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 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 By 1961 she had been withdrawn from sea duties and placed in Reserve.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.
