Skip to content

RNZN History – HMNZS Tui (T234) was a Bird-class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was commissioned in 1941 for minesweeping and anti-submarine roles.  https://ift.tt/FldGRIC

HMNZS Tui (T234), a bird-class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy, 1944

Tui was the first of two ships with this name to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy and was named after a native bird from New Zealand.

War service

In March 1942 in Scotland, Tui and the four Isles-class trawlers, Killegray, Inchkeith, Sanda and Scarba had been newly built for New Zealand. They were formed into a flotilla and departed from the River Clyde with a convoy bound for Canada. The trawler flotilla then left for Auckland, arriving there in August.

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 convoy some of the way. Making Tulagi their base they began anti-submarine screen patrols on 19 December 1942 off Tulagi and Lunga Point, Guadalcanal.

Torpedo Bay Navy Museum
·
In 1943, Minesweeper Bird Class Trawler, HMNZS Tui had a near miss whilst patrolling off Guadalcanal when a Japanese torpedo bomber fires at her, narrowly missing. Only her slow speed, 8 knots, saved her.
Photo: HMNZS Tui Red Watch c1940s ABJ 0171

Landing barges

On 21 January 1943, Tui and Moa came across four Japanese landing barges stopped close inshore. When Tui and Moa closed in, those aboard 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 (102 mm) 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 20 mm (0.79 in) gunfire, 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.[1]

Submarine I-17

On 19 August 1943, while escorting a convoy from Nouméa, Tui picked up a submarine contact. She made an initial run over it without using depth charges, a second run dropping two depth charges, and a third run throwing another two depth charges. Contact was lost and Tui signalled some US Kingfisher seaplanes of US Scouting Squadron VS-57, based in New Caledonia, to join the search. One of these indicated that Tui should investigate smoke on the horizon, where a submarine was sighted on the surface and Tui opened fire at maximum range, scoring one, possibly two hits. The aircraft then dropped depth charges and the submarine sank at 23°26′S 166°50′E.

The submarine was the Japanese submarine I-17, 2,190 tons, 108 metres (354 ft) long, built in 1939. Ninety-one crewmen were lost and Tui picked up six survivors who said that Tui‘s depth charge attacks had damaged the submarine and forced it to the surface.

The commanding officer and anti-submarine control officer on Tui had doubted whether the contact was really a submarine, so the depth-charge attacks were not properly carried out. A later Naval Board report concluded that “had the proper procedure been followed and a full depth-charge pattern fired in the original attack, there is little doubt but that the submarine would have been destroyed.”[2]

I-17 was the first Axis ship to shell the United States mainland when she shelled an oil refinery near Santa Barbara on 23 February 1942.[3]

Other service

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.

Post-war service

Tui was put in reserve in June 1946.

Training

In 1952 the Navy wanted to free some Loch-class frigates for service in the Korean War. Tui 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).

Oceanographic research

Tui as an Oceanographic Research Ship

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 1959 and MV Kaitawa off Cape Reinga in 1966.

Fate

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

She was replaced in 1970 by a purpose-built oceanographic ship with the same name.

HMNZS Tui (A2, A05) , formerly USNS Charles H. Davis (T-AGOR-5), was one of nine Conrad class oceanographic ships built for the United States Navy (USN), that later saw service in the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Serving with the USN from 1963 to 1970, these ships were designed to perform acoustic experiments on sound transmission underwater, and for gravity, magnetism and deep-ocean floor studies.

The ship was recommissioned into the RNZN in late 1970, and as HMNZS Tui served as an oceanographic survey and research ship until her decommissioning in 1997. In 1999, the ship was scuttled as a dive wreck.RNZN
In 1970, she was transferred to the RNZN, and was commissioned on 11 September 1970 as HMNZS Tui. Tui was named after the Tui bird, and was the second of two ships with this name to serve in the RNZN.

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 years Tui went unobtrusively about the kind of work she was designed for, primarily underwater acoustics.

Tui worked in Australian, Indian Ocean and South Pacific waters. She worked on Auckland University research, with DSIR scientists, and with other oceanographic ships. Tui also took part in several American research programs. Her acoustic research was mainly to do with the detection and tracking of submarines.

During the 1970s she made an extensive search for the Maria Theresa Reef.

Decommissioning and fate
In 1997, Tui was decommissioned and was replaced by the hydrographic ship HMNZS Resolution.

In February 1999, Tui was scuttled 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Tutukaka Heads to serve as a tourist attraction and wreck for divers, following a period of work on her which removed any objects in danger of breaking free and welding shut any areas that may have posed a hazard for wreck divers.[1] Her anchor was presented to the City of Napier

https://ift.tt/FldGRIC

Royal Navy shadows Russian warships near UK in second mission this month https://ift.tt/X0W3fgi

29th May 2025 at 12:07pm

HMS Dragon tracking Russian ship Yuri Ivanov (Picture: Royal Navy)

HMS Dragon, HMS Hurworth and HMS Ledbury have been involved in a five-day operation to track Russian naval activity near British waters.

Royal Navy warships and helicopters have once again been called on to monitor Russian activity around the UK – the second such operation this month.

Portsmouth-based HMS Dragon shadowed the Russian intelligence-gathering ship Yuri Ivanov as it lingered off the coast of the Outer Hebrides following Nato’s Formidable Shield exercise.

The Type 45 destroyer launched a Merlin helicopter to gather further information before the Russian vessel turned north for home in the Arctic.

Meanwhile, in the English Channel, HMS Ledbury, HMS Hurworth and a Merlin Mk2 from 814 Naval Air Squadron tracked the Russian corvette Stoikiy and two merchant ships, Sparta IV and General Skobelev, as they returned from the Mediterranean and transited east through the Channel.

HMS Hurworth kept close watch on the group, supported by Nato aircraft and warships, until it exited the North Sea.

HMS Hurworth tracks RFN Stoikiy CREDIT ROYAL NAVY
HMS Hurworth tracks RFN Stoikiy (Picture: Royal Navy)

Lieutenant Commander James Bradshaw, Commanding Officer of HMS Hurworth, said: “Monitoring activity on the seas and seabed around the UK is one of the core roles of the Royal Navy’s 2nd Mine-Countermeasures Squadron.

“This operation was all in a day’s work for the ship’s company who have shown great professionalism.

“We have kept a constant watch to ensure the security and integrity of the UK’s critical sea lanes.”

The operation involved support from Nato aircraft and ships, with the Merlin helicopter from RNAS Culdrose tracking the Russian group during the eastbound transit.

It comes just three weeks after HMS Tyne was activated to monitor similar activity, and follows Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s recent commitment to increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP.

“Driving the ship close to the Russian vessels has been a new experience for me as a helmsman,” Able Seaman Mine Warfare Wayne Slater, from HMS Hurworth, said. 

“Everything has been safe and professional but we’re all trained to make sure we can respond to any aggression or incident whenever non-allied warships are operating near UK waters.”

https://ift.tt/X0W3fgi

Minefields no challenge for the Challenger 2 – thanks to the British Army’s Trojan https://ift.tt/1ucmjBY

29th May 2025 at 10:59am

Minefields and anti-tank ditches no obstacle for the Trojan

Main battle tanks like the Challenger 2 rely on a combination of firepower, mobility and protection – all of which a potential enemy is well aware.

To slow down or halt the advance, the enemy can create anti-tank ditches and lay minefields – and even if the tanks avoid the mines they can end up being channelled into a kill zone where they can be targeted by artillery.

And that’s where the British Army’s Trojan armoured engineer vehicle comes in.

This vehicle is designed to open routes through complex battlefield obstacles and clear a path through minefields.

The Trojan Armoured Vehicle Royal Engineers is a combat engineering vehicle that was designed as a replacement for the Chieftain AVRE – the ChAVRE.

The Trojan is based on the chassis of the Challenger 2 it’s designed to support, and is powered by the same Perkins CV12 diesel engine.

While the Trojan is based on the Challenger 2 chassis, it's role is very different
While the Trojan may resemble the Challenger 2, it’s role is very different (Picture: MOD)

Its standard equipment includes a dozer blade, mine plough and an excavator arm, and a mine-marking system can also be fitted.

It can also carry fascines – a bundle of pipes that are dropped into a ditch, filling the gap so it can then be driven over.

The Trojan can also tow a trailer-mounted, rocket-propelled, mine-clearing system.

Although it has no turret – the Trojan is not a tank – all this dedicated kit gives it a combat weight of 62.5 tonnes, but it can nevertheless achieve a top speed of 59km/h.

Improved visibility is achieved by incorporating direct and indirect vision devices with low-light, image-intensifying and thermal imaging capabilities. It also has a CBRN protection system.

The Trojan is based on the Challenger 2 chassis, and works in conjunction with the main battle tank
The Trojan is based on the Challenger 2 chassis, and works in conjunction with the main battle tank (Picture: MOD)

Because it can free up an armoured advance, the Trojan is considered a high-value target. It has some means of protection, being armed with the 7.62mm belt-fed L7A2 GPMG.

But it relies on the very vehicle it’s there to support – the Challenger 2 – to protect it against threats such as enemy armour.

While it was designed for the battlefield, the Trojan has the flexibility to support a wide range of operations, including humanitarian missions.

https://ift.tt/1ucmjBY

Carrier Strike Group 25 passes through the Suez Canal, the Royal Navy reveals https://ift.tt/5bnZHdP

Jonathan Moynihan – 29th May 2025 at 11:27am

The CSG did not contain RFA Tidespring, as the tanker will travel south around the Cape of Good Hope (Picture: MOD)
The CSG did not contain RFA Tidespring, as the tanker will travel south around the Cape of Good Hope (Picture: MOD)

Carrier Strike Group 25 has sailed through the Suez Canal as it continues its onward journey to Australia, the Royal Navy has confirmed.

Defence Secretary John Healey revealed that they had “gameplanned situations” in case the carrier strike group had to deal with an attack from the Iranian-backed Houthis, according to the Telegraph.

The UK resumed strikes on Houthi drone facilities ahead of the £3bn aircraft carrier’s passage through the canal.

“The Carrier Strike Group is in a high-risk area,” Mr Healey said during his visit to MOD Corsham, the UK’s military cyber headquarters.

“We know that, they know that, they are fully trained for that, and they are as well prepared and well protected as they can be, physically, militarily, and digitally, and in cyber.”

He added that “it will be a really dangerous high-risk passage”.

The CSG did not contain RFA Tidespring, as the tanker will travel south around the Cape of Good Hope before rejoining the vessels in the Indian Ocean.

It comes after the personnel enjoyed some rest and recuperation in Souda Bay in Crete following Exercise Med Strike.

The CSG partnered with an Italian carrier strike group, led by flagship ITS Cavour, to take part in Exercise Med Strike.

The exercise involved 21 warships, three submarines, 41 fast jets, 19 helicopters, 10 patrol aircraft and 8,000 personnel.

UK and Italian F-35B Lightning jets flew day and night, while warships and submarines from both countries trained together, practising anti-submarine tactics.

It comes after the personnel enjoyed some rest and recuperation in Souda Bay in Crete following Exercise Med Strike (Picture: MOD)
The transit comes after the personnel enjoyed some rest and recuperation in Souda Bay in Crete following Exercise Med Strike (Picture: MOD)

The training was also a test of air defence skills, including dealing with aerial drone attacks.

There are 12 countries participating in the CSG deployment, known as Operation Highmast, which will last eight months and cover more than 30,000 miles.

The CSG will conduct further large-scale exercises with allies in the Middle East, Japan and Australia.

Over 4,500 British military personnel are involved, including nearly 600 RAF, 900 soldiers, and 2,500 Royal Navy sailors and Royal Marines.

For more reports about Carrier Strike Group 25, click here.

https://ift.tt/5bnZHdP

New Zealand-led task force seizes $1b of narcotics in Arabian Sea https://ift.tt/64lFQ1P

Brett Kerr-Laurie

May 29, 2025Share

A New Zealand-led naval task force has made its most expensive drug bust of the year while patrolling the Middle East.

The British Royal Navy frigate HMS Lancaster seized 1000kg of heroin, 660kg of hashish and 6kg of amphetamine from a small boat in the North Arabian Sea late last week, the New Zealand Defence Force said in a statement.

The Lancaster is part of the multinational Combined Maritime Task Force 150 (CTF 150), which is under New Zealand command.

Based in Bahrain, the CTF 150 is focused on maritime security in the Middle East with an emphasis on disrupting drug smuggling.

More than 100 packages of drugs were secured by the HMS Lancaster.New Zealand Defence Force

Using it’s new Peregrine uncrewed aerial system, the Lancaster identified a cargo dhow [a small sailing vessel] “acting in a suspicious manner”, the statement said.

A Royal Marine sniper team, on a Wildcat helicopter, covered teams as they boarded the vessel.

The teams secured six crew on the dhow, then found 50 packages containing heroin and 55 packages containing hashish and amphetamine.

The drugs were taken back to the frigate for testing and disposal.

ADVERTISEMENT

Advertise with Stuff

Boarding teams secured six crew members before they found the drugs.New Zealand Defence Force

The Lancaster’s commanding officer commander Chris Chew said the ship’s latest success was the result of his crew’s motivation, commitment and dedication.

“This is another example of where Lancaster has delivered at range, in isolation, utilising her own organic assets.”

Task Force commander, Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) commodore Rodger Ward said it was the “largest value narcotics interdiction” the CTF 150 had made under NZ command this year.

He said the task force and its partners had now seized narcotics with a collective New Zealand street value of $1.8b.

“Furthermore we estimate that our presence and the intelligence collected from our operations has resulted in the disruption of nearly three times that amount.”

Boarding crews were covered by a sniper team in a Wildcat helicopter.New Zealand Defence Force

Ward acknowledged the 210-strong company of the Lancaster for “continuing to get amongst it day-after-day”.

“Everyone in the team can be proud of their efforts to disrupt the criminal and terrorist organisations that continue to use illicit narcotics to fund their activities and this is a significant blow to their revenue stream.

“Conducting maritime interdictions requires a team effort from the men and women here in the headquarters in Bahrain reaching through to those out on the oceans disrupting drug smuggling operations at the coal face.”

ADVERTISEMENT

Advertise with Stuff

The seizure was testament to the tenacity, training and professionalism of CTF 150’s Royal Navy partners, he said.

RNZN frigate HMNZS Te Kaha has also been deployed to CTF 150 over the past two months, conducting similar operations as the Lancaster as part of New Zealand’s commitment to collective security efforts in the region.

The CTF 150 and its partners have now seized narcotics with a collective New Zealand street value of $1.8b.New Zealand Defence Force

https://ift.tt/64lFQ1P

HMNZS Moa (T233) was a Bird-class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) that served during World War II. https://ift.tt/MLoicNm

HMNZS Moa (T233) alongside wharf at Leith, Scotland. 1943

Construction and design

The first of three Bird-class minesweepers, Moa displaced 607 tons standard and 923 tons at full load. She was 168 ft (51 m) long overall, had a beam of 30 ft (9.1 m) and a draught of 15.3 ft (4.7 m). She had a top speed of 13 knots (24 km/h) and a crew of between 33 and 35 personnel. Moa‘s main armament was a single 4-inch Mk IX naval gun, which was supplemented by anti-aircraft guns. She also carried minesweeping equipment and 40 depth charges for anti-submarine operations.[3][4]

Operational history

Commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy on 12 August 1941, Moa was the first of two vessels with this name to serve in the RNZN and was named after a native bird from New Zealand.[5][6]

External videos
video icon HMNZS Kiwi and Moa versus submarine I-1: David versus Goliath at Sea – Drachinifel

On 29 January 1943, in concert with her sister ship Kiwi, Moa helped to ram and wreck the Japanese submarine I-1.[7] At the time Moa was under the command of Lieutenant Commander Peter Phipps, later to become a vice admiral.

The deck gun from Japanese submarine I-1 on display at the Torpedo Bay Navy 

In February 1943, Moa participated in Operation Cleanslate, the occupation of the Russell Islands. However, when the Moa put the forces ashore, local natives informed them that the Japanese had left ten days before.[9]

On 7 April 1943 Moa was refuelling from the USS Erskine M. Phelps at Tulagi Harbor when Japanese aircraft attacked.[10][11] Moa sustained two near misses and two direct hits from 500-pound (230 kg) bombs, one that passed through the ship before exploding in the water abeam to starboard,[12][13] the other passed through the captain’s cabin into the boiler room, where it exploded, effectively “breaking the ship′s back.”[14][15][12][13] Moa sank bow-first within about four minutes.[8] Five ratings were killed and seven were seriously wounded, including Phipps.[7][8] At some point in the interim following the sinking of the submarine I-1 and her own sinking, the Moa crew had acquired and mounted a 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun on her very bow, with which the crew used against their attackers before they sank.[16] This 20mm gun could still be seen on her wreck in 2002.[17]

Postscript

[edit]

I-1‘s gun on display at the Torpedo Bay Navy Museum

Seventy-one years after her sinking, Moa‘s name plate was recovered by divers and is being restored for eventual display at the Torpedo Bay Navy Museum in Auckland, New Zealand.[4] The Torpedo Bay Naval Museum already has on display the main deck gun recovered from the wreck of the I-1.

https://ift.tt/MLoicNm

RNZN History – HMNZS Kiwi (T102) was a Bird class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Video of action by HMNZS Kiwi and HMNZS Moa https://ift.tt/alLuw4d

HMNZS Kiwi

She was commissioned in 1941 for minesweeping and anti-submarine roles. From 1948 to 1956 she functioned as a training ship.

HMNZS Kiwi & Moa vs I-1 – David vs Goliath at Sea!

On 29 January 1943, with her sister ship Moa, Kiwi rammed and wrecked[1] the Japanese submarine I-1.

HMNZS Kiwi

At the time Kiwi was under the command of Lieutenant Commander Gordon Bridson who was awarded the DSC and the United States Navy Cross[2] for this action. Leading Signalman Campbell Howard Buchanan (7 April 1920, Port Chalmers – 31 January 1943, Tulagi) manned the Kiwi’s searchlight during the action and remained at his post despite having been mortally wounded. He was posthumously mentioned in despatches and awarded the United States Navy Cross.

WW 2 – HMNZS Phyllis (T22) at the Devonport Naval Base, HMNZS Kiwi (T102) inboard
HMNZS Kiwi

Kiwi was the first vessel with this name to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy and is named after the national bird of New Zealand.

The ship’s company of HMNZS Kiwi, led by Lt-Cdr G. Bridson, on left, marching through the streets of Auckland

History
New Zealand
Name HMNZS Kiwi (T102)
Builder Henry Robb Ltd. Scotland.
Commissioned 20 October 1941
Decommissioned 20 December 1956
General characteristics
Class and type Bird class minesweeper
Displacement 607 tons standard923 tons full load
Length 168 ft (51 m)
Beam 30 ft (9.1 m)
Draught 15.3 ft (4.7 m)
Propulsion 1,100 ihp (820 kW) oil
Speed 13 knots (24 km/h)
Complement 33-35
Armament 1 × 4-inch gun, 2 × 1 Hotchkiss, twin Lewis, 40 depth charges

https://ift.tt/alLuw4d

USS Harry S. Truman Transits Strait of Gibraltar, Sailing West https://ift.tt/VQ3rg0T

Mallory Shelbourne – May 23, 2025 1:44 PM

USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) on April 15, 2025. US Navy Photo

Aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar early this morning as it headed home following an eight-month deployment.
Truman is westbound in the Atlantic Ocean, a Navy official confirmed to USNI News Friday. The carrier transited the strait at around 1:45 a.m. local time, according to a ship spotter.

Truman briefly participated in the NATO Neptune Strike drills as it sailed through the Mediterranean Sea this week. The carrier transited the Suez Canal on Saturday.

The Nimitz-class carrier, which left its homeport of Naval Station Norfolk in mid-September, operated in the Red Sea for much of its deployment as the Yemen-based Houthis continued targeting both military and commercial shipping.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth extended the carrier’s deployment several times due to Operation Rough Rider, the Trump administration’s renewed campaign to degrade the Houthis’ drone and missile capabilities used to attack commercial and military shipping. That campaign, which included Truman‘s F/A-18 Super Hornets conducting strikes, has been on pause since early May.

Truman lost three F/A-18 Super Hornets during this deployment and collided with a merchant ship near near Port Said, Egypt, in February. The Navy relieved the carrier’s commanding officer due to the collision and brought Capt. Christopher “Chowdah” Hill, the CO of USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN-69) during its most recent deployment to the Middle East, as a replacement. No sailors were killed in any of the Super Hornet losses nor in the collision.

The carrier operated in the North Sea for NATO drills at the beginning of its deployment before sailing to the Eastern Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

https://ift.tt/VQ3rg0T

HMNZS/HMAS Stawell (M348) https://ift.tt/hXetwQp

HMNZS Stawell
RAN
The majority of Starwell’s career was spent in three areas. Initially, she served as a convoy escort along the east coast of Australia.[1] Following this, Stawell participated in a variety of escort, minesweeping, and combat roles throughout New Guinea waters.[1] In the final third of her career, the ship spent time in Hong Kong waters, performing minsweeping and anti-piracy duties.[1] Stawell returned to Brisbane in November 1945.

HMAS Stawell
HMNZS Stawell as HMAS Stawell

The corvette received three battle honours for her wartime service: “Pacific 1943–45”, “New Guinea 1943–44”, and “Borneo 1945”.[10][11]

RNZN
Stawell was removed from RAN service on 26 March 1946.[1] On 5 March 1952, Stawell and three other Bathurst-class corvettes (HMA Ships Echuca, Inverell, and Kiama) were transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy.[12]

She was commissioned into the RNZN during May 1952 and given the prefix HMNZS.[13] Stawell operated primarily as a training vessel until 1959, when she was placed into reserve

HMNZS Stawell alongside HMAS Voyager – Daring Class

Fate
Stawell was sold to Pacific Scrap Limited of Auckland, New Zealand in July 1968, and was broken up for scrap.

HMNZS Royalist and HMNZS Stawell being readied for scrapping. Royalist towed to Japan – Stawell was sold to Pacific Scrap Limited of Auckland, New Zealand in July 1968, and was broken up for scrap

https://ift.tt/hXetwQp

HMNZS/HMAS Kiama (M353) https://ift.tt/g976UwI

HMAS Kiama, named for the coastal town of Kiama, New South Wales, was one of 60 Bathurst-class corvettes constructed during World War II, and one of 36 initially manned and commissioned solely by the Royal Australian Navy (RAN).

After World War II, the corvette was one of four sold to the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). She served as HMNZS Kiama from 1952 until 1976, when the corvette was paid off and marked for disposal.

Design and construction
Main article: Bathurst-class corvette
In 1938, the Australian Commonwealth Naval Board (ACNB) identified the need for a general purpose ‘local defence vessel’ capable of both anti-submarine and mine-warfare duties, while easy to construct and operate.[2][3] The vessel was initially envisaged as having a displacement of approximately 500 tons, a speed of at least 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph), and a range of 2,000 nautical miles (3,700 km; 2,300 mi)[4] The opportunity to build a prototype in the place of a cancelled Bar-class boom defence vessel saw the proposed design increased to a 680-ton vessel, with a 15.5 knots (28.7 km/h; 17.8 mph) top speed, and a range of 2,850 nautical miles (5,280 km; 3,280 mi), armed with a 4-inch gun, equipped with asdic, and able to fitted with either depth charges or minesweeping equipment depending on the planned operations: although closer in size to a sloop than a local defence vessel, the resulting increased capabilities were accepted due to advantages over British-designed mine warfare and anti-submarine vessels.[2][5] Construction of the prototype HMAS Kangaroo did not go ahead, but the plans were retained.[6] The need for locally built ‘all-rounder’ vessels at the start of World War II saw the “Australian Minesweepers” (designated as such to hide their anti-submarine capability, but popularly referred to as “corvettes”) approved in September 1939, with 60 constructed during the course of the war: 36 (including Kiama) ordered by the RAN, 20 ordered by the British Admiralty but manned and commissioned as RAN vessels, and 4 for the Royal Indian Navy.[2][7][8][9][1]

Kiama was constructed by Evans Deakin & Co, at Brisbane, Queensland.[1] She was laid down on 2 November 1942, and launched on 3 July 1943 by Mrs. G. Lawson, wife of the Minister for Transport.[1] Kiama was commissioned into the RAN on 26 January 1944.[1] The coastal community of Kiama, after which the vessel was named, donated recreational materiel for her crew including a radio set, books, and a 16 mm movie projector.[10][11]

Mar. 16 1944 HMAS KIAMA in Sydney

Operational history
World War II
Kiama’s first deployment was in March 1944 to Milne Bay in New Guinea.[1] From her arrival until September 1944, the corvette’s main duty was to escort convoys along the New Guinea coastline, although a reassignment for the duration of June saw Kiama perform anti-submarine patrols in the Solomon Sea.[1] In September, Kiama was used to transport soldiers between New Guinea and New Britain.[1] On conclusion, she resumed her convoy escort role until the end of 1944, when she departed for Sydney.[1] During her eight months in New Guinea waters, Kiama travelled over 30,000 nautical miles (56,000 km), was at sea for more than 3,000 hours.[1]

In September 1944 ‘C’ Troop and a small detachment from ‘B’ Troop, from the 2/8th Commando Squadron were landed from HMAS Kiama on a reconnaissance operation at Jacquinot Bay on the island of New Britain, to collect intelligence in preparation for an assault by the 5th Division.[12]

The corvette arrived in Sydney on 21 December 1944.[1] On 25 December, the crew was recalled from leave to go to the assistance of the liberty ship SS Robert J. Walker, which had been torpedoed by German submarine U-862.[1] Kiama, along with Quickmatch, Yandra, and USS PC597 were dispatched to the last known location of the ship and began to search the area for the liberty ship’s crew and the attacking submarine; finding the 67 survivors of the attack at 05:45 on 26 December but failing to locate U-862.[13] Kiama was assigned to anti-submarine patrols near Sydney for the final days of the year, before sailing to Adelaide for a month-long refit on 3 January 1945.[1]

Post-refit, Kiama was assigned to Fremantle for two months of anti-submarine warfare exercises with the United States Navy, before returning to New Guinea on 7 May 1945.[1] In May and June, the corvette performed several coastal bombardments in the Bougainville area.[1] In July, Kiama transported Prince Henry, Duke of Gloucester from New Guinea to the Solomon Islands, then spent the rest of the month moving troops and military cargo between these two locations.[1] From 5 to 24 August, the corvette was based in Brisbane, before returning to New Guinea waters.[1] Kiama spent the rest of 1945 as a troop and supply transport, minesweeper, and general duties vessel.[1] When the war ended, Kiama took part in the Japanese surrender at Rabaul.[14] In November, Kiama was assigned to escort demilitarized Japanese cruiser Kashima as the cruiser embarked Japanese soldiers in New Guinea for repatriation.[15]

Kiama returned to Sydney on 29 January 1946.[1] In February she paid a six-day farewell visit to the town of Kiama, ahead of her decommission into the Reserve on 3 April.[1][16] During her wartime service, the ship had been at sea for 6,369 hours, and had sailed a distance of 60,822 nautical miles (112,642 km).[1] She earned two battle honours: “Pacific 1944–45” and “New Guinea 1944”.[17][18]

HMNZS Kiama alongside HMNZS Waikato.

Transfer to RNZN
On 5 March 1952, Kiama and three other Bathurst-class corvettes (Echuca, Inverell, and Stawell) were transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy.[19] Kiama was commissioned into the RNZN,[when?] receiving the prefix HMNZS. Upon acquisition by New Zealand, the corvette was converted into a training ship.[20] Kiama’s 4-inch gun and aft minesweeping equipment were removed, and replaced with two 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns.[20] This is contradicted by a 1996 newspaper article which said it had been mothballed by the New Zealand Navy and converted to a training ship and for use on fisheries patrols in 1966.[21]

HMNZS Kiama alongside in Kiama

In 1966, Kiama was re-commissioned under command of Lieutenant-Commander E Burrows in the 27th Fisheries Protection Squadron to join her sister ship HMNZS Inverell.[22][23] Other duties included search-and-rescue operations and transportation of scientific teams to small island along New Zealand’s coastline.[24][25]

In May 1966 the Kiama was involved in the search for the Kaitawa which was lost with all hands near 90 mile beach.[26] Apart from the initial search, the Kiama formed part of Operation Seabed, along with the Inverell and the frigate Taranaki.[27]

The corvette revisited her namesake town in Australia in late 1966.[28]

RNZN Commanders
1966 Lt Commander E Burrows
1967 Lt-commander M C Verran
1968 Lt-Commander L J Tempero[29]
1970 Lt-Commander F D Arnott[30]
1971 Lt-Commander D L Douglas[31]
1973 Lt Commander N Cameron[32]
Fate
On 27 May 1968 the Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral J O Ross, described the Kiama and Inverell as obsolete and no longer fit for purpose.[33] The Kiama remained in service until 1975 when it was placed in reserve. The ship was paid off for disposal on 19 August 1976 and broken up in 1979.

HMNZS Kiama
HMNZS Kiama

https://ift.tt/g976UwI