Read interesting stories of personnel who have served with the Royal New Zealand Navy and the Royal Navy. Read about Ruth Herrick – the first Director of the Women’s Royal New Zealand Naval Service and Leading Signalman Campbell Buchanan –who was killed while playing an integral role in the sinking of the Japanese Submarine I-1.
Colin John Alexander entered service with the RNZN on the 10/3/52 as an Ordinary Seaman. He was involved in Operation GRAPPLE – the name given to the British Government’s test of British megaton range weapons.
New Zealander Chief Motor Mechanic Roy Leslie Alexander DSM RNVR won the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) while serving with Royal Navy’s Patrol Service in the First World War in one of the largest raids carried out by the Royal Navy.
Jack Allan was commissioned in the rank of Sub-Lieutenant on 24 March 1934 and undertook three tours of sea training as an officer in RN warships. In 1935 he embarked in the cruiser HMS Dunedin, followed in 1936 by sea time in the sloop HMS Wellington and finally in 1937 in the cruiser HMS Achilles.
On 17 August 1941 William and Bruce were posted to Neptune. This is unusual in that it was normally the practice within the Royal Navy not to post brothers to the same ship. William and Bruce and over 750 men including 150 New Zealanders died in Neptune after it struck a mine in World War Two.
In April 1969 he became Commanding Officer, HMNZS Philomel followed by Chief of Staff to the Commodore Auckland from May 1970 to January 1972. On 16 April 1980 he was promoted to the rank of Vice Admiral and was appointed to be Chief of Defence Staff.
Chief Motor Mechanic James Attwood was one of the New Zealand motor mechanics who joined the Royal Naval Motor Boat Reserve in 1916. He participated in the Zeebrugge/Ostend raids of 1918 and was awarded the Conspicuous Gallantry Medal and the French Croix de Guerre.
During 40 years of service Admiral Blake received the Distinguished Service Order, the Russian Order of St Anne 3rd Class with swords, was made a Companion of the Bath and subsequently promoted Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath.
Henry Percival Booth joined the Royal New Zealand Navy as Boy, Second Class, on 5 December 1924, at the age of 15 years. One of the ships in which he served was HMS Fiji in which he was Quartermaster when the ship was sunk in the Battle of Crete. For his actions on this occasion…
Alexander Boyle the first Commanding Officer of the Canterbury Division of the RNZNVR and a well-known South Canterbury farmer. Lieutenant Alexander David Boyle is the only known New Zealander to have served at all three major naval battles of World War One.
On the night of 31 January 1943 Kiwi and Moa were on patrol, with Lieutenant Commander Bridson as senior officer, when they encountered the Japanese Submarine I-1. For his expertise and perseverance in the sinking of this submarine, Gordon Bridson was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order and also received the United States Navy…
During Corina’s time within DNODS she worked on a number of operational systems gaining exposure to various roles mainly specialising in Weapons Systems implementations. As a lieutenant she was awarded a Commendation by the Chief of Naval Staff in 1987 for her contributions during the First of Class acceptance of the R76 Gun Fire Control…
The Kiwi and the Moa were patrolling the north-west end of Guadalcanal when they obtained a ‘contact’ with the vessel immediately identified as a submarine. During the battle with the I-1 submarine Buchanan was hit and although mortally wounded remained at his post uncomplaining until relieved. He died of his wounds at Tulagi the following day. …
Read letters written by Leading Signalman C Buchanan during World War Two.
John Burns’ most noteworthy contribution to the Navy was his contribution to the extensive modernisation programme of HMNZS Irirangi in 1962, which he was awarded a Naval Board Letter of Commendation for.
Every Sunday ‘Ma Burrows’, as she became known by the men of the New Zealand division, would visit the base bringing with her flowers, fruit and sweets for her ‘boy’s’. Eventually everyone, from the Commodore down to the newest recruit, was acquainted with Ma Burrows.
Two New Zealand wireless telegraphists, George Carpenter and Templeton Witham, won the Distinguished Service Medal (DSM) in the Solomon Islands during the Second World War, but the awards were made for gallantry on land rather than at sea.
Rex Cassey was an employee of the New Zealand Post Office and was part of the Wellington Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve [NZ Division].
Mr. William Henry Clapham, who held a seat on the Wanganui Borough Council for four years, was born and educated in Wellington, where his father, Mr. T. H. Clapham, arrived in the ship Birman, one of the first ships of the Port Nicholson contingent, early in 1842.
When the Second World War began in 1939, the Women’s Royal Naval Service (New Zealand), whose members were commonly known as Wrens, was formed. In September 1943, as fourth officer, she assisted in the control of 200 women then serving in the Auckland area.
Dumont D’Urville set out from France in April 1826, with a two-fold mission; to search for another French explorer, La Perouse and then to explore New Zealand. Having renamed his ship Astrolabe after La Perouse’s ship, he arrived at Port Jackson (Sydney) in late 1826.