The cruiser was commissioned in 1943, and served during World War II on the Arctic convoys, during the Normandy landings, and as part of the British Pacific Fleet. In 1946, the cruiser was loaned to the Royal New Zealand Navy, becoming HMNZS Black Prince. The cruiser was docked for modernisation in 1947, but in April, her sailors walked off the ship as part of a series of mutinies in the RNZN. The shortage of manpower resulting from these mutinies meant that the modernisation had to be cancelled, and Black Prince was placed in reserve until 1953. She returned to service after refitting with simplified secondary armament with a single quad “pom pom” in Q position and eight Mk3 40mm Bofors guns. The ship was decommissioned again two years later, and returned to the Royal Navy in 1961. Black Prince did not re-enter service, and was towed from Auckland to Osaka for scrapping in 1962. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_Black_Prince_(81)
The New Zealand Defence Force (NZDF) has deployed a Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130H (NZ) Hercules and personnel to Papua New Guinea to help with the distribution of humanitarian assistance and disaster relief supplies.
10 MAY, 2024
Papua New Guinea experienced a significant earthquake on 24 March in East Sepik and there has also been recent flooding there and in surrounding provinces.
The Government of Papua New Guinea recently asked for New Zealand’s help in transporting approximately 30 tonnes of aid from Port Moresby to affected communities in outlying areas.
Commander Joint Forces New Zealand Rear Admiral Jim Gilmour said NZDF personnel would work with Papua New Guinea authorities on transporting the supplies to affected communities in 10 provinces.
New Zealand has a long-standing commitment to working with and supporting Pacific partners in humanitarian assistance and disaster responses.
“Our Hercules aircraft are well suited to this task. We have deployed the aircraft and personnel to support our Papua New Guinea partners with their distribution plan and to help get relief supplies to communities in need,” Rear Admiral Gilmour said.
The Hercules departed Royal New Zealand Air Force Base Auckland on Thursday, and will be flying over the weekend to transport the aid.
The relief supplies include tents, blankets, plastic sheets, sleeping pads, water purifiers and portable jerry cans.
The Hercules and NZDF personnel are due to return to New Zealand on Monday.
HMNZS Arbutus was a modified Flower-class corvette of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Built for the Royal Navy as HMS Arbutus, the corvette was transferred to the RNZN on completion in 1944, and operated in the British Pacific Fleet during the final year of World War II. In April 1947, Arbutus was one of the units involved in a mutiny over poor pay and working conditions. She was decommissioned in 1948 and broken up for scrap in 1951.
Construction The corvette was built for the Royal Navy by George Brown & Co of Greenock, Scotland. She was laid down on 3 May 1943, and launched on 26 January 1944. Before completion, she was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy, and commissioned on 16 June 1944, although not completed until 5 July.
HMNZS Arbutus
Operational history World War II Arbutus departed the United Kingdom for New Zealand on 1 August 1944, but ran aground off Viwa Island. She suffered damage to her rudder, propeller and a 25 foot length of her hull. HMNZS Aroha towed Arbutus to Auckland for repairs, which were not complete until April 1945.[2] In May, Arbutus was offered for service in the British Pacific Fleet and sent to Sydney for fitting out as a radio and radar maintenance ship. She joined the fleet train in Japanese waters on 28 July and serviced at least forty ships of Task Force 37. Arbutus was then assigned to escorting supply ships and was present in Hong Kong for the Japanese Surrender.[3]
HMNZS Arbutus
Post-war In early February, Arbutus was deployed on a two-month show the flag cruise around the Pacific Islands.[4] The deployment had seen several incidents, the first of which occurred while the ship was docked in Tahiti; sailors who were meant to be guarding the ship became drunk, after which a crowd of Tahitians attempted to board the ship and remove equipment.[5] On departure, the corvette sailed into a heavy storm, which lasted for several days.[6] Waves breaking over the bow rendered the bridge unusable, and many aboard—including the ship’s cat, for the first and only time in its life—were seasick.[6] Water contamination of the fuel oil taken on in Tahiti damaged the propulsion machinery, further adding to the problems.[6] When Arbutus finally limped into port at the end of March, the ship’s company were informed that they would only remain at HMNZS Philomel long enough to take on aviation fuel and supplies to be delivered to the Cook Islands.[6]
Mutiny Main article: 1947 Royal New Zealand Navy mutinies At the time of Arbutus’ return to Philomel, there were problems affecting sailors across the RNZN.[7] The main cause of unhappiness was a pay review due to be released in the next few days; the review was a year late, and sailors learned that they would still be underpaid in comparison to Army and Air Force equivalents, and that the government had backed down on its promise to backdate the pay to the original due date of the review.[8] In addition, attempts to improve the working and living conditions aboard RNZN ships through lower-deck committees had proven to be ineffective.[8]
On the morning of 1 April, 100 sailors at Philomel refused duty at morning parade; they were later joined by personnel from HMNZS Black Prince which was undergoing refits at the base.[9] The ship’s company of Arbutus had been confined to the ship in preparation for their imminent departure, but at 14:00, representatives of the mutineers walked up to the dock next to the corvette and began discussions with those aboard.[10] All the sailors aboard Arbutus joined the mutiny, bringing the numbers up to 200.[10] That afternoon, the mutineers marched off the base.[10] Although the government agreed to make the new pay rates retrospective, the mutineers intended to remain off base until the rest of their demands were met. This did not happen; on 3 April, the sailors were ordered to return to work and accept punishment or be discharged.[11] Of the 200, only 23 men returned to the base, they, along with 18 British loan personnel were used to man Arbutus and get her underway for the Cook Islands that afternoon.[12] In their haste to separate the loyalists from further mutinous influences, the ship was not properly provisioned, and all aboard were forced to eat canned pilchards for the entire voyage.[12]
Fate Arbutus was paid off in 1948, and returned to the Royal Navy. She was broken up for scrap in June 1951 at Dunston, Tyne and Wear. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNZS_Arbutus_(K403)
HMNZS Arabis was a modified Flower-class corvette of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Built for the British Royal Navy as HMS Arabis, she was transferred to the RNZN on completion. She was commissioned in 1944 and decommissioned in 1948.
HMNZS ArabisHMNZS Arabus (K403)
After a refit, Arabis sailed for the Solomons, arriving at Renard Sound on 14 December 1944 where her captain took over as senior officer, 25th Minesweeper Flotilla, from Matai.
HMNZS Arabis in the Solomons
She returned to Auckland on 20 June 1945. Two voyages to Nouméa followed in July 1945 to escort with Tui the twelve RNZN Fairmiles back home to Auckland. Arabis was decommissioned in 1948, and broken up for scrap in 1951 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNZS_Arabis_(K385)
HMNZS Scarba7 February 1944, five Fairmile ‘B’ Class patrol craft ML 401-404 and 406 departed Auckland for the Solomon Islands. They travelled via Whangaroa Harbour (to top up fuel), Norfolk Island, Noumea, Espiritu Santo before reaching their destination at Renard Sound in the Russell Islands. The first group of four Fairmiles had already departed in January. The Fairmiles were organised into two six-craft flotillas the 80th ML (Motor Launch) and 81st ML under the operational control of the US Navy. The launches were used for anti-submarine patrols off Guadacanal, Tulagi and the Russell Islands. Additional duties included escorting vessels. The minesweeper HMNZS Scarba (background) escorted the Fairmiles as far as Noumea.HMNZS Scarba – Lt CDR Finch and Lt Blair and Tabs the Cat
