Category Archives: Military

COASTAL PATROL DURING WWII

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CALLING ALL VESSELS COMMANDEERED FOR COASTAL PATROL DURING WWII

On November 19th 2016, the Royal New Zealand Navy are holding the 75th Naval Review & have extended an invitation to the owners of any historic vessels that might be interested in taking part in the Review procession.  Interested owners can check out the Op Neptune website http://nznavy75.co.nz/international-naval-review/ & are asked to make contact with Commander John Butcher via Andrew Watts – the email address is,  ANDREW.WATTS@nzdf.mil.nz , please include details on your vessel & a photo/s.

The 1932 Colin Wild built classic launch ‘Wirihana’ was one of a number of vessels commandeered by the Royal New Zealand Navy during WWII to run supplies and to patrol the coastal waters around the Hauraki Gulf and up to the Bay of Islands. Her identification was Q01, photos above & below. Wirihana took part in the 50th Naval Review along with a number of the other classics that served as patrol boats and will be participating again this year.

A lot of our classic fleet played a very important defence role during WWII, its not well recorded but the Hauraki Gulf was mined. It is NZ Governments best kept secret. The NZ press often quote the closest NZ has come to war was the Rainbow Warrior bombing! This is BS, they just don’t know. A lot of the records make the patrol work sound like a boys own trip but  Wirihana and the other boats were on patrol for two years summer and winter, it would not have been much fun in these small launches.
The crews made their own navigation sketches so they could recognise headlands by their outline in poor visibility. Similar to those in the NZ Pilot. They had no chart plotters or navigation aids (only a compass) and often ran without Navigation lights.

So woodys if you own or know someone that owns one of the launches – get in touch today with the RNZN

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Chris McMullen found the  letter below on board ‘Wirihana’. Chris commented that he would imagine the writer has now passed on. Chris hopes the letter may draw
some history from others with photos and letters hidden away. Photography
was illegal during the war but it certainly did not stop people from
recording their life at the time.
Chris  recalls going to school with a John Rhodes who he thinks lived at Bassett Rd.
Remuera. Maybe the same family?

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Below is light hearted list of NAPS boats out of Whangarei. Sent to me by Brian Fulton.

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08-1-2016 Input From Chris McMullen
A German Raider mined the outer Hauraki Gulf. An account is recorded in the translated from German, a book listed as “The Black Raider”by Kurt Weyher and Hans Jurgen Ehrlich.
Chris’s copy dated 1955. Below are the relevant pages but there is more. This happened June 13th 1940. As a result the SS Niagara was sunk 19th of June 1940.
The Raider Orion sunk many ships off the New Zealand Coast.

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Unknown Motorboat & Seaplane + Cool Event Invite

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UNKNOWN MOTORBOAT & SEAPLANE

Hello woodys, triple header today – name the motor boat, the seaplane & event / gathering, if there is one? Lots of people lining the breakwater, so possibly a VIP onboard. Photo belongs to the Tudor Collins collection at the Auckland Museum, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts (as is the M-class photo below)

CLASSIC YACHT & LAUNCH EXHIBITION INVITE

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Once again the Tino Rawa Trust is hosting the annual Classic Yacht & Launch Exhibition – this years exhibition celebrates the iconic Mullet Boat.
On this Saturday & Sunday 10am > 4pm – Karanga Plaza – Halsey ST, Wynyard Quarter (in front of the ‘old’ Team NZ base)

ENTRY IS FREE – Further details here http://www.tinorawatrust.co.nz

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I APOLOGIZE
If sometimes I’m a tad slow in answering your emails – that is because I average around a 100 emails a day relating to ww. BUT keep them coming, I love hearing from you all. 🙂

Harold Kidd Input

The PanAm flight was a proving flight in late December 1937. PanAm  had set up an infrastructure at Mechanics Bay for their Sikorsky flying boat SAMOA CLIPPER which Imperial Airways’ Short Empire CENTAURUS also used. Capt Edwin Musick was pilot in command of the Sikorsky. Musick Point was named after him when the SAMOA CLIPPER caught fire and crashed at Samoa while dumping fuel preparatory to landing. The Short arrived just after the Sikorsky, obviously to show that the Brits were up to it as well as the Yanks. The Short’s range made it unable to carry a viable payload across the Tasman however.
As for the runabout/launch, the only reference I can find is that PanAm had a “special launch” at Mechanics Bay. Need to dig deeper.

Dauntless AK2233

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Dauntless AK2233

The above photos of Dauntless are from the Tudor Collins, Auckland Museum collection, emailed to me by Ken Ricketts.
Can any of the woodys provide more details on Dauntless & also the photo location, if my life depended on it, I would guess Whangaroa, but I have been wrong before 🙂

Interesting the passengers on board, not really looking like a day out fishing, maybe they were heading out to meet / greet a bigger vessel ?

Harold Kidd Input

There have been a lot of launches called DAUNTLESS over the years. This one bears a 4 figure Auckland fishing boat registration number of the type issued in the early 1930s but phased out by about 1935, so the date of the pic is around that period.
This is the DAUNTLESS that was game fishing out of Whitianga and Tauranga between 1927 and 1945 at least, run by Steedman and Chadban. I had always thought that this DAUNTLESS was the one built by Bailey & Lowe in 1911 for E. W. Morrison of Auckland, a standard Bailey & Lowe 35 footer like PRINCESS etc but these pics show a sloping transom that is quite unlike a B&L product. Maybe the stern was extended for gamefishing and maybe this is the DAUNTLESS that finished up at the Maritime Restoration School at Opua with the stern chopped off to a 32 footer?
Maybe it was chopped because the extension failed?
I’ve never been sure where this boat came from or went to, but Baden or Brian Worthington should know.

PS Maybe Charlie Millett did the stern extension? It’s the sort of thing he did during the winters in Tauranga.

05-10-2016 Paul Drake Input

Pics below showing DAUNTLESS at Taupo. She is the moored boat in the foreground in the first photo.

In the second photo, she appears on the extreme left, and the tumblehome is evident.

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11-02-2017– Photo below ex Baden Pascoe

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Volante

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VOLANTE

Volante is a 39′ 1916 Bailey & Lowe motor sailer that two years ago under went a total restoration, her interior is a little too ‘ikea’ for me but its a work of art in terms of craftsmanship. With her sailing set-up & powered by a 55hp diesel Volvo she would be perfect for extended cruising.
Some on-line research by woody, Ian McDonald, has turned up a photo  (below) on the Wellington Classic Yacht Trust blog of a Volante, built by Charles Baily Jr. in 1915. She was in NAPS in WWII (1942-3) & extensively damaged in a fire in 1943.The name plate on board (appears to be a modern addition?) says Chas Bailey & Sons.
Interested to confirm / learn more about her past before her recent ‘make-over’. Currently for sale, asking $250k.

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Harold Kidd Input – The information on VOLANTE is basically correct although the Baileys have been confused rather effectively. She was built by Chas. Bailey Jr NOT by Bailey & Lowe. Nor was she built by “Chas. Bailey & Sons”; the sons didn’t appear on the letterhead until around 1934.
She was built for H. G. Anderson of Wellington in the winter of 1915, shipped down unfinished and Anderson finished off her cabin-top etc. She originally had twin engines of 40hp (total?).
She must have grown a bit because she was built as a 36 footer.

BIRDS OF A FEATHER – MOVIE REVIEW

Last nights screening of Nina Wells ‘Birds of a Feather’ movie at the Vic Theater in Devonport was a cracker. Its a great kiwi tale & appeals to even those with low interest in smelly old outboard motors. Not a spare seat in the house, in fact never before have I seen so many woodys (& partners) together in one place 🙂 & everyone left with a big smile on their face. For those that missed it, I’ll find out if & when there is another screening & let you know 😉

Harold Kidd Review – The film last night was just amazing. Made you want to rush out and buy back all the Seagulls you once had. I recommend buying the DVD for a great laugh and a real Kiwi experience.

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Betty J301

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BETTY J301
The 1940’s photos above ex the Tudor Collins collection at the Auckland Museum show the Bob Stewart designed 31′ launch Betty. She was built in 1939 by Collings & Bell for Bob’s father-in-law. Betty has had several name changes, refer the two blue links below to view & read about her over the years, home these days is Lake Rotoiti. The photos were emailed to me by numerous woodys (including Ken Ricketts).
These photos show her as US Army J301, when she was ‘on-loan’ to the US Army but obviously on R&R duties here – can anyone ID any of the people?

Also whats the name of the anchored launch numbered #17 in the top photo?

Betty / Achernar / Achinar

ACHINAR > Achernar > Betty

HELP NEEDED

Looking for a Jim Young 23ft Hi Fi Sports Cruiser

A gent by the name of Colin Frankham is keen to acquire  a Jim Young 23ft Hi Fi Sports Cruiser (runabout) for restoration –  not worried about the condition. Colin can be contacted on (09) 4837040

Valsan

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VALSAN

Today’s photos, from the Tudor Collins collection, are of the 1938, 45′ Lidgard built bridgedecker Valsan. Harold Kidd commented previously on ww that Valsan was built for Alex Harvey Jr as a 38 footer with twin 90hp Grays. She was lengthened (as were so many of these big bridgedeckers) to 45ft by the time she went into NAPS as Z10 in 1942-3, possibly during the time she was being repaired after going up on the Castor Bay reef in February 1940. Peter Annan bought her when she was de-mobbed in 1944 and renamed her Lady Edith. Annan had been the long-term owner of the big Logan cutter Thelma. In 1948 Annan sold her to Arnold Baldwin who changed her name back to Valsan.

Lots of photos of Valsan on ww, just enter Valsan in the ww Search box to view.

Ex Naval Motor Launch

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Ex Naval Motor Launch

Today’s post features an ex Navy survey launch, its name is hard to read but appears to be Penguin. She was built in 1944, is approx. 34’6″ long & powered by a 6 cyl. 100hp Ford D-series diesel. As they say in the modelling game – she was rather nice bones, quite a looker & I expect with a bigger engine there would be rather more zoom zoom than the current max of 10knts 😉
As you would expect from a Navy build, its built like the proverbial brick s_ithouse i.e. Australian hardwood.

Any woodys served on her & or can enlighten us on her past?. Home these days is the Marborough Sounds, photos ex trademe.

03-09-2016 Input from Russell ward

Below is the provenance of Penguin, scanned from Bob McDougall’s fine reference NZ Naval Vessels.

The pic of her on Lachlan with the flurry of activity (and look at the size of those davits! In contrast with the wiry matelots) dates from 1950 and is a well known RNZN picture.

The radial davits were replaced by Whelan type that swing out at the turn of an Admiralty Patt over engineered bronze caused switch. Luxury!

In passing, look at that cut out in the skeg. She’d turn on a dime in confined waters with a kick ahead as did Sam Ford’s bridge deckers that were similarly done. Many boats of the time were like that.
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Rotomahana 4-Sale

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ROTOMAHANA 4-SALE

While searching for details on a launch the other day I went to cross reference some Bailey & Lowe boats & discovered that the 1923 Bailey & Lowe launch Rotomahana had not appeared on ww.

Today’s post is a gallery of photos from my files & owner John Prior emailed in by Ken Ricketts. Enjoy 🙂

Harold Kidd Input

As identified by Chris Leech the b/w images with her flying the DYC commodores burgee were taken when she was owned by Humphrey Duder, then Commodore of Devonport Yacht Club. The 401 number was her WW2 reporting number. She was never impressed into service for patrol work. Bailey & Lowe launched her in December 1923 for A. McDonald (NOT A.B. Donald) as EDWINA. Duder changed her name to ROTOMAHANA when he bought her in 1936. Very like a shortened ROMANCE II in styling.
06-07-2016 The photo below show Rotomahana after the recent (2016) repaint.

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Rotomahana 2016 a

 

Strathmore > Rahemo

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STRATHMORE (Rahemo)
details ex Harold Kidd
Strathmore featured on ww back in August 2014 when she was for sale, the other day Nathan Herbert pointed me towards a collection of photographs from the marine photographer Tudor Collins . The two photos above of the 1936 Dick Lang built Strathmore are in my eyes stunning, she certainly was a very smart launch when launched. Lang built her at  St. Mary’s Bay, Auckland for R.W. Butcher of Hamilton. She was 42’x10’9″x3’6″ and powered with twin 90hp Chryslers. In 1938 she was bought by the Todd family of Wellington and motored down via Tauranga and the east coast in December 1938. The Todds renamed her Rahemo. She was in NAPS out of Wellington in WW2 as Z76.

For more details & photos from her past & ‘today’ click these links

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Rahemo #2 Post

Look What The Postie Delivered Yesterday

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For a long tome I have been a little envious of the classic launch owners that had a NZPBA/AMYC burgee. These club pennants were flown by owners of the oil launches that were becoming popular in the 1910-20s. The club was called the NZ Power Boat Association & founded in 1905. The name changed to the Auckland Motor Yacht Club in 1939 and then morphed into the RNZYS in the 1960s. The jewel in the crown of the AMYC was its sponsorship of the Kawau Island Yacht Club and the facilities at Smelting House Bay. There is a sign on the workshop wall at Greg Lees Boat shed at Sandspit (below), that supports the Kawau link.
The AMYC burgee was identical to the NZPBA’s.

The sender of my AMYC burgee was Rick McCay (Luana). Rick has uncovered a cache of these burgee’s which are available to classic aficionado’s owning a vessel of appropriate age. $59 + $5pp. Applications for purchase including vessel details, initially via email to me at waitematawoodys@gmail.com

Note: Unlike the Classic Yacht Association which allows its burgee to be flown from anything & by anyone – the supply of these pennants will be tightly controlled & policed 🙂

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Awa Awa

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AWA AWA
photo ex Coralie Hilton collection via Gavin Bedggood

Today’s photo (if we believe the caption on the back) is of the launch Awa Awa, built for a ‘Judge Marten’, most probably by the Deemings Yard in Opua, Bay of Islands.
The photo was taken from the beach at the Deemings yard with Opua in the background.
Coralie Hilton was the daughter of a marriage between a Deeming man who married a Bedggood woman (Gavin’s side of the family). Coralie died recently, aged in her 90’s.

Any woodys able to confirm the launch is Awa Awa & her build details etc ?AWA AWA
photo ex Coralie Hilton collection via Gavin Bedggood

09-06-2025 INPUT ex GREG PHILPOTT – press clipping below from the Northern Advocate dated June 15 1926 recording the death of James Martin, confirm his ownership of AWA AWA. And the vessels war time use in Auckland by the Defence Dept.