co. Ltd., at Patea on a regular dairy run to Wellington. She was requisitioned and purchased on 24 June 1941 for magnetic minesweeping duties. A very long conversion ensued awaiting special gear required to fit her out to arrive from England. In the interim she was commanded by Lieutenant P. Petersen RNZNVR.

On 5 April 1943 she was commissioned by Lieutenant A.K. Griffith, RNZNVR as a magnetic minesweeper. Known as a composite or LL minesweeper, she was fitted with electrical equipment to deal with magnetic mines and joined the 194th Auxiliary MS Group based at Auckland.

Two ships stationed abeam and each towing lengths of buoyant cable known as ‘tails’ comprise the LL sweep. When an electric current is passed through the cables, a magnetic field is produced between the tails that will detonate a magnetic mine within its area of influence. The ships themselves were protected by degaussing equipment.

Hawera and the LL minesweepers spent many months of service on the NZ coast, including visits to Wellington and other ports with lengthy spells of harbour duty, and training cruises. The efficiency of her constant training was not put to a practical test for no magnetic mines were ever found or suspected in New Zealand waters.

In May 1944 Hawera was stripped of her LL minesweeping equipment and fitted out for service as a supply ship under the control of the High Commissioner for the Western Pacific. She left Auckland for Suva on 24 June and covered thousands of miles between the island groups and her base at Suva.

She returned to NZ in March 1945 for a refit, served in New Hebrides, then made one further trip to Suva escorting the new inter-island ship Margaret.

Hawera paid off at Auckland on 23 October 1945 and was laid up for disposal. In May 1946 she was sold to her former owner’s agent for £250.

Today (2010) her rusty hulk can still be seen on the bank in the upper Waitemata Harbour at Whenuapai.

Old Salt

25-08-2011, 06:51

HMNZS Moa

Built: Henry Robb, Scotland
Type: Bird Class Anti-submarine minesweeper
Pennant No.: T233
Named after: NZ bird
Length: 156 ft. /51.2 m Beam: 30 ft./ 9.1 m Draught: 15ft./4.7 m
Displacement: 607 tons std. 923 tons full load
Propulsion: Triple Expansion, 1,000 hp, 1 shaft.
Speed: 13 knots
Crew: 35
Armament: 1 x 4 inch, machine guns, 40 depth charges.

HMNZS Moa was one of three Bird class corvettes built in UK by Henry Robb. Launched on 15 April 1941, she was commissioned in Scotland on 12 August 1941 under the command of Lieutenant Commander Philip Connolly RNZNVR and arrived in Suva from the U.K on 4 February 1942 to relieve the Fijian minesweeper HMFS Viti. Viti returned back at Suva early in April relieving the Moa which sailed for Auckland, arriving on 11 April 1942.

From the beginning of August 1942, the start of the Solomon Islands campaign, the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla was assigned to anti-submarine duties at Noumea, the forward base of Comsopac, whose headquarters was later established there. With Lieutenant Commnder Peter Phipps RNZNVR (later Rear Admiral RNZN) in command Moa sailed with Kiwi and joined Gale at Noumea to provide anti-submarine protection. They were detached to Norfolk Island escorting troopshis to Norfolk Island, and returned in October.

On 12 December 1942 Moa sailed with Matai, Kiwi and Tui from Espiritu Santo, in the New Hebrides, for the Solomon Islands, where the Guadalcanal campaign was then nearing its climax. They arrived in Tulagi harbour on the 15th and, four days later, began a tour of duty in and about the Solomons as the 25th/Minesweeping Flotilla.

Two weeks later Moa was on overnight guard duty off Lunga Point when a Japanese destroyer force arrived to unload supplies. Their voices were clearly heard but Moa remained silent and was not detected.

On 29 January 1943, Moa engaged the Japanese submarine (I-1, of 1970 tons) after Kiwi had depth charged her twice, forcing her to surface. Although outclassed by the submarine’s heavier armament, Kiwi rammed her three times whilst Moa continued firing on the submarine, which struck a reef and sank before she could reach the shore.

The following night Tui and Moa came across four Japanese landing barges stopped close inshore. The barges opened fire with machine guns and small arms, and got underway. At close range Moa fired on the leading barge, but a fluke shot passed through the 4-inch gun aperture, ignited a cordite charge and injured all seven in the gun crew. Moa managed to silence the first barge and sink the last in line with 20mm fire, then withdrew and attended to the cordite fire and injuries. Tui then opened fire on the barges, sinking one with her 4 inch gun, and the remaining two escaped inshore in the darkness

On 12 February 1943 Moa embarked US Army personnel and sailed to the Russell Islands on a reconnaissance mission. There she was sighted and strafed by a US Catalina flying boat.

On 7 April 1943 HMNZS Moa was refuelling at Tulaghi Harbour in the British Solomon Islands when the base was attacked by Japanese aircraft. Moa was hit by one or more bombs, five RNZN crew were killed, many were injured and the ship sank in 3 - 4 minutes. Her wreck remains (2010) a popular international diving attraction.

.Brian

Old Salt

03-09-2011, 02:35

HMNZS Tutira

Built: Swan Hunter, Wallsend UK
Type: Loch (Lake) frigate
Pennant No.: F517 ( Wartime K517)
Named after: NZ lake
Displacement: 1435 tons (2260 tons full load).
Length: 307.3ft. /93.7 m Beam 38.6 ft./ 11.8 m Draft: 14.2 ft. / 4.3 m.
Propulsion: 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, triple expansion steam reciprocating, 5500 ihp. 2 shafts
Speed: 19.5 knots
Range: 9,500 nautical miles at 12 knots
Complement: 114
Armament: 1 x 4in, 4 x 2 pounder, 6 x 20mm AA, 2 squids, and depth charges

The ship was launched on 25 January 1944 and on completion was transferred to the Royal Canadian Navy and commissioned on 17 Jul 1944 as HMCS Loch Morlich (K517). She took part in convoy defence duties until being decommissioned and returned to the United Kingdom on 20 Jun 1945. She was then reduced to reserve fleet.

In 1948 the ship was purchased by NZ and was commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy on 19 April 1949 as HMNZS Tutira with Lieut. Cdr. F J Rand RN. in command. She sailed from UK on 9 June 1949 for the Mediterranean, sustaining some propeller damage in Malta on 1 July. Calling at Suez, Singapore and Darwin, the ship arrived in Auckland on 25 August and joined her five sister ships in the 11th. Frigate Squadron.

On 29 June 1950, the NZ Government made the decision to support United Nations operations in Korea. On 3 July HMNZS Tutira and HMNZS Pukaki were enroute to the area. After a 5500 nautical mile trip from New Zealand the ships were based in Kure, Japan.

For the first few months the main tasks of the New Zealand ships were convoy escort and general patrol work, later taking part in the naval force which covered the landings at Inchon, and Wonsan. Here On 24 October 1950 Tutira suffered the only casualty of the deployment. A loose mine was spotted and destroyed. Unfortunately, a stray piece of shrapnel from the mine struck Petty Officer Blizzard on the head. As a variation in tasking, Tutira took charge of two South Korean minesweepers in operations off Peng Yong Island in early 1951. Two ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’ were awarded to the ship’s company.

She returned to NZ on 30 May 1951 having steamed 35,400 miles on this tour of UN duty in Korea. The Commanding Officer and two ratings were awarded a Mention in Dispatches.

She was decommissioned in 1952 and remained laid up in reserve at Auckland until 1961. She was eventually sold for scrap in 1966.

The ship’s 4 inch gun was however retained and on 7 October 1999 it was unveiled as a monument outside the Devonport Naval Base.

Brian Wentzell

05-09-2011, 00:33

Old Salt

05-09-2011, 07:53

Old Salt: I think you have done HMNZS Tutira a great honour by recording her history. One question: was she decommissioned earlier than her sisters as a source of spare parts or as a static training platform or as a true reserve asset?
Brian

Brian

Thanks for your kind remarks, I note that wiki has little about her, I had to do considerable searching for information.

Having acquired six 'Loch' class. and running a cruiser, it was never the intention to be able to keep all six in commission. At various times the ships were used for alongside training etc. I am not sure why Tutira was decommissioned earlier than the others. Perhaps she was not in as good condition and required a lot of money spent ? I will see if I can find the official answer.

Brian

Brian Wentzell

05-09-2011, 20:30

Old Salt

06-09-2011, 08:31

Brian: Governments and their military forces often make what seem to "others" to be strange. However, there are occasionally well founded reasons for the decisions. I am curious, as always!
Cheers<
Brian

Brian

The Naval Board report of 1953 states : Tutira was in refit but no work could be done because of the shortage of labour,

Adds the possibility that she never did get the refit and that accounted for her being kept in reserve ?

Brian

Scratch

06-09-2011, 10:50

This extract from McDougall's 'New Zealand Naval Vessels' may help regarding Tutira (and the others):

Hawea was the first to be fully modernised, paying off 16/9/49 and recommissioning 6/3/50. She finally paid off into reserve 15/2/57. Kaniere was second, paying off 20/2/50 and recommissioning 30/1/51. She had a short period as a training frigate before paying off into reserve 20/11/51, until recommissioning 2/2/53 for Korean service. She finally paid off 22/12/60, replacing Taupo as an engineering training ship for the next five years. Pukaki underwent modernisation in 1951 after paying off into reserve 22/12/50. She recommissioned 19/8/53 for service in the Far East. Rotoiti too paid off after returning from Korea 2/53, going into reserve about 14/8/53. A slow refit started 5/54 and partial modernisation was completed with recommissioning 18/2/57. She had an extensive refit in late 1959, including major accommodation improvements and minor armament changes. This was completed 12/59 with recommissioning and trials 1/60. Pukaki had a similar refit in 1960-61, recommissioning 12/4/61. Tutira and Taupo paid off after returning from their Korean tours 5/51 and 10/52. Tutira was accepted into reserve 31/8/51, refitted in 1953-54, given limited sea trials late 6/54 and partially cocooned, but was not modernised at all. After going into extended reserve from 1/9/58 she was extensively cannibalised. Taupo remained in commission into 12/52 and went into the Reserve Fleet 26/1/53. She became the first frigate to undergo the cocooning process (de-humidifying to aid preservation), with post refit trials completed 10/53. Taupo was not modernised either, and neither went to sea as a ship again. From 1/60 Taupo was used for alongside mechanical engineering training, to be replaced in that role by Kaniere a year later.

Tony

Brian Wentzell

06-09-2011, 14:24

Tony and Brian: We probably now have a reasonable explanation for the fate of Tutira and the other ships of the class. Manpower has been as much of a challenge as money when it comes to keeping the fleet going.

Thanks for your efforts.

Regards,
Brian

Old Salt

07-09-2011, 00:19

Hi Tony

Thanks for the answer to that question, well done.

i remain puzzled about the F420 though !

Brian

Old Salt

11-09-2011, 04:37

HNMNZS Kiwi

Built: Henry Robb, Scotland
Type: ‘Bird’ Class Anti-Submarine Minesweeper
Pennant No.: T102 /P102
Named after : NZ bird
Displacement: 607 tons
Length: 156 ft. /51.2 m Beam: 30 ft./ 9.1 m Draught: 15ft./4.7 m
Propulsion: Triple Expansion, 1,000 hp, 1 boiler, 1 shaft
Speed : 13 knots
Complement: 35
Armament: 1 x 4 inch, machine guns, 40 depth charges

HMNZS Kiwi was one of three Bird Class minesweepers built by Henry Robb, Scotland. Completed on 28 October 1941 Kiwi was commissioned under the command of Lt. Cdr. Gordon Bridson RNZNVR. She suffered storm damage crossing the Atlantic and was obliged to visit Newfoundland for repairs, finally arriving in NZ on 21 May 1942.

From August 1942 Tui was assigned to anti-submarine duties at Noumea, the forward base of Comsopac. On 12 December Kiwi sailed from Espiritu Santo to the Solomon Islands, where the Guadalcanal campaign was nearing its climax. She commenced anti-submarine and escort duties in the Guadalcanal-Tulagi area which were to continue in and about the Solomons for two and a half years.

On 14 January 1943 a USN PT boat mistakenly fired two torpedoes at Kiwi, fortunately they missed.

On 29 January 1943, in company with HMNZS Moa, Kiwi detected a Japanese submarine (I-1, of 1970 tons) and depth charged her twice, forcing her to surface.. Outclassed by the submarine’s heavier armament, Kiwi rammed her three times. Moa took over and scored more hits on the submarine, which struck a reef and sank before she could reach the shore. Kiwi’s C.O. Lt. Cdr. Gordon Bridson RNZNVR was awarded the DSO and the US Navy Cross for this action.

Temporary repairs to the bow were made in Tulagi and the ship returned to Auckland for permanent replacement of the bow section. On leaving Auckland to return to the Solomons, Kiwi was fired upon again, this time by an American freighter, causing a return to Auckland for further repairs.

Back in the Solomons Kiwi was employed continuously on anti-submarine and escort duties in the Guadalcanal-Tulagi-Russell Islands area, continuing to New Georgia, Vella Lavella, Treasury Islands. and Bougainville as the war progressed..

In December 1944 Kiwi was detached for duty at Suva, returning to Tulagi on 18 February 1945. In March 1945 she went on escort duty to Dutch New Guinea before returning finally to New Zealand in May 1945, She was decommissioned and placed in reserve in June 1946, but recommissioned in a training role from 1948-49 and again from 1951-56

In 1964 she was sold to A.Sparrey for £1,250 for breaking up. In December 1964 the empty shell was re-sold and taken to Karamuramu Island, Hauraki Gulf, to serve as a breakwater. The hull was returned to Auckland in mid-April 1971 and was demolished by Pacific Scrap within a few weeks.

Old Salt

18-09-2011, 18:21

HMNZS Takapu (A07)

Built: Whangarei Engineering & Construction
Type: Inshore Survey Vessel.
Pennant No.: A07
Name means: gannet (bird)
Displacement: 92 tons std., 105 full load
Dimensions: Length: 88 feet Beam: 20 feet Draught: 7.2 feet
Machinery: 2 x Cummins KT-1105M – bhp 730, 2 Diesel Generators
Speed 12 knots
Complement: 11
Weapons: Nil

HMNZS Takapu (A07) was first commissioned on 8 July 1980 and for the next 20 years carried out inshore surveying around the NZ coast, usually together with her sister ship Tarapunga, but sometimes alone or with the RNZN Survey Vessel.

One major task accomplished was the survey of Foveaux Strait and Bluff Harbour 1981-84.

The ship was decommissioned in 2000 and sold to private buyers. .

Three Mike Port

22-09-2011, 12:26

I served on Takapu for a while. Surveyed Bay of Plenty. Working with Drogs was .... interesting.

Old Salt

02-10-2011, 21:44

HMNZS MOA (T233)

Built: Henry Robb, Scotland
Type: Bird Class Anti-submarine minesweeper
Pennant No.: T233
Named after: NZ bird
Length: 156 ft. /51.2 m Beam: 30 ft./ 9.1 m Draught: 15ft./4.7 m
Displacement: 607 tons std. 923 tons full load
Propulsion: Triple Expansion, 1,000 hp, 1 shaft.
Speed: 13 knots
Crew: 35
Armament: 1 x 4 inch, machine guns, 40 depth charges.

HMNZS Moa was one of three Bird class corvettes built in UK by Henry Robb. Launched on 15 April 1941, she was commissioned in Scotland on 12 August 1941 under the command of Lieutenant Commander Philip Connolly RNZNVR and arrived in Suva from the U.K on 4 February 1942 to relieve the Fijian minesweeper HMFS Viti. Viti returned back at Suva early in April relieving the Moa which sailed for Auckland, arriving on 11 April 1942.

From the beginning of August 1942, the start of the Solomon Islands campaign, the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla was assigned to anti-submarine duties at Noumea, the forward base of Comsopac, whose headquarters was later established there. With Lieutenant Commnder Peter Phipps RNZNVR (later Rear Admiral RNZN) in command Moa sailed with Kiwi and joined Gale at Noumea to provide anti-submarine protection. They were detached to Norfolk Island escorting troopshis to Norfolk Island, and returned in October.

On 12 December 1942 Moa sailed with Matai, Kiwi and Tui from Espiritu Santo, in the New Hebrides, for the Solomon Islands, where the Guadalcanal campaign was then nearing its climax. They arrived in Tulagi harbour on the 15th and, four days later, began a tour of duty in and about the Solomons as the 25th/Minesweeping Flotilla.

Two weeks later Moa was on overnight guard duty off Lunga Point when a Japanese destroyer force arrived to unload supplies. Their voices were clearly heard but Moa remained silent and was not detected.

On 29 January 1943, Moa engaged the Japanese submarine (I-1, of 1970 tons) after Kiwi had depth charged her twice, forcing her to surface. Although outclassed by the submarine’s heavier armament, Kiwi rammed her three times whilst Moa continued firing on the submarine, which struck a reef and sank before she could reach the shore.

The following night Tui and Moa came across four Japanese landing barges stopped close inshore. The barges opened fire with machine guns and small arms, and got underway. At close range Moa fired on the leading barge, but a fluke shot passed through the 4-inch gun aperture, ignited a cordite charge and injured all seven in the gun crew. Moa managed to silence the first barge and sink the last in line with 20mm fire, then withdrew and attended to the cordite fire and injuries. Tui then opened fire on the barges, sinking one with her 4 inch gun, and the remaining two escaped inshore in the darkness

On 12 February 1943 Moa embarked US Army personnel and sailed to the Russell Islands on a reconnaissance mission. There she was sighted and strafed by a US Catalina flying boat.

On 7 April 1943 HMNZS Moa was refuelling at Tulaghi Harbour in the British Solomon Islands when the base was attacked by Japanese aircraft. Moa was hit by one or more bombs, five RNZN crew were killed, many were injured and the ship sank in 3 - 4 minutes. Her wreck remains (2010) a popular international diving attraction.

.

Old Salt

06-11-2011, 08:47

HMNZS Rotoiti (F625 )

Built: Henry Robb Ltd, Leith, Scotland
Type: Loch (Lake) class frigate
Pennant No.: F625
Named after: NZ lake
Displacement: 1435 tons (2260 tons full load).
Length: 307.3ft. /93.7 m Beam 38.6 ft./ 11.8 m Draft: 14.2 ft. / 4.3 m.
Propulsion: 2 Admiralty 3-drum boilers, triple expansion steam reciprocating, 5500 ihp, 2 shafts
Speed: 19.5 knots
Range: 9,500 nautical miles at 12 knots
Complement: 103
Armament: 1 x 4in, 4 x 2 pounder, 6 x 20mm AA, 2 squids, and depth charges

The ship was launched on 21 August 1944 and commissioned as HMS Loch Katrine on 29 December 1944. She served as an escort for the Gibraltar convoys until the end of World War II, and then in the Indian Ocean with the Eastern Fleet. She was decommissioned in May 1946 and laid-up in reserve.

In 1948 NZ purchased the ship from Britain for £234,150 and she was commissioned on 7 May 1949 as HMNZS Rotoiti (F625) She exercised with the Mediterranean Fleet on her way to NZ and arrived in Auckland in August to join the 11th Frigate Squadron.

During 1950-1953 Rotoiti completed two tours of duty in the Korean War, operating close to the West Coast of Korea in support of land operations or often well up the Han Rive providing gunfire support to units ashore. She also sent raiding parties into enemy territory but losing the life of Able Seaman Marchioni .On 16 June 1952 the ship collided with a Netherlands destroyer in thick fog, resulting in some damage. The ship’s company were awarded four DSC, two DSM and four ‘Mentioned in Dispatches’. .On her way home in the China Sea in October she saved a SS Hupeh, a ship which had been captured by pirates. In April 1953 the ship returned to Auckland and was reduced to reserve status.

In February 1957 Rotoiti was recommissioned to support "Operation Grapple", the British nuclear weapon trials at Christmas Island completing seven tours of duty as a weather ship between 1957-1963 at 60°South 170°East.

Between May 1958 and March 1962 she was deployed to Singapore as part of the Commonwealth Strategic Reserve and in 1964 escorted HMY Britannia during a Royal Visit to Fiji and New Zealand. From March 1964 Rotoiti served as a training ship for New Entry Seamen ratings, until August 1965 when she was decommissioned and put into reserve at Auckland. In 1966 she was sold for scrap.

Old Salt

14-11-2011, 07:40

HMNZS Arbutus

Built: George Brown & Co. Greenock UK
Type: Modified ‘Flower Class corvette (1)
Pennant No.: K403
Named after: A flower
Displacement: 976 tons standard 1,350 tons full load
Length: 208 ft./63.4 m Beam: 33 ft./10.1 m Draft: 17.5 ft. 5.3 m
Propulsion: 2 × Admiralty 3-drum boilers, 1 × vertical triple expansion reciprocating engine ,2880 hp 1 shaft
Speed: 16 knots
Armament: 1 × 102mm, 8 x 20mm Anti-aircraft guns, ‘Hedgehog’ depth charge launcher

HMNZS Arbutus was launched on 26 January 1944 and commissioned on 16 June 1944 under the command of Lieutenant-Commander Rhind, RNZNVR. The last of the Flower class corvettes, Arbutus sailed from Greenock on 1 August in company with an Atlantic convoy as far as the Azores Islands. Thence she proceeded by way of Bermuda, the Panama Canal, San Diego, Pearl Harbour, and Suva.

Unfortunately she was severely damaged by grounding on a reef off Fiji on 7 October and was towed to Auckland by HMNZS Aroha, arriving there on 27 October 1944. . Permanent repairs were completed by the end of April 1945. With Lieutenant Nigel D. Blair in command the Arbutus was lent to the British Pacific Fleet. She was fitted out at Sydney as a radar servicing and repair ship and performed this duty in the Fleet Train until the end of September 1945. She was present at the Japanese surrender in Hong Kong 16 September. When she finally returned to Auckland on 6 October, the Arbutus had steamed more than 20,000 miles in 77 days since leaving Sydney.

She was employed for a brief period on a scientific expedition to the Three Kings Islands and in 1946 carried out a goodwill cruise to South Pacific Islands. On 16 April 1948 Arabis and Arbutus, fully owned by New Zealand, sailed for return to the United Kingdom in part payment for six Loch-Class anti-submarine frigates. She was scrapped in 1951.

Note: (1) Modified ‘Flower Class corvettes were 3ft longer, the foremast was shifted aft of the bridge and they had a slightly more powerful engine.

ludsie

14-11-2011, 10:15

Great thread old salt I wasn't aware that the NZ navy had such a iverse pool of ships during its time

Old Salt

15-11-2011, 08:25

Great thread old salt I wasn't aware that the NZ navy had such a iverse pool of ships during its time

Thanks for that ludsie, I have enjoyed researching them. Everything from 40 year old fishing vessels used as minesweepers to cruisers.

I reckon the current Fleet is overall the best we have ever had. Those who still believe we should be a four frigate Navy may not agree. The new ships meet the national needs and it is good to have a modern Navy.

Brian

Old Salt

22-11-2011, 19:01

HMNZS Monowai (AMC)

Built: Harland and Wolff, Belfast, in 1925. (as Razmak)
Type: Armed Merchant Cruiser /
Pennant No.: F59 Landing Ship Infantry (Large)
Named after : NZ lake
Displacement: 10,852 tons gross 4925 net..
Length overall: 519ft./ 158.2 m Beam: 63.3 ft,/ 19.3 m. Draft: 26ft ./ 7.9 m
Propulsion: quadruple expansion engines, two shafts, 14,740 bhp
Speed: 18 knots
Armament: (As AMC): 8x 6-inch guns (4 each side), 2x3 in AA., 6x20 mm (6x1),
twin 20 mm with radar added June 1942, MGs, 8 Depth charges
Complement : 366

The passenger ship ‘Razmak’ was owned by P. & O. and used in the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. She was bought by the Union Steam Ship Co of NZ in 1930, renamed Monowai and sailed from NZ to Canada and Australia.

Monowai was requisitioned on 21 October 1939, fitted out with guns and was commissioned in August 1940 as an Armed Merchant Cruiser (AMC). For two and half years she was employed continuously on patrol, troop transport and escort duties in the Pacific with several searches for the German raiders operating in the area.

She sailed from Auckland on 2 January 1942 escorting troopships to Fiji. On 16 January , HMNZS Monowai had just cleared Suva harbour when, following two heavy explosions, a submarine (I-20) was seen breaking surface about 7500 yards away. After a brief exchange of gunfire in which no hits were made by either side, the submarine crash-dived.

In October 1942 she made two voyages from Auckland to Norfolk Island escorting the troopship Wahine carrying NZ troops.

Following a request from Britain, Monowai sailed from Auckland for the UK on 24 April 1943 and paid off on 18 June 1943 at Liverpool. She was refitted in Glasgow as a Landing Ship Infantry Large (LSIL)., rearmed and converted to carry up to 1800 fully equipped troops with 20 landing craft.

Monowai recommissioned in February 1944 and took part in the Normandy landings in June 1944, .making 45 return voyages and carrying a total of some 75,000 troops. In the later period of the war she was used as a troopship; after the end of the war she was involved in the repatriation of displaced persons, refugees and prisonrs of war.
She was returned to her owners in 1946 and later became well known as one of the last passenger ships on a regular trans-Tasman service.
The ship left NZ for the last time on 15 August 1960 on passage to Hong Kong for breakingup..

Old Salt

27-11-2011, 17:49

HMNZS Aroha

Built: Stevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers
Type: Castle Class Minesweeper
Pennant No.: T24
Named after: NZ river
Displacement: 540 tons standard. Full load: 612 tons
Length: 134 ft./ 40,8 m Beam: 23.6 ft./ 7.2 m Draft: 13.6 ft./ 4.1 m
Propulsion: Triple Expansion, 480 hp, 1 shaft
Speed: 10 knots
Complement: 27
Armament: 1 × 12 pounder. 2 × MG, Depth Charges

HMNZS Aroha. one of the new steel minesweepers, was launched 8 September 1942 and commissioned by Lieutenant Peter Petersen, RNZNVR at Port Chalmers on 12 May 1943

She joined the 97th Auxiliary Minesweeper Group at Auckland and served there for most of the war.

In July 1944 Aroha and Pahau escorted/towed the dredge Whakarire from Auckland to Napier. In October 1944 she sailed to Suva and towed the corvette HMNZS Arbutus to Auckland, the latter ship having grounded on a reef in Fiji and was severely damaged.

In May 1945 Aroha transferred to Wellington and later sailed to Sydney on loan and was RN manned for two months.

The ship was paid off in 1946 and together with Waiho and Waima was sold to Red Funnel Fisheries Ltd. of Sydney for a lump sum of £50,000.

Old Salt

29-11-2011, 18:42

HMNZS CANTERBURY F421

Built: Yarrow Shipbuilders Scotstoun 1971
Type: Leander Class frigate,
Pennant No.: F421
Named after: NZ province
Displacement: 2450 tons std. 2990 tons f/l
Length: 372 ft./113.4 m Breadth: 43 ft./13.1 m Draft: 18 ft./5.5 m
Propulsion: 2 x boilers, 2x steam turbine, twin shafts: 30,000 hp speed: 30 knots
Armament :2 x 1 Vickers 4.5 in. , 1 x Phalanx CIWS (replaced Seacat) 6 x 12.7 in. A/S torpedoes, helo launched Mk 46 ASW torpedo, Maverick AGM-65 (NZ) Air to surface missile, Depth charges, M60 machine gun, Countermeasures 2 SRBOC launchers
Complement: 245
Aircraft: Originally Wasp, later Kaman SH-2G Helicopter.

HMNZS Canterbury was commissioned 22 October 1971 and arrived in NZ on 4 August 1972. She relieved HMNZS Otago in monitoring the atmospheric nuclear tests at Mururoa Atoll, remaining until the test series had ended. In 1974 ADAWS and the new NAUTIS command systems were installed and Canterbury deployed to the USA on attachment to the USN, operating off the west coast of the USA, returning to NZ in April 1975.

Other duties have included escort for the Royal Yacht and in 1977 she represented the RNZN at the Queen's Silver Jubilee review at Spithead.

During the Falklands War in 1982/ 83 Canterbury deployed to the Indian Ocean providing operational support to the RN. In May 1987 she was diverted to Fiji to for evacuation duties after a military coup and later returned to assist the Truce Monitoring Group. In 1987 Canterbury was the first NZ ship to visit China.

Following a major refit in 1990 she visited Crete for the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of Crete in 1991 and visited Britain for the 50th Anniversary of the Battle of the Atlantic in 1993. In 1996 she deployed to the Arabian Gulf in support of UN maritime forces enforcing sanctions and in 1999 deployed to East Timor in support of the NZ battalion. The flight deck was modified in 2002 to enable the Kaman SH-2 Seasprite helicopters to operate.

Canterbury was decommissioned 31 March 2005 after 33 years operational service and has been disposed as a diving wreck.

Old Salt

04-12-2011, 08:34

HMNZS Puriri

Built: Henry Robb Ltd, Scotland 1938
Type: Auxiliary Minesweeper
Pennant No.: T02
Displacement: 927 tons gross, 423 tons net
Length: 188.2 ft/ 57.4 m Beam: 35.2 ft /10.7 m
Propulsion: motor, diesel, 740 bhp, twin shaft
Speed: 8.5 to 10 knots
Complement: 32
Armament: 1 x 4-inch gun, MGs, 21 X DC

Puriri, a coastal motor-vessel owned by Anchor Shipping Co. Ltd. was requsitioned at the beginning of August 1940 for conversion to a minesweeper. She did MS trials at Wellington in October and sailed for Auckland with a cargo of Westport coal. She was taken over on 20 November and handed to the dockyard for conversion.

On 27 November 1940, Puriri put to sea urgently to assist HMNZS Achilles in the search for the raiders Orion and Komet, which had sunk the liner Rangitane. She returned to port three days later and resumed conversion.

She was commissioned on 19 April 1941, and joined the 25th MS Flotilla, which was assigned to sweep German mines in the Hauraki Gulf. Sadly she was sunk by a German mine just 25 days after she commissioned.

On 14 May 1941. Puriri and HMNZS Gale were sent to deactivate a mine reported eight miles north-east of Bream Head. Gale sailed past the mine without seeing it, but Puriri, also not seeing the mine, struck and detonated it. The C.O., Lieutenant D.W.Blacklaws RNZNVR and four ratings were killed: one officer and four ratings were injured. The vessel sank so quickly that there was no time to lower boats and the crew were ordered over the side by the first lieutenant. The surviving five officers and twenty-one ratings were picked up by Gale.

Old Salt

12-12-2011, 18:11

HMNZS Sanda

Built: Goole Shipbuilding, Scotland.
Yype: Isle class minesweeper
Pennant No.: T160
Named after: Scottish island
Displacement: 545 tons std., 770 tons full load
Length: 164 ft./50 m Beam: 27.6 ft./8.4 m Draft: 13.5 ft./4.1 m
Propulsion: Triple expansion 1 shaft 850 ihp
Speed: 12 knots
Complement : 40
Armament : 1 x 12 pdr ., 3 x 20mm, 2 MGs, 30 Depth Charges

HMNZS Sanda was one of four new Isles class minesweepers purchased by NZ and was commissioned on 4 November 1941 by Lieutenant-Commander N. L. Mackie, RNR.

She sailed from Greenock 15 March 1942 in company with her three sister ships and the new HMNZS Tui, the NZ flotilla escorting an Atlantic convoy. Then they escorted a convoy of ten US Navy tankers from San Pedro to Pearl Harbour, where they arrived on 22 June. From there they sailed to Suva via Fanning Island arriving the on 24 July. On passage from Suva both Sanda and Scarba ran short of coal about 300 miles from New Zealand and were taken in tow by Tui and Inchkeith. The flotilla, minus Killigray, arrived at Auckland on 4 August 1942.

After short post-voyage refis the four ships were designated the 7th Trawler Group based at Auckland and conducted minesweeping and anti-submarine patrols in the Hauraki Gulf and the Bay of Islands, From August 1942, the start of the Solomon Islands campaign, the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla was assigned to anti-submarine duties at Noumea, the forward base of Comsopac, whose headquarters was later established there. Sanda provided anti-submarine protection for troopships on passage to Norfolk Island during October 1942 . During the next eight months the Inchkeith, Sanda, and Scarba were regularly employed on anti-submarine patrols while supply ships were discharging at Norfolk Island.

In late 1943, Sanda took part in clearing mines laid defensively earlier in the war in the Hauraki Gulf off Auckland and clearing a smaller independent field in the Bay of Islands. In early 1944 she escorted the two Farmile flotillas from Auckland to Noumea on their way to the Solomons.

At wars end a shortage of coal prevented her from clearing the Hauraki Gulf minefields; she was paid off in February 1946, and placed in reserve. Sanda was declared surplus in 1957 and sold for demolition in Auckland in 1958. In 1959 her hull was towed to the Kawau Island area for use as a shingle bin. It was towed back to Auckland in May 1970 and broken up.

Old Salt

18-12-2011, 18:00

HMNZS Tarapunga (ML)

Built: Everett Marine, Seattle USA
Type: Harbour/Seaward Defence Motor Launch /Survey vessel
Pennant No.: Q1187 / P3566
Name means: black-backed gull
Displacement: 45 tons std., 54 tons f/l
Length: 72 ft,/22 m Beam: 15.8 ft./ 4.8 m Draft: 5.3 ft./ 1.6 m.
Propulsion: 2-shaft Gray diesels, bhp 330
Speed: = 10 knots
Complement: 10
Armament: 1 x 20mm AA, 2 x 0.5in Colt Browning mg, 4 x .303 MG 8 DC

Q1187 was one of 16 Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) to be delivered to the RNZN in 1943. She was commissioned on 13 May 1943 and initially joined the 124th. ML Flotilla in Auckland, carrying out anti-submarine patrols in the Hauraki Gulf. In November she transferred to the 125th. in Wellington where her patrols were around the harbour entrance and Cook Strait.

In March 1945 she was ready for deployment with the other MLs to move north to Manus Island, but this was cancelled. She arrived in Auckland in July 1945 and paid off in September. She was declared surplus, disarmed and laid to moorings for disposal. Q1187 was taken over by a charity trust in December 1946, partly overhauled but handed back two months later. She was then taken up by NZ Coastguard on hire purchase charter for emergency work in the Hauraki Gulf.

Q1187 reverted to Navy in May 1950 to be the second survey ML to assist HMNZS Lachlan. In 1948 she had been reclassified as a Seaward Defence Motor Launch. After conversion for survey duties she was commissioned 21 March 1951 as P3566 and sailed for Wellington to assist P3556 in surveying the Cook Strait. In accordance with custom she was painted white. From then until retired from surveying in 1979, the two SMLs covered most parts of the NZ coast, sometimes with the survey ship or alone.

There was some confusion between the similar pennant numbers of the two survey MLs, so the letter ‘B’ was added to hers. (P3566B). In 1955 she was briefly named Maori and in October she was commissioned as HMNZS Takapu. In the 1960s she was modernised and re-engined but radar was not fitted.

With the introduction of the new inshore survey craft with same names, Tarapunga paid off from surveying in June 1979 and was renamed HMNZS Mako (ii). Painted black and with radar fitted she was assigned to the RNZNVR Division in Wellington until August 1983 when she was withdrawn and dismantled for disposal She was sold in 1984 and renamed Tarapunga for private use in Auckland.

Old Salt

27-12-2011, 07:30

HMNZS Hickleton

Built: J. Thorneycroft, UK 1955
Type: Ton Class Minesweeper
Pennant No. M1131
Named after: British village
Displacement: 360 tons std., 425 tons full load.
Length l: 153 ft /46.6 m Beam: 28.8 ft /8.8 m raft: 8.2 ft /2.5 m
Machinery: Two 3000 bhp Napier Deltic diesel engines, two shafts. Speed: 15 knots
Armament: 1 x 40mm, 2 x 20mm AA, Bren light MG
Complement: 32

In 1965 NZ offered to man two vessels as military assistance in the protection of Malaysia from Indonesian terrorist attacks during an undeclared war known as Confrontation. HMNZS Hickleton was commissioned at Singapore as on 10 April 1965 with sister ship HMNZS Santon

Hicklelton was used on anti-infiltration patrols between Malaysia and Singapore and Indonesia with the 11th Minesweeping Squadron, RN based on HMS Mull of Kintyre at Singapore. Most actions took place at night with many daylight interceptions of smugglers and suspect craft that may have carried terrorist bombs. All actions took place at close range within 100 yards with no warning. For their gunboat role the ships were fitted with an additional machineguns, Bren guns, rocket flare launchers and smaller personal weapons.
In their first year the two ships carried out 200 patrols, with 20 incidents involving intruding Indonesians, often taking as prisoners those aboard intercepting small craft. By the time the Indonesian confrontation policy ended in August 1966 and the ships returned to UK Hickleton and Santon had jointly steamed 130,000 miles (210,000 km).

The ship was subsequently sold to Argentina and renamed Neuquen (M1).

Old Salt

02-01-2012, 18:15

HMNZS Lachlan

Built: Morts Dock, Sydney
Type: ex River class frigate/surveying vessel
Pennant No.: F364 (RAN)
Named after: Australian river
Displacement: 1,477 tons (std), 2,120 tons (full load)
Length: 301 feet Beam: 36 feet Draught: 14 feet
Propulsion: Triple expansion, 2 shafts ihp 5,500
Speed: 20 knots
Complement : 140
Armament : 2 x 4 in., 2 x 40mm, 20mms DCs (removed 1949)

After WWII, NZ set about taking responsibility for doing its own survey duties. HMAS Lachlan, a River class frigate built in Australia and commissioned since 1945 as a survey vessel was transferred on loan to RNZN as HMNZS Lachlan on 5 October 1949.

She immediately recommenced the re-survey of the NZ coastline first begun in 1937 but subsequently discontinued during WW II. By this time approximately 80% of all available NZ charts were nearly 100 years old. The first survey was Wellington Harbour entrance and then Fouveaux Strait. For the next 24 years she was a familiar sight in NZ waters known as the ‘Ghost of the Coast’ as she surveyed about half of the NZ coastline. In the winter months she sailed north for surveys in the south Pacific islands.

In 1950 a small laboratory was added, radar and a two range Decca navigation system were fitted in 1958. A planned new replacement survey ship was cancelled in 1953 and Lachlan was purchased outright in 1962. Over the years the quarterdeck was partly covered, a helicopter deck was added and the bridge was enclosed in in 1970.

As well as routine surveys she also took part in many special projects, including working on the docks during the waterfront strike in 1951, Special projects included the Marsden Point development, Doubtful Sound, the Cook Strait power cable and the Christmas Islands.

Lachlan paid off at Auckland on 13 December 1974 and became an accommodation ship for crews of ships in refit. She was stripped of equipment and fittings and her engines were removed.

Old Salt

01-02-2012, 08:21

HMNZS Hawea (1975)

Built: Brooke Marine UK
Type: Lake Class Inshore Patrol Craft
Pennant No.: P3751
Displacement: 105 tons std Full load 135 tons
Length: 107.8 ft./32.8 m Beam: 20 ft./6.1 m Draft: 5.5 ft./1.7 m
Propulsion: 2 x Paxman 12Y JCM diesels 3000 hp, 2 shafts
Speed: 25 knots Range: 2500 nm at 12 knots
Complement :21
Armament: 2 x 12.7mm MGs (1 x 2) 1 x 81mm mortar/12.7mm MG

HMNZS Hawea (1975) was one of four Lake class inshore patrol vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was built by Brooke Marine in Lowestoft U.K. and shipped to NZ in the heavy lift vessel Starman.

She was commissioned on 29 July 1975 for fishery protection and resource duties around NZ. This included including activities in support of the Ministry of Fisheries, the Department of Conservation and the Customs Service.
The sea keeping qualities of this class in rough weather produced hull resonance in some sea states and their light aluminum construction resulted in some violent motions. They also proved inadequate to patrol the 200 mile Exclusive Economic Zone declared on 1 October 1977.

She was decommissioned and sold in 1991

Old Salt

08-02-2012, 17:59

HMNZS Philomel

Built: 1890 Devonport, England
Type: Depot and Receiving ship
Displacement: (when built): 2575 tons
Length: 278ft, Beam: 41ft Draft: 16ft 10in max
Propulsion: 7500 ihp, two shafts
Speed: 19 kts.
Complement: 220
Armament: 8 x 4.7in, 8 x 3 pounders, two torpedo tubes (when built)
Armour: Deck 2.5in, guns 2in.

HMS Philomel was built at in 1890 as a Pearl class third class light cruiser and commissioned in November 1891. In 1896 she took part in the Anglo-Zanzibar War, the shortest war in history. She served with the Royal Navy until 1914.

She was then made available to NZ as the nucleus of the NZ Division of the RN , commissioned on 15 July 1914 for training duties. WWI intervened and in August 1914 she formed part of the ocean escort for the New Zealand Force which occupied German Samoa (now Samoa). The ship then escorted the main body of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force as far as Western Australia. The cruiser then sailed for the Middle East and 1915 operated in the Mediterranean. On 8 February she landed an armed party in Southern Turkey resulting in three seamen killed and three wounded. Subsequently Philomel was deployed in the Red Sea and in the Persian Gulf. Throughout these operations Philomel was operated as a New Zealand ship, at the cost of the New Zealand Government.

In 1917 Philomel returned to New Zealand. Now 28 years old, she had reached the end of her useful life. The expense of a major refit which might briefly extend her operational life would not be justified. So she was to be retained as a depot and training ship of the local force to be re-introduced after the war. Her armament was removed and fitted on New Zealand merchant ships. In April of the same year. hilomel was re-commissioned as a depot ship at Wellington and supported minesweeping operations until May 1919.

In March 1921, on the creation of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, Philomel was re-commissioned as a training base and moored at Admiralty reservation, Devonport Dockyard, Auckland. From 1922, for a while, she was commanded by the noted British naval officer Augustus Agar. In October 1941, on the creation of the Royal New Zealand Navy, HMS Philomel was recommissioned as the training base HMNZS Philomel. She was decommissioned in January 1947 and and after fittings and parts were removed, she was towed to Coromandel and ceremoniously sunk on 6 August 1949.