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Loch Class Frigates – HMNZS Hawea (F422), formerly HMS Loch Eck (K422)

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HMNZS Hawea Ex Loch Eck

HMNZS Hawea (F422), formerly HMS Loch Eck (K422), was one of six Loch-class frigates that served in both the Royal Navy (RN) and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). The ship was laid down by Smiths Dock on 25 October 1943, launched on 25 April 1944 and commissioned into the Royal Navy as HMS Loch Eck on 7 November 1944.

Royal Navy service

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Loch Eck joined the 10th Escort Group in the Western Approaches in December 1944 for anti-submarine patrols and support for convoy escorts. In January 1945 the Group was transferred to Scapa Flow for anti-submarine operations in the Faeroes–Iceland Gap. On 3 February she sank the German submarine U-327 north-west of Shetland with her Squid (mortar) after Hedgehog (mortar) attacks by the frigates Bayntun and Braithwaite. On 14 February she took part in the sinking of U-989, and on the 17 February of U-1278 in the same area.[1]

In March the Group was redeployed in the English Channel and South-Western Approaches as “Force 38”. In April Loch Eck carried out trials of new sonobuoy submarine detection equipment. On 23 May the ship was attached to Rosyth Command to support “Operation Doomsday“, the reoccupation of Norway. On 1 June she escorted U-2529 from Kristiansund to Loch Eriboll as part of “Operation Deadlight“, returning to Norway on 6 June as part of the escort for Convoy RN1 taking King Haakon VII of Norway to Oslo.[1]

After a refit at the Charles Hill & Sons shipyard in Bristol in June and July, she sailed for the Indian Ocean in August, to join the East Indies Escort Force. There she carried out Guard ship and military support duties, as well as the repatriation of military and civilian personnel. She was also present at the formal Japanese surrender of Bali in February 1946 and at Lombok in March. She sailed for home in May, but her return to the UK was delayed after a collision in Colombo with a Navy cutter. She returned to Devonport to decommission on 13 August 1946.[1]

Transfer to New Zealand

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Loch Ech was one of six Loch-class frigates sold to the Royal New Zealand Navy. Renamed HMNZS Hawea, she was acquired on 7 September 1948, and commissioned on 1 October 1948.[2]

Since the Admiralty named the Loch-class ships after Scottish lakes, the six in New Zealand service were renamed after New Zealand lakes. Lake Hāwea is a glacial lake located in the Central Otago region of New Zealand. The name is Māori and is thought to refer to a local tribe although the exact meaning is uncertain. Hawea was the first of three ships with this name to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Royal New Zealand Navy service

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After commissioning at Devonport Hawea sailed for the Mediterranean with three other Loch-class frigates. After exercises with the Mediterranean Fleet in November, she sailed for Auckland, via the Suez Canal and Indian Ocean, arriving in January 1949 to join the 11th Frigate Flotilla.[1]

On 22 March 1949 Hawea participated in sinking the coal hulk Occident in Palliser Bay.

In 1949 Hawea carried out patrols in the Pacific, visiting Suva, Fiji and Samoa. After a refit from October to February 1950 she was transferred on loan to 2nd Frigate Flotilla of the Mediterranean Fleet, with her sister ship Taupo joining the flotilla at Malta in May for Fleet exercises and cruises. She returned to Auckland in November.[1]

Korean War

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The Korean War started on 25 June 1950 when North Korean forces crossed the 38°N parallel and invaded South Korea. The New Zealand Government decided to maintain two frigates in support of a United Nations Naval Force assisting South Korea. Hawea‘s sister ships, Pukaki and Tutira, were hurriedly prepared for war service and sailed for Sasebo, their main base in Japan, on 3 July 1950. They did escort and patrol services, often working with Commonwealth, South Korean and other Allied ships, and in support of amphibious landings. The frigates were rotated in turn with the other four Loch frigates.

In February 1951 Hawea sailed to Kure, Japan, to join the United Nations Task Force. On 18 May she shelled a gun position on the coast, the first time that an RNZN ship fired on the enemy. From June to December she provided navigational data for bombardments in the Han River estuary, shelling rail traffic and maintaining a blockade.[1] On 15 September 1951, Hawea swamped a 7.6-metre (25 ft) motor boat which sank in the Han River estuary while navigating swift tidal channels to reach a bombardment position.

In February 1952 she was relieved by Rotoiti, returning to Auckland on 8 March. She had spent 272 days at sea, steamed 55,000 miles, and fired 21,000 rounds of ammunition. After refit and maintenance at Auckland from April to June she returned to Korea in October for further operations. After the Armistice Agreement of July 1953 she returned to Auckland, arriving there in August.[1]

Later service

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After a refit she returned to the 11th Frigate Flotilla in February 1954 for patrols and port visits. In December 1956 she and Pukaki escorted the supply ship Endeavour in a passage to the Southern Ocean, sailing from Bluff to the edge of the pack ice.[1]

Decommissioning and fate

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On 15 February 1957 Hawea was decommissioned and put into reserve. The ship was used as a Harbour Training ship in Auckland until sold for breaking up in September 1965.[1] On 15 November 1965 Hawea and sister ship Pukaki were towed by the tug Atlas to a breaker’s yard in Hong Kong.

More info here – https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-15Fr-Loch-HMS_Loch_Eck.htm

Monitoring and surveillance activities by New Zealand against illicit maritime activities including ship-to-ship transfers

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Royal New Zealand Navy sustainment vessel HMNZS AOTEAROA(Source: New Zealand Ministry of Defence)

  1. From mid-August to mid-September, Royal New Zealand Navy sustainment vessel HMNZS AOTEAROA conducted monitoring and surveillance activities against illicit maritime activities, including ship-to-ship transfers with North Korean-flagged vessels prohibited by the United Nations Security Council resolutions (UNSCRs), in waters surrounding Japan. It was the first time Royal New Zealand Navy ships to engaged in these activities.
  2. Japan welcomes these activities from the viewpoint of ensuring effective implementation of the relevant UNSCRs in solidarity with the international community toward the realization of North Korea’s dismantlement of all weapons of mass destruction and ballistic missiles of all ranges in a complete, verifiable, and irreversible manner.
  3. As Japan has also been conducting information gathering activities for vessels suspected of violating the UNSCRs, Japan works closely with relevant countries and international organizations, including New Zealand.

Whangarei sailor on deployment to South East Asia

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Former Bream Bay College head boy Cameron Wright says no two days are the same in the Royal New Zealand Navy.

19 September, 2024

Able Communications Warfare Specialist Wright (ACWS) is serving on board maritime sustainment vessel HMNZS Aotearoa, which is in the vicinity of the Korean peninsula. HMNZS Aotearoa is contributing to the monitoring of United Nations Security Council resolutions imposing sanctions against North Korea, undertaking replenishment of international naval vessels on patrol.

As a Communications Warfare Specialist, his job is to provide secure, reliable and effective communications using radio, satellite, visual and information technology.

“When we are travelling with other ships my role turns into being a Watchkeeper. This means I work different hours throughout the day and night.

“Sometimes we stop voice communication and signal to other ships using flashing lights or signal flags.

“I am also a part of the ships Standing Sea Emergency Party team, to respond if there is an emergency on board.”

In posting to Aotearoa, ACWS Wright has recently been to Exercise Rim of the Pacific 24, the world’s largest maritime exercise, based in Hawaii. From there, the ship is undertaking a South East Asia deployment, including port visits to Japan and Korea.

This deployment has definitely been the highlight of his Navy career so far.

“Something I am particularly proud of is the opportunity to lead my department through a dual refuelling at sea that involved two American destroyers.”

“What I like about this job is that no matter what tough moments I have on board, I can always count on my shipmates to cheer me up. It’s the personnel I get to work with on a daily basis and the chance to interact with other nations.”

This included Aotearoa spending time at sea with Canadian frigate HMCS Vancouver between Hawaii and Japan, with selected personnel from both ships swapping over for 24 hours to experience life in a different ship.

ACWS Wright, 22, is from Ruakākā, south of Whangarei. He joined the Navy in 2021.

“I’ve had family that have served the military in the past, and I liked the idea of being paid to travel.”

His advice to someone thinking about the Navy is to consider all the possibilities offered.

“If you want to do something different with your life and travel the NZDF has so many options to cater for everyone’s interests.”

RNZN – Strength in numbers for PTIs

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Strength and mobility combined with legacy and symbolism when Devonport’s Physical Training Instructors combined for a photoshoot.

19 September, 2024

Physical Training Instructors (PTIs) are seen as inventive moral boosters, even if a bit of sweat is involved.

So it was hardly surprising when Devonport Naval Base’s PTIs got imaginative when they requested a staff photo.

They wanted to pay homage to the staged images of the 1950s and 1960s, where PTIs demonstrated improbable feats that blended acrobatics and gymnastics.

Leading Physical Training Instructor Hayden Rogers, based at the Fleet Fitness Training Centre, says there is still that aspect of gymnastics with PTIs, but times have changed. Mobility and strength are key factors.

Physical Training Instructors at the Fleet Gym. Some of the PTIs hold brown clubs in the foreground while others are suspended from ropes in varied positions in the background, showcasing their strength and agility.

Physical Training Instructors at the Fleet Gym, Devonport, in a set piece for their staff picture.

And it’s not all Navy at the Fleet Gym; the instructor in the photo wearing Multi-Terrain Pattern (green camouflage) pants is NZ Army, posted to the gym.

“That, and the red shirts, show that we are a tri-service trade. We’re all the same, apart from the different insignia. The red is also handy because it means instructors don’t blend in with the trainees.”

In the photo, the PTIs are holding crossed Indian clubs. It’s the trade symbol of Navy PTIs, who are known as ‘club swingers’ due to the legacy of a Navy exercise technique.

Originating in colonial India, Indian Club Swinging is a form of rhythmic and circular weight training while gripping two clubs. It was adopted by militaries, including the Royal Navy, as an upper body exercise. It became a fitness fad worldwide in the early 19th Century.

“The clubs shown are gifts from PTI and they are more for show, but they have a great backstory. When the Royal Navy adopted it as part of their training regimen, the Royal New Zealand Navy naturally copied it. If you come into the Fleet Gym, just on the right at the entrance there’s a good write-up about it.”

The photo was tremendous fun, he says.

“There’s not many times we can all get together, especially when there’s a lot going on and we’re everywhere. I currently look after facilitating inter-unit sports and assist in the running of inter-services sport. We’ve even got an E-Sport competition going on next month.”

New Warrant Officer of the Navy

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A Tokomaru Bay man has been appointed as the Royal New Zealand Navy’s top sailor.

18 September, 2024

Warrant Officer Communications Warfare Specialist Darren Crosby, Ngāti Porou, is the new Warrant Officer of the Navy. His role is an advisor to the Chief of Navy, to speak for the sailors, and elevating any matters affecting the people, command, leadership and management of the Regular and Reserve Forces. He is the 10th Warrant Officer in the role, which is for three years. 

He joined the Navy on his 19th birthday, 1 June 1988, as a radio operator.

“I had wanted to join the Navy since I was at intermediate school after I visited frigate HMNZS Wellington during an open day in Gisborne. After finishing at Gisborne Boys’ High School I went to the Gisborne Recruiting Office and started my application.”  His recruiter was Warrant Officer Reece Golding, the father of current Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding.

From his first posting, frigate HMNZS Southland, WOCWS Crosby served in frigates HMNZS Te Mana, Te Kaha, Canterbury and Wellington. He was promoted to Warrant Officer in 2007 and has held Warrant Officer positions as the Devonport Naval Base Whole Ships Coordinator, Career Manager for the Operations Trades, Warrant Officer Leadership Development and the Command Warrant Officer to the Deputy Chief of Navy.

He describes his best experiences as two consecutive Multinational Interception Force deployments to the Arabian Gulf, enforcing a United Nations embargo on Iraq in HMNZS Wellington in 1995, then HMNZS Canterbury in 1996. It was first time the RNZN had operated in the area.

 He says he is both humbled and proud to take up the role, and by the many messages of congratulations. One of them this week was from the former 7th former who just beat him for the Head Boy position at Gisborne Boys’ High.

“I acknowledge the kaitiaki and mahi of our previous WONs – ka pai te ahi! There’s a deep sense of pride and duty in upholding the Navy’s proud traditions. The responsibility of advocating and supporting our sailors and their families is really important to me.”

He says in looking to the future, it is essential to reflect on where the Navy has come from. “It’s the sacrifices, the successes, and the dedication that have brought us to this this point. Our history is not just a record of the past; it is the foundation upon which we build our future.

“Our Navy has a proud tradition of service, excellence and commitment to Aotearoa. But as we look to the future, we must be prepared to evolve, to strengthen and harden, and to lead in new and innovative ways of doing business.”