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HMNZS Hinau ( T17/T399) 1942 Castle Class Composite NZ Made

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HMNZS Hinau ( T17/T399) launch
HMNZS Hinau (T17) (left) and HMNZS Rimu (T18) (right)
HMNZS Hinau ( T17/T399) the Western Viaduct 1955, probably after being purchased by F. Appleton for scrapping
(C)DABULLEN 096365829NZ
(C)DABULLEN 096365829NZ

HMNZS Hinau ( T17/T399) 1942
Hinau was laid down in late 1940, shortly after Manuka was laid down. Along with Rimu, and Manuka, Hinau would be of a composite design, (Kauri wood on steel frame) due to an urgency for minesweepers. All 3 composite trawlers would use boilers and engines from ships in the rotten row, with Hinau getting an engine and boiler from Rarawa, which was laid up in 1929. Their designs were not of traditional Castle-Class trawlers, being modified to be able to fit the boiler and engine into the ship. Hinau and her sisters would use magnetic minesweeping gear along with acoustic sweep “Kango Hammers” for acoustic mines.
Hinau was launched on 28 August 1941. Being the first ship ever launched for the Royal New Zealand Navy. Hinau was completed in early 1942, with trials being held in April 1942. It was noted that the steering gear was stiff, needing 2 men for manoeuvring, and her boiler room was full of problems, due to how old her engine and boiler were, with the report stating at the end “It is apparent that “HINAU” will not be able to operate effectively as a L.L. sweeper without further modification to her boiler room.” With it being noted in another steam trial in June 1942, that the ship would be unworkable in hot weather. The RNZN would try to combat these issues the best they could, though Hinau and her sisters’ engine rooms would be hot and uncomfortable for those who worked in them throughout the war.

Hinau was commissioned on 23 July 1942, and would serve out of Auckland along with the Rimu, and Manuka, forming the LL Group (which was later renamed to the 194th Auxiliary minesweeping division) She and her sisters would occasionally visit the South Island and other North Island ports. While in Lyttelton on 18 August 1943, Hinau would suffer a small fire in her forward mess, quickly being extinguished, there would be minor damage. Hinau would have refits in March 1943, August 1943, and October 1944. With her pennant number being changed from T17 to T399 in her last refit.

 Once World War II ended, she would be paid off on September 6, 1945 and put in reserve along with the Manuka, and Rimu at the Devonport Naval Base, and would be used to supply steam to heat other ships alongside her.  In 1954, as she was becoming too costly to maintain, she was declared surplus and sold for £274.10 ($17,937 NZD today)  to F. Appleton of Penrose to be scrapped at the Viaduct Basin along with Rimu, and the tug Toia, being hulked along with Rimu. In either 1956, 1957, or 1958, Hinau would be towed to the Parry Bros Ltd shingle quarry in Whakatīwai, and run aground at high tide to be used as a shingle bin and breakwater. In 1987 preservationists from the HMNZS Ngapona base salvaged the propeller of Hinau, and placed it at the base. It would stand there as a memorial for the minesweeper and men of the naval reserve. After the base closed, it would be moved to the Torpedo Bay Navy Museum, where it remains today as a playground fixture. 

Sources:
Emmanuel Makarios. Nets Lines and Pots: a history of NZ Fishing Volume 2
Former Stevensons Quarry workers
HMNZS Hinau Minesweeper. Torpedo Bay Navy Museum Website
HMNZS Waiho Minesweeper. Torpedo Bay Navy Museum Website
McDougall, R.J. (1989). New Zealand Naval vessels.

Minesweeping operations: HMNZS Hinau (Archives NZ)

Minesweeping operations: HMNZS Rimu (Archives NZ)Minesweeping operations: HMNZS Manuka (Archives NZ)
Ships – Minesweeper Initial Correspondence Hinau and Rimu (Archives NZ)
Ships – “B” Class Composite Minesweeper (Archives NZ)
Trawler- “Manuka” (Ship)  (Archives NZ)

The newest additions to the Naval Service are a pair of former Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPV) with the first of the cutters, expected to head out to sea this month based on an initial operating capability, writes Jehan Ashmore.

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The P70 class Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPV) twins LÉ Aoibhinn (P71) as above and LÉ Gobnait (P72) which is to serve in the Irish Sea, on the east and south-east coasts. Of the pair, the crew of LÉ Aoibhinn are preparing the cutter into an initial stage of service this month and thereon into a full operational role. These stages see the vessel’s capabilities tested and armament installed and with their entry, they will mark a new era in Ireland’s commitment to EU fishery protection, the EEZ and in other roles tasked. Credit: irishnavalservice/facebook

The newest additions to the Naval Service are a pair of former Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) Inshore Patrol Vessels (IPV) with the first of the cutters, expected to head out to sea this month based on an initial operating capability, writes Jehan Ashmore.

As previously reported, the names of the IPV’s which were acquired from the New Zealand Government in 2022, were officially announced as the LÉ Aoibhinn and LÉ Gobnait by Tánaiste and Minister for Defence, Michael Martin. The ‘Lake’ class cutters were built in Whangarei in the north island of New Zealand, by BAE Systems Australia and were commissioned into the RNZN in 2009.

Afloat has inquired to clarify the previous names of the IPV’s and that of the newly renamed twins, which reflect a previous tradition in the Naval Service to name ships after admirable historical Irish females.

In addition the IPV’s also have been given their respective new P70 class pennant numbers. P71 has been assigned to the LÉ Aoibhinn (as above), the former HMZNS Rotoiti, while its twin, LÉ Gobnait, was formerly the HMZNS Pukaki, which is now the P72.

Each of the IPV’s / P70 class will have a core crew complement of 20, with additional capacity to take up to 16 personnel. The IPV’s are to operate in their new northern hemisphere career, specifically patrolling in the Irish Sea on the East and the south-east coasts. In a measure by the Irish Government is their primary role in patrolling fishery waters as a member of the EU and Ireland’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and other roles among them maritime surveillance operations.

In response to Afloat’s questions on the entry of the IPV’s, the Naval Service said they are currently working LÉ Aoibhinn up to Initial Operating Capability (IOC) and all going to plan we expect the IPV to proceed to sea towards the end of this month, on May 24. Once LÉ Aoibhinn goes through its IOC process, the IPV will then commence working up to Full Operational Capability (FOC).

The Naval Service added that, subject to successful recruitment and retention of personnel, it is planned to commence LÉ Gobnait’s IOC process and onwards to FOC.

Afloat also posed the question of which port will be used, and the Naval Service said that the Concept of Operations for the IPVs is for East Coast operations. This will include a Forward Operating Base (FOB) however, such a location is still to be confirmed.

The twins which replaced the decomissioned Peacock / P40 class pair LE Orla and LE Ciara (see scrapping story), will be formally named and commissioned later in the year.

Castle Class Composite NZ Made HMNZS Manuka

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HMNZS Manuka was one of three composite New Zealand-built Castle-class trawlers commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II.

Background[edit]

The vessel was ordered after the New Zealand government, facing a requirement for more minesweepers to operate in home waters, chose the Castle-class design because it was simple enough to be built with the country’s limited ship construction facilities at the time.[1]

Construction[edit]

Manuka was laid down on 21 October 1940 and was of a composite design, using Kauri wood due to a shortage of steel at the time. [2] Manuka was launched on 23 September 1941, being built by Mason Bros Engineering Co, located at Auckland.[3] Being the third naval ship launched in New Zealand for the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Operational history[edit]

Manuka was the third of four composite minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy and was commissioned on 30 March 1942. The others were Hinau, Rimu, and Tawhai. Manuka served in the LL Group (later renamed to the 194th Auxiliary Minesweeping Division)[4] which was located at Auckland.

Post-war[edit]

In 1946, Manuka was leased to the Chatham Island Fishing Company, under the condition that she would only be used in New Zealand waters, and that she would be given back to the navy in case of an emergency.[5] Manuka would follow fishing fleets, working the coast that was sheltered.[6] At the end of the day the fishing trawlers would discharge their catches onto Manuka, where they would weigh, clean and process the fish. When she was full, she would sail to Wellington, often carrying radios for repair, and mail.[6] When the vessel returned it would carry supplies for the Chatham islanders.[6] As time went by while in service, there would be more and more problems no with the boiler on Manuka. to the point where she would need a replacement.[6] Over the course of her career she would also run aground multiple times while fishing.[7] In 1950, Manuka was moored in Port Hutt, acting as a floating freezer, with local trawlers storing their catches onboard. [6] On 4 October 1952, while anchored in Port Hutt, Manuka sunk at her moorings. There was nobody aboard when she sank.

HMNZS Nora Niven – Danlayer

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HMNZS Nora Niven

The Nora Niven was a 90ft steam Trawler launched 17th November 1906. Built by Cochrane & Sons of Selby for the Napier Fish Supply Co of New Zealand this state of the art trawler with an Ice Making machine that could produce 3 tons of ice in 24 hour and cool storage compartments for 80tons of fish. In June 1917, a German surface raider, the SMS Wolf entered New Zealand waters. She laid two small minefields in New Zealand waters and sank two merchant ships. One (the Port Kembla) off Farewell Spit, and another (the Wairuna) off the Kermadec Islands. Two fishing trawlers, the Nora Niven and Simplon, were fitted as minesweepers and took up sweeping duties in these areas. Another brief flurry of activity occurred when Felix von Luckner, imprisoned on Motuihe Island after being captured in the Society Islands, escaped and commandeered a small vessel before being recaptured in the Kermadec Islands.