Reservists, colleagues and sailors past and present celebrated the centenary of Auckland-based reserve unit HMNZS Ngapona over November 22-24.
04 December, 2024
Events included a pōwhiri at Te Taua Moana, base tours, a Beat the Retreat ceremony and reception at the Navy Museum, and a memorial service at St Christopher’s Chapel.
Ngapona’s Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Chetan Sawyer said it was an “awesome” weekend, following on from Ngapona’s public-facing highlights of the Whangārei Maritime Festival in October.
“The whole weekend was amazing, but the combined service and ‘end of year function’ was a real highlight of the weekend,” he said. “Everyone was in a really good mood and there was some fantastic humour.”
A particular item of nostalgia was visits to ex-RNZN Harbour Defence Motor Launch (HDML) ‘Paea’, now in private ownership. Ngapona’s divisional coxswain Chief Petty Officer Combat System Specialist Shane Kennedy and relief coxswain Petty Officer Naval Policeman Mike ‘Buck’ Taylor helped crew the boat from Whangārei to a mooring in Bayswater, North Shore where it was made available for viewing.
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According to the Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve was established in October 1924, based in Auckland. It was renamed the Auckland Division in 1928, in keeping with the creation of Wellington, Christchurch and Dunedin Divisions.
In October 1941 all Divisions were renamed as Royal New Zealand Naval Volunteer Reserve. At this point the Divisions were not active; all personnel were mobilised as part of the war effort.
In November 1951, the Division was commissioned as a ship: HMNZS Ngapona. The ship’s name is taken from a Māori proverb relating to the three peaks of Rangitoto. The ship’s badge denotes the kaka, a native bird that was originally found on Rangitoto. The ship’s motto is “we serve together”.
Ngapona moved from its long-time position in St Mary’s Bay in 2007 and is now located in within Devonport Naval Base.
A popular souvenir for the centenary was Ngapona’s Centenary challenge coin. Ngapona’s own Lieutenant Commander Graeme ‘Frosty’ Frost designed the coin based on the ship’s crest. It quickly sold out.
Tuesday, December 3, 2024 – 16:28 – Wellington, Aotearoa New Zealand
Flag Portrait of LMT(L) Joe Mataele, T1051577
Royal New Zealand Navy 2024 Sailor of the Year, Joe Mataele. Photo: RNZN.
Joe Mataele, a Leading Marine Technician (LMT) who grew up in Tonga, was named the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) 2024 Sailor of the Year.
LMT Mataele “is a highly respected engineer known for his motivation, problem-solving abilities, and a steadfast commitment to safety and continuous professional growth,” RNZN stated.
He is also a Basic Common Training instructor for RNZN newest aspiring sailors.
“LMT Mataele is an inspiring leader who lays a strong foundation in discipline, accountability, and teamwork, ensuring our recruits are prepared to meet the demands of naval service with confidence and resilience.”
“His guidance goes beyond technical skills, fostering a warrior mind-set and deep understanding of our core values. His professionalism, resilience, and unwavering dedication sets a very high benchmark for others to follow,” RNZN added.
From Hawaii to the South China Sea, HMNZS Aotearoa’s 2024 Operation Crucible deployment has been a successful reaffirmation of New Zealand’s partnerships on the water.
29 October, 2024
Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home. Navy colleagues greeted the ship’s company with a haka, who responded with their own.
For Commanding Officer Commander Rob Welford, his return to Devonport was exactly one year and one day since he took command of Aotearoa, and the second time he has brought Aotearoa home from South East Asia. He took command of Aotearoa in Singapore towards the end of the ship’s 2023 deployment.
CDR Welford says he could not be prouder of his ship’s company.
“Our many successes with multiple countries, including some ‘firsts’ for the ship like an eight-hour refueling of USS Boxer, shows how Aotearoa continues to be the ‘tanker of choice’ in delivering an operational effect for our Defence partners.
“In all our engagements and taskings, Aotearoa’s sailors have had a smile on their face and put 100 per cent effort into everything they have done. I couldn’t ask for more.”
Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, Major General Rob Krushka, and RNZN Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Shane Arndell, were in Devonport to meet and talk with the crew of Aotearoa.
MAJGEN Krushka and CDRE Arndell wanted to convey the NZDF and the Navy’s thanks to the ship’s company for a lengthy mission professionally conducted.
CDRE Arndell says Aotearoa’s accomplishments shows the Royal New Zealand Navy is a highly trained blue-water navy with the personnel and platforms to make a tangible contribution on the world stage supporting the international rules-based system.
“There will be plenty more of these opportunities for our sailors in coming months allowing them to be at the sharp end of operations, and that’s exactly why they joined,” he says.
“This has been a long time away for the crew of Aotearoa but they should be incredibly proud of what they’ve achieved.”
Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.
Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.
Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.
Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.
Aotearoa returned to Devonport on 25 October after 135 days away, with family and friends waiting on Calliope Wharf to welcome the crew home.Scroll to previous imageScroll to next image
Exercise Rimpac
HMNZS Aotearoa arrived early to Exercise Rim of the Pacific 2024 (RIMPAC 2024) in Hawaii on June 23, ready to work with four other replenishment ships as part of Combined Task Force 173, RIMPAC’s combat logistics task force.
Aotearoa’s early arrival meant it could conduct Replenishment at Sea (RAS) trials with commercial tanker MV Allied Pacific, both alongside and then at sea. Being able to receive fuel from a commercial tanker while at sea was a brand-new capability for Aotearoa.
Aotearoa received a total of 13,386,000 litres of F76 Diesel Fuel and passed a total of 6,384,000 litres of F76 diesel fuel and 460,000 litres of aviation fuel to customer ships both inside and outside the exercise.
Aotearoa conducted RAS operations with 16 partner ships, including a concurrent RAS with United States destroyer USS Sterett and Canadian frigate HMCS Vancouver.
A significant highlight was replenishing USS Boxer, an Amphibious Assault Ship sailing to Asia for its operational deployment.
It meant Boxer had to be stationed 45m off Aotearoa’s port beam for 8.5 hours while close to 3 million litres of diesel fuel and 350,000 litres of aviation fuel were pumped across.
It was both the longest replenishment and largest ship ever replenished by Aotearoa.
HMNZS Aotearoa participated in Exercise Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 24.
Korean Peninsula
Aotearoa’s deployment shifted to Japan and North Korea to contribute to the monitoring of United Nations Security Council Resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea. During its four-week involvement, Aotearoa’s role was to replenish international navy vessels patrolling the Korean Peninsula.
During the transit Aotearoa enjoyed the company of Vancouver, with both ships conducting a variety of manoeuvres and swapping crew members to experience life on board another nation’s vessel.
Aotearoa conducted port visits to Yokosuka and Sasebo, Japan.
Multilateral exercises
Aotearoa continued its support of partner navies during its passage south to Singapore. It conducted replenishments and manoeuvres with South Korea, Japan, Germany, Australia, the Philippines and the United States, including taking part in a Multilateral Maritime Cooperative Activity international exercise in the South China Sea, designed to strengthen interoperability in the maritime context. It included a concurrent replenishments with returning customer USS Boxer and USS Comstock, and with destroyers USS Howard and HMAS Sydney.
HMNZS Aotearoa conducting a Dual-Replenishment at Sea with HMAS Sydney and USS Howard. Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force ship JS Sazanami sails behind. Photo: Royal Australian Navy
Taiwan Strait transit
Aotearoa sailed through the Taiwan Strait with Sydney on the afternoon of 25 September, en route to a port visit in Singapore.
Maritime Component Commander CDRE Shane Arndell said this was a routine movement from one point in the Indo-Pacific to another.
“The New Zealand Defence Force conducts all activities in accordance with international law and best practice. This was a routine activity, consistent with international law, including the right of freedom of navigation as guaranteed under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).”
The last previous transit of the Taiwan Strait, en route to Qingdao, China was conducted by HMNZS Te Kaha in 2017.
