HMNZS Fairmile Q402 “Ngaroma”; Hauraki Gulf Ferry on Gt Barrier service –
Fate – Sold Sri Lanka 1992
Fate – Q400 of the Royal New Zealand Navy –Renamed Dolphin and later Sayandra, wooden motor launch
After catching fire when off Green Island, on the west coast of Great Barrier Island on 9 March 1980, the Sayandra was badly damaged before the fire was put out by the crew of a passing yacht. Two launches then towed the Sayandra to Rarohara Bay, Port Fitzroy, and beached her near Quoin Island, where she sank next day. She became at total loss, subjected to vandalism and pilfering. In 1982, the Marine Division, Ministry of Transport, Auckland, took steps to have the partly submerged vessel removed.
Built at Auckland in 1942, the Sayandra was 34m long, 5.5m beam and powered by twin-screw diesel engines. Owned by Mr B.Pirret of Auckland.
The Sayandra was originally the Fairmile anti-submarine patrol launch Q400 of the Royal New Zealand Navy and had been severely damaged twice before, by fire and stranding in the Solomon Islands in 1944, and in February 1947 when struck by the bow of the Picton ferry Tamahine at Queen’s Wharf, Wellington.
Source: “New Zealand Shipwrecks 200 Years of Disasters at Sea” by Lynton Diggle, Edith Diggle and Keith Gordon. 2007.
News item –
A U.S. Navy LCVP Landing Craft
(COURTESY OF THE AUTHOR)
At the height of the Pacific war, a joint U.S.-New Zealand amphibious exercise turned tragic in the face of rain, wind, and heavy swells.
By Murray Dear
August 2023
Naval History Magazine
ARTICLE
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On 19 June 1943, the U.S. Navy transports Hunter Liggett (APA-14), American Legion (APA-17), Crescent City (APA-21), and George Clymer (APA-27), comprising Transport Division 8, sailed from Wellington Harbour, New Zealand, for an amphibious exercise at Paekakariki, on the west coast north of Cook Strait. The Royal New Zealand Navy antisubmarine escort (and control craft) for this exercise, codenamed “Manavex,” was made up of the auxiliary minesweeper HMNZS Rata, a converted coastal steamer, and the Fairmile motor launches ML400 and ML403. While the submarine risk was considered low, it is now known that three Japanese boats had previously passed through Cook Strait, the last being I-10 in mid February 1943.1
The landing force comprised elements of the 2nd Marine Division, then based at Mackays Crossing (now Queen Elizabeth Park) between Paekakariki and Paraparaumu. The objectives were to give experience in boat work and shore landing without any subsequent tasks ashore. Following the Division’s movement from Guadalcanal to New Zealand, it was deemed that the Marines needed to refresh their amphibious warfare skills. Once initial proficiency was obtained, full-scale opposed landings involving the live firing of machine guns and field artillery were planned to follow. Air support for the landings on 20 June was to be provided by four squadrons of the Royal New Zealand Air Force, with P-40 Kittyhawk fighters, Vickers Vincent light bombers, T-6 Harvard trainers, and Hawker Hind army cooperation aircraft.2
Everything went wrong with the exercise right from the start. The weather on 20 June was miserable, with cold rain and gale-force winds. There was a heavy swell, and the sea temperature was only 40degrees. The beach party from the American Legion was first away in LCVP (landing craft, vehicle, personnel) PA17-6, but this grounded 100 feet from shore. The beach at Paekakariki deepens gradually, and the tide was going out. When the beach party finally made it ashore, they “were cold, numb, wet and in a very foul mood.”3 Things only got worse as another 34 LCVPs ended up on the beach with propellers stuck in the sand. These 34 LCVPS eventually were returned to the water with the assistance of a local civilian contractor who provided bulldozers and other heavy equipment.
The beach party was the last to leave on the incoming tide, but by then the motor on LCVP PA17-6 was dead. Another LCVP attempted to tow the stricken landing craft, but the 1-inch line kept snapping with the heavy load. It was another two hours before an LCM (landing craft mechanized) arrived with an 8-inch hawser and proceeded to tow LCVP PA17-6 stern first back to the American Legion through waves 8 to 10 feet high. About 200 feet from shore, the LCVP was hit by a large breaker and the landing craft took on water. Attempts were made to signal the LCM to slow down, but these were not received. Some five to seven minutes after the tow commenced, LCVP PA17-6 capsized when hit by another breaker at 2317. It wasn’t until the LCM came alongside the American Legion with the upside-down LCVP still in tow (which immediately sank) that it was realised what had happened. The exercise was immediately canceled with a general alarm sounded for all available boats to be launched to search for survivors.
Chief Bosun’s Mate Mulcahy and Signalman Frank Zalot Jr. ended up in the water together, and as Zalot came up for a second time Mulcahy yelled, “Hang on, Zalot—we’ll make the beach.”4 All around them they could hear men screaming, “Help! Help! I can’t swim!”5 Mulcahy and Zalot struggled to get to shore, but the now-outgoing tide was too strong and they found themselves drifting out to sea. It wasn’t until midnight that Mulcahy and Zalot were rescued from the frigid water. Mulcahy was subsequently to be awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for saving Zalot’s life. Ten men were to drown that night: Ensign Herbert C. Winfrey, Boatswains Mate First Class Alva L. Skoog, Seamen First Class Howard J. Britton, Dale G. Cox, Joseph P. Lorbietski, William D. Roundtree, Kenneth G. Snow, Aiden P. Thatcher, Charles F. Vetter, and Walter J. Yanghis. The body of Seaman Thatcher was never recovered. On 8 May 2012, a memorial was unveiled at Queen Elizabeth Park to mark this tragedy. Among those who attended the ceremony was Frank Zalot Jr.
A board of inquiry subsequently was formed on board the American Legion to investigate the incident. The board chairman pressured Zalot to place all the blame on the lieutenant (junior grade) who had been the officer in charge of the beach party. Zalot insisted that the lieutenant was not responsible. The inquiry’s findings concluded that no one person in particular was responsible for the disaster; rather, it had just been a series of events where everything went wrong. One positive outcome from the inquiry was that, in the future, all members of a beach party had to wear life jackets while in the LCVP. In hindsight, the responsibility for the tragedy lies with the unknown officer who authorized “Manavex” in such poor weather and sea conditions.
After the exercise, U.S. Navy Captain G. B. Ashe wrote to the New Zealand Naval Board, “The Commander of Transport Division 8 reported that the new Zealand boats had performed in a most satisfactory manner—acted as control vessels for boat groups in several landing exercises, reacted correctly to changes in schedules, been prompt responding to signals and kept good positions on patrol—all indications of small, efficient, well-run and well-commanded ships.”6
Subsequent amphibious exercises were to be conducted in Hawke Bay on the more sheltered east coast of New Zealand’s North Island. And what was the point of these exercises? Exactly five months after “Manavex,” the 2nd Marine Division stormed ashore on a small island in the Central Pacific called Tarawa.
Some more information
Based on data & some images, from Daniel Michael’s input, on Facebook, with modifications & additions by Ken Ricketts. Other images ex Ken R. & Google – KEN R
Q406, is the last Fairmile (to D.M’s. knowledge) left in NZ.
She was used during WW2, as a N.Z. coastal patrol boat, & later used in the Solomons.
Once she and the other Fairmiles, returned back to Auckland, in 1945, they were decommissioned.
Q406 was offered as a tender, and purchased by Rodney Farry, who fitted 2 x Graymarine marinised, GM Detroit 6-71 diesel engines, and converted her into a passenger ship.
She operated around the Otago harbour, until she ran aground on a sandbar, causing Rodney to lose interest in the concept.
She was renamed New Venture in 1949, & sailed back to Auckland, under command of a temporary crew.
While sailing back, she struck a violent storm off the Castlecliff Coast, with the inexperienced sailors clinging near the coast.
In 1950, she was sold to Waiheke Shipping Co., & had her name changed to Motunui and was used as a passenger ferry, transporting people to & from Auckland to Waiheke, Great Barrier & Motuihi Islands.
When Waiheke shipping was sold to North Shore Ferries Ltd. Motunui would continue operating under them until 1984, when she was sold into private ownership.
Over the next 20 years she would switch ownership multiple times, one of these being to the late Ken Brown, an old friend of Ken R., who converted her to pleasure craft use, in the 1980s, & kept her at the bottom of his garden, on the water’s edge, in the Tamaki River, (Image attached).
There were plans in 1997 to have her brought to survey standards in time to be used as a sightseeing boat, for the America’s Cup.
This was abandoned, when relations between the joint owners, (& several suppliers) soured. Even though much work was done by then (including fitting an original wheelhouse taken from Fairmile Kahu).
She was sold again in 2001, and 2006, when she took one final voyage to Tauranga, so her machinery could be removed, along with her superstructure.
Her final owner was Barry Woods, who operated Woodlyn Park Motel, at Waitomo.
Motunui was hauled onto land, and converted into a motel, now advertised as the “Waitanic.”
As Q411, (Kahu), was scrapped last year, she seems to be the last Fairmile left in New Zealand, built during WWII., according to Daniel M. – KEN R
November 3, 2014 / By SproutOnline Admin / Travel & Tourism
July 5th, 2006, Tauranga Harbour, New Zealand. The long slender hull of a World War II submarine chaser is hoisted by a pair of cranes and hangs, blackened by mildew and marine growth, raining putrid bilge water onto the dockside. Hours later, settled upon a monstrous steerable trailer, she was ready to begin the 150km (94 mile) two day journey inland to her final destination in Waitomo for conversion to a novelty motel unit. So ended the seagoing career of ML406, naval patrol boat and long-time Auckland ferry.
Design and Construction
At the outbreak of the second world war, the Royal New Zealand Navy relied entirely on requisitioned private motor boats for coastal patrol, harbour defence and minesweeping activities. However, these were mostly small, slow, inadequately armed, and of very limited threat to the enemy. To defend our ports from the perceived threat of Japanese submarine attacks it was considered vital that fast, purpose-built craft be commissioned, and after much consideration the British Fairmile B design was chosen. Among its advantages was its kitset construction, whereby frames and bulkheads could be prefabricated by furniture makers, or any other commercial woodworking firms, and shipped anywhere in the world to be completed by local boatbuilders. Once the frames were erected on the slipways, planking would be done using local timbers. This enabled the boats to be constructed quickly and easily, requiring fewer skilled labourers, as these were in short supply.
July 1943, Waitemata Harbour, Auckland. Sea trials completed, ML406 is commissioned into service in the RNZN. One of twelve identical boats built in Auckland (numbered ML 400-411), she had just been completed by Associated Boatbuilders using the world’s finest boatbuilding wood – native New Zealand kauri. Fitted with a pair of V12 Hall-Scott Defender petrol engines, the narrow 112 foot boat could achieve 20 knots (37km/h) flat out, and was fitted with guns fore and aft, twelve depth charges and an ASDIC sonar device. Crews consisted of sixteen sailors. The image of these craft patrolling in formation, v12’s at full stink, peaked caps visible on the exposed bridge, all weapons manned and Rangitoto Island in the background, is still a stirring one.
Naval Service
Once all twelve boats were launched and commissioned the fleet was divided into two flotillas, 80th and 81st, with the 81st flotilla initially sent south to Wellington to protect the Cook Strait and port approaches. Being part of the 80th flotilla, ML406 remained Auckland-based, patrolling coastline as far north as Whangerei. Unfortunately, due to bureaucratic delays and material shortages, by the time the Fairmile building program was completed the likelihood of submarine attacks seemed to have passed. This realisation led to Admiral Halsey, US commander of the South Pacific Allied Forces, ordering both flotillas to make passage to Renard Sound in the Solomon Islands, where they would serve under the command of the US Navy, performing anti-submarine patrols and relieving American destroyers and patrol craft for other duties.
In early 1944 all ships and crew were urgently outfitted for service in tropical climates, and ML406 was in the first batch of boats to leave New Zealand. On February 7th, 1944, she and four other Fairmiles departed Auckland on what was to prove a punishing journey, with a final farewell and refuel at Whangaroa Harbour, then on to Norfolk Island, Noumea, and Espiritu Santo, before finally reaching Renard Sound in the Russell Islands on March 9th.
Patrols went without enemy contact for the sixteen months the boats were stationed in the Solomons, however the crews were kept busy with the great deal of maintenance required of these light, fast vessels. Minor accidents such as stranding on reefs were recorded by some Fairmiles, and there was always the extreme danger of petrol explosions, but all the NZ boats lived out the war relatively unharmed. Returning to Auckland in July 1945, the fleet of “little ships” was decommissioned and mothballed on moorings at Greenhithe (then called Pine Island) in the upper reaches of the Waitemata Harbour. All eventually had their V12 engines removed, and all but one (ML411) were sold off in 1946-47 by the War Assets Realisation Board.
Motunui
Offered up for tender in October 1946, ML 406 was purchased by Dunedin car dealer, auctioneer, and entrepreneur Rodney Farry, who fitted twin Graymarine 6-71 diesels and converted her into a passenger vessel. Modestly christening her Rodney Farry, she operated chartered cruises around Otago Harbour until she ran aground on a sandbar, causing Rodney Farry the first to lose interest in the concept.
Re-named New Venture in 1949, she was steamed back up to Auckland in a near tragic voyage. Свою популярность онлайн казино в России начали получать в начале нулевых. В Европе и США виртуальные игорные заведения были распространены достаточно широко. Россия еще не имела качественного покрытия интернета, поэтому многие игроки не могли играть в online casino на реальные деньги. Однако после улучшения ситуации с интернетом, все больше игроков начали переходить в виртуальный мир. Чтобы пользователи могли выбрать безопасное и надежное казино, был разработан специальный рейтинг онлайн казино России. Он предоставляет объективную и достоверную информацию по каждому казино. Under the command of a temporary crew, she struck a violent storm off the Castlecliff Coast, near Whanganui. Rather than heading out to sea, the terrified and inexperienced sailors chose to hug the coastline, with very nearly fatal consequences for both men and ship.
Re-named yet again in 1950, this time as Motunui, she was acquired by the Waiheke Shipping Co. and set to work as a passenger ferry from Waiheke Island to downtown Auckland ferry terminal, plus fishing excursions around the Hauraki Gulf. In February 1965 Waiheke Shipping, with assets including the ferries Motunui and Baroona, was bought by North Shore Ferries Ltd., and following a refit the Motunui continued its daily trudge from Auckland to Waiheke Island, blending in with the other workhorses on the Waitemata. Thirty-something years of service as an Auckland ferry finally ended when North Shore Ferries sold her into private ownership in 1984.
As with many boats of this size and age, the succession of owners over the next twenty years found they had bitten off more than they could chew. By 1997 plans to have her brought to survey standards in time to be used as a sight-seeing boat for the America’s Cup were abandoned when the relationship between the joint owners (and several suppliers) soured. Although much work was done – including fitting an original wheelhouse salvaged from ML411 – major issues were avoided, as the rates for hauling or slipping a 34 metre ex-warship pile up quickly. The twin diesel engines really needed overhauling. Pitted prop shafts, worn propellers, all expensive items. Damage to the starboard bow had resulted from decades of contact with the wharves during docking, and freshwater leaking down through the deck joint had rotted the inner layer of planking, leaving her only fit for sheltered waters.
I was aboard her in her latter days afloat, for sale in the old Viaduct Basin when the place still ponged pleasantly of fish and diesel, and then visiting a new owner on the Tamaki River, where she dwarfed all the private launches. She was cared for well enough then, but was sold on again in 2001 and took up residence in Mercury Bay, Whitianga, where the decline seemed to continue apace. In June 2006 she found yet another buyer, and made one final voyage, one last lazy daytrip, idling gently down the coast to Tauranga so that her machinery could be removed, and the butchered, buggered superstructure chainsawed away in preparation for the big lift.
Waitanic
The final buyer was Barry Woods, a.k.a. Billy Black, who operates the curious Woodlyn Park accommodation in Waitomo. At the time, his motel units included a railway carriage, a Bristol Freighter airplane, and two “Hobbit Holes”. They now include a WWII patrol boat, which is advertised as the “Waitanic”, containing five separate units.
If you’re passing through and do decide to book a “room”, you can lie in bed and conjure up the long-dead khaki figures, hands working absently at well-drilled tasks, wise-cracking at 20 knots in a haze of hot exhaust and blazing Pacific sunshine. Or you may prefer to imagine the hundreds of less dashing men, women and children, who trod the diagonally planked kauri decks every day on the Auckland-Waiheke service, and who will always remember her as the Motunui.
