In Picton 2005 being restored to wartime configuration by private owner. Purchased by Keith and Heather in 2008 and brought to Auckland. Now moored at Kauri Point in Auckland and used regularly for pleasure.
Paea in her new life.
HMNZS Q1186, HMNZS Paea Ex Q1184, HMNZS Tarapunga Ex Q1187 alongside HMS Philomel – the original Philomel – HDMLs1184 and Q1187 and Q1186 alongside Philomel
From the archive: Image taken at Devonport Naval Base during WW2 shows a group of Harbour Defence Motor Launches (HDML) with HMNZS Philomel she was used as a patrol launch base from late 1942 to 1945. L-R: Q1184 – HMNZS Paea, Q1194 – HMNZS Ngapona, Q1192 – HMNZS Maroro, Q1193 – HMNZS Tamure, HMNZS Philomel Image: ABF 0015
HMNZS Paea P3552 with HMNZS Mako P 3551 and HMNZS Manga P3567 off North Head
HDML – Q1184 – Paea (P3552) HMNZS Paea Auckland 6/8/1983 Keeping anti nuclear protest boats away from USS Texas
Harbour Defence Motor Launch later reclassed in 1948 as a Seaward Defence Motor Launch
Completed 1943 as HMNZS Q1184 She was built at San Francisco and arrived Wellington onboard Liberty ship Frank Joseph
HMNZS Paea on rocks at Great Barrier
The old and the new… one of the new patrol boats – photo taken from the front deck of Paea.
Fairly heavily rebuilt after collision with Admiralty Steps in mid 80’s. Ended service 1989. Mothballed for museum but not used and sold by RNZN in 2002. Has been rescued from her previous sorry state, extensively renovated and rebuilt and is now back at sea as ML KUPARU.
HDML-Pontoon -Dockyard Q1190 Parore (P3562) – Q1185 Manga (P3567) – Q1188 Takapu I (P3556) – Q1187 Tarapunga I (P3566) – Q1348 Kuparu (P3563) – Q1184 Paea (P3552)
A former Onslow College student is showing the way to go as Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) frigate HMNZS Te Kaha builds up capability for future missions.
25 JUNE, 2024
Lieutenant Julian Grimmett, from Khandallah in Wellington, is the navigating officer on board Te Kaha, which visited Wellington recently.
The navigating officer is a warfare officer of four to seven years’ experience who specialises in navigation. They are responsible for the safe passage and navigation of the ship at sea.
Lieutenant Grimmett studied Information Technology at Weltec in Petone but realised it wasn’t for him.
“It wasn’t what I was passionate about. I looked at the police and looked at the Defence Force and applied for both. To coin a phrase, I was looking for better work stories, I wanted something active.”
He joined the Navy in 2013 and found he really enjoyed the 22-week officer training course.
“You might not appreciate it at the time, but it was really cool.”
Part of the training included a stint aboard training ship Spirit of New Zealand, taking the vessel to Sydney for the Royal Australian Navy’s 100th anniversary.
“It was 10 days over there, in tough seas. It was also my 21st birthday when I was there, so there was a 100-gun salute at the same time, which was pretty nice.”
As Te Kaha’s navigating officer he’s not on bridge ‘watches’, but supervises a small team of bridge watchkeepers.
“I work pretty consistently from 8am to 8pm. There’s supervision and a lot of planning in my job. When you come in and out of a harbour like Wellington, you have to plan it out.”
For the Wellington visit, Te Kaha took aboard a CentrePort Wellington pilot to guide the ship to its berth at Queen’s Wharf.
“If a pilot comes on board, we don’t switch off. We have to be trained to fight regardless of circumstances. In a wartime situation a pilot may not be available. We train for visual navigation, and we need to be able do it anywhere in the world.”
He likes the mathematics side of the job.
“I know it’s a bit nerdy to say, but I’ve got a maths brain. Navigation is about triangulation, trigonometry and problem solving. There’s environmental factors, movement of the sun, the stars, the seasons.
“The other thing I like is the personal skills. I’m the oversight for a small team, as the most experienced watchkeeper on board. I give coaching and advice to younger ones. I’ve previously been an instructor at the navigation training school in Australia.”
Next year Lieutenant Grimmett will further his warfare officer training in the United Kingdom, to qualify as a ship’s Principal Warfare Officer.
“My advice to people thinking about this career is to be open to experiences. I’ve been all around the Pacific and Asia, and made some amazing friends in New Zealand and other countries.
“I did a lot of growing up in my first years in the Navy. It gives you some pretty good life skills.”
HMNZS Taupo – Taupo in Malta In April 1950 Taupo and her sister ship HMNZS Hawea went to serve with the Mediterranean Fleet at Malta. The RN sent two Bay-class frigates HMS St Austell Bay and HMS Veryan Bay to New Zealand. Taupo and Hawea returned to New Zealand in November 1950.
Royal Navy service
On Commissioning in October 1944 Loch Shin was allocated for service in the Western Approaches.[1] On 4 February 1945 she participated in attacks on the German submarine U-1014, which was sunk. The following month she was allocated for escorting Russian convoys. At the end of the war and during 1946 she was employed on Operation Deadlight to sink captured German U-Boats.
She was paid off from Royal Navy service in June 1947 and was reduced to reserve status.
Royal New Zealand Navy service
HMNZS Taupo on winter patrol in Korea
n early 1948 Loch Shin‘s sale to New Zealand was negotiated and she was re-fitted at Chatham before sale. Her name was changed to HMNZS Taupo and her pennant number was changed to F421.
During her service with the RNZN she served in the Pacific and Mediterranean and in 1951 and 1952 was deployed for service in the Korean War. Her service included shore bombardment operations. She paid off at the end of 1952 and was held in reserve status at Auckland.
