Commissioned minesweepers and danlayers of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) from its formation on 1 October 1941 to the present. The RNZN was created two years into World War II. For coherence this article covers the war years from the start, and thus includes also the New Zealand minesweepers operating from the beginning of the war.
World War II minesweepers During World War II the RNZN operated 39 minesweepers and danlayers. This included 20 naval trawlers (13 , three and four ), five converted trawlers, 10 converted merchant boats, and four danlayers.
Naval trawlers Naval trawlers were trawlers purpose built to Admiralty specification to operate as minesweepers and/or anti-submarine boats.
Castle class Thirteen naval trawlers were commissioned. Apart from James Cosgrove and Wakakura, all were built in New Zealand by government directive, circa 1942. They were long, displaced 540 tons standard or 612 tons loaded, and were designed for a complement of 27. The three-cylinder engine of from A&G Price of Thames gave a speed of . The coal-fired boiler was of the Scotch marine type. The boiler size governed the size of ship that could be manufactured, and as boiler plate of the required size was not available, two completed boilers and some partly completed boilers were supplied from Britain.Breeze pp. 157–162 ImageNamePndAdmiralty numberBuilderLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedCareerFateHMNZS ArohaT24T396Stevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers9 September 194212 May 19431945Served at Auckland Films produced by N.Z. National Film Unit The launching of HMNZS Aroha at Port ChalmersSold to Red Funnel trawlers, renamed to Maldanna. Scrapped 1963 at Singapore.HMNZS AwatereT25T397Patent Slip, Wellington26 September 194226 June 19431945Served at WellingtonSold to A. A. Murrell of Sydney, Then purchased by the UNRRA in 1946.HMNZS HautapuT26T340Stevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers20 November 194228 July 19431947Served at LytteltonSunk at Shelly Bay in 1966HMNZS HinauT17T399Senior Foundry Co., Auckland28 August 194123 July 19421945Served at AucklandHulk ran aground for use as a breakwater and shingle bin between 1955 and 1958HMNZS James CosgroveT10Ailsa Shipbuilding Co.5 March 191810 October 19391944Served at AucklandSunk in 1952HMNZS MaimaiT27T338Stevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers25 February 194315 September 19431945Served at WellingtonScrapped in 1966HMNZS ManukaT19T401Mason Bros, Auckland23 September 194130 March 19421945Served at AucklandSunk in 1952HMNZS PahauT28T351Stevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers3 April 194312 February 19441945Served at WellingtonSold to A. A. Murrell of Sydney then purchased by the UNRRA in 1946.HMNZS RimuT18T402Seager Bros Shipbuilders Ltd9 September 194115 July 19421945Served at AucklandHulk sunk by the RNZAF 1958HMNZS TawhaiT20T348Seager Bros Shipbuilders Ltd20 July 1943Never commissioned. Sold to the UNRRA in 1946. HMNZS WaihoT34T403Stevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers19 February 19443 June 19441946Served at AucklandSold to Red Funnel trawlers, renamed to Matong Scrapped 1964 in Australia.HMNZS WaikatoT30T343Mason Bros, Auckland16 October 1943Never commissioned. Sold and renamed to Taiaroa, sunk by the RNZAF in 1989HMNZS WaimaT33T349Stevenson & Cook, Port ChalmersDecember 11, 194328 March 19441946Served at LytteltonSold to Red Funnel trawlers renamed to Moona. Scrapped 1964 in Australia.HMNZS WaipuT32T357Stevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers1 August 194317 November 19431946Served at AucklandSold to Sanford Ltd in 1946 1955 renamed Mulloka for Red Funnel Trawlers. Scrapped 1964 in Australia.HMNZS WakakuraT00Port Arthur Shipbuilding, Port ArthurSeptember 1917192619471926–1941 was HMS Wakakura in the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. Used as danlayer from July 1944.Scrapped in 1953
Cancelled NamePndBuilderCancelledNotesHMNZS KoniniStevenson & Cook, Port ChalmersApril 1943Originally ordered as a composite minesweeper, then steel. Previous chosen names were Miro and Ngaio.HMNZS WaiauT31Mason Bros, AucklandOctober 1943Previous chosen names were Konini and Kapuka.HMNZS Wai-itiStevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers1 October 1943HMNZS WaikakaStevenson & Cook, Port ChalmersOctober 1943Fabrications of the hull had started.
Bird class The naval trawlers were long, displaced 923 tons full load, and could manage . They had a complement of 33–35 and were armed with one gun, two Hotchkiss guns in single mounts, twin Lewis guns and 40 depth charges. They were equipped with asdic.
Image Name Pnd Commissioned Decommissioned Career Notes T102 194119481951 194619491956 AS MSTraining shipTraining ship On 29 January 1943, along with Moa, she rammed and wrecked the Japanese submarine I-1 T233 1941 1943 AS MS On 29 January 1943, along with Kiwi, she rammed and wrecked the Japanese submarine I-1. Moa was sunk by enemy aircraft on 7 April 1943 near Tulagi Harbour in the Solomon Islands. Five crew men were lost. T234 194119521956 194619551967 AS MSTraining shipResearch ship On 19 August 1943 Tui and some US Kingfisher floatplanes jointly sank the . Sold for scrap in December 1969 and scrapped.
Isles class The naval trawlers were long, displaced 740 tons full load, and could manage . They had a complement of 40 and were armed with one 12-pounder gun, three 20mm Oerlikons in single mounts and depth charges.
ImageNamePndCommissionedDecommissionedCareerFateHMNZS Inchkeith T15519411946Sold to G A Sparrey August 1958. Broken up at the Lighter basin in Freemans bay, 1959HMNZS Killegray T17419411946Sold to G A Sparrey August 1958. Broken up at the Lighter basin in Freemans bay, 1959HMNZS SandaT16019411946Sold to G A Sparrey August 1958. Broken up at the Lighter basin in Freemans bay, 1959 and hulk was used as a shingle bin near Waikauri Bay, Takatu along with Humphrey. Hulk towed back to Auckland 1970 and scrapped. HMNZS Scarba T17519411946Sold to G A Sparrey August 1958. Broken up at the Lighter basin in Freemans bay, 1959
Strath class ImageNamePndLaunchedCommissionedDecommissionedCareerFateHMNZS HumphreyT0619411944Hulked for use as a shingle bin near Waikauri Bay, Takatu. Hulk towed back to Auckland in April 1970 and scrapped.HMNZS Thomas CurrellT11191919411944Served at AucklandDeliberately ran aground at Port Hutt, Chatham island in 1968
Other types
Converted trawlers These vessels were usually armed with a quick-firing 4-inch (102mm) or 3-inch (76mm) gun on a raised bow platform, some machine guns, and depth charges. Vessels used for minesweeping were also fitted with minesweeping and mine handling equipment.
Image Name Pnd Launched Commissioned Decommissioned Career Fate HMNZS Futurist T09 1941 1944 Functioned as a boom gate vessel 1944 Sunk 19 March 1947 near the Flaxbourne River mouthHMNZS South Sea T0819411942Served at WellingtonPreviously HMT Ferriby of the Royal Navy, launched as a civilian trawler in 1913. Sunk 19 December 1942 in collision with inter-island ferry Wahine in Wellington Harbourhttps://www.pressreader.com/new-zealand/taranaki-daily-news/20070414/282071977457986 Taranaki Daily News "The South Sea scandal" 14 April 2007
Converted merchant boats These ships were usually armed with a quick-firing 4-inch gun, machine guns and autocannon. Vessels used for minesweeping were also equipped with the appropriate equipment.
Image Name Pnd Admiralty number Commissioned Decommissioned Career Fate Notes HMNZS Breeze T02 T371 1942 1944 Sold to Manila, Philippines 1964. Name changed to Balabac 1966 HMNZS Duchess T07 1940 1945 examination vessel 1942–45liberty launch 1945 Hulk ran aground at Wreck Bay, Rangitoto Island (the last ship to be run aground at Rangitoto Island) in June 1947. Former Wellington and, later, Waiheke ferry. Built 1897; iron deck framing remained at Rangitoto Island in 2014. HMNZS Gale T04 T370 1941 1944 Broken up 1970 HMNZS Hawera T16 T398 1941 1945 Functioned as supply ship in 1945. Sank at the Western Viaduct 1952. Refloated and beached in St Mary's bay but was removed 1956–57HMNZS Kapuni T15T40019411945Functioned as patrol boat 1940 and supply ship 1944–45.Broken up 1971HMNZS Matai T01T37219411946Functioned as transport ship 1945–1946.Broken up 1965 HMNZS Muritai T05 1941 1946 Functioned as training and cable-lifting ship 1945–1946. Scuttled off an island in Hauraki Gulf on 7 September 1963. Refloated and broken up at Auckland in 1971. HMS Puriri T02 1941 1941 14 May 1941 struck a German mine NE of the Whangarei heads and sunk with the loss of 5 crew members. Puriri was sunk just before the creation of the RNZN.HMNZS RataT0319411943Broken up at Hong Kong 1959HMNZS Viti T37319411945Operated at Fiji, and would visit New Zealand annually.
Danlayers Image Name Pnd Type Commissioned Decommissioned Career Fate HMNZS Coastguard T12 Converted trawler 1941 1960 Functioned as a stores ship 1945–1960 Rebuilt (2020) to become the office for Heartland Timbers (a small private company in New Zealand). Name changed to Kaikohe post RNZN ownership. HMNZS Kaiwaka T14 Converted merchant ship 1941 1945 Scuttled early 2000s HMNZS Nora Niven T23 Converted trawler 1941 1944 Scuttled off Taiaroa Heads 1947 HMNZS Phyllis T22 Converted trawler 1943 1944 Ran aground 1954
COMSOPAC
COMSOPAC is an acronym for Commander South Pacific. During World War II, one of the major United States theatre commands was the command of the South Pacific Area. This command was usually referred to as COMSOPAC (COMmander SOuth PACific)
It was formed in April 1942 as a subordinate command of Pacific Ocean Areas, commanded by Robert L. Ghormley through October 1942, William Halsey, Jr. to June 1944, John H. Newton to March 1945, and William L. Calhoun to the end of the war.
In June 1942 New Zealand passed the operational control of most of its South Pacific naval forces to COMSOPAC. This continued until COMSOPAC released control in June 1945.
The headquarters for COMSOPAC were initially located in Auckland, New Zealand. In July 1942 they were transferred to Nouméa, New Caledonia.
The 25th Minesweeping Flotilla In the early months of World War II the New Zealand minesweepers had no formal grouping as a flotilla. Then Niagara was sunk in June 1940. On 18 July 1940 the Naval Board designated the First Group for coastal minesweeping, and allocated Port minesweepers to the main ports. They were:McDougall (1989) Pages 82–83
First Group Futurist, Humphrey, James Cosgrove, South Sea, Thomas Currell, Wakakura Danlayer: Coastguard
Port Minesweepers Dutchess, Muritai, Nora Niven
On 14 November 1940, a few weeks after the founding of the Royal New Zealand Navy, they were reorganised as the First Minesweeping Flotilla (NZ)
First Group Group leader: Matai Muritai, Rata, Gale, Puriri Danlayer: Coastguard
Port Minesweepers First Minesweeping Group: Wakakura, Humphrey, Duchess – Auckland Second Minesweeping Group: South Sea, Futurist – Wellington Third Minesweeping Group: James Cosgrove, Thomas Currell – Lyttelton
Then on 23 December 1940 the Port minesweepers were separated, and the remaining minesweepers were organised into the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla. This name aligned with the flotilla names used by the Royal Navy. The makeup of this flotilla changed during the course of the war, as new minesweepers were commissioned, others sunk or withdrawn for repairs or refitting, and requirements changed.
Here is a snapshot of the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla on 27 March 1943:
7th Trawler Group – Auckland Four Isles class: Inchkeith, Killegray, Sanda, Scarba 30th Trawler Group Kiwi, Tui The Loop Guard: Danlayers:Nora Niven, Phillis 194th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group – Auckland LL magnetic minesweepers: Hinau, Manuka, Rimu, Hawera, Kapuni
94th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group – Auckland Matai, Breeze, Gale 95th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group – Wellington Futurist, Rata Danlayers: Kaiwaka, Coastguard 96th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group James Cosgrove, Thomas Currell