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.[2]
Aroha was the first of nine steel minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy and was commissioned on 17 November 1943. the others being Awatere, Hautapu, Maimai, Pahau, Waiho, Waima, Waipu, and Waikato (never commissioned). She served with the 97th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group, located at Auckland.[3]Aroha ran aground twice during her career, first on 28 August 1943 off North Head and then three days later near the entrance to Whangārei Harbour, damaging her rudder and stern post.[4] Repairs took two months.[4]
In October 1944, Aroha towed the badly damaged Flower-classcorvetteArbutus from Fiji to Auckland after she suffered damage to her rudder, propeller, and hull.[4][3][5] In 1945, Aroha was offered on loan to the British Pacific Fleet, along with Waipu, Arabis, Kiwi, and Tui.[4] Only Aroha was required, and she sailed from Wellington to Sydney, serving there for six weeks.[4] After the six weeks ended, she sailed to Auckland to be paid off.[4]
In 1946, along with Waiho and Waima, Aroha was sold to Red Funnel Trawlers, and began fishing the same year.[4][3] She was laid up in 1958 and sold for scrap in 1963
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]
Rimu was laid down in 1940 and was of a composite design, using Kauri wood due to a shortage of steel at the time. [2][3]Rimu was launched on 9 September 1941, being built by Seagar Bros. Ltd, located at Auckland. Being the second naval ship launched in New Zealand for the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Rimu was the second of four composite minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy and was commissioned on 15 July 1942. The others were Hinau, Manuka, and Tawhai (never commissioned). She served in the LL Group (later renamed to the 194th Auxiliary Minesweeping Division)[4] which was located at Auckland. She had refits in March 1943, August 1943, and October 1944.[5]
In September 1945, she would be paid off and placed into reserve.[5] In 1954 she was sold to F. Appleton of Penrose to be scrapped at the Viaduct Basin along with the Hinau, and the tug Toia.[6][7][8]
The hulk of Rimu, shortly before she was sunk by the RNZAF.
HMNZS Hinau ( T17/T399) launchHMNZS 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.
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.
this is after Hawera was taken out of service and laid up after WW2, sat there for many years gradually being scrapped. Here she is on the left in 1952, bridge gone
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