A Happy and Peaceful 2016

A Happy and Peaceful 2016

We would like to wish all of our many visitors both to this Blog and the Leith Shipyards website a very Happy and Peaceful 2016

Ship No 347 started out with the name LOCH KATRINE one of the Loch Class Frigates built at the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb Ltd, in the dark days of the Second World War

She went on to become part of the New Zealand Navy, as HMNZS ROTOITI and spent some years based in the far south of the Southern Ocean on station as a rescue and weather ship as support to the bases in the Antarctic.

So please spare a though or two for those who may not be able to be at home at this time of the year.

Movie about HMNZS KIWI

I did say in the last post that we had been working on some interesting projects and one of them is the probable movie going to be made by a couple of New Zealand film makers about the HMNZS KIWI Ship No 315 and her part in the attack on the huge Japanese submarine I-1 which was successfully carried out by KIWI along with her sister ship HMNZS MOA Ship No 314 also built at the Leith Shipyards of Henry Robb.
The movie is going to concentrate on the extraordinary act of bravery carried out by one of her crew as the two small ships took on their formidable foe.
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During the entire battle the Kiwi’s searchlight and signalling lamp were trained on the submarine.  The searchlight was controlled by Leading Signalman Campbell Buchanan at considerable risk to himself.  Into the action Buchanan was hit and although mortally wounded remained at his post uncomplaining until relieved.  He died of his wounds at Tulagi the following day.  This act of courage won him the US Navy Cross and a posthumous mention in dispatches.  . In a fierce action that lasted more than an hour, Kiwi rammed the submarine three times before I-1 finally struck a reef and was wrecked.

 

Look out for updates on this story which reminds me that I need to get some more information about the ship and her dimensions over to the guys in New Zealand (So if you read this Evan I will get it done and sent to you soon)

 

HMNZS KIWI seen in dry-dock after ramming the Japanese Sub I-1 in 1943

 

 

HMNZS MOA Ships name plate recovered

HMNZS Moa (T233) had an eventful war serving as part of a minesweeper flotilla in the Solomon Islands, and working long and dangerous hours in the area of Guadalcanal,

She took part in the sinking of the Japanese submarine I-1 and many other adventures, before being sunk by Japanese dive bombers.

HMNZS MOA (7^th April 1943) was hit by two bombs in Tulagi, Harbour while re-fuelling and she sank within 4 minutes with the loss of five crewmen, and a total of 15 wounded.

HMNZS MOA ships letters recovered for conservation and eventual presentation at the Devonport Naval Museum Auckland, New Zealand

HMNZS MOA Ship No 314 (photo credit unknown for now)

Her name plate has now been recovered by divers and is being looked after by the marine archaeologist Brigid Gallagher who was amongst others responsible for the successful BBC programme “Timeline” now working out of New Zealand it is her responsibility to bring the ships letters back to a presentation condition and then hand the ships name plates back to the Royal New Zealand Navy for display and further recognition as to the fine part played by this gallant little ship during action in World War Two

HMNZS MOA

I am a conservator in New Zealand, and have been commissioned to conserve the 3 letters, M,O,A from the above ship for the Naval Museum in Devonport Auckland. These letters were lifted from the seabed in the Solomons by divers and now returned officially to New Zealand.

HMNZS MOA

Recent update to the history of the New Zealand Navy ship MOA can be found on the Leith Shipyards website. (Just click on the highlighted name MOA)

HMNZS MOA (RNZN Museum Photo)

H.M.N.Z.S. MOA

Ship No 314
The “MOA” was one of a three ship order for the New Zealand Navy, a “Bird Class” armed trawler. This class was based on the same design as H.M.S. Bassett, with further improvements over a period of time. They were the first new ships to enter service with the Royal New Zealand Navy.

This class of vessel was designed for training in seamanship, gunnery, minesweeping, and torpedo work. They were quickly converted for use as minesweepers and escort duties.

H.M.N.Z.S. MOA

(Photograph's courtesy of RNZN. Museum)

Ship details:
Type: Bird Class Trawlers

Launched: 15/04/1941

Commissioned: 26/11/1941

Displacement (full load): 937 tonnes

Dimensions: 51.2m length, 48m height, 9.1m beam, 4.7m draught

Engines: 1-shaft reciprocating engine, oil fired, max speed 13 knots

Armament: 1 x 102mm [4”] gun

Minesweeping equipment

ASDIC [anti-submarine equipment]

1 x twin Hotchkiss light MG mounting

1 x 20mm gun (from 1942), a further 2 x 20mm fitted unofficially in 1943
Complement: 33-35 officers and ratings


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H.M.N.Z.S MOA (T233) had an eventful war serving as part of a minesweeper flotilla in the Solomon Islands, and working long and dangerous hours in the area of Guadalcanal,
She took part in the sinking of the Japanese submarine I-1 and many other adventures, before being sunk by Japanese dive bombers.

Japanese Submarine I-1

(Photograph's courtesy of RNZN. Museum)

H.M.N.Z.S. MOA (7th April 1943) was hit by two bombs in Tulagi, Harbour while re-fuelling and she sank within 4 minutes with the loss of five crewmen, and a total of 15 wounded.