Bay Harbour: June 28, 2023

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Bay Harbour News Wednesday June 28 2023 18 TREASURES FROM THE PAST HMS Achilles an object of curiosity LARGE CROWDS began to gather at the port of Ōhinehou Lyttelton on Sunday, November 15, 1936, arriving by motor vehicle and electric train, with extra passenger services having been added to cope with the expected influx of sightseers. The object of the crowd’s curiosity was the latest addition to the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, the light cruiser HMS Achilles. Built by Cammell Laird at Birkenhead in the United Kingdom, she was laid down on June 11, 1931, launched on September 1, 1932, and commissioned into the British Royal Navy on October 10, 1933. A Leander-class light cruiser, she displaced 7390 metric tons, was 169.3m long, with a 17m beam and a 5.8m draught, and carried a full complement of 680 crew. Six Yarrow boilers feeding four Parsons geared steam turbines driving four shafts produced 73,280 shaft horsepower (54,640kW) for a top speed of 32.5 knots (60 km/h) and a range of 5730 nautical miles (10,610km) at a cruising speed of 13 knots (24 km/h). The Achilles main armament consisted of eight 6-inch (152 mm) guns in four twin turrets fore and aft. This formidable array was complemented by four 4-inch (102 mm) coastal defence and heavy anti-aircraft guns, 12 Vickers machine guns, and eight torpedo tubes. HMS Achilles was the first British warship to carry the catapult-launched Supermarine Walrus amphibious plane, later also fitted to the Royal Australian Navy’s flagship HMAS Canberra. Newly designed and built at Supermarine’s Southampton UK facility, the walrus was unique for its time with an allmetal fuselage, and was used in reconnaissance, rescue and antisubmarine duties. Aside from the walrus, the Achilles would later make use of a novel radio controlled aerial drone, the DH.82 Queen Bee. After serving with the British Home Fleet for two years, in November 1935 HMS Achilles was assigned to the Royal Navy’s New Zealand Division. While RN warships were traditionally crewed by British sailors, the formation of the New Zealand Royal Naval Volunteer Reserves in 1926 had led to a growing cadre of New Zealand born seamen serving with his Majesty’s naval forces. A decade later, when Achilles was recommissioned into the New Zealand Division on March 31, 1936, a majority of her crew were proudly New Zealand born and bred. As the modern flagship of a naval service that was well on its way to becoming the New Zealand navy, it’s no wonder she drew ‘huge crowds’ on her inaugural cruise around the country. After calling in at Wellington, she embarked for her second port of call at Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour, arriving on November 13, 1936. The welcome activities began early with a complement of crew from Achilles marching in good order to St Saviour’s Church in West Lyttelton to attend a service led by Reverend Malden. By 1.45pm, the crowd on the wharf had grown so large the gangways were opened early to accommodate the 7500 people who patiently waited their turn to inspect ‘their’ cruiser through to 6pm. The following morning, 170 ratings, including the Royal Marines’ band and seven officers, marched through the streets of Ōtautahi Christchurch from the railway station, up Manchester St to Cathedral Square, where the salute was taken by Mayor Beanland. Following this, the crew were treated to morning tea at Christ’s College. The Achilles left Lyttelton port on November 17, calling at Akaroa and Dunedin before sailing up the West Coast and finally arriving at Auckland on December 3, 1936. Just three years later she would HMS Achilles at Lyttelton wharf, c. 1936-38, Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum ref. 6744.1 https://www.teuaka.org.nz/online-collection/1009567 join HMS Exeter and Ajax in a deadly engagement with the Kriegsmarine heavy cruiser Graf Spee. The first naval engagement of World War 2, the famous Battle of the River Plate, would lead to the loss of four of Achilles seamen on December 13, 1939, followed by the selfdestruction of the Nazi warship in the harbour of Montevideo. On October 1, 1941, the Royal Navy ended its long association with the British Crown’s Australasian Dominions when the Royal New Zealand Navy was decreed, and the HMNZS Achilles was recommissioned once again. This famous New Zealand cruiser would go on to see action in the Pacific war at Guadalcanal in 1942-43 and at Okinawa, Japan, in 1945. At war’s end, Achilles returned to Royal Navy service in the UK in September 1946, having only been on loan to the RNZN, and was then sold on to the Indian Navy where she was commissioned as INS Delhi in July 1948. After a further 30 years of service, she was scrapped in HMS Achilles in Whakaraupō Lyttelton Harbour c. 1936-38. Photo by F E McGregor. Te Ūaka The Lyttelton Museum ref. 10461.1 https://www.teuaka.org.nz/online-collection/1130663 Bombay on June 30, 1978. In commemoration of her service with the RNZN, the Indian Government gifted her stern Y turret and guns to Auckland’s Devonport Naval Base where they reside at the entrance to this day. subscribe AND sAVe 17% OFF THe rrP* *Based on savings for 12 issues New ZealaNd’s premier magaZiNe for lovers of yesterday’s cars classicdriver.co.nz 0800 624 295
Wednesday June 28 2023 Bay Harbour News 19 Te Aratai College: Matariki 2023 Celebrating what has always been with us, what is now and what is yet to come. Ngā mihi o Matariki, te tau hou Māori! Wishing us all a happy Māori New Year! Kia ora koutou. Talofa. Kia Orana. Malo e lelei. Bula. Fakaalofa atu. Namaste and Kumusta. Greetings to everyone at Te Aratai College and our wider Te Aratai community. One of the many joys of being in Aotearoa-New Zealand in 2023 is the continuing movement of our wonderful country’s development towards being truly Aotearoa-New Zealand, a bi-cultural nation embracing the diversity of multi-cultural communities. And not just being in A-NZ but specifically being part of our Te Aratai College community. What is Matariki? (Te Wananga o Aotearoa) The appearance of Matariki in the morning sky in midwinter marks the Māori New Year, or Te Mātahi o te Tau. Matariki is the star cluster that is most commonly known as Pleiades or M45. The arrival of Matariki is a sign for people to gather, to honour the dead, celebrate the present and plan for the future. From this comes the phrase ‘Matariki hunga nui’ - the many people of Matariki. For early Māori, astronomy was interwoven into all facets of life. Meticulous observations of the movements of the stars and planets, the changing position of the sun, the phases of the moon and the appearance of anomalies such as comets and meteors were recorded and handed down from generation to generation as part of Māori oral tradition. This knowledge was connected to seasonal activities such as planting and harvesting, the flowering of plants, the spawning of fish and the natural cycles of the environment. This astronomical knowledge sits at the heart of our many regional ecological calendar systems that guided Māori from season to season. I use the marker of Matariki to recognise both the progress brought about through the steadfast endeavours and struggles of previous generations and the journey still ahead with all the determination and wisdom that will be needed for this. However, as a school teacher and principal, I have immense faith in the present generation - your children - who inspire me with faith and hope for the future of our nation. They will shine as, life-long, they continually build on our school uara, our school values: Manaakitanga: the process of showing respect, generosity and care for others Whanaungatanga: a relationship through shared experiences and working together which provides people with a sense of belonging Rangatiratanga: self-determination and selfmanagement Tūrangawaewae: where one has the right to stand What promise our students, your children hold, growing the seeds of all the good things that they will do over their coming decades of this 21st century. Akakoa he iti, he pounamu. It may be small but it is still pounamu, it is still precious. Ngā mihi nui – best wishes Richard Edmundson Tumuaki-Principal Aside from the learning that occurs in our different Learning Areas around our kura, Te Aratai College also commemorated Matariki with two events on Thursday. The first was our “Celebration of Learning” held in Tāhuhu (Y7 and Y8 Learning Area). This was an opportunity for whānau to visit and ākonga to share their amazing Matariki installations with their chosen whetū. In the evening we hosted our Hui ā-Whānau, which coincided with Matariki this year. This gave whānau the opportunity to come together and enjoy games, goal setting, and culminating with a delicious spread of BBQ, Parāoa Parai-fry bread, steamed pudding and ice cream. The main focus of our Hui ā-Whānau was a chance for whānau and ākonga to reflect on their learning progress and set goals for the following year. In a similar way that constellations have guided us in the past, Matariki is an opportunity for reflection that can help us plan ahead. Ad: 85 Aldwins Road, Phillipstown | Ph: 03 9820100 | Em: office@tearatai.school.nz | Wb: tearatai.school.nz
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Bay Harbour: June 28, 2023

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