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HMNZS Santon (M1178) was a Ton-class minesweeper that operated in the Royal Navy, the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN), and the Argentine Navy.

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HMNZS Santon
HMNZS Santon doing a transfer with HMNZS Hickleton
HMNZS Santon
HMNZS Santon

Built for the Royal Navy by Fleetlands Shipyard of Portsmouth, the minesweeper was launched on 18 August 1955 and commissioned as HMS Santon. She was named after a small village in North Lincolnshire. The minesweeper was commissioned in the RNZN from 1965 to 1966, when she was returned to the United Kingdom. She was later transferred to the Argentine Navy, and operated as ARA Chubut (M3).

Construction[edit]

Santon was built for the Royal Navy by Fleetlands Shipyards of Portsmouth. The minesweeper was launched on 18 August  1955 and commissioned as HMS Santon. She was named after a small village in North Lincolnshire. The minesweeper was commissioned in the RNZN from 1965 to 1966, when she was returned to the United Kingdom. She was later transferred to the Argentine Navy, and operated as ARA Chubut (M3).

New Zealand[edit]

Early in 1965, Indonesia was employing a policy of confrontation against Malaysia. New Zealand agreed to assist Malaysia by deploying two Royal Navy minesweepers then in reserve at Singapore. These were commissioned into the RNZN on 10 April 1965 and joined the Royal Navy’s 11th Minesweeping squadron (also Ton class), taking part in anti-infiltration patrols in Malaysian waters. Lieutenant Lincoln Tempero, later Chief of Naval Staff, was appointed Commanding Officer.[1]

In her first year Santon, together with her sister ship Hickleton, carried out 200 patrols, with 20 incidents involving intruding Indonesians, often taking as prisoners those aboard the intercepted craft.

In April 1966, Santon assisted in the rescue of the crew of the wrecked Panamanian freighter Carina. By the time the Indonesian confrontation policy ended in August 1966, Santon had steamed 67,400 miles (108,500 km). Following the withdrawal of Commonwealth ships from the anti-infiltration patrols, the RNZN crew took her back to England, where she paid off in reserve at Portsmouth in November 1966.

Argentina[edit]

The ship was subsequently sold to Argentina and renamed Chubut (M3). She was decommissioned in 1997

HMNZS Ikatere (Although mentioned as HMNZS Ikatere in some reports it is unlikely she was ever commissioned)– not a well known vessel in the RNZN but was used during WW2 as an examination vessel and a dan layer – below are some photos of Ikatere which was once owned by an ex matelot who some will know of.

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Although mentioned as HMNZS Ikatere in some reports it is unlikely she was commissioned
Ikatere towing lifeboats – poss from Niagra sinking
The IKATERE  in Auckland ? 1940-50s

 Some notes on Ikatere – 

Ex-HMNZS Ikatere –  During October 1943 the short lines of mines in the minor channels on either side of Rakino Island in the Hauraki Gulf were swept by the Thomas Currell and Kaiwaka, the small motor-vessel

HMNZS Ikatere acted as danlayer. 

All but one of the twenty-two mines laid in March 1942 were accounted for. The missing one was probably the failure reported during the laying of the Hauraki Gulf defensive minefields.

Mr. Edward Carlyon Vellenoweth, Honorary Temporary

Lieutenant, granted the rank of Temporary Lieutenant (to

serve under T. 124 X Agreement), to date 1st November,

1941, and appointed H.M.N.Z.S. “Philomel” additional,

for H.M.N.Z.S. “Ikatere,” to date 1st November, 1941.

Appointment as Honorary Temporary Lieutenant terminated,

to date 31st October, 1941. 

History of Minesweepers during WW2 here https://ift.tt/1DTXMDS via John Currin (JC – Ex-RNZN) (https://goo.gl/QvDmVT)

HMNZS Ikatere – The Marine Department itself was

able to support only a minimal programme of investigation into marine

fisheries. Since 1947 the department had operated the first full-time

research ship in New Zealand, the 19-m trawler lkatere. Apart from

the occasional emergency use of naval vessels, no other ship was available to Government for marine research.

from RNZN Ships and Ships of the NZ Division of the Royal Navy, And New Zealand Military

HMNZS Kaiwaka, danlayer (T14)

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HMNZS Kaiwaka
HMNZS Kaiwaka crew
HMNZS Kaiwaka (T14) Danlayer – No other information about above news cutting
Converted merchant ship, 1941–1945.

HMNZS Kaiwaka
Built: 1937 W.G. Lowe, Auckland. Type: Danlayer
Pennant No.: T14
Displacement: 169 tons gross, 98 tons net
Length: 88.3 ft./26.9 m Beam: 23 ft./7 m Draft: 7.75 ft./2.3 m
Propulsion: Motor 145 bhp single screw diesel Speed: 10 knots.
Complement: 12
Armament; 1 X light MG, DCs

Kaiwaka was a wooden motor-powered cargo lighter owned by NZ Refrigerating Co. Ltd employed carrying meat to overseas ships off Wanganui.

She was requisitioned on 7 January 1941 for conversion to a danlayer. A danlayer is a small vessel employed in minesweeping operations to lay dan-buoys to mark the limits of the channels swept through a minefield.

She was delivered to the naval authorities on 5 March 1941 and commissioned for service on 21 May 1941 by Lieutenant A. K. Griffith RNZNVR. She was based mainly at Auckland operating with the 25th MS flotilla and occasionally towing targets.

At the beginning of March 1942 Kaiwaka sailed to Suva where she was employed as a danlayer assisting the USN in laying protective minefields in the Nandi area, returning to Auckland on 25 April.

She visited Wellington several times , being temporary port danlayer for two months in 1943.

During October 1943 Kaiwaka and Thomas Currell swept the short lines of mines in the minor channels on either side of Rakino Island in the Hauraki Gulf.

In January-February 1944 she took part in sweeping the independent minefield in the Bay of Islands and in May she assisted with the sweeping of the defensive minefield laid in March 1942 across the main channel in the Hauraki Gulf.

In March-May 1945 Kaiwaka and the minesweepers began a final clearance of the German minefield laid in June 1940 in the approaches to the Hauraki Gulf.

Kaiwaka paid off on 16 September 1945 when replaced by a converted Castle class minesweeper. She was handed over to the Marine Department and refitted but return to her owners was clouded by legal issues over her condition and delayed until 19 July 1947.

HMNZS Coastguard (T12)Converted trawler 1941–1960 Danlayer –

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HMNZS Coastguard

HMNZS Coastguard (T12)
Converted trawler 1941–1960
Danlayer – Functioned as a stores ship 1945–1960

English: Coastguard underway, 1940s – used to supply HMNZS Tamaki, Motuihe Island until 1960
Date
8 April 2024
Source
Auckland War Memorial Museum
Author
Tudor Washington Collins

At the beginning of March 1942 the Matai sailed to Suva, where she was joined by the danlayers Kaiwaka and Coastguard. At that time the United States Navy was preparing to establish a base and fleet anchorage in Nandi Waters at the western end of Viti Levu. Lieutenant C. C. Lowry, RN, in charge of a Royal Australian Navy survey party, arrived at Suva on 12 March and surveyed the Nandi area, assisted by Lieutenant-Commander A. D. Holden, RNZNR, commanding officer of the Matai, and his ship’s company. During the first week of April the Matai, Kaiwaka, and Coastguard, as danlayers, co-operated with the United States ships Gamble, Ramsay, and Kingfisher which laid protective minefields in Nandi Waters. In company with the Muritai, the Kaiwaka and Coastguard returned to Auckland on 25 April. HMFS Viti arrived back at Suva early in April, relieving the Moa which sailed for Auckland. The Gale also returned to Suva on 25 May but a month later was ordered to Noumea.

HMNZS Phyllis (T22)

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HMNZS Phyllis (T22)
HMNZS Phyllis at the Devonport Naval Base, HMNZS Kiwi (T102) inboard
HMNZS Phyllis at the Devonport Naval Base, HMNZS Kiwi (T102) inboard
HMNZS Phyllis
Built: Seattle Construction Co., USA 1912
Type: Danlayer
Pennant No.: T22
Displacement: 148 tons gross, 67 tons net
Length: 96.1 ft./29.3 m Beam: 19.5 ft./ 5.9 m Draft: 2.8 ft./0.8 m
Propulsion: Steam recip., ihp 350, single screw coal fired
Speed: 9 knots.
Armament: 2 x light MG
Complement: 14
Phyllis was built as a whale chaser built for the Norwegians named Star III, and worked from Stewart Island. She was laid up there in 1929, sold to a NZ buyer, renamed Phyllis and used as a trawler.
The ship was purchased from the Canterbury Steam Trawling Co. Ltd.of Christchurch on 3 September 1942 and fitted out at Lyttelton as a danlayer, the intention being to employ her at Auckland. A danlayer is a small vessel employed in minesweeping operations to lay dan-buoys to mark the limits of the channels swept through a minefield.



She was commissioned on 11 January 1943 as HMNZS Phyllis and sailed for Auckland but was delayed by engine trouble in Wellington. Inspection at Auckland rvealed numerpous defects and she prove unsatisfactory as a danlayer. Repairs were not completed and little or no use was made of Phyllis: she paid off in 28 February 1944 and was sold.
http://www.worldnavalships.com/forums/showthread.php?t=4073&page=

Phyllis as a fishing trawler