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Loch Class – HMNZS Kaniere (F426)

HMNZS Kaniere, Loch Class frigate – RNZN Service: Commissioned 27 September 1948, Paid off 22 December 1960 – Completed: February 1945 – commissioned as HMS Loch Achray

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Squid anti-sub being exercised

HMS Loch Achray – later HMNZS Kaniere

HMNZS Kaniere ln Nelson for opening of McGlashen Quay December 10, 1960

HMNZS Kaniere

Kaniere at Hobart 6 February 1958. Taken by Lindsa

HMNZS Kaniere – crew

H M N Z S   K A N I E R E (F426)

LOCH ACHRAY was renamed HM New Zealand Ship KANIERE by Lady Willis, wife of CinC Portsmouth. After work-up in Malta with three of the other LOCH Class also being transferred she arrived in Auckland in January 1949.

HMNZS Kaniere off of Banks Peninsula, Oct 7th 1950

HMNZS KANIERE was again brought forward in 1953 for service with the UN Task Force off Korea and deployed off the east coast for support of military operations. She remained with RN ships based at Hong Kong after the cease-fire in July 1953 and continued service with the UN until 1954 when she returned to New Zealand.

This ship remained in commission and was detached for service at Singapore with the 3rd Frigate Squadron for two periods between 1955 and 1957. She then was used for sea training duties mainly in coastal waters although deployed periodically for visits to Pacific islands. By 1961 she had been withdrawn from sea duties and placed in Reserve. Used for harbour training until placed on the Disposal List in 1966 she was sold to Hong Kong Rolling Mills and arrived at the breaker’s yard in tow during February 1967.

B a t t l e   H o n o u r s

KOREA  1953

H e r a l d i c    D a t a

The Badge was designed by the ship and features one of the world’s rarest birds.

In former times the Kakapo was abundant on the shores of Lake Kaniere. The chief of

the Maori Kai Taku snared this bird in this area. Some of the feathers obtained were

used to make a special garment for his daughter. The Kapako was a ground dwelling

bird and the Badge shows a green field to represent this feature.

M o t t o

Kia Maia: ‘Be firm’

D e t a i l s   o f   S e r v i c e

1 9 4 8

January to May

Laid-up at Portsmouth. (Note: Sale of the ship to New Zealand was agreed at a cost of £232,750 and the ships was to be refitted prior to transfer to the RNZN.)

June to August

Taken in hand for refit by HM Dockyard Portsmouth. Pennant Number for visual signalling purposes changed to F 426. Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander BE Turner.

September

Carried out harbour trials

27th – Commissioned into RNZN service and renamed HMNZS KANIERE by Lady Willis, wife of CinC Portsmouth. (Note: The original choice of her new name was HMNZS HAIPO but this changed before the ceremony.)

Commanding Officer: Lieutenant T W Stocker RN.

October

Carried out post refit trials and calibrations. On completion took passage to Malta to work-up for operational service with the ships of the Mediterranean Fleet. Commenced work-up in Malta.

November

Took passage to New Zealand on completion of work-up. Transit of Suez Canal.

December

Passage in Red Sea and Indian Ocean with call at Aden. At Singapore,

1 9 4 9

January

Passage from Singapore to Auckland. Joined 11th Frigate Flotilla on arrival.

February to June

Deployed at Auckland with Flotilla for exercises. Nominated for Pacific Ocean patrol and visits.

July to August

Carried out patrol with calls at Suva, Fiji and Samoa.

Returned to Auckland.

September

Deployed at Auckland. Commanding Officer: Commander CC Stevens and Senior Officer 11th Frigate Flotilla.

Nominated for joint exercises with RAN.

October to November

Passage to Sydney Took part in joint exercises in Jervis Bay area Calls were made at Melbourne and Hobart, Tasmania

December

Return passage to Auckland.

1 9 5 0

January to August

Deployed at Auckland and took part in Flotilla and RNZN exercises and visits. Nominated for refit. Commanding Officer: Lieutenant D B Holdsworth RN.

September to October

Under refit at Auckland by HM Dockyard. (Note: Ship had been intended for exchange service with Mediterranean Fleet Frigate but she was replaced by sister ship HMNZS HAWEA.)

November to December

Carried out post refit trials and rejoined Flotilla. Deployed for Flotilla duties.

1 9 5 1

January to August

Deployed with Flotilla for exercises and visits. Nominated for Pacific patrol Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander J O’C Ross.

September to October

Carried out Pacific patrol with visits to Apia, Ellice Islands, Rotuma, Suva, Tonga. Returned to Auckland.

Nominated for reduction to Reserve status. Commanding Officer Lieutenant A G Rhodes

November

Paid-off and reduced to Reserve at Auckland.

December

Laid-up at Auckland

1 9 5 2

January to October

Laid-up at Auckland

November

Re-commissioned for service in 11th Frigate Squadron. Commanding Officer: Lieutenant AG Rhodes

December

Deployed for work-up and Flotilla duties based at Auckland.

1 9 5 3

January

Prepared for operational service and exercised with ships of Flotilla. Nominated for detached service with UN naval Task Group at Sasebo

February

2nd – Took passage to Sasebo as relief for HMNZS ROTOITI. Commanding Officer L G Carr RNZN.

Called at Sydney.

March

Passage to Singapore.

April

Passage from Hong Kong to Sasebo.

23rd – Arrived at Sasebo to commence UN service.

24th – Passage to carry out first patrol of west coast of Korea.

May

Deployed for patrol and naval gunfire support including cover for minesweeping operation and the evacuation of wounded guerrillas from Chodo Island off west coast. Later provided support to US warship in Regency Channel and came under shore gunfire. Returned to Sasebo before taking passage to Hong Kong

June

At Hong Kong with HMNZS HAWAE (Note: During this period took part in Commonwealth celebrations including inspection by Commander in Chief , British Forces in Korea.)

10th – Resumed service at Sasebo after carrying out anti-submarine exercises during passage from Hong Kong.

15th – Resumed patrol duties off west coast of Korea

July

UN service in continuation including evacuation of partisans from outlying islands above the the 38 parallel of latitude being proposed as future dividing line as well as providing naval gunfire support to military operations.

28th – Remained for UN duties based at Sasebo after declaration of Cease-Fire (Note: Rest and Recreation facilities were still to be carried out at Kure which had been used by Commonwealth troops since outbreak of hostilities. Repair facilities were also available in the commercial shipyard at Kure.)

August to December

Deployed for patrol off west coast of Korea based at Sasebo in continuation

1 9 5 4

January

Deployment for patrol and support of UN in continuation

Nominated for return to New Zealand. Took passage to Hong Kong

February to March

Passage to Auckland with call at Suva.

April to June

Rejoined Flotilla and deployed with 11th Frigate Squadron for Local duties and exercises.

Nominated for detached service with Commonwealth Strategic Reserve based at Singapore,

July

Prepared for detached service. Passage to Sydney

August

Sailed from Sydney to Singapore with calls at Brisbane and Cairns.

September

Joined 3rd Frigate Squadron, Far East Fleet. Nominated for detached service in Japan with UN. Passage to Sasebo with call at Hong Kong.

October to December

Deployed at Sasebo for UN Support in Korean waters. Took part in international exercises with US Navy and other warships deployed for UN support.

1 9 5 5

January

Took passage to Hong Kong for R&R and maintenance period. Returned to Sasebo to resume UN support duties.

February

Deployed at Sasebo for UN service.

March

Passage to Hong Kong for R&R. Returned to Sasebo for further UN service.

April

UN service at Sasebo in continuation.

May

On release from UN deployment took passage to Singapore to rejoin Squadron.

June

Deployed at Singapore with Squadron and took part in Fleet exercise.

July

Released from detached service at Singapore and took passage to Auckland with calls at Celebes and Cairns. Rejoined 11th Frigate Squadron

August

Taken in hand for routine Docking and inspection of underwater fittings at Auckland.

September to October

Deployed with Squadron for Fleet exercises and visits including Wellington, Bluff and Suva. Nominated for refit.

November to December

Under refit.

1 9 5 6

January

Carried out post refit trials. Nominated for further detached service at Singapore in Commonwealth Strategic Reserve.

February

Passage to Singapore.

March

Re-joined 3rd Frigate Squadron, Far East Fleet. Took part in major Fleet Exercises and visits with Squadron

April

Deployed at Singapore with Squadron. Nominated for detached UN service based at Sasebo.

May

Passage to Sasebo with call at Hong Kong.

June to July

Deployed for UN support based at Sasebo. Took part in international exercises.

August

Released from UN duties and took passage to Singapore

September

Took part in Fleet exercises with Squadron.

October

On release took passage to Hong Kong.

Deployed for patrol off Borneo in support of military operations against Indonesian insurgency. (KONFRONTASI))

November to December

Deployed for anti-piracy patrols and military support. Returned to Hong Kong and later to Singapore. Passage to Hong Kong for Christmas

1 9 5 7

January to February

Deployed on support duties in Borneo. Returned to Hong Kong for R&R.

Resumed duties off Borneo. Took part in major international Fleet exercise.

March to April

Deployed for Borneo support with R&R at Hong Kong.

May

Took part in Exercise ASTRA with Squadron based at Singapore. On completion took return passage to Auckland

June to September

Taken in hand for refit at Auckland. Nominated for deployment as Training ship

October to November

Deployed for training (Note: During this visit deployed in local area and also for visit to Christmas Island.)

December

Training duties in continuation and took part in joint exercises with RAN.

1 9 5 8

January to February

Deployed for training duties including visits to Melbourne, ports on western coast of New Zealand and Hobart.

March

Deployed local for training based at Auckland.

April

Carried out Pacific training cruise with visit to Suva.

Nominated for refit.

May to June

Under refit

July to October

On completion of post refit trials deployed at Auckland for training duties.

November

Deployed for training with visits to Lyttleton and Dunedin (Note: Carried out oceanographic research work during this period.)

December

Deployed at Auckland for training.

1 9 5 9

January to April

Deployed for training duties. Nominated for refit.

May to June

Under refit at Auckland.

July to November

On completion of post refit trials resumed training duties.

December

Routine docking for inspection of underwater fittings

1 9 6 0

January to September

Training duties in continuation including visit to Sydney.

October

Embarked RNZVR personnel for training and visited Ngapona.

November

Took part in Fleet exercises during which involved in collision with HM Submarine ANCHORITE.

December

Deployed for training based at Auckland. Nominated for harbour training.

1 9 6 1

Deployed for harbour training and paid off. After de-storing deployed for harbour training.

1 9 6 2   to   1 9 6 5

Harbour training in continuation

Nominated for withdrawal from use. De-stored and de-equipped. Placed on Sales List

F i n a l  P ha s e

HMNZS KANIERE was sold for demolition in Hong Kong and towed to the breaker’s yard in 1966.