May 2012, Issue 166 - Royal New Zealand Navy

V I S I T O U R W E B S I T E : W W W . N A V Y . M I L . N Z
navytoday
issue 166 april-may 12
standing
strong
te kaha passes the test
resolution
decommissioned
wellington
sails south
captain cook in
bahrain
three services as one force, being the best in everything we do

ISSN 1173-8332
Published to entertain, inform and inspire
serving members of the RNZN.
| ISSUE 166 | april-may 2012
Navy Today is the official newsletter for
personnel and friends of the Royal New
Zealand Navy, produced by the Defence
Communications Group, Wellington, Navy
Today is now in its fifthteenth year of
publication.
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NT 167 June Issue 11 May
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NAVY TODAY
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CDRE Burroughs, DCN
WO D Bloor, WON
Mr A Cutler, NCM
EDITOR:
David McLoughlin
Defence Communications Group
HQ NZ Defence Force
Private Bag, Wellington, New Zealand
P: (04) 496 0219 F: (04) 496 0290
E: david.mcloughlin@nzdf.mil.nz
TE KAHA crew performing a jackstay during the
ship's Directed Readiness Evaluation.
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10 wellington
sails south
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
04 TE KAHA's DRE
MOET Mayhem
10 Subantarctic
WELLINGTON sails south
14 RESOLUTION Decommissioned
End of an era
22 Counter terror op
CAPT Cook in Bahrain
30 MALTA Convoys
NZ's part
14 resolution
decommissioned
22 captain cook
in bahrain
1. HMAS, 2. Axle, 4. Crossing the line,
5. Fog, 6. Wavy Navy, 8. OBE,
9. Divers, 10. Squirt, 12. Hinau,
16. Ones, 18. Anti, 19. Bulkhead,
20. Fleets, 21. Radios, 23. Tatts,
28 & 17 across. Infra-red, 29. USSR,
30. Able, 32. Air.
Down:
3. Scapa Flow, 7. Mexico, 9. Dogs,
11. She, 13. Jet Ski, 14. Turn,
15. Anchor, 17 & 28 down. Infra-red,
19. Buffer, 22. Snotty, 24. Salty,
25. Pirate, 26. Keel, 27. Oilers,
29. USA, 31. Seas, 33. Diesel,
34. Destroyer.
Across:
Answers to crossword puzzle
on page 39:
2 NT165february-march12
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YOURS AYE
by rear admiral tony parr, Chief of Navy
‘Sea blindness’ is a term that has been much bandied
about in recent years in high-level discussions about
maritime security. It means a lack of appreciation of
the vital role Naval power plays to ensure maritime
security and economic prosperity on the world’s oceans
and waterways.
Are we guilty of sea blindness in New Zealand? It would be nonsense
to say that the sea doesn’t matter to us – there’s no escaping we are
an island nation. Is it not our God-given right to swim in the sea, surf
its waves, set boats afloat on it, fish in it and exploit it for the mineral
wealth it holds on and under its bed?
Despite our awareness of these matters it often seems the public are
more focused on matters such as environmental issues and lawlessness
at sea than on the broader strategic, economic and geo-political issues.
As a result there is a tendency to focus on our ‘green water’ and ‘brown
water’ fleets that are employed in coastal and constabulary tasks, not
the ‘blue water’ role we have played for many years.
This focus is understandable. Protection and conservation of the
resources of the sea are acknowledged as being in our national interest:
our Exclusive Economic Zone is the fifth largest in the world. At another
level our island status shapes our perception of national security. It would
take a lot of convincing a New Zealander that someone is going to come
1000 miles across the open sea from Australia to invade us.
Nevertheless, there is no denying that the sea is the medium by which
our economy is sustained. Amongst other things we import almost all of
our oil by sea. Conversely, almost all of the vital meat, wool and dairy
products that leave our shores to overseas markets goes by sea. The
volume of global trade transported by sea has increased four fold in
the last 40 years so that now more than nine tenths of world trade is
carried by sea. It follows that security of the sea lanes on the world’s
oceans and freedom of navigation on the high seas is very much in our
national interest.
Most trading countries have a common interest in ensuring that freedom
to navigate the oceans of the world is preserved. This collective interest
ensures that threats of a hostile, terrorist and criminal nature are neither
tolerated nor allowed to proliferate. These acts extend from the threat
or use of submarines in maritime choke points to acts of piracy and
people or drug smuggling.
The Navy’s ships and people are the instruments whereby the
Government contributes to the freedom of navigation globally, and
which can be deployed on missions to ensure that our national interest
is maintained and preserved. Our ships rarely do this alone. Over the
past twenty years our frigates have been regularly sent to the world’s
maritime hotspots in the Middle East and South East Asia, with allies
and international partners where national interests are aligned.
The Navy is sometimes known as the Silent Service. Perhaps this is
because historically Naval ships have deployed continuously but largely
unseen across the oceans of the world. When the time comes, as it
inevitably will, to respond to tragedy, illegal activity or threats to peace
and good order you can rest assured our frigates and their crews will
be ready to answer the call.
WOMM Mick O'Carroll (left) receiving Chief of
Navy's Commendation from RA Parr.
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 3

TE KAHA’s DRE
Haka as MOETs arrive.
MOET MAYHEM
By DAVID McLOUGHLIN
Editor, Navy Today
“Good morning TE KAHA, captain speaking.
It’s another fine Western Australia day, but
we can expect the tension to rise over the
next 24 to 36 hours. This is the moment
we will make the most of the opportunities
to show how TE KAHA puts the ‘war’ into
‘warship’. Anticipate the unexpected. Think
ahead and work hard for your teammates.
Kia kaha.”
It’s dawn, 0620 on Thursday 22 March, and
HMNZS TE KAHA’s Commanding Officer,
Commander Jon Beadsmoore, is talking to his
ship’s company over the main broadcast system
as the frigate sails in the Indian Ocean close to
Perth at the climax of the Work Up that began
six weeks before on departure from Devonport
Naval Base.
Today is the day 35 members of the Navy’s
Maritime Operational Evaluation Team –
MOET – will put TE KAHA’s 175 officers and
ratings through a rigorous series of surprise
events including fires, floods and bomb and
missile attacks to see whether she will pass
the Directed Readiness Evaluation (DRE) that
will qualify her to operate as a fully proficient
warship. Passing the DRE is not at all easy.
The frigate’s crew will have to work as hard
ON THE HIGH
and convincingly as they would be required to KAHA (needed). In the heavily rolling swell of the
if today’s events were real.
day, CDR Beadsmoore makes four approaches
TE KAHA and the Navy’s fleet replenishment to the wallowing ENDEAVOUR from different
tanker ENDEAVOUR have been taking part directions. The ship shakes as he simultaneously
in Exercise TRITON STORM with Australian orders differing ahead and astern on the port
ships including the Anzac-class frigates and starboard levers, getting TE KAHA into
WARRAMUNGA, PERTH and BALLARAT, position until the gun line goes over, followed by
the Adelaide-class guided missile frigate the tow rope. ENDEAVOUR gets under tow as
NEWCASTLE, the replenishment ship SIRIUS night falls. She has passed her DRE and now it
and the Collins-class submarine COLLINS. is TE KAHA’s turn.
During TRITON STORM, the Kiwis and Shortly after the CO’s 0620 main broadcast
Aussies have been protecting the Exclusive message, members of TE KAHA’s kapa haka
Economic Zone of the small and mythical group and others from the Ship’s Company
resource-rich nation of Beulah from the assemble in the hangar, led by POCSS Shane
predatory and equally mythical Avalonians. Westbrook. The sea is fairly calm and the
Some RAN ships and RAAF aircraft also acted wind slight after the heavy swells of the night
as the Avalonian aggressors, who also had a before. As the RAN motor boat carrying the
'Seersucker' missile battery on shore.
MOETs nears TE KAHA, the haka party stand
The MOETs were aboard ENDEAVOUR their ground on the flight deck and carry out a
during Wednesday, subjecting her to various ferocious challenge to TEK’s examiners.
DRE tests that include her having a major fire The MOETs come aboard, led by Commander
(firefighting crews are readied on TE KAHA’s Wiremu Leef with Maritime Component
decks to go over, but not needed) and being Commander, Commodore John Martin,
put out of action and needing a tow from TE assembling in the Wardroom where they have
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5-inch gun in action.
All dead on the bridge
after a missile hits.
SEAS
Te Kaha crew defending
the ship after the bridge is
put out of action.
TE KAHA’s DRE
breakfast and go through the tasks they will set
TE KAHA over the next furious 24 hours.
Says CDR Leef to his team: “Fatigue is one of
our biggest concerns. It’s going to be a long day.
Make sure we are all keeping an eye on ourselves.
The ship’s obviously up to the challenge, witness
the haka this morning. Let’s meet it.”
Says MOET member WOMED Mike Wiig: “In
the past, we’ve come on board and attacked the
Wardroom to take it over. This time we’ve just
been given it. That’s practical as it’s one of the
biggest spaces on this ship to accommodate 35
MOET personnel.” Echoing CDR Beadsmoore’s
earlier call to the crew, he adds: “We put the
war into warfare.”
The MOETs fan over the ship. In quick
succession, a TE KAHA crew member gets an
electric shock in the radar mast module and
needs evacuation by helicopter. A hydrogen
sulphide gas leak erupts from the ship’s
sewerage system and someone becomes
unconscious there. A huge bang is followed
by the announcement “flood, flood, flood” and
enemy aircraft are flying overhead.
“It’s one of the best I’ve seen,” one of the
MOETs says to another regarding the speedy
rescue from the sewerage plant.
A jackstay to haul emergency supplies from
NEWCASTLE is interrupted by a “man overboard”
and the launch of a RHIB to rescue Oscar, the
man-overboard dummy, then it’s “Hands to
Action Stations” as Avalonian forces attack
with missiles, that fortunately miss, just after the
“brace, brace, brace” call. TE KAHA’s 5-inch gun
fires round after round at the Seersucker battery.
The ratings’ galley catches fire (complete with
lots of clouds of ‘disco smoke’ from canisters
let off by the MOETs) making dinner a quick
barbeque “fast mess” affair in the junior ratings
dining room where the entire crew and MOETs
are pushed through with just a couple of minutes
each to dine. CDR Beadsmoore is barely seated
before a phone rings for him and he dashes to
the next emergency.
Despite the frantic action all day Thursday,
TE KAHA suffers no seriously damaging blow,
which might suggest the MOETs’ biggest test is
yet to come. A “man overboard” about 0100 is
followed by hours of quiet until… 0545. “Action
Stations!” sounds. A raid is coming in.
The Bridge is in almost total darkness, with
even the red lights out in the pre-dawn. The
officers of the watch look intensely at their
radar and other instruments. Suddenly a volley
of alarms erupts from many parts of the ship.
Smoke! Smoke! Smoke! Casualty! Casualty!
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 5

te kaha's dre
driving a warship
“I’m Sarah, I drive a warship.” It’s the
party-stopping line to stop them all and
it’s one that Ensign Sarah Thomas, just
turned 20, from Thames, uses with pride.
Currently a Bridge watchkeeper on HMNZS
TE KAHA, she operates during her shifts all
the Bridge equipment from the radar to the
levers that determine the frigate’s speed.
ENS Thomas joined the Navy in February
2010 fresh from finishing Year 13 at Thames
High School to get experiences, skills, training
and travel. She’s had all in abundance, most
recently with TE KAHA’s intense six-week
Work Up exercises between Devonport
Naval Base, Sydney and Perth climaxing in
the Directed Readiness Evaluation off Perth
in late March.
“I came straight from Thames to DNB for
the Junior Officers’ Common Training (JOCT).
I don’t know what I was expecting, perhaps
a lot of running, cleaning and ironing, and
there was. But we also did weapons training,
Damage Control training, even a trip on SPIRIT
OF NEW ZEALAND, where yes, I climbed up
the masts. I‘ve always liked heights, so I had
no problems with that whatsoever.”
Her JOCT was followed by the basic
Officer of the Watch (OOW) course where
she learned to navigate and drive the Navy’s
four Inshore Patrol Vessels before spending
four months in one of them, HMNZS PUKAKI,
watchkeeping in waters around New Zealand
to gain experience.
“It was a lot of responsibility.”
In March 2011, ENS Thomas joined the
sealift and amphibious support ship HMNZS
CANTERBURY as an assistant watchkeeper
for two months that included missions to
Vanuatu and Tonga before a 14-week stint at
DNB for various courses including advanced
watchkeeping and warfare. She was posted
to TE KAHA on 6 January this year.
“I was excited. I was meant to be going to
ENDEAVOUR but spaces opened up here
on TE KAHA. It’s probably the best thing for
my career that could have happened. My
family was pretty impressed; they are very
supportive of my Navy career.
“This trip has been very intense and
tiring but I’ve learnt so much. I enjoy being
challenged. I get bored very quickly but here
things are never the same day-to-day. As
soon as you get good at something, there is
something else to learn. I did a lot of maths
and physics at school which I really enjoyed
and it’s helped me a lot with my work.”
ENS Thomas says her two main career
options are navigation and warfare. She plans
to gain more experience before specialising.
She is now completing on-the-job training that
will see her become a fully qualified OOW.
Meanwhile, her TE KAHA posting has
provided a new personal highlight. “I was
winched up to the Helo from the Ship’s
forecastle. Apart from skydiving it’s the highest
thing I’ve ever done and it was great fun.”
continued from pg 5
Casualty! Flood! Flood! Flood! A bomb crashes
into the hangar but does not explode. Fire!
Fire! Fire!
Two MOETs enter the Bridge and discharge
a smoke canister, announcing to the startled
crew: “Direct missile hit on the Bridge. You’re
all dead. Drop to the floor.” They drop. Medics
arrive and check for pulses. TE KAHA is heading
east for land with the bridge destroyed. The
highest priority is setting up an alternative means
of controlling the ship. An Emergency Conning
Position is quickly established with a portable
compass and a laptop to try to assume control,
in particular to drive TE KAHA so close to nearby
Rottnest Island (a landmark near Perth) that
the Avalonian Seersucker battery there cannot
engage the frigate. Crew in helmets, anti-flash
gear and flak jackets stand by the ship’s machine
guns to fire at approaching hostile aircraft. Crew
all over the ship put out fires, repair damage,
staunch floods and help the injured.
This might all be an exercise, but it is played
out for real, in real time. Nobody here is under
any illusion that they may have to do it all for real
one day, nor that they must do it for real today
to pass the DRE.
“We’ve got on top of most of the incidents,”
Executive Officer Lieutenant Commander
Brock Symmons announces over the intercom
at 0730. “Now’s the time to show even more
urgency as we get the ship back into action
and into the fight.”
After the unexploded bomb is removed from
the hangar, TE KAHA’s Seasprite helicopter
is launched to attack the Seersucker battery,
which is declared destroyed. At 0740, the DRE
is pronounced complete, and TE KAHA and
ENDEAVOUR head for Fremantle.
“What I saw this morning was top-notch,” LT
CDR Symmons says. TE KAHA has a young
crew. The median length of service is six years.
Only 10 of the crew have more than 20 years’
experience. Forty per cent of the ship’s company
have joined since she returned from South-east
Asia last year, he adds.
At the wharf at 1230, the entire ship’s company
assembles on the flight deck to hear the result
of the DRE from CDRE Martin, who is a tough
evaluator. He says his assessment is based on
the last six weeks, not just the past 24 hours.
“You have finished the Work Up. It has been
a challenge but it is not the be all and end all
challenge. For you now, the challenge is to be
New Zealand’s operational warship overseas
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te kaha's dre
and go to war if need be.”
TE KAHA has good dynamics, CDRE Martin
says. During the DRE the crew gave a good
strong performance, “but you need to be more
critical of people around you and demand
excellence.” The ship’s overall result is “standard
achieved minus” which is “a solid standard” with
no need for the MOETs to return for another
evaluation. “It’s a good place to be with your
professional careers developing at this time.”
Awards are awarded, the MOETs depart and
CDR Beadsmoore addresses the crew.
“I’m extremely proud of the performance you
have put in this past six weeks and the past 24
hours. It was an astounding effort from start to
finish. The DRE is just one day. We move on.
We have to digest the lessons we have learned
and improve our performance. And we will all
do that.”
It’s another hot afternoon in Fremantle. The
Beer Bar and Barbeque start at 1630. The mood
is relaxed and jovial but many are tired from the
intensity of the week and the past 36 hours.
After a weekend with leave ashore for those
who want it, TE KAHA has more exercises off
Perth, then she is away to Hobart, then back to
DNB before setting off for Hawaii and Rimpac,
where all that the crew have done and learnt
during the Work Up and DRE will be put to more
very hard tests.
FROM GAS STATION
TO ACTION STATIONS
Ordinary Marine Technician (Electronic)
Fraser Young got perhaps two hours’ sleep
overnight when the MOET were putting
the frigate through its Directed Readiness
Evaluation. He was on duty in the ship’s
engine spaces from midnight to 0400, then
had a little sleep before Action Stations
sounded at dawn.
OMT (L) Young (aged 21) is one of the oftenunseen
members of TE KAHA’s company,
working in the engine spaces below the
waterline, based from the Machinery Control
Room (MCR), rarely seeing daylight during such
busy times as a ship’s Work Up and DRE.
“Today wasn’t too bad,” he says, late in
the morning of Friday 23 March, the second
morning of the DRE when TE KAHA’s bridge
was knocked out and general mayhem
erupted throughout the ship at the behest of
the Maritime Operational Evaluation Team.
“You just do your best and get it done as
fast as you can. Do it once, do it right. Make
sure you follow your training. If you follow
your training you can’t go wrong. It keeps
you safe. Whatever happens can be brought
under control.”
Born and brought up in Johnsonville,
Wellington, OMT (L) Young worked at the
petrol station in nearby Crofton Downs after
school and then did a gap year working for
an electrical contracting company while
he considered options for his future. His
parents suggested the Defence Force or
the police. He looked at an avionics career
with the Air Force before going to a Defence
interview where it was suggested he might
become a marine technician.
“I joined the Navy in January 2010. It
was pretty crazy moving out of my home.
All of a sudden I was moving to Auckland.
I didn’t know anyone in the Navy. But it’s
been really good.”
OMT (L) Young has shared his Navy
career between NPRC at Devonport Naval
Base and attachments to WELLINGTON,
TAUPO, CANTERBURY for the Navy’s 70th
Anniversary, and HAWEA, ranging from one
week to one month. He has been involved
in the Navy’s Christchurch earthquake effort
and the RENA oil spill, among other tasks he
has enjoyed.
“TE KAHA is my first posting. It’s called OJT
or on-the-job training. I have a task book with
six months to do heaps of tasks, with lots of
rounds checking machinery, oil levels and so
on making sure all are sound. I was posted
here in mid-January and most of my task
book is already done. Once it’s finished I get
promoted to AMT.”
“You just do your best
and get it done as
fast as you can. Do it
once, do it right. Make
sure you follow your
training. If you follow
your training you can’t
go wrong."
During this day’s MOET-directed Action
Stations, he was busy with a high pressure air
leak from the Gas Turbine start air bottles, a
split seam in a bulkhead that needed wedges
being hit into the seam to stop flooding, and
shoring of a bulkhead. All in the couple of
hours after dawn. As part of the Work Up, he
also had a broken ankle and was a casualty of
a toxic gas leak. Exercise only, of course.
What’s it like working down in the very
depths of the ship? “You get used to it. You
are usually so busy you don’t think about it.
It makes going out to the open air so much
better. That’s why ports are so much fun.”
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 7

JUNIOR OFFICER COMMON TRAINING
LIFE AT SEA
Wade out to RHIB.
By LT CDR WARREN DOHNT
Junior Officer Personnel Officer, Fleet Personnel
and Training
On 25 January 2012, 39 future leaders of the
Royal New Zealand Navy commenced Junior
Officer Common Training (JOCT). The day
started early with Early Morning Activities
(a gentle physical training session) at 0525
then into ablutions, breakfast and cleaning
stations (something JOCT would become
very familiar with). The forenoon consisted
of JOCT undertaking final medical and dental
checks prior to attestation. Life in the Navy
had begun.
JOCT attested at 1330 at the new Navy
Museum. With the trainees under the watchful
eye of Directing Staff, Captain James Gilmour,
RNZN conducted the ceremony. It was an
appropriate setting in amongst the history and
people of the Royal New Zealand Navy.
From here JOCT were quickly formed up
outside and marched onto the awaiting bus.
Back to barracks and a quick change into
Physical Training gear preceded heading off to
the gym to complete their first fitness test as
members of the RNZN. The first introduction to
the Physical Training Instructors is an eye opener
for most trainees and was certainly a wake-up
call. Life in the ‘blue suit’ had started.
As the fitness test completed JOCT were then
doubled (run) from the base to Narrowneck
Beach, a few kilometres down the road. On
a beautiful sunny Auckland day, with several
hundred people from the local community
already at the beach, JOCT arrived at the
double. As quickly as possible it was into life
jackets and helmets as five Rigid Hull Inflatable
Boats (RHIBs) came around the headland and
approached the beach. With great interest
from the watching crowds, JOCT were divided
into groups and headed into neck-deep water
before being loaded onto the RHIBs. Once
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JUNIOR OFFICER COMMON TRAINING
RHIBs in transit.
RHIBs in transit.
loaded the RHIBs commenced their journey
north; to where? They had no idea.
For the next hour JOCT were transported
north to the tip of Whangaparaoa Peninsula,
Tamaki Leadership Centre (TLC - not meaning
tender loving care as JOCT would find out).
As the RHIBs came into the beach JOCT were
offloaded a good distance out and commenced
a brisk trip to the beach. From here they found
their dhobey (washing) buckets and a few extra
items. After some additional team evolutions
JOCT start the long trek up from Shakespeare
Bay Regional Park to TLC.
After a brief stop to refill and become
acquainted with the debriefing pond en route
to TLC, JOCT eventually found their new home
for the next three weeks. A quick fresh water
wash down, double to barracks and finally
into dinner.
Induction training is all about team work; JOCT
quickly learnt, from the ever watching staff, the
need to help out your new friends/comrades
and to put in maximum effort to meet the times
set. JOCT members would face a number of
challenges over the coming weeks to test both
their physical and mental stamina and it would
only be through teamwork that they would be able
to successfully complete the different tasks.
This day one introduction to naval life for
JOCT is all part of the 'mariner' theme key to
Officer Training. Throughout their training, at
every opportunity, JOCT are put on or in the
water to test them and build their resilience in
the environment in which they have chosen to
work. Crown Dinghy sailing, Sail Training Craft,
sea-safety training, RHIB transport, a two-week
Ship deployment, basic seamanship and finally
a week-long leadership exercise based around
a maritime disaster relief scenario. JOCT is
focused on preparing our future leaders for the
job they can expect to undertake as a Naval
Officer – a job in, on and around the sea.
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 9

SUBANTARCTIC
At anchor, Port Ross.
WELLINGTON
heads south to Auckland
BY DAVID BALHAM
On the Auckland Islands, a tiny piece of New Zealand territory 465km south of Bluff, the
wind blows so hard that waterfalls are blown back up the cliffs.
Now uninhabited, the sub-Antarctic islands have a turbulent history. During the sailing era they
caused many shipwrecks, including the famous GENERAL GRANT with its load of bullion; early
charts showing the islands 35 miles south of their actual position were partly to blame. They
were the scene of the British Empire’s shortest-lived colony, named Hardwicke, and several
unsuccessful farming attempts, all defeated by isolation and the bleak, unforgiving climate.
During World War II, teams of coastwatchers were posted there on a secret mission, scanning
the horizon for signs of enemy ships attacking New Zealand from the south.
This February the ship's company of the offshore patrol vessel HMNZS WELLINGTON were
able to see the Auckland Islands for themselves, on a voyage providing support for Department
of Conservation research.
The week-long expedition saw the ship’s rigid-hull inflatable boats (RHIBs) used to circumnavigate
the island to conduct the first ever survey of the Auckland Island shag – a bird found only on the
island – as well as the first survey of rockhopper penguins in more than 20 years.
While the results looked grim for the penguins, whose numbers appeared to have dropped
substantially, the shag population was in good health.
Despite the islands’ well-earned reputation for an evil climate – they are right in the middle of
the “Furious Fifties” and it rains most of the time – the sun shone steadily and the wind stayed at
bay, allowing DOC to complete all the tasks on its list. These included hauling away the rotting
remains of one of the castaway depots, set up by the government in the 19th Century to provide
provisions for those unlucky enough to be shipwrecked on the islands, but now beyond repair.
The voyage was also a success for a team of geologists from Otago University, who found
examples of peridotite, a rock normally only found in the earth’s mantle, brought to the surface
in eruptions some 16 million years ago when the islands were formed.
WELLINGTON’s commanding officer, LT CDR Rob McCaw, said work such as the DOC voyage
was the purpose of the offshore patrol vessels.
“We’re here to help other government agencies – Customs, Police, Fisheries – reach the outer
Coastwatchers in 1944 left to right Ron
Balham, Robin Oliver, Laurie Pollock,
Arnold Stanbury, Jack Carlisle.
THE COASTWATCHERS
For me, the trip to Auckland Island had a special
significance. My father was one of the coastwatchers
based there in 1943, keeping watch for any sign of an
attack on New Zealand from the south. The mission,
code-named CAPE EXPEDITION, was a secret and
the men were not allowed to tell even their families
where they were going – though it is now believed
that the Germans at least had a good idea that they
were there. Apart from a daily radio message back to
Wellington and occasional visits from a supply ship,
they had no contact with the outside world.
To keep themselves entertained and to prevent the more
reclusive from withdrawing entirely, the coastwatchers
devised busy social schedules: my father’s group enjoyed
sports tournaments, debates, ballroom dancing lessons
and bridge, among other diversions. They would hold
dinner parties at the slightest excuse, and seem to
have eaten as well as we did on the Wellington: one
carefully hand-printed menu to celebrate a coastwatcher’s
birthday features toheroa soup, whitebait patties, leg of
mutton and chocolate éclairs.
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They also sampled the local wildlife. My father’s
diary records that shag tasted better than yelloweyed
penguin, which was rather oily. On one
occasion a roast albatross was presented with great
ceremony, only to be declared inedible as it had
been chloroformed and the flesh was tainted.
Many of the men were also scientists and carried
out research during their time on the islands in
fields as diverse as meteorology and measuring
the ionosphere. The biologists’ techniques would
have horrified the DoC parties of today: any
animal, however rare, was to be shot at once so
it could be measured and dissected (and as often
as not, eaten).
Coastwatchers were stationed on both Auckland
and Campbell islands from 1941 until the end of the
war. In the event only two ships were ever spotted,
both of them American Liberty Ships and both
sighted by my father. He so enjoyed the wilderness
of the sub-Antarctic that on returning from the 1943
party he immediately asked to be sent back, and
was posted to Campbell Island.
Two of the three coastwatcher stations are now
derelict, and the third, at Ranui Cove in Port Ross,
is in immediate need of repair if it is to survive. Sadly,
an attempt to do so last year failed due to lack of
funds. The stations are a unique, if rather isolated,
piece of New Zealand history.
An entry in my father’s diary predicts: “In years to
come we will certainly laugh when we look back on
the happy days we spent together while members of
the Cape Expedition.” This proved to be true. Many
of the men remained friends for the rest of their lives,
and my father hosted the 55th anniversary of the
1944 Campbell Expedition just two weeks before
his death. – DAVID BALHAM
Ship's crew ashore. LTCDR Rob McCaw at left.
Photo Peter Risdale.
limits of New Zealand territory,” he said. “By doing
this we can free up the frigates for the ‘right of
arc’ work – the sharp end of the Navy.”
WELLINGTON has recently been deployed
to help Fisheries officers board vessels on the
outskirts of New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic
Zone, and was involved in the search last
year for the Norwegian yacht BERSERK in
Antarctic waters.
As time and work schedules permitted at the
Auckland Islands, many of the ship’s crew took
the opportunity to go ashore to visit places few
people have access to.
One group visited the tiny graveyard at
Port Ross, virtually all that is left of the failed
Hardwicke colony which lasted just from 1849 to
1852. It was hard not to be moved by the graves,
one of which is for a girl aged just three months.
Her headstone is made from the grinding wheel
from the colony’s mill, which saw little use as it
was impossible to grow wheat there.
Another headstone tells of the terrible
struggle of shipwrecked castaways. Its
headstone reads: “Sacred to the memory of
John Mahony, Master Mariner, second mate of
the ship INVERCAULD, wrecked on this island
16 May 1864, died from starvation.”
ACH Henry Longstaff joined another group on a
brisk walk around Enderby Island to the north of
the archipelago, where attempts to farm cattle in
the 19th Century failed dismally and left the land
almost stripped of vegetation. ACH Longstaff,
whose father had visited the Auckland Islands as
CO of HMNZS MANAWANUI, said he was struck
by the “cool and eerie feeling of isolation” of the
place. He said he had always been interested in
the sub-Antarctic and was keen to return.
SUBANTARCTIC
For Supply Officer LT Tenisha Cawte the wildlife
of the islands was a big attraction. “I grew up on
a farm and I love animals and the outdoors, so I
was very excited to come here,” she said.
After a scramble through dense and at times
almost impenetrable rata forest LT Cawte was
able to get close to a colony of white-capped
albatrosses, some of them with chicks. The crew
also encountered Hooker’s sea lions, fur seals,
and rare yellow-eyed penguins.
Back on board the seariders (non-Navy
personnel) enjoyed an unaccustomed chance
to experience Navy life. ACH Longstaff’s galley
produced some spectacular meals, including, on
one notable night, chilli and lime salmon steaks
with hollandaise sauce and Thai green chicken
pie with coriander and pumpkin topping. The
writer, at 193cm tall, was pleased to find that he
was able to fit neatly into his bunk, after hearing
frightening tales of tall sailors being forced to
sleep in the shape of question marks.
The seariders were given the run of the ship,
including the bridge, and enjoyed learning about
Navy traditions such as the use of the pipes to
signal wake-up, daily orders, and the raising and
lowering of the flag.
DOC’s Programme Manager for Outlying Islands,
Pete McClelland, a veteran of many voyages to
the sub-Antarctic, said WELLINGTON was ideal
for the trip.
“The Offshore Patrol Vessels are built for this
sort of thing – they have space built in for extra
personnel, and cargo space on the stern. They’re
able to be much more flexible than the frigates
we used to use. Frankly, we couldn’t do this work
without the help of the Navy.”
Hardwicke Assistant Commissioner William
Mackworth, leaving the island as the colony was
abandoned in 1852, wrote: “The satisfaction I feel
at this moment is beyond description. My miserable
life at Port Ross will never be forgotten.”
Many of those on board WELLINGTON as she
sailed away at the end of a successful mission
would have felt rather differently.
Penguin survey in RHIB.
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 11

Mums N Bubs Bootiecamp
NAVY MOTHERS WORKING OUT
A “Mums N Bubs BootieCamp" has been
introduced at Devonport Naval Base for Navy
women on parental leave. One of the mothers
participating, LT KASEY VISSERS, shares the
experience.
During the nine glorious (and some not so
glorious) months of pregnancy we modified
our physical activity due to our bellies growing,
the ability to complete ‘normal’ activities slowly
became challenging. Being active during
pregnancy is important, yet at times it was
difficult especially during the later stages when
tying your shoe laces is a challenge.
With the birth of our wee babies, we have
had to adjust our physical activity regime yet
again, this time to incorporate a pram! Hitting
the streets with your baby is pretty exciting.
However, they are too young to encourage you
or push you that little bit further. Subsequently,
the walk turns into a stroll! As many of you
who have had children know, it is also hard to
motivate yourself when you are surviving on
minimal sleep, are covered in all that comes
out of a baby and the housework needs to
be done.
Thankfully the Naval Community Organisation
team implemented a new initiative this year,
suggested by LT Ansilea Nagy: a fitness class
specifically for Navy women on parental leave,
designed to improve our fitness so we will be
once again Fit for Operational Service (FFOS).
The classes are held at the Narrowneck Gym,
which provides a great setting for the babies
so as not to create too much noise and fuss
for others exercising and for the mums to be
able to exercise in relative privacy.
LPTI Jaimee Wattie has developed a
comprehensive programme split into eight
week blocks to ensure new mums can join at
the start of a new block and be encouraged
back into fitness. Jaimee has ensured there is
variety with each session and they are always
challenging and enjoyable.
The activities range from circuits designed
to rebuild core strength lost during pregnancy
and walk/run circuits where we can get out
and about as a group on the nicer days of the
year. We try to wear our Navy PT shirts while we
are out and about and we can barely go 100m
without getting loads of positive comments
from the community.
As a mum herself, Jaimee knows the
challenges involved in getting back into PT
after childbirth and has modified exercises so
you can involve your baby if you desire: "The
babies themselves thrive on this as it is great
interaction with Mum and keeps them active,"
she says.
Cindy Haliburton, the Navy Family Liaison
Officer, attends each session providing support
for us mums by looking after the babies,
therefore minimising disruption to our workouts.
Not only is this wonderful for the mums but the
babies also get great interaction with other
babies of different ages. It has also ensured
that each of us can easily tap into the services
that Cindy can provide. This is added support
which is invaluable to new mums, whether it
be a sympathetic ear, answering a burning
question or even babysitting so that you can
have an hour to yourself.
An additional bonus of conducting these
sessions is the development of friendships
and support as we all have children around the
same age. Whilst we all have various mothers'
groups there is something more comforting
to be around other Navy personnel who
understand the different pressures associated
with being in the Navy and for some who also
have partners serving. We have also been kept
“in the loop” with what is happening in the
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strategy
Shaping the NZDF for the next 20 years
Navy mothers on North Head
with HMNZS WELLINGTON in the
background.
“The classes have proved really popular
and should continue to be so as other
personnel on parental leave join the
group. If you are going to be on parental
leave soon, make sure to touch base with
the Naval Community Organisation and
sign up for the classes.”
– LT Ansilea Nagy
Navy which has ensured we continue to feel
important within the naval community, hopefully
making the transition back into work easier.
The provision of a fitness programme for
RNZN mothers on parental leave is both a
positive step to assist our uniformed women to
achieve the fitness standard upon returning to
work as well as improving the communication
and inclusion of our women whilst they are on
leave. This could ultimately result in a higher
return-to-work rate due to the continuous
communications and networking opportunities
within the RNZN. It is also a positive step in
encouraging networking of a minority group
within the RNZN.
• Mums N Bubs Bootiecamp programme is now
also available for Defence Civilian employees
on parental leave. Please contact the NCO to
register.
The Chief of Defence Force, Lieutenant
General Rhys Jones (below, right), has
launched Future 35, our strategy to shape
the NZDF as a strong and capable Defence
Force out to 2035. His goal is for our
Defence Force to deliver capabilities
and services that are relevant, combatorientated,
and valued by the Government
and all New Zealanders.
The next 25 years are likely to be challenging:
an increasingly uncertain environment; new
military technology; adoption of new doctrine
and tactics—often asymmetric; new warfare
environments influenced by contemporary
trends such as cyber-warfare; use of non-state
actors; and greater potential for direct and
deniable attacks on New Zealand’s interests.
The NZDF must develop new military
capabilities to meet future security challenges.
The Defence Force may not receive additional
Government funding for the next ten years, and
we may need to fund future military capability
from within our current budget, the CDF says.
“The added challenge is that we may be
called on to provide more support to protect
New Zealand’s economic and territorial
interests. While our primary focus is the South
Pacific, we must also be capable of working
in partnership with others in the South East
Asian region and beyond.”
NZDF’s New Strategy
The CDF explained that our strategy to meet
these challenges is for the NZDF of the future
to be more ‘joined up’, both in terms of
structure as well as culture.
“The Joint Amphibious Task Force (JATF)
we are creating is the first and most tangible
example. The JATF will drive change and will
see the three Services come together in a
more joint and ‘joined up’ way—a shift in the
way we work and think to a future where we
will largely operate together.” [See Navy Today
164 December 2011.]
The JATF will primarily be structured for the
deployment of combat forces. However it will
most frequently be used to deploy disaster
relief forces, conduct exercises in the region,
and assist our neighbours to develop their
own capacity.
“The JATF requires us to deploy, operate,
and sustain combat forces away from
New Zealand, positioning the NZDF as an
expeditionary force. It is important to note
that building defence capability takes time.
Initially the composition of the JATF will be
formed from existing force element capability.
Over time we will acquire and develop new
complementary capabilities required to fight
within a joint, interagency, and multi-national
environment.”
The Plan to 2015
The plan for the NZDF will initially focus on
two key areas:
Capability Renewal. By 2015 the Joint
Amphibious Task Force will see our current
force strengths—our frontline operational and
support units from across the three Services—
reorganised into an integrated and coherent
force working together as one.
Organisational Reform. Our second focus
is organisational reform, to strengthen our
organisational management and work in a
more ‘joined-up’ way. The performance of the
middle and back of the Defence Force needs
to better support our core military business,
and match the agility and effectiveness of our
deployed force elements.
More information on Future 35 will be
promulgated through command channels. See
also Future 35 dated March 2012 distributed
via email and intranet.
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 13

RESOLUTION DECOMMISSIONING
By SLT DAVE JAQUIERY
HMNZS RESOLUTION
Sunday 27 April 2012 sees the end of an era
for the Royal New Zealand Navy.
The day marks the decommissioning ceremony
for HMNZS RESOLUTION, 15 years and two
months after she was commissioned into New
Zealand service in Portland, Oregon.
Her years of service have been characterised
by the continuous hard, unsung work which is
the stuff of any self-respecting hydrographic
survey ship, the role which RESOLUTION was
primarily brought into service for, and so named
to tribute the rich historical ties that name has
with hydrography in New Zealand.
RESOLUTION was named after the second
vessel under the command of Captain James
Cook, RN, on which he visited, and surveyed,
our shores during the 1770s. However it was
not the first of that name in Royal Navy service.
The name RESOLUTION was used by no fewer
than 11 RN ships prior to ours during the course
of almost 400 years, very much the days of
when “ships were wood and men were steel.”
Indeed, during CAPT Cook’s first trip here on
RESOLUTION he was away from home for
no less than two-and-a-half years! Not bad,
considering the ship was cramped at 110 crew
and only 33.7 metres from stem to stern.
On RESOLUTION Cook boldly went where
no man had been before, being the first ship
recorded as having crossed the Antarctic Circle.
It was on return from this achievement that
RESOLUTION first visited New Zealand, sailing to
the Fiordland coast in order to make repairs. Since
he was there, Cook also charted Dusky Sound
and conducted a survey of Pickersgill Harbour
— and it’s even still on the chart, albeit mainly
for historical interest. He also named an island in
the area after RESOLUTION.
Sadly, during the course of his third voyage,
again on HMS RESOLUTION, CAPT Cook was
killed. He was posthumously awarded a coat-ofarms.
In fact, the wavy six-armed star on HMNZS
RESOLUTION’s ship’s crest was copied from it in
honour of the man with whom our ship’s history
is so closely bound.
Before entering service with the RNZN,
our RESOLUTION was formerly the USNS
TENACIOUS, a Stalwart class ocean surveillance
ship. Her class was equipped with a Surveillance
Towed Array Sensor System (SURTASS) and
was used during the Cold War for passive
sonar operations. TENACIOUS served in that
capacity for seven-and-a-half years before being
stricken from the Naval Vessel Register and
commissioned into our navy one week later on
the sixth of February 1997.
RESOLUTION was purchased to replace
HMNZ Ships TUI and MONOWAI as the primary
hydrographic survey ship with the secondary
role of acoustic research. TUI’s towed array
was embarked onto the SURTASS winch
on the quarterdeck. The survey technology
was much improved with multi-beam echo
sounders replacing the single beam echo
sounders of MONOWAI.
The arrangement for hydrography in New
Zealand had also changed around the time of
RESOLUTION’s commissioning into the Navy. The
model born out of the “funder-provider split” of
the day placed responsibility for hydrography
with Land Information New Zealand (LINZ)
and the Navy entered into a Memorandum of
Understanding arrangement with them. This
resulted in the Navy being contracted to provide
hydrographic services mostly in support of the
Shipping Lanes project for which RESOLUTION
has surveyed over 75,000 nautical miles. By
current tallies, RESOLUTION has generated over
$80 million of external revenue for the RNZN.
Like any Navy ship, RESOLUTION has proved
her versatility and conducted far more jobs than
solely “mowing the lawn” – although the more
than 1200 days she has spent on the survey
ground certainly attest to her commitment to the
task! During the last few years she has conducted
Fisheries and Customs patrols, represented the
RNZN around New Zealand and New Zealand
around the Pacific during deployments to New
Caledonia, Australia, Papua New Guinea, the
Solomon Islands, Samoa, Tonga, Niue, and parts
of the Cook Island chain. One notable event was
her response to calls for assistance for a shark
attack victim, which is narrated by the former
CO at the time.
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“I commanded RES for a short period in mid-
2000. We were doing towed array operations in
the Tonga Trench when we received a distress
call. A man had been severely mauled by a shark
while snorkelling in the Minerva Reef lagoon and
needed serious medical attention.
“The array was recovered and RES transited to
Minerva –there was no way I would have taken the
ship anywhere near the entrance, even in daylight,
but the survey ops officer had survey data of the
area around the reef emailed to us and we were
able to use the MBES to run parallel swathes in the
approaches to the entrance, so we were able to
navigate in the approaches in perfect safety.
“The RHIB was dispatched and RES conned
the COXN by VHF around the coral heads and
obstructions. The patient was picked up, and
after a fairly tense time, recovered onboard and
taken to Nuku’alofa.
“I have very happy memories of a fine ship
and a wonderful ship’s company. They were a
terrific team, they put up with their PWO CO with
good grace, and I thoroughly enjoyed serving
with them all.”
CAPT Andy Watts, RNZN (ret)
HMNZS RESOLUTION was awarded a
Maritime Commander NZ Commendation for
the rescue on Minerva Reef.
Other notable events in RESOLUTION’s
history were being able to provide (due to
location) Rapid Environment Assessment in
the immediate aftermath of the devastating
22 February 2011 earthquake in Christchurch.
RESOLUTION was 15 nautical miles off the
coast when the earthquake hit and the feeling
onboard was that the engines had been set in full
astern with associated shuddering and shaking.
It was only when a dust cloud over Christchurch
was observed and chatter on VHF soon alerted
the bridge team of the enormity of the disaster.
With CAPT Dean McDougall (CTU 650.4.1)
in an established headquarters on HMNZS
CANTERBURY in Lyttelton, RESOLUTION
reported for duty and was subsequently called in
to conduct a hydrographic confidence survey of
the main channel into the Port of Lyttelton.
RESOLUTION entered the harbour limits at
1515 with her seaboat taking spot depths one to
two cables ahead. A running check indicated that
there was no noticeable difference to the charted
depths. RES turned at rest at the entrance to the
port and continued surveying back out of harbour.
On exiting the harbour limits, the Maritime Survey
Team commenced post processing the data. At
1900 a chart with updated soundings had been
produced. This product was then delivered in
hard copy and electronically to CTU 650.4.1,
RESOLUTION was subsequently released to
continue OP ACHERON tasking. The following
week, RESOLUTION repeated this activity in
Akaroa Harbour.
In March, RESOLUTION was quick to the
scene of the EASY RIDER tragedy in Foveaux
Strait, in which eight of the nine people aboard
the fishing boat died when it capsized in icy
waters (See OP EASY RIDER).
In recent weeks, RESOLUTION has called at
ports around New Zealand – including Timaru
and Wellington – for the last time.
At the time of writing, RESOLUTION had steamed
over 309,000 nautical miles since commissioning
into the RNZN, equivalent to some 14 times
around the Earth. By best investigation, some 800
officers and sailors have served on the ‘Mighty
RES’. Reliable and economic to run, RESOLUTION
has served the Royal New Zealand Navy well.
There is a natural desire to outline her future.
Unfortunately, that is hard to do in detail yet .
However, the general plan is that she will be
sold to a new owner and move on to a new
phase of her life carrying out new work under
a new name.
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 15

op easy rider
OP EASY
RIDER
On Thursday 15 March aided by a residual northerly swell, RESOLUTION was
on passage to Fiordland via Foveaux Strait for some navigation training. At
1550 a pan pan call came over VHF Channel 16. The fishing vessel EASY
RIDER had failed to make a rendezvous at Big South Cape Island, south of
Stewart Island. RES contacted HQ JFNZ and the Rescue Coordination Centre
whilst continuing to head towards Foveaux Strait.
By SLT TAMARA TARR
RES was kept up-to-date with events by monitoring
Bluff Fisherman’s Radio, which had taken the
responsibility of search and rescue coordination
with Invercargill Police. At 2230 RES arrived at the
scene and by 2310 had embarked the On Scene
Commander (OSC), Mr Ian Cord from Riverton
Volunteer Coastguard and NZ Police. RES and the
OSC then rallied the fleet of nine searching vessels
into a loose line abreast, and transited Foveaux
Strait along the debris field towards the Bishop
and Clerk Islands. As debris was observed, the
closest vessel would ‘break off’ and retrieve the
object and then return to the line. It was decided
to suspend the search at 0400, Friday 16 March.
The majority of the vessels proceeded to anchor
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or back to Bluff Harbour to rest before rejoining
the search at first light.
With the bulk of the searching vessels off the
scene, RES and two others continued through
the night. At sunrise the OSC was transferred
to the FV AWESOME and RES broke off to
commence survey operations in the vicinity
of an oil slick that had been observed by a
searching helicopter. At 0805 the Multi-Beam
Echo Sounder located what appeared to be
an inorganic contact the approximate size of
the EASY RIDER in 40m of water northeast off
Bishop Island. This was confirmed late morning
when the FV AWESOME managed to drop a
fishing camera onto the contact and confirmed
that it was the EASY RIDER.
Developments ashore saw the Operational
Dive Team (ODT) led by LT CDR Trevor Leslie,
RNZN and Mine Counter Measures Team
(MCMT) led by WO James Harper tasked with
the search of the EASY RIDER and survey of the
debris field, respectively. With the confirmation
of the target, RESOLUTION proceeded to Bluff
Harbour in order to be ready to receive the ODT
and MCMT.
After entering the harbour at full ebb, RES
berthed at Bluff Harbour at 1440. On arrival
RES was met by the Honorary Naval Officer
Invercargill, LT CDR N.R. Finnerty, RNZN (Ret),
who assisted with logistics for the visit. During
the afternoon RES prepared for the embarkation
of the teams and NZ Police. At 2145 the ODT,
MCMT and associated equipment including a
recompression chamber arrived which the Ship’s
Company quickly loaded onboard. Specials closed
up and RES slipped and proceeded to sea at 2200.
On clearing Bluff Harbour, RES returned to the
search area overnight.
On Saturday 17 March RES was in position
to survey over EASY RIDER at 0630 in order
to confirm that the sunken vessel had not
moved overnight. Once the position had been
confirmed, all of RES’s boats were prepared and
then lowered. MCMT departed in one RHIB and
commenced a mission on the debris field to the
east of EASY RIDER’s position. ODT deployed
to the datum in RES’s other RHIB and Zodiac.
Diving operations continued through the forenoon
with the teams returning to RES at 1215. ODT
recharged cylinders and returned to the EASY
RIDER at 1245 and diving operations and
evidence gathering was completed at 1400.
Diving operations revealed none of the missing
persons being onboard. Results were passed
through NZ Police and after discussion with HQ
JFNZ, RES proceeded back to Bluff Harbour to
op easy rider
uplift the Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) for use
if required. RES berthed Bluff Harbour at 1730 to
prepare for her next tasking. Overnight, NZ Police
had released RES and the embarked teams from
OP EASY RIDER and the forenoon of Sunday 18
March was utilised to pack up MCMT and ODT
equipment into RES’s 20’ container. The teams
departed RES for Auckland late forenoon.
THe CO received a visit from Inspectors Lane
Todd and Olaf Jensen and Senior Sergeant Richard
McPhail of Southland Police. They passed on their
thanks for the work that RES and embarked teams
had conducted.
Despite the difficult circumstances that were
the result of OP EASY RIDER, the Ship’s Company,
MST, ODT and MCMT worked hard to achieve
results and to provide support and assistance to
the search and rescue effort. All involved onboard
would like to pass their sincere condolences to
the family and friends who lost someone dear to
them in this tragedy.
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ
NT165february-march12 17

our people
[A] Members of the RescareNZ Village complete their ‘day in the life’
experience on TE MANA with a final parade and the presentation
of caps by the Commanding Officer CDR David Toms and Executive
Officer LT CDR Chris Fleck. One of the prizes from the Ben Revell
auction (see NT165) was a five-hour working party from TE MANA.
DCN won this prize, and then donated it to a charity called RescareNZ,
who look after mentally and physically disabled adults. They had
a wonderful day on TEM, including RHIB rides, ship tours, lunch,
parade training and the final presentation of caps donated by Defence
Communications Group.
[B] Five Navy triathletes have been selected to represent New Zealand
at the Triathlon World Championships being held in Auckland in
October this year. It is a great achievement, with an outstanding
commitment shown to complete the training, particularly by those
on sea-going ships. Riding up Mt Victoria, Devonport, from left, LT
Letisha Fitchett, LT Matt Lee, LT Scott McGregor; LT Tim Erickson and
Mr Richard Begg. Letisha, Matt, Scott and Tim are all Engineering
Officers in the RNZN. Richard works for the Geospatial Intelligence
Agency (GIO). Photo courtesy of Matthew Harrison.
[C] Another prize from the Ben Revell auction was ‘Officers Serving
Lunch’. It was won by the PTI trade. Here, SLT Randal Bartholomew
serves POPTI Chris Attrill the first course of his lunch.
[D] Enjoying TE KAHA’s recent Work Up, from left POWT Mike
Jamieson, ACH Curtis Weeks and ACPOSA Jay Henshaw.
[E] Navy personnel have their heads shaved for the fundraiser
'Shave for Cure', onboard HMNZS WELLINGTON. Clockwise from top:
LT Casey MacMillan, OCSS Adam Howie, LSA James Carroll-McLeod,
SLT Piers Routledge, LMT Oliver McChesney, LET Bryce Fergusson,
LSCS Shane Herewini.
Over the period 26-31 March this year, the Leukaemia and Blood
Cancer Foundation held their annual Shave For A Cure event across
the country. This year members of HMNZS WELLINGTON's Ship's
Company participated in the event and seven of the crew shaved their
hair for the cause.
Fundraising organiser LT Casey MacMillan, the XO of WELLINGTON,
was proud of the Ship's Company’s efforts to raise money for the
charity. "Just from sponsorship for the seven of us to shave our
heads, and a BBQ for our supporters, the Ship managed to raise over
$400, which will be gratefully received by the Foundation."
LT MacMillan also managed to personally raise over $900 for the
cause in individual sponsorship which will all be used by the
Foundation to provide support to people afflicted with leukaemia
or similar blood cancers and their families, through what can be
terrifying, difficult and not always successful treatment. Ten thousand
people in NZ have leukaemia and about six people get diagnosed with
it every day. It can strike anyone, including the very young, with the
most recent public case being that of rugby great Jock Hobbs who
passed away in March at the age of 52.
This year over 2500 people around New Zealand shaved their hair in
order to get sponsorship and donations for this great cause, including
the entire Chiefs Super 15 team and some members of Parliament.
Those from HMNZS WELLINGTON who shaved their heads are now
hoping for some warmer weather!
[E] Stewards aboard TE KAHA led by POSTD Alana McDonald (front
left), ASTD Anita Hakopa, ASTD Jessica Abrahams (rear, left), LTSD
Maria Pahulu Jr and ASTD Bonnie Allott.
A
D
[G] On Thursday April 5, Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Tony Parr awarded
his commendation to WOMM Mick O'Carroll for his work at Naval
Personnel Resource Centre and the Ben Revell fundraiser. WOMM
O’Carroll with his wife Shelia, daughter Lisa and grandson Harry.
[H] Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope GCB, OBE, ADC, First Sea Lord and
Chief of Naval Staff UK visited Devonport Naval Base on Monday 2
April 2012. where he was met by a Guard commanded by LT Andy
Robinson.
[I] RescareNZ visitors enjoying a RHIB ride.
I NZ
NAVY
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our people
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WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 19

Meteorology and Oceanography (METOC)
THE NAVY’S OWN MET SERVICE
By LT CDR MATT RUGLYS
That the Navy has weather forecasters may
come as a surprise to some but over the
past year the two METOCs (Meteorology
and Oceanography), LT CDR Matt Ruglys
and LT Dave Berry (pictured) have been busy
supporting the Fleet as well as the Royal
Australian Navy.
Matt is the Littoral Warfare Support Group
METOC based at HQ JFNZ Trentham and last
year began with forecasting the weather for
WELLINGTON’s deployment to the Southern
Ocean and Antarctica. Southern Katipo was to
have been a big test of the nascent METOC
capability but the forecasting focus had to shift
to supporting the NZDF activity responding
to the Christchurch earthquake. The state of
the sea and swell were critical elements in the
efforts to cope with the grounding of the RENA.
Dave was able to call upon RAN resources
to run a numerical ocean/atmosphere model
centred on the Bay of Plenty (figure 1). Other
activities have included forecasts for the Navy’s
70th anniversary, advice on the Pacific drought,
climate advice for a variety of regions of the
world for Navy, Army and Air Force as well as
delivering instruction to Officer of the Watch,
Navigation and Command courses.
As our METOC attached to the RAN, LT Berry
posted as an aviation forecaster for the Fleet Air
Arm at HMAS ALBATROSS at the Operational
METOC Centre at Garden Island Sydney. Dave
had an eventful year deploying with Combined
Task Group and Exercise Control Group for the
four Triton series exercises as well as supporting
Exercise TALISMAN SABRE. The highlight for
Dave’s year was supporting the First of Class Flight
Trials (FOCFT) and Evolved Sea Sparrow Missile
firings onboard HMAS PERTH which is the first
RAN Anzac-class frigate to undergo the anti-ship
missile defence upgrade. The trials presented a
unique challenge for him ensuring command and
the trials team got the right advice and support
in what was a politically important period in the
upgrade project.
Dave returned to New Zealand in late March
after FOCFT for the Australian Defence Forces’
new MRH 90 helicopters.
Coming up in 2012 we have FOCFT for
our Offshore Patrol Vessels OTAGO and
WELLINGTON as well as CANTERBURY. These
are exciting meteorological challenges as we try
Figure 1. Numerical model of wind speed and direction in the Bay of Plenty.
to locate exactly the right weather required by
the aircrew to fully test the ship and helicopter
operating limits. We shall also be taking part in
RIMPAC which will clearly be a highlight.
With both METOCs in New Zealand we shall be
working to improve and increase our support
to the fleet.
The RNZN has an agreement with the RAN that
we send a suitably qualified officer to attend the
LTCDR Matt Ruglys (left)
and LT Dave Berry (right)
at the RAN Naval Air
Station NOWRA.
Bureau of Meteorology’s forecasting course
followed by the RAN Military METOC course.
On successful qualification the officer then works
as a METOC for the RAN before returning to
New Zealand.
If you are interested in becoming a METOC and
you have a degree with significant mathematical
content then we would be interested to hear
from you.
20 NT165april-may12
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won report
WON Report
By DEAN BLOOR
Warrant Officer of the Navy
One question that I get asked on a regular
basis when I am out and about is “What
is morale like in the Navy?” I suspect that,
more often than not, the person raising the
question already has a set view and is just
trying to illicit confirmation of that view.
Personally, I don’t think the answer is as
simple as giving it a good or bad response.
NZDF events play a large part in employee morale.
The Civilianisation programme implemented last
year would support this theory.
Another driver that affects morale is how our
personnel are led in the workplace. This area of
leadership is the responsibility of all who have
been entrusted with the responsibilities of rank.
From my own experience and from what I see
around the traps, morale can vary depending on
where you are posted and the quality of personnel
leading in those areas.
If there are proactive leaders who get to know
and take an interest in their personnel it goes
some way towards creating a positive work
environment. No surprises that people enjoy
going to work.
I also see poor morale in the workplace when
personnel who I refer to as “doom and gloomers”
automatically default to the negative at every
opportunity. Sadly these personnel do not realise
that their poor attitude is contributing to the poor
morale around them.
I attended the latest “Kia Kaha” programme run in
conjunction with North Shore Police in February.
The programme focuses on personnel making
the right decisions in their life and some of the
potential outcomes when bad decisions are taken.
The guest speaker that night was former All Black
Captain and sailor Buck Shelford.
During Buck’s address he asked the Basic
Common Trainees (BCTs) and Junior Officer
Common Trainees (JOCTs) “Who wanted to make
the Navy a career?”. All but one put their hand up
to indicate they did.
I took from this response that, if they want a
career after five weeks in the Navy, we need to
ensure they want to remain in the Navy for years
to come. A couple of ways of doing this is to
provide positive work environments and career
opportunities.
A good way of building positive work
environments is through sport and recreational
activities. I am starting to see some real proactive
leadership in this area. One of many examples is
what is happening on the good ship TE MANA.
TEM is currently in an extended maintenance
period. However, their leadership are proactively
organising team building activities for the ship’s
company to participate in. These activities offer
a very good avenue to break from the workplace
and recharge the batteries.
LTCDR Roger Saynor (Fleet sports officer) and
his team are also proactively organising sport
and recreation activities at Devonport Naval
Base for our personnel. The focus is encouraging
personnel to get out of their work areas to take a
well-earned break.
Like most things, there is never going to be
one silver bullet for addressing an issue. More
often than not, many things will contribute to
making things better for our people. We can all
positively influence morale in the Navy. Before
defaulting to the automatic finger-point it would
be more productive to think what I can do to
make things better.
It is very easy to lead when the sun is shining.
However, good leaders shine when times are a
little more difficult.
The latest BCT and JOCT trainees are still
looking for all the things the older folk yearned
for when they joined. Let’s give them every
opportunity to realise their dreams. The Royal
New Zealand Navy is still a great place to work
in with some great people working in it.
DSS volunteer firefighter to
climb Skytower for cancer
Dave Wills, a civilian at Defence Shared
Services in Trentham, is a volunteer
firefighter in his spare time and this
year he is competing in the Sky City
Firefighter Sky Tower Stair Challenge
for the second time, raising money for
leukaemia sufferers in New Zealand.
The Challenge, on 19 May, is a race up
all 51 floors of Auckland’s Sky Tower
(1,103 steps!) in full firefighting uniform
with breathing apparatus on. That means
breathing through the mask the entire
climb. All the extra equipment weighs in at
25kgs. Dave has been training hard since
February and his goal is to complete the
Challenge in less than 15 minutes.
Dave is dedicating his climb this year
to All Black Jock Hobbs, who died of
leukaemia in March, and NZ Army WO1
Mark Priestley who has battled leukaemia
for the past 10 years. Last year, Mark’s
condition took a turn for the worse and
he was told he only had weeks to live. He
was offered a new type of chemotherapy,
at a cost of $64,000, money he had to find
himself. After weeks of being in quarantine
following the chemo, Mark underwent
a bone marrow transplant, a very risky
procedure. Mark is now doing well and
working from home until his immune
system recovers.
Money raised from the Firefighter Sky
Tower Stair Challenge will ultimately
help Leukaemia and Blood Cancer New
Zealand (LBC) support patients like Mark
and their families living with leukaemia,
lymphoma, myeloma or other blood
cancers and diseases.
Dave’s goal is to raise $5000 for LBC.
Recently he went around the Trentham
Defence Area units (in full uniform complete
with breathing apparatus) collecting
donations and raised an impressive
$1433. Combined with $500 from a
raffle and close to $3000 on his online
fundraising page, Dave is well on the way
to exceeding his target.
If you wish to support Dave in this worthy
cause, take a look at his fundraising page.
The link is: www.firefightersclimb.org.nz/
view_event_profile/651
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 21

counter-terror op
Captain Lance Cook.
RNZN officers join
counter-terror op
Two RNZN personnel, Captain Lance Cook and
Lieutenant Commander John McQueen, are
currently serving in the Middle East with the
RAN HQ contingent commanding Combined
Task Force 150 (CTF 150) which conducts
maritime counter terrorism operations over a
vast sea area of two million square miles of
international waters encompassing the Red
Sea, Gulf of Aden, Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea
and Gulf of Oman.
CTF 150 is one of three task forces operating
under the 25-nation naval partnership
arrangement called Combined Maritime Forces
which has its HQ in the US Naval Support
Activity in Bahrain. The principal mission of CTF
150 is to deter, disrupt and defeat attempts by
international terrorist organisations to use the
sea as a venue for an attack or as a means
to transport personnel, weapons and other
material. The CTF 150 HQ plans and executes
operations by ships and aircraft assigned to it
by the CMF member nations.
The leadership of CTF 150 is rotated every
four months between CMF member nations.
Australia currently has the watch having assumed
command from the UK on 15 December 2011.
The RAN CTF 150 HQ contingent is 21 strong
with two RNZN embedded officers to provide
an ANZAC flavour. This is the third command
rotation for Australia and the first with a
combined RAN/RNZN staff.
The significance of this fact was publicly
acknowledged at the Change of Command
ceremony by incoming Commander,
Commodore Jonathan Mead RAN: “Both the
Australian and New Zealand Defence Forces
take great pride in contributing to the coalition
efforts to maintain maritime security in such
a vital region for the stability and economic
prosperity of the world at large.”
CAPT Cook is the Deputy Commander of CTF 150
and the Chief of Staff of the RAN HQ contingent. He
regularly performs the leadership role of CTF 150
during absences of the Commander on regional
engagement visits to countries surrounding
the area of operations. LTCDR McQueen is the
N33 Current Operations and is responsible for
execution of the promulgated 24 hour scheme
of manoeuvre for the CTF 150 ships and aircraft,
and coordinating the immediate planning and
response effort to situations as they arise.
The work involves tasking ships and aircraft
to patrol various geographical areas for
security presence and deterrence, collecting
Boarding party
in action.
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information on local fishing and trading vessel
activity, and responding to intelligence cueing
of suspected maritime terrorist related activity
such as narcotics smuggling. The number of
ships assigned to CTF 150 varies according
to the ebb and flow of national contributions
with ship patrol cycles being determined by
national port visit programs. At all times our
units are ready to respond to any piracy event
(in support of CTF 151 – the counter piracy
mission) or to render humanitarian aid and
assistance to vessels in distress.
“One of our most notable successes
has been the interdiction of a dhow in the
North Arabian Sea carrying 240kgs of illegal
narcotics with an estimated street value of
US$5 million,” said CAPT Cook. “The RAN
ANZAC class frigate HMAS PARRAMATTA
conducted the interception, boarding and
search of the vessel which resulted in the
discovery of the narcotics in bags of flour.
The illicit cargo was disposed of at the scene.
The result was the first successful narcotics
interdiction by a CMF ship in two and half
years and was due to the cooperation and
planning efforts of many stakeholders.”
Another highlight was Focused Operation
SCIMITAR ANZAC in the Southern Red Sea/
Gulf of Aden region involving a task group of
four ships under the tactical control of CAPT
Cook and his afloat command element. The
purpose of this four-day maritime security
operation was to ensure the safe unimpeded
passage of merchant shipping through this key
strategic waterway and to collect pattern of life
information on local maritime activity. The task
counter-terror op
group consisted of HMS DARING (the new RN
first of class Type 45 Destroyer), Pakistan Naval
Ship BABUR (ex RN Type 21 frigate), HMAS
PARRAMATTA and Royal Fleet Auxiliary WAVE
KNIGHT, and was supported by USN P3 aircraft
providing area surveillance.
This activity was notable for the embarkation
of the command element on HMS DARING
which is on its maiden seven-month
deployment. This was the first such occasion
that the ship has acted as a command
platform. With regional engagement being
a strong line of operation for CMF and CTF
150, personnel from the Yemeni Navy and
Coast Guard were embarked in HMS DARING
and HMAS PARRAMATTA to provide their
local knowledge of the physical environment
and maritime activity. This is Yemen’s front
yard and their knowledge of the pattern of
life is essential for CTF 150 establishing the
indicators of potential terrorist maritime activity
in this key part of the area of operations.
SCIMITAR ANZAC also provided the
opportunity to travel to Djibouti, a former
French territory which gained independence in
1977. It is a tiny country, strategically situated
between the entrance to the Red Sea and the
western edge of the Gulf of Aden. Djibouti has
a significant regional port of the same name
which is the gateway to North Africa as the
country borders Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.
The port also provides a key logistics hub for
the various naval forces operating in the Gulf
of Aden and Somali Basin on counter piracy
operations namely CTF 151, EUNAVFOR, NATO
and the independent nations such as Russia,
Japan and China which undertake convoy
escort of their national shipping. Djibouti
is also the location of Camp Lemonnier; the
supporting base for Combined Joint Task
Force – Horn of Africa from which US and
coalition forces conduct stability operations
in NE Africa.
At the time of writing this article, the
contingent has passed the two thirds mark
of the deployment. “We remain focused on
employing the ships and aircraft under our
command to best meet the counter terrorism
aims of the CTF 150 mission,” said CAPT
Cook. “We are hopeful that our concerted
efforts will result in another successful
narcotics interdiction before we hand over
command to Pakistan on 19 April 2012.”
Both RNZN officers are thoroughly enjoying
the camaraderie of our RAN cousins and the
strong professional relationship that binds this
contingent together.
News updates on the activities of the
RAN led CTF 150 can be found by googling
Combined Maritime Forces.
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 23

FLEET PROGRESS
HMNZS ENDEAVOUR
END prepares to go under
tow from TE KAHA.
WORK-UP
After ending 2011 with maintenance and a
small stint of harbour training, ENDEAVOUR
stepped into 2012 ready to meet her first
challenge of the year in the form of a
Shakedown week and Work Up (WUP) 2012.
January involved intensive harbour training
including damage control, sea survival and
weapons handling; in order to refresh Ship’s
Company skills for the upcoming deployment.
On 7 February ENDEAVOUR sailed from
Auckland for a brief shakedown period which
also saw the first Replenishment at Sea of an
Offshore Patrol Vessel, HMNZS WELLINGTON.
On Thursday 9 February ENDEAVOUR departed
NZ waters in a transit across the Tasman Sea,
making way for the Eastern Australia Exercise
Area (EAXA), all the while being put through the
paces with the Maritime Operational Evaluation
Team (MOET) embarked. The passage created
good training opportunities for the crew and
enabled MOET sufficient time to work with the
ENDEAVOUR team in a coaching role.
After making our way across the ditch,
ENDEAVOUR arrived at the Naval Fuel
Installation in Sydney on Tuesday 13 February
to embark cargo fuel, before returning to
sea to meet with a Task Group comprising of
HMNZS TE KAHA and several Australian ships.
ENDEAVOUR refuelled TE KAHA before going
alongside in Fleet Base East, Sydney on Friday
17 February. The weekend alongside was the
commencement of harbour damage control
assessments for the WUP, although some did
get the chance to get out and see the sights of
the city; the opera house, harbour bridge, and
of course a taste of the night life.
ENDEAVOUR made her way back out the
following Monday to the EAXA to commence
part one of Exercise TRITON STORM.
This involved ENDEAVOUR and TE KAHA
working in company with HMAS BALLARAT
and NEWCASTLE (frigates) and HUON and
YARRA (mine hunters). The serials gave
several young Officers of the Watch the
opportunity to get involved in anti-air and
anti-submarine warfare, flying and boat
operations, breakdown exercises, minefield
transits and even acting as the crew of “MV
FULK CHAV” in order for TE KAHA to exercise
her boarding party organisation.
After another weekend alongside Sydney,
ENDEAVOUR sailed to the Western Australian
Exercise Area (WAXA), through Bass Strait
and crossing the Great Australian Bight. The
TRITON STORM scenario continued to build
for ENDEAVOUR as ‘hostile’ activity in the area
grew. The arrival of HMAS COLLINS provided a
real time view of a submarine in action as she
circled the Task Group. This concluded part
one of TRITON STORM and the task group then
made its way into Fleet Base West (FBW). This
was the opportunity, after working alongside
the Aussies all week, to go against them with a
sports day, held at the excellent sports facilities
of FBW. All ships involved with TRITON STORM
went head to head in volleyball, basketball,
touch, soccer, golf, water-polo and tug o’ war.
Golf was trumps for ENDEAVOUR placing
third.
ENDEAVOUR continued to exercise with
the RAN vessels with the addition of SIRIUS,
WARRAMUNGA and Fighter Jet Squadrons as
part two of Exercise TRITON STORM. After a
stopover in Hobart she will return to Auckland
to conduct maintenance and preparations for
international Exercise RIMPAC in the vicinity
of the Hawaiian Islands.
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HMNZS manawanui
DIVE TEAM ACTION
MANAWANUI sailed Devonport on 5 March
for our first real deployment of the year, and
the first trip away from the North Island in
two years.
With the Operational Dive Team (ODT) embarked
we headed off for the Marlborough Sounds at
max speed after a brief stop at the Alderman
Islands to whet the divers appetite for Surface
Supply Breathing Apparatus (SSBA) diving. The
weather on the east coast was threatening to turn
foul so we adjusted our plans to make a dash for
the Cook Strait before it got ugly. We arrived on
the west coast of d’Urville Island on the 8th and
the divers continued their training.
We sailed into Nelson for the weekend for a
well earned break. Most of the crew were able
to disembark and try the great hospitality that
the city has to offer and were well received by
the community. A special mention was made
by the owners of the Sprig and Fern who have
invited us back anytime!
On the 12th we sailed to Ketu Bay in the
Marlborough Sounds and the ODT got back into
their training with earnest; there was also a little
time for some of the crew to do some recreational
diving and fishing, unfortunately mostly catching
sharks. On the Wednesday morning we were
visited by a huge pod of dolphins passing through
the millpond calm of the sound, they watched as
we moved to Garden Bay next to the notorious
French Pass and into deeper water for the divers
to continue their training in the challenging
conditions. On Thursday the ship’s company
were up early for a transit through French Pass
and down to Nelson to land the XO ashore to
make his way to Gisborne for the National Surf
Lifesaving Champs. Before we could get away
to New Plymouth a final detour back to nelson
was made to disembark the ODT for a hastily
organised flight to Invercargill to help with the
EASY RIDER sinking. Big thanks to the Nelson pilot
CO with Whangaroa
students.
ODT member
underwater cutting.
boat for making a trip out to pick up the divers
and speed up the transfer.
We arrived in New Plymouth early Saturday
morning and again ship’s company had a well
earned weekend off and took advantage of
St Patrick’s Day celebrations in the city. The
WOMAD festival was also in town and some
of the crew managed to get along to enjoy the
sights and sounds. All had a great weekend
and were refreshed for the swell transit back
up the west coast and back to DNB via the
Bay of Islands. A group of students from
Whangaroa College came out for a few hours
at sea, some handling the lumpy conditions
better than others!
To round off the trip half a dozen of us managed
to dive the Rainbow Warrior before an overnighter
back to Auckland. Plenty of training was able to
be achieved in the shortened time we had the
ODT embarked, and training for core crew was
beneficial for all, who all appreciated the change
of scenery!
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 25

FLEET PROGRESS
hmnzs wellington
L-R: LMT Bedford, AMT Tuck,
SLT Mexted, SLT Bone.
February 2012 saw HMNZS WELLINGTON
head south in support of the Department of
Conservation (DOC) on Operation ENDURANCE.
After a busy start to the year, WELLINGTON’s
crew were looking forward to getting under
way on operations in the Sub-Antarctic (see
article on page 10).
Before ENDURANCE started, we spent time in
Bluff. This proved an enjoyable time for Ship’s
Company. The Engineer, LT Matthew Lee, was
named second-best dressed at the Invercargill
races Fashion in the Field, while SLT Malcolm Barry
was able to secure third. Ship’s Company were
able to enjoy southern hospitality and enjoyed
runs ashore into Invercargill.
However, we had a tasking to complete and
we said our farewells to Bluff and headed into
Foveaux Strait. We experienced good conditions
all the way to the Auckland Islands, where the
ship supported DOC in the survey of birdlife there.
This involved lengthy boat operations working in
very cold conditions, the average air temperature
remaining at 3-4 degrees Celsius. Despite the cold,
WELLINGTON was able to assist DOC conduct
the required surveys, during which 15 colonies
of Rockhopper Penguins were recorded (three
of which have never been recorded) and 12 new
colonies of shag.
While at anchor in Tagua Bay, members of
Ship’s Company went ashore to explore the
remains of a World War II coastwatchers’ hut.
This was an excellent opportunity to explore
the heritage of the island and that of a relatively
unknown group of men who spent time in the
sub-Antarctic during WWII.
L-R: LSCS Robertson, ASCS Rewi, ASCS Allen. Manning a 0.50cal
on WGNs PORT gundeck during a Close Range Firing Exercise
30nm west of Taranaki having just engaged a 'killer tomato'.
Due to the early completion of all the identified
tasking in Carnley Harbour, the ship sailed to
conduct the final phase of the Auckland Island shag
survey, up the east coast of the Auckland Islands.
Due to inclement weather, WELLINGTON anchored
that afternoon at the western end of Port Ross, in
between Terror Cove and Shoe Island.
During this time the weather continued to
worsen. We moved to our next anchorage in
Sandy Bay off Enderby Island. Given the gravel
bottom and winds gusting to 45 knots it was
decided to use both anchors. This was a new
evolution for the ship and proved very successful.
This afforded Ship’s Company an opportunity to
go ashore on Enderby Island and experience the
varied wildlife of the region.
Having completed our tasking and with an
approaching low pressure system, the decision
was made to make our way to Dunedin to
disembark the DOC personnel. While in Dunedin
WELLINGTON embarked members of the Taylor
family to say goodbye to an old shipmate J20409
ME (1) Allan Wayne (Buck) TAYLOR who served in
the RNZN from 1971 to 1977.
It was then time to head home. WELLINGTON
returned to DNB via the west coasts of the South
Island and North Island, calling into the sounds
of Fiordland to conduct pilotage training for the
numerous trainee Bridge Watchkeepers onboard
and to see what crayfish could be found. It was
during a crayfish exploration mission that LT
Adam Flaws, Navigation Officer, was required to
save a member of Ship’s Company from a shark.
Or so the story goes.
Having left the sounds with a couple of large
crayfish and tales of sharks, we continued our
passage experiencing very large seas, with
reports of 10-metre swells and winds in excess
of 40 knots. After an aborted attempt to send a
boat across the bar in Westport, we stopped in
Nelson for a final run ashore to allow the crew to
unwind after successfully completing Operation
ENDURANCE. A good weekend was had by all and
it was an upbeat and motivated ship that sailed
for DNB on Monday.
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hmnzsotago
OTAGO Ship's
Company in front of
OTA in Dry Dock.
and represented the ship to a high degree.
Then it was off to dry dock to give the ship
some upkeep and maintenance and to start
preparing OTAGO for her duties in becoming
a safe platform for aviation – a capability which
has yet to be fully exploited on the Offshore
Patrol Vessels.
It wasn’t all work and no play though as we
celebrated OTAGO’s second birthday. In a well
-timed fashion, the celebrations coincided with
a tot of rum awarded by the Governor General
in recognition of our efforts during Auckland
Anniversary weekend. The OTAGO themed
birthday cake was cut by CPOMT (L) Shaw
and OMT Perkins, the oldest and youngest
members of the crew, respectively, and
demolished in seconds.
OTAGO EO LT Mathew Windross being
presented CN's Commendation.
DOCKED
The year 2012 started off with a bang for day as hundreds of visitors came to explore the
HMNZS OTAGO as we hit the ground running
exciting world that we call home for our times
at sea. After we had done a good clean and
after a much needed and deserved Christmas
ensured our ship was ready to be presented
break.
to the public, we were each assigned a section
OTAGO was given the honour of being the
of the ship in which we were well-versed, and
starting ship for the Auckland Anniversary
then given over to the crowd at 1000. As always
Regatta as well as representing the Royal New
there were some ‘forehead slapping’ questions
Zealand Navy in Auckland City with a ship’s open but surprisingly, there were also a few very good
day. This was a highlight and main attraction for questions asked that kept us on our toes!
the many Aucklanders and visitors celebrating Following Auckland Anniversary five of our crew
Auckland Anniversary weekend. It was a busy members volunteered for the Guard at Waitangi
A recent highlight onboard was the
Commendation of the EO, LT Mathew Windross,
by the Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Tony Parr, for
outstanding achievement in the performance of
his duties. LT Windross led the engineering team
from preparations through to the operation in
the Southern Ocean. LT Windross’s family was
invited onboard to witness this honour but were
hiding as it was a surprise. When they came out
into the hanger, his face lit up and that’s when he
knew something was coming! Congratulations
to LT Windross on a job well done! Whilst
onboard, CN also awarded our CO, CDR Dave
McEwan with his long-awaited three-year service
medal. Another accomplishment of note in the
Engineering Branch was CPOMT(P) Andrew
Robertson gaining his Marine Engineering
Charge Certificate.
Now with the refit and maintenance period
over, HMNZS Otago and her crew are eager
to stretch out the sea legs and step up to
conduct First of Class Flight Trials over the
coming months.
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 27

FLEET PROGRESS
hmnzs rotoiti
proceed on exped
By LET JORDAN PHILLIPS
HMNZS ROTOITI’s Ship's Company locked
up their ship on 12 March and proceeded
on Exped. Once the vans were loaded we hit
the road. The destination was the Navy ski
lodge at Ohakune; our accommodation for
the first night.
We were picked up in a mini bus on
Tuesday morning, and after an hour’s drive,
we arrived at our starting point to head down
the Whanganui River. The guides gave us all
a quick ‘how to’ manoeuvre and what to do
if we fell out of the boat. Our first day was
near on eight hours of paddling, although we
stopped on several banks to have lunch and
lie in the sun. Towards the end of the day we
arrived at our first campsite, pulled the canoes
up onto the embankment, and carried all our
gear up to the point where we pitched our
tents. Wednesday morning we broke camp,
repacked the canoes, and made our way
back out onto the river. Over the course of
the three days on the water the tour guides
explained the history of the river and pointed
out areas that were used for the filming of
the movie River Queen. We had a rather
impromptu stop on one of the embankments
due to ACH Oriwia Soutar and ACO Patrice
Jackson capsizing. ACO Jackson had not long
been in command of the steering, and due to
the unwanted swim was quickly stripped of
this responsibility.
As Wednesday came to a close we made our way
to a marae where we were to camp for the night.
Several of the Ship’s Company accompanied the
two local women who live and look after the
marae. The women told stories of the land and of
the people. Thursday morning, as we pushed off
onto the river, one of the ladies from the marae
did a karanga whakawatea for us to have a safe
journey on the water.
The guides made us paddle hard for the first
part of the morning to allow us time to visit the
Bridge to Nowhere. After the scenic detour, we
had lunch where the guides explained to us about
the three final rapids. One of the guides went first
making it look easy. ASCS Jermaine Martinovich
and ACO Jackson took a huge hit from the rapid
and quickly found themselves swimming. The
rest of us made it through although POET Alan
Jones and LMT(L) Richard Smyth seemed to have
water up to the gunwales but managed to stay
afloat somehow.
Later that day, the guides talked us through
the final rapid. Upon reaching the rapid, the
guides took off racing down them which led to
everyone following at a faster pace. Everyone
managed to get through the rapids except the
CO, LT Layamon Bakewell, and the Engineer, LT
Clare Hayward, who somehow managed to flip
the canoe at the very start of the rapid. It goes
without saying that this was a highlight for the
Ship’s Company.
Overall the Exped was a fantastic week away
from the ship and brought together further an
already tight-knit Ship’s Company.
HMNZS HAWEA
The beginning of 2012 has seen HAWEA alongside
DNB undertaking a number of important
activities.
The major component of these have revolved
around a minor maintenance period in February
focusing on ongoing preventative maintenance,
the installation of new communications equipment
and a freshen-up of the ship. With all of these
activities taking place, the reduced number of
Ship’s Company have found life relatively busy prior
to the Reduced Availability Period (RAP), where the
ship will be waiting in reserve to put to sea in the
back half of the year.
After such a busy start to the year, Ship’s Company
took the opportunity to relax for a week in March
with a team-building Expedition exercise in and
around Rotorua. During this week, activities such
as mountain biking, rock climbing and white water
rafting were enjoyed by all, as were the sights and
sounds of the Bay of Plenty region.
March also saw cameras pointed at HAWEA with
AMT Anthony Archer and
ABSCS Michael Bright.
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the filming of two productions on or adjacent to
the ship. The first was the use of HAWEA as the
backdrop for the major film production Emperor;
the particular scene set at a Japanese Naval Base
at the end of World War Two. Prior to filming,
HAWEA’s new sleek lines were disguised, and
the end of Calliope West was transformed with
the addition of 20mm Oerlikon cannons, old
ammunition boxes, vintage vehicles and the like.
Second to this, was the filming onboard for an
episode of Coasters, a New Zealand documentary
detailing the lives of those connected with our
extensive coastline.
HAWEA was also honoured to provide a tour
for the Assistant Chief of the General Staff of the
Chinese People's Liberation Army at the end of
his tour of DNB. Of note, the Lieutenant General
commented on the fine state of the ship, high
praise for the work that had been conducted
by Ship’s Company in recent months. The next
few months for HAWEA will be spent in the RAP
where the ship will be kept ready to put to sea for
operations in what will be a busy end to 2012.
hmnzs taupo
RAPIDS
By LET ALAN COSTER
On 5 March 2012 TAUPO’s Ship’s Company
set off on a week-long Exped journey to a
place normally out of reach for naval ships
– Lake Taupo. Once there we settled into the
Navy hotels and soon set our sights on the
activities to come.
First up was the Tongariro crossing, a 19.4-
kilometre tramp. In true Navy fashion, we
cracked on, despite the reservations of several
of Ship’s Company. With the tramp starting off
on the flat it had soon turned into a near vertical
climb with views of a volcanic rock in every
direction, and it looked more like a scene from
Lord of the Rings. With steam rising from the
rocks, to crystal blue pools of water tainted by
sulphur, the views were amazing. The last 10
kilometres of the tramp were a slow descent
around the side of the mountain and back
through the bush.
The following day, first up on the activities list
was white water rafting. The whole trip consisted
of fifty rapids and each had an interesting little
story and the name to go with it. Even during
the white water rafting, the guides pointed out
the sites and the damage to the surroundings
that a volcanic eruption had left thousands of
years ago. The first half of the rafting was easy
running with no one getting too wet. That soon
changed after a brief stop to jump of the rock
face. We soon returned to our rafting, but these
rapids were somewhat different causing multiple
people to tumble out of their rafts.
Later that evening we were invited to the
Taupo RSA to play lawn bowls with the local exservicemen.
It was good to hear some of their
stories of ‘good old days’.
Next morning we had to pack up to head to
Rotorua for the last night of our expedition. On
the way we stopped for another activity, this time
it was quad biking. Some personnel had never
ridden a quad bike before, but soon became
experts with an hour ride through the bush, up
and down hills and through mud pits.
Once arriving in Rotorua, we had a quick
lunch and set out on our next activity. This time
it was OGO, which is like Zorb only longer. The
challenge here is to try stay on your feet inside
of a large rubber ball rolling down a hill, with a
couple of buckets of water making everything
super slippery. Next was the luge, and it is fair
to say a few people got a little excited about this
one. There were a fair few who fell victim to the
speed and barriers of the luge that day.
The next day we packed up our rooms and
headed to Drift Kartz for one last winner event.
Drift karts are indoor go-karts on a very slippery
surface. There were three heats to decide the
participants of the finals. There were six people
in the final race, including HMNZS TAUPO’s
Commanding Officer, LT David Gibbs, who won
the race and took home the trophy.
This ended the week-long Exped, which was a
great success with all members of Ship’s Company
getting to know each other better and work as
a team.
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naval heritage
USS WASP after her second
voyage to fly off Spitfires to
Malta, May 1942.
Photos: RNZN Museum & Imperial War Museum
THE MALTA
CONVOYS
NEW ZEALAND’S PART
By RICHARD JACKSON
Seventy years ago, in 1942, the Allies faced
a global crisis. Japan’s offensive in the
Pacific had forced the British back to India
and the Americans out of the Philippines to
Australia; Germany’s campaign in the Soviet
Union had resumed after the winter pause;
and in the Libyan desert General Rommel’s
Afrika Korps counter-attacked, despite their
defeat by the 8th Army in the ‘Winter battle’
(Operation Crusader).
Keeping the supply lines open to these farflung
theatres of war meant that the Allied
navies were fully stretched. The US Fleet had
been crippled at Pearl Harbor, while in the same
period (November 1941 – April 1942) the Royal
Navies had also lost major ships (including the
cruiser HMS NEPTUNE).
By early 1942 many hundreds of young New
Zealanders had been sent by our Navy to serve
with the Royal Navy. Some were mobilised
naval reservists, some were selected as
potential officers and sent under Scheme B for
sea experience and training, and others were
flying with the Fleet Air Arm under Scheme F.
New Zealand was doing its bit for the war effort,
by providing men to help man the growing
number of ships in the Empire’s fleet*. Over
the next three years many hundreds more
would follow.
Central to British strategy in the Mediterranean
was the island of Malta which, when strong,
was able to interdict Rommel’s supply lines
Ships of the PEDESTAL
convoy steaming toward
Malta despite an air attack,
11 or 12 August 1942.
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and support the 8th Army but, when weak,
was vulnerable to enemy bombing and faced
the prospect of starvation or surrender.
In February 1942 the destroyer HMS
HOTSPUR was commanded by New Zealander
Lieutenant Commander Terry Herrick from
Hastings, then the youngest destroyer captain
in the Mediterranean Fleet 1 . He wrote later: “We
set off with a force of cruisers and destroyers
to get three merchant ships through to Malta.
We would have air attacks from North Africa
as well as from Crete… the Germans threw
everything at us and by the end of the second
day the last of our charges was sunk. This
left Malta in a desperate situation. Another
convoy was run in March, though with heavy
losses and a spectacular action with an Italian
battle fleet….”
The March convoy escorts fought off the
Italian fleet in a brilliant battle now known as
the Battle of Sirte (22 March 1942). But enemy
bombers soon destroyed the merchant ships
that did get through, so Malta’s food, fuel and
ammunition remained in short supply.
The bombing of Malta intensified. Sub
Lieutenant Peter Allen 2 from Auckland was
serving in HMS UPHOLDER, one of the British
submarines based there; he was lost with that
boat during April. By the end of that month,
the 10th Submarine Flotilla, which had done
so much to disrupt Rommel’s supply convoys,
1 Captain Terry Herrick’s final naval posting was to
the NZ Naval Staff, in 1964.
2 Peter Allen was one of many Kiwis on a Short
Service Commission in the RN.
had to abandon the island—submarines did
not return to Malta until August.
To recognise the islanders’ endurance, in mid-
April the King awarded the Island the George
Cross. Today the republic’s flag still proudly
incorporates that unique honour. But the
urgent military priority was fresh fighter aircraft
to defend the island. Aircraft carriers sailing
from Gibraltar could ferry fighters within reach
of Malta, but the available British carrier, HMS
EAGLE, was small and could launch only about
17 fighters each time (the big British carriers
were in the Indian Ocean, on guard against
the Japanese). The first Spitfires to arrive at
Malta during March and April had been quickly
overwhelmed.
The US carrier USS WASP was therefore
made available. She embarked 47 Spitfire
Mk VC fighters in Scotland and sailed for the
Mediterranean. A New Zealander in the RAF,
Wing Commander J S McLean, embarked
as the ‘air boss’ for the RAF fighters. Flight
Sergeant J D Rae (Auckland) and at least two
other RNZAF pilots were among those who
flew the Spitfires from the WASP.
On 20 April, 46 Spitfires reached Malta, but the
Germans were waiting—in four days of air fighting
all but six were shot down or badly damaged.
Another reinforcement was necessary.
On 9 May WASP and EAGLE flew off 64
Spitfires to Malta—60 arrived safely and, with
good preparations at the airfields, they were
turned around in time to meet the German air
attacks. The smaller EAGLE then kept up the
INDOMITABLE flies off an Albacore
on anti-submarine patrol.
OHIO entering Grand
Harbour, 15 August 1942.
naval heritage
supply of Spitfires over subsequent weeks and
Malta maintained its effective air defence.
In June, two convoys attempted to get
through to Malta. One sailed from Egypt, with
11 merchant ships, eight cruisers, destroyers,
corvettes, minesweepers and two rescue ships.
At the same time, six merchant ships sailed
from Gibraltar, escorted by a battleship, two
small carriers, cruisers, destroyers, corvettes,
minesweepers and even six MLs (motor
launches).
But even as these two convoys sailed,
Rommel advanced in Libya and took Tobruk.
His success denied RAF air cover to the eastern
convoy. In the face of heavy air attack, and the
threat of Italian surface ships, the convoy was
ordered to retire. They tried again, heading
towards Malta, but by then the escorts had
insufficient ammunition to fight the convoy
through. The eastern operation failed.
The convoy from the west, Operation
Harpoon, endured air attacks and an attack
by Italian cruisers and destroyers. At that time
several New Zealand naval aviators, trained in
the UK under Scheme F, were serving with 830
Naval Air Squadron, flying Swordfish torpedo
bombers from Malta. When the Harpoon
convoy came under surface attack, the Maltabased
aircraft were called on to assist.
Jack Cramp (from Hamilton) recalled: “After
flying for one and a half hours we spotted the
ships—two cruisers and three destroyers. To
attack out of the sun was our best option…I
had approached to a little over 1000 yards
before they spotted us. All hell broke loose—
the air was full of metal and tracer; we were
hit but nothing serious. I let go [the torpedo]
at about 900 yards [and] immediately took
evasive action. John [the Observer] reported
it was tracking well, then a big flash. ‘You hit
her, Jack’!”
Jack Cramp was awarded the DSC. When the
number of serviceable torpedo bombers was
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 31

naval heritage
LEDBURY rescuing survivors of
WAIMARAMA. A painting presented to
Malta by the LEDBURY Association.
too few, another Kiwi Fleet Air Arm pilot, Colin
White (Christchurch) flew Hurricanes over Sicily
at night, attacking enemy airfields.
It is estimated that some 200 New Zealand
aircrew, most with the RAF but a number with
the Fleet Air Arm, flew from Malta during the
two-year siege, perhaps 10 per cent of all the
aircrew involved. In July, New Zealander Air
Vice-Marshal Keith Park took command of
the Malta air forces; under his leadership the
fighters increased their effectiveness, causing
a drop-off in German air attacks.
But only two supply ships had reached Malta
from Operation Harpoon. The population and
garrison were on starvation rations, serious
illnesses including polio were rife, and the
reserves of ammunition and aviation fuel were
desperately low. Plans were made to eat the
island’s horses and goats, but even so Malta
would have to surrender before the end of
August. Another convoy was urgent.
Operation Pedestal became the focal point
of the sea war—Britain allocated ships from
three oceans to the task: three carriers, two
battleships, a host of cruisers and destroyers
to escort 14 fast merchant ships. Six of the
ships were fast refrigerated ships well known
on the New Zealand run: PORT CHALMERS,
WAIMARAMA, WAIRANGI, BRISBANE STAR,
MELBOURNE STAR and the DORSET. The only
tanker in the convoy was the American-built but
British-manned OHIO.
New Zealanders were at sea in this fleet,
some were among the pilots in EAGLE and
HMS VICTORIOUS, while six of the newest
Scheme B boys were in the destroyer HMS
MALCOLM. Two more from the same Scheme
B draft were in HMS BRAMHAM.
PJ Moore in the MALCOLM recalled his
ship was close to the carrier EAGLE, when
it was torpedoed and sank. They picked
up 198 survivors: “That night in company
with WOLVERINE a U-boat was located on
the surface and both destroyers attacked.
[WOLVERINE rammed and sank the submarine.]
The next day we hunted another U-boat;
however we also picked up surviviors from an
RAF plane shot down.”
The ‘Pedestal’ convoy was hotly opposed and
the air fighting was intense. SS DEUCALION
was damaged, dropped out of the convoy and
headed for Malta with the BRAMHAM. When
the freighter was finally bombed and sunk that
night, BRAMHAM picked up the survivors, one
of whom, John Gregson, won the Albert Medal
for saving life 3 .
Yet the convoy reached the narrows off
Tunisia largely intact. However that night,12/13
August, the ships were attacked by two
Italian submarines, aircraft and motor torpedo
boats—very quickly two cruisers and several
merchant ships were sunk or disabled.
Lieutenant Commander Roger Hill 4 was CO
of HMS LEDBURY, a Hunt-class destroyer. As
the convoy passed Tunisia, he saw: “A stick of
3 John Gregson served in NZ coastal tankers and as
a harbour pilot at Tauranga after the war.
4 LTCDR Roger Hill DSO retired in New Zealand
and wrote Destroyer Captain, (William Kimber,
1975).
bombs hit the WAIMARAMA and she blew up.
The flames were hundreds of feet high and a
great expanse of sea was covered in smoke
and flames. We spent two hours picking up
45 survivors (one died) …we had survivors on
board not only from WAIMARAMA but also the
MELBOURNE STAR. These ships had about
350 on board and all we had from the two was
44.” [In fact MELBOURNE STAR survived the
convoy and reached Malta with most of her
crew and passengers.]
The remaining ships went on the next day
under enemy air attack, with the Malta-based
fighters striving to give air cover. Each of the
four surviving freighters endured much to get
through to Malta, but the epic struggle of the
convoy was the tanker OHIO, which eventually
was towed into Grand Harbour on 15 August
in sinking condition, with the destroyers
BRAMHAM and HMS PENN lashed alongside
and LEDBURY assisting**.
John Gregson in 1943
with his father. After the
war John came to NZ.
Operation Pedestal saved the island. With
re-armed and fresh striking forces, the Malta
aircraft and submarines quickly shut down
Rommel’s supply lines; in North Africa the
balance now swung in favour of the 8th Army.
Once Africa was cleared of the enemy—a
German defeat on the scale of Stalingrad—
Malta became the launch pad for the invasions
of Sicily and then Salerno (in Italy).
Today you can find 92 New Zealanders from
WWII buried in the Capuccini Cemetery or
remembered on the Malta Memorial—a small
fraction of the defenders of Malta, but men who
demonstrated New Zealand’s commitment to
the fight for freedom.
* Similar policies were followed by the RNZAF.
** Recommended: The OHIO and Malta; Michael
Pearson, Leo Cooper, 2004.
• Readers with specific knowledge of Kiwis in the Malta
convoys are invited to get in touch with the writer.
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navy news
FIRST HELO LANDS ON OTAGO
By SLT BENNY MELVILLE, HMNZS OTAGO
OTAGO has been preparing for the First of
Class Flight Trials (FOCFT) since early 2011.
The preparations have involved a lot of hard
work from the Ship’s Company, as well as
detailed planning from OTAGO, HQJFNZ
(NHR) and 6 Squadron. The product of this
hard work was demonstrated on 20 March
2012 when a Seasprite landed on OTAGO
for the first time. The event was successful,
demonstrating that the Ship’s Company
are well on track to support helicopter
operations at sea.
FOCFT is an important step in releasing the
full capabilities of the Offshore Patrol Vessels
OTAGO and WELLINGTON. The OPVs are
designed to embark helicopters to enhance their
effectiveness in multi-agency operations, as well
as completing support tasks such as re-supply
and search and rescue standby. However,
because the NZDF has not yet operated the
Seasprite helicopters from these vessels, a
thorough programme of testing and evaluation
must be completed to establish ship helicopter
operating limitations (referred to as the SHOL).
Although planning started a year ago, the first
landing of a Seasprite on OTAGO signifies the
beginning of the ‘business end’ of FOCFT. The
completion of these serials alongside allows
the next stage to begin – the sea trial phase.
This will involve OTAGO sailing off the coast of
New Zealand` looking for all different types of
sea state and wind combinations, testing the
Seasprite’s capability to operate to the ship.
Sensors fitted to both the aircraft and ship
allow data to be collected and analysed for use
in determining the SHOL.
FOCFT are due to finish in late May, releasing
the Seasprite to embark on the OPVs in
an operational context. This will be a big
achievement for OTAGO and 6 Squadron.
However, it is particularly important for the
two OPVs (and the Navy) as it will significantly
increase their capability.
A Seasprite has previously landed on HMNZS
WELLINGTON alongside.
Sea Cadet receives Chief of Navy Scholarship
Navy Chief Rear Admiral Tony Parr recently studies as she begins her bachelor’s degree in
presented the Chief of Navy Scholarship to Sea commerce, major in accounting and commerce
law. With her twin sister also going to university
Cadet Chief Petty Officer Louise Davidson.
this year, the scholarship would help ease the
“The scholarship is awarded to serving Sea
financial load on her parents.
Cadets who have demonstrated the Navy’s
“Louise has always excelled in her studies”
core values of commitment, courage and
and has successfully balanced these with afterschool
and Sea Cadet activities, LT CDR Jennifer
comradeship to support them in their first year
of tertiary study,” RA Parr said.
Fagan, Cadet Unit Commander of Training Ship
CPO Cadet Davidson said the scholarship LEANDER, said in her recommendation for
grant of $6000 would enable her to focus on her CPO Cadet Davidson.
“Being able to prepare herself for university…
demonstrates her level of maturity and
courage,” she added.
CPO Cadet Davidson joined the Sea Cadets
at 13, progressed through the ranks and
completed her coxswain qualifications. She is
a qualified surf lifesaving instructor, keen skier,
boating enthusiast and musician.
Mike Pipes, Chairman of the Sea Cadet
Association’s LEANDER branch, cited in his
recommendation for CPO Cadet Davidson that
she plans to continue with Sea Cadets through
university and to progress through the ranks to
become an officer.
“Louise has been an asset to the unit….
She has been a great support to her fellow
cadets with her friendly can-do attitude,” Mr
Pipes said.
Eleven serving Sea Cadets have received
the Chief of Navy Scholarship since it was
established in 2001. The scholarship supports
Sea Cadets in their first year of tertiary study,
and demonstrates the Navy’s commitment to
the Sea Cadet Corps as an integral and valued
part of the Navy family.
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sport
RNZN Mixed team and the Chinese Womens
Rugby 7's team after the Mixed Final.
RNZN win the First Annual Police and
Services Tag Football competition
By CPOET ROY WATTIE
On 20 January the RNZN entered an Open
Men's and Mixed Team into the first ever Police
and Services Tag Football competition, held
at College Rifles Rugby Club in Auckland.
There were nine Open men's teams and
five mixed teams from around Auckland and
Canterbury. The RNZN Team consisted of
personnel from the Northcote module team with
some additional players from around the fleet to
make up two very competitive teams.
We all turned up to what was to be a very
physically demanding day with five games
to be played against some of the best tag
football players in the Police and Services. We
discovered that the following ‘superstars’ were in
the Police and Fire service teams: Lelia Masaga
(Rugby - Chiefs/Bay of Plenty), Steve Divine (Ex
All Black halfback), Tim Nanai-Williams (Rugby -
Chiefs, Counties) and a raft of NZ Tag Football
Representatives.
The games throughout the day were fast and
RNZN Champions Open Mens
and Mixed players.
highly competitive. The RNZN Teams fought
hard playing five highly competitive games,
encompassing the Navy’s core values with the
Open Men's and Mixed teams taking out both
Services titles for 2012.
Ten RNZN personnel will be a part of the New
Zealand Nationals Tag Tournament for various
teams around the Auckland area, with an
opportunity to be selected for one of 12 New
Zealand Teams for the Tag World Cup which will
be held in Albany in early December.
We would like to thank the RNZN Sports and
Recreation council for their support throughout
the tournament.
Outstanding players for the RNZN:
Open Men's
AMT Rawiri Brightwell
AMT Dylan Mitai
Mixed
POCH Tyson Job
LCSS Sierra Stretton
Beach Day
They say February is supposed to be the
hottest, sunniest, month of the year. However
this year, Mother Nature sure has ruined
many events that are usually guaranteed to
be full of fun and sun.
There have been numerous complaints,
moaning and whingeing about the weather,
something that just can’t be helped.
One day a young Able Rate swore he saw an
angel come from the sky. He said the angel spoke
with a funny accent, was constantly moving at 100
kilometres an hour and danced to the sound of a
pipe. The angel was indeed CPOPTI Mal Badham.
“I have an idea”, said Mal. “Let’s have a beach day.
Regardless of the weather. It will be fantastic. We’ll
have kayaks; stand up paddle boarding, beach
tennis, beach volleyball and our Head of Trade can
give sea biscuit rides behind the Amenities boat.
We can even have big Mike on the BBQ, available
for personnel to come and grab a feed in between
activities. Everyone will love it!”
Then all of a sudden the angel disappeared.
The remaining PTIs continued with the beach
day proposal, and just as the angel imagined,
everybody had a great time relaxing and partaking
in the various waterborne activities. There was
also a constant gathering of hungry personnel
at Mike’s gourmet BBQ.
Thank you to the Navy chefs, NATC, NPRC and
Amenities for their contribution to the successful
day. This year, there will be many more fun-filled
events available to RNZN employees. Please keep
an eye out for posters and announcements, get
yourselves there and get amongst it!
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sport
Blue Ocean
Paddling
Story and photograph by Whare Akuhata
Drums - fast, rhythmic Cook Island drums -
beat out as each waka comes through the reef
passage and crosses the finish line. That's
one of the indelible memories Petty Officer Nic
Irvine has of the Vaka Eiva waka ama (outrigger
canoe) regatta in November last year.
"I loved the sound of the drums."
Going out was just as thrilling. Island music
with a modern dance beat would play as waka
after waka would be launched, heading off to
the start line outside the reef.
This was the first time Nic had competed in
Vaka Eiva, the first time she had tasted blue
international ocean paddling. The event held in
Rarotonga is a week-long regatta over various
distances and culminating in the main event – a
36km Round Raro Relay Race. It's in its eighth year
and attracts up to 800 paddlers from around the
Pacific including top crews from Australia, Hawaii,
Canada and Tahiti.
PO Irvine has been in the Navy for 12 years and is
currently serving in HMNZS TE KAHA as the Flight
Deck Officer. The Navy has been a good support,
allowing her to attend Vaka Eiva.
She competed with her Auckland club-side
Waitakere who have raced at Vaka Eiva for the
last three years. She had heard it was a great
event. "Before I went I knew that it was going to
be a lot of paddling and good fun."
Nic had a full schedule of racing, entered in the
18km mixed iron, 12km woman's iron (back to
back), mixed and women’s Round Raro relay races
and the sprints – all six-men waka.
The Round Raro relay is the highlight for many,
Nic included. It's raced on six-men waka with
10 paddlers and a support vessel. Changeover
paddlers wait in the water for the waka to pull
alongside, jump in as change paddlers jump out.
It is a thrilling race that can be quite tactical with
the timing of the changes.
"This was the first time I've paddled a changes
race and I loved it. It was awesome just being
in the middle of the ocean waiting for the waka,
the big swells and waves. Just the mechanics
of it; everybody jumping in and jumping out and
making sure the waka doesn't flip."
Nic is normally a steerer and steering in the
open ocean was another first. "I developed
as a paddler and got my training wheels off
in regard to steering out in the open ocean. I
found out what sort of paddling I like – it’s in
the open ocean."
Nic admitted she felt under pressure when
she was asked to steer. "I hadn't steered a big
race like that before but went with the flow of
it. I learnt a lot of the technical stuff about riding
those waves and the feel of the canoe out there
in the ocean."
She had some experienced steerers to help
her and learnt a few tricks. "Catching waves
was awesome and It was quite exciting paddling
close to the reef where you could pick up better
rides. There was always a danger of getting
smashed by a rogue wave and ending up on
the reef.I took a few chances, went in nice and
close to the reef to try and gain some ground
and we did. So that was cool."
Unfortunately, the rewards didn't include
medals for any of the races but Nic reckons this
year will be different.
Nic had been to Rarotonga with the Navy a few
times but she says the atmosphere of Vaka Eiva
was amazing. "The local people treat paddlers
like gods. Raro was great, totally relaxing. We
enjoyed the ‘no dramas’ attitude of Rarotonga.
Being there with friends and family was great.
The water was a favourite place as well as Bellas
Beach Bungalows where we stayed for most of
the time. The food was great too, iki mata from
Wigmore's store – you can't beat it. Tara Kauvai's
music, Trader Jack’s and the friendly dogs and
puppies we adopted/bribed while staying there.
I even came back with a mean tan."
Nic has been paddling for five years and likes
the traditional aspect of waka ama. "There's
a bond it gives you with the waka family. I
joined because a good friend of mine thought
it would be good for me. Waka ama has made
me a better person. It gives me somewhere
to channel life's frustrations. I thrive off the
mana the sport has and the thing I really like is
the team thing and working together. For me
personally the Navy and waka ama can be very
similar in that respect."
"Waitakere have been really good. There's a
real whanau aspect and they're really welcoming.
They were keen to take me to Raro even though
I'm away most of the year."
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 35

old alligator
The sea-going NZ contingent in front of the US flag on board USS WASP. LTCOL James Kaio, LTCDR John Sellwood, LTCOL Andrew Fox, CDR Lionel
Randall, MAJ Christopher Kelly, CDR DavidTurner, MAJ Aidan Shattock, CDR Garin Golding.
NZDF JOINS BIG US EXERCISE
BY LTCDR John Sellwood
Early on the morning of 6 Feb 2012, US Navy,
Marine Corps and Coalition landing craft,
amphibious assault vehicles, helicopters and
strike aircraft began heading for the North
Carolina coast. The service men and women
in the vehicles were tasked with effecting
an amphibious landing in order to prevent
the northward movement of a mechanised
infantry brigade.
Although the enemy brigade existed only
on paper, the determination of the soldiers,
sailors and airmen was very real. They were
part of BOLD ALLIGATOR 12, the largest
amphibious exercise to be run by US forces in
a decade. With 14,000 personnel embarked
in 24 ships, BOLD ALLIGATOR was living up
to its ambition of revitalising core amphibious
war-fighting capabilities within the US Navy and
Marine Corps.
Just as in real operations, US forces were not
operating alone; eight countries contributed
forces and personnel to the coalition. New
Zealand provided 10 staff officers: four RNZN
officers for the Amphibious Task Force (ATF)
Headquarters, four NZ Army officers for the
Landing Force (LF) Headquarters and two RNZAF
Officers for the Combined Air Operations Centre.
NZDF personnel were employed in a range of
positions covering operations, plans, intelligence,
logistics, assessment, fires and air operations.
The eight Navy and Army officers embarked in
USS WASP for the duration of the exercise. One
of the world’s largest class of amphibious assault
ship, WASP is capable of embarking nearly
1900 troops (in addition to the 1066 crew), three
Landing Craft Air Cushion (LCAC) and a mix of
helicopters and STOVL (short take-off and vertical
landing) aircraft. The crew were very welcoming,
even to coalition officers unfamiliar with the
quirks of life at sea with the US Navy. As flagship,
WASP played host to the Commander ATF and
Commander LF – Commander Expeditionary
Strike Group 2, RADM Scott and Commander
2nd Marine Expeditionary Brigade (2MEB), BGEN
Owens, respectively. The commanders played
host to a range of distinguished visitors during
the exercise, including our own Commander
Joint Forces NZ and Maritime Component
Commander.
The scale of Bold Alligator entailed a
complex set of command arrangements.
The amphibious force was supported by two
Carrier Strike Groups (one live, one on paper),
Mine Countermeasures forces, Theatre ASW,
Logistics and Maritime Patrol assets. The ATF
included Tactical Air Squadrons, a Destroyer
Squadron and an Amphibious Squadron. For
NZDF participants, this meant lots of getting
to grips with unfamiliar capabilities and their
operating characteristics. And of course,
there’s no substitute for hands-on learning; a trip
ashore in an LCAC proved very worthwhile.
Despite the bewildering scale and complexity
of the exercise, NZDF participants were able
to gain valuable insights into amphibious
operations that will have direct relevance to
the development of NZDF’s own amphibious
capability. It also provided a great opportunity
to continue to build direct relationships with the
US Navy and Marine Corps in a training sphere
previously not open to the NZDF. In addition to
the invaluable experience gained, CDR Garin
Golding and LTCDR Sellwood were awarded
the US Navy and Marine Corps Achievement
Medal – a reflection of the high regard for NZ
participation displayed by all US personnel.
An AAV in front of USS WASP.
36 NT165april-may12
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ

Defence Force establishes
single Health Directorate
A single Health Directorate is being set up in the
first stage of the Health Restructure Project.
Defence Health Director SGN CAPT Alison
Drewry said the Defence Force senior
leadership, through the Strategic Reform
Programme Committee, recently endorsed
the detailed business case for the Health
Restructure Project, paving the way for the
creation of the single Health Directorate.
“The central Health Directorate will bring
together the health directorates for each of
the three services under the Defence Health
Director,” SGN CAPT Drewry explained.
“It will ensure that health policy is coordinated
and supports the changes that are being made
to back-office functions and administration
processes in health services over the next 12
months or so.”
Although the creation of a Health Directorate
is an immediate priority, SGN CAPT Drewry
said changes to clinical and administration
roles will not be implemented until 12 to 18
months from now.
“The New Zealand Defence Force will continue
to provide high-quality, relevant services that
meet the organisation’s needs, and do so in
the most efficient way,” she stressed.
“Military personnel can be assured that
defence health services will continue to support
them to be fit and healthy for their current and
future military roles.“
SGN CAPT Drewry said the current fiscal
situation highlights the importance of improving
efficiencies in the way the NZDF does things
such as in providing and managing domestic
health services.
“The Health Restructure Project will change
the ways we deliver and manage some domestic
health services and will be implemented in
stages over the next few years,” she said.
“By 2013/14, we will be moving towards a
regional model where health care is coordinated
through four main centres, but with services still
delivered at camps and bases,” she said.
Whilst NZDF health services are currently
based on an ‘illness’ model, she said the
future approach will have an increased focus
on ‘wellness’ and fitness for duty.
The restructuring is being undertaken as
part of the Defence Health Programme, which
aims to ensure health services are operationally
focused, efficient and continue to achieve good
health outcomes for military personnel.
“Military health service support should ensure
the physical, mental and psychosocial wellbeing
of military personnel so that they are
fit and healthy for operational service. This
requires a focus on preventative rather than
reactive services, and promoting responsibility
for one’s own health, healthy habits and
resilience,” SGN CAPT Drewry explained.
The Defence Health Directorate will provide
regular updates about the Health Restructure
Project.
navy news
Do you want to be a hero and
help save lives?
The New Zealand Blood Service is looking
for 50 healthy (preferably male) adults to
become regular donors of platelets, which
are a life-saving resource for patients
undergoing chemotherapy for cancer or
leukaemia.
“If you are in generally good health, aged
18 years and over, weigh at least 50 kgs,
have donated at least one whole blood
donation in the last two years, and are
interested in becoming a regular platelet
donor, contact the apheresis coordinators
who organise platelet donations in the
different centres,” says Defence Health
Director SGN CAPT Alison Drewry.
Apheresis is a procedure in which blood is
taken from a donor, the platelets removed,
and the rest of the blood returned to the
donor.
“Unlike blood donation, a platelet donation
can only be done by appointment at donor
centres and the whole process can take
over three hours,” said SGN CAPT Drewry.
“That is why it is important to find people
who can make a long-term commitment
to donate platelets regularly.”
SGN CAPT Drewry said NZDF personnel
who are keen to become a platelet donor
should talk to their manager or unit
commander if they plan to donate platelets
during the working week. Apheresis
coordinators will be able to organise
transport to and from donor centres.
Following are the telephone numbers of
the apheresis coordinators:
• Auckland 09 523 6482
• Palmerston North 06 350 8563
• Wellington 04 380 2243
• Christchurch 03 343 908
NOMINATIONS OPEN FOR MOD AWARDS OF EXCELLENCE TO INDUSTRY
Defence Logistics Command is urging Nomination forms can be downloaded from
Defence Force personnel to nominate the Defence Logistics Command’s Intranet
vendors and contractors for the Minister of
site (http://org/hqnzdf-dlc/LP/MODAwards.
aspx) or the Ministry of Defence’s website
Defence Awards of Excellence to Industry.
(www.defence.govt.nz).
“Help us to reward and recognise our
The Defence Industry Advisory Council
vendors and contractors who provide
established the Minister of Defence Awards
excellent service by nominating them for
of Excellence to Industry in 1998 to highlight
these awards,” said Bruce Wooller, SO1
and recognise the contribution made by
Multinational Logistics Policy at Defence
industry to Defence.
Logistics Command.
The Awards are presented annually by the
Nominations may be submitted no later
Minister of Defence during the NZ Defence
than 11 May 2012 to either of the following: Industry Association Forum in Wellington in
Mr Bruce Wooller (DTelN 349 7248; email: October. They are sponsored by the Ministry
bruce.wooller@nzdf.mil.nz)
of Defence, the New Zealand Defence Force
SQNLDR Michelle Goulden (DTelN 349 751; and the New Zealand Defence Industry
email: michelle.goulden@nzdf.mil.nz) Advisory Council.
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 37

main notice board
promotions
REGULAR FORCE PROMOTIONS
A/ACO P.L WETERE
ACO E SHUM
ACO P.R MASLIN
AMEDIC S.M CHIRNSIDE
AMT(P) A.J ARCHER
AMT(P) C.W WATENE-WICKLIFFE
AMT(P) J.S.T TUATAMA
AMT(P) J.L WOOD
AMT(P) T.W VILJOEN
AMT(P) R.I WEIR
ASTD B.M ALLOTT
ASTD E.M TOWNSON
ASTD J.E.L ABRAHAMS
ASTD S.R GREENFIELD
ASTD S.E.P GOLDSWORTHY
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ASTD J.L HOLLAND
A/LEWS M.H KILGOUR
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LCO D CARPENTER
LDR L.J COLEMAN EDMONDS
LMEDIC S.M JORDAN
LMT(L) C.L LITTLE-WEASTELL
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LPTI L.M THYNE
LSA H.R.H PIRINI
LSCS W.F.N SIO
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LSTD A.T LINGMAN-HELMBRIGHT
LSTD K.T MURRAY
LWTR J.C STEWART
LWTR Z.L WOLVERS
POCSS A.S REID
POMEDIC T.K ASHBY
PONP C.E RUSSELL
PORS K.A OWENS
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CPOET E.J MUNN
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CPOSCS N.J HUNTER
CPOSCS M.D.P LATU
A/CPOEWS D.T SOMERVILLE
CPOWT G.A BISHELL
WOMEDIC G.R STAINES
MID V.J BROWN
S LT A.J HUDSON
LT A.G ROBINSON
LT F.L TOULMIN
LT K.J WOODINGS
A/LT CDR S.P ROM
A/LT CDR K.J BEGG
LT CDR M.J PEEBLES
LT CDR W.J DOHNT
CDR F RANDS
CDR B.J OAKLEY
CDR M.D PIGGOTT
CDR S.C GRIFFITHS
CHAPLAIN C.W HAINES
NON-REGULAR FORCE
PROMOTIONS
AMUS F.M ROBERTSON
CPOMTO J.C PAYNE
POSA M.J CHRISTIAN
CPOET D.J COOPER
ENS B.C FLIGHT
S LT J.C AHEARN
WOPTI P STEWART
WORS P.A GEE
LT B.M SNEDDON
CPOTS S.M MCLEAN
ENS A.C BERGIN
LT CDR R.J HOWLAND
LT CDR S.M FLEISHER
ASCS J.B ROBERTSON
HMNZS RESOLUTION’S
DECOMMISSIONING
COCKTAIL PARTY
27 April 2012
1900-2359
NGATARINGA SPORTS COMPLEX
inviting ALL PAST AND PRESENT SHIP’S COMPANY
OF hmnzs resolution
LIMITED OPEN BAR ◊ CANAPES ◊ live band ◊ PHOTOGRAPHER
DRESS: BLACK TIE (mALE GUESTS)
COCKTAIL DRESS (FEMALE GUESTS)
RNZN 7 OPTIONAL
TICKET ENQUIRIES: KERI.HAYDEN@NZDF.MIL.NZ
TICKETS: $40.00
TRANSPORT WILL BE PROVIDED AFTER THE FUNCTION
Wanted: postcards from Navy personnel overseas
We all have interesting stories to tell and we would love to receive a postcard from you which we can
publish in Navy Today and on the Navy website.
Postcards should be between 400 and 500 words and blend the writer's personal observations (of
the place, the culture and the people) with an interesting anecdote. The tone of the article is light and
appropriately humorous.
If you would like to contribute a postcard, please email your words and accompanying photos to Luz
Baguioro (Senior Communications Advisor, New Zealand Defence Force) at luz.baguioro@nzdf.mil.nz.
REUNIONS
HMNZS Blackpool
Reunion
26 May 2012, Ngataringa
Sports Complex
All Commissions
Email: alcameron@vodafone.
co.nz Phone: 09 444 9772
F421
HMNZS CANTERBURY
Delivery Crew
Reunion
3rd to 5th of August
2012, Birkenhead RSA
A Reunion is being held for
all members of the Delivery
Crew of HMNZS Canterbury
F421 the last of our RNZN
Leander Frigates. To register
your interest please Email Alex
Kildare:ajkildare@xtra.co.nz
2012 ELECTRONIC
WARFARE REUNION
Ngataringa Sports
Complex, Friday 26
October 2012
Email: ew_reunion2012@
hotmail.com
I NZ
NAVY
navy.mil.nz
38 NT165april-may12
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ

crossword
two-speed naval crossword
Cryptic and quick clues are provided for this crossword. Both sets of clues have the same set of answers.
By three authors: DAMN RIDDLES OF MR E. BRICE, MBE (7,9,8) (anag.)
Crossword solution, page 2.
cryptic Clues
Across
3. The Cockney bloke might be trying to tell you
to 'go', but all you’ll hear is where the fleet was
anchored. (5,4)
7. By the end of time eleven company leaders will
have visited here. (6)
9. Dalmatians or German Shepherds are initially on
watch over the dinner hour. (4)
11. … who must be obeyed? (3)
13. Riders of this boat may be surprised to find the
jets kick in. (3-3)
14. We hear of a seabird that alters direction (4)
15. Provides security in branch orders. (6)
17 & 28. If the RN faired better they could have built a
device that could see to the edge of the spectrum.
(5,3)
19. Will this seaman stop a train? (6)
22. You should blow that runny nose, young Sir! (6)
24. Well seasoned seafarer (5)
25. The buccaneer placed the rodent in the pastry
dish. (6)
26. On reflection this source of Welsh national pride
produces a solid nautical foundation. (4)
27. Remove the bromine from the young chooks to
yield a Houston team (6)
29. Even Russia can be seen from this Allies doorstep.
(abbr.)(3)
31. C C C C (4)
33. Vin may be used to fuel a van! (6)
34. Needs to change – orders yet to be placed for
this ship design. (9)
Down
1. Stuart, Adelaide and Norman should all be referred
to as such… a real mix mash. (4)
2. The flax leaf could be used to conceal the rod.
(4)
4. Neptune thought that this ceremony was pushing
it a bit too far! (8,3,4)
5. Condensation results in uncertainty. (3)
6. It was a rocky road to sail for the naval territorials.
(colloq.)(4-4)
8. Award might be given primarily for other buggers
efforts! (abbr.)(3)
9. Drivers without the right to become swimmers
(6)
10. Insignificant pipsqueak drinks his tot (6)
12. Sounds like he now will be serving in a small ship
(5)
16. Even bouncers put on their best uniforms. (4)
18. The soldier and I worked together against subs,
ships and aircraft. (4)
19. The large mass will support the cranium; but can
the pair together be the support for the deckhead?
(8)
20. You could say that the flea eats all those that sail
together. (6)
21. Confuses or aids long range communicators.
(6)
23. Casual skin art without the license to kill. (colloq.)
(5)
28. See 17 across. (5,3)
29. You might have found the USS Rhode Island
visiting here... but highly unlikely! (abbr.)(4)
30. The competent sailor will shorten in the cable by
100. (4)
32. Sounds like my successor… now I can breathe
easily. (3)
standard Clues
Across
3. WW II fleet anchorage (5,4)
7. Central American country (6)
9. Canines (4)
11. The woman (3)
13. Motorised water craft (3-3)
14. Rotate (4)
15. Fasten (6)
17 & 28 down. Part of the spectrum (5,3)
19. Shock absorber (6)
22. Foul with nasal mucus (6)
24. Saline (5)
25. Buccaneer (6)
26. Ship’s base (4)
27. Tankers (6)
29. NZ ally (abbr.) (3)
31. Tasman, South China and Mediterranean (4)
33. Fuel (6)
34. Demolisher (9)
Down
1. Australian ships (abbr.) (4)
2. Rod (4)
4. Maritime initiation ceremony (8,3,4)
5. Haze (3)
6. Naval Reserves (colloq.) (4-4)
8. New Years Honour (abbr.) (3)
9. Aquanauts (5)
10. Spray (6)
12. NZ Native tree (5)
16. Belonging to (4)
18. Against (4)
19. Wall (8)
20. Naval forces (6)
21. Communication devices (6)
23. Skin art (colloq.) (5)
28. See 17 across. (5,3)
29. Former communist states (abbr.) (4)
30. Capable (4)
32. Atmosphere (3)
WWW.NAVY.MIL.NZ NT166april-may12 39

As an officer in the Navy, you’ll go further
than you ever thought possible.
Start now.
NVY 0187 SAATCHI