N.Z. NAVY

Grey River Argus, 16 August 1945, Page 6

N.Z. NAVY

ITS WAR In The Pacific P.A. WELLINGTON, August 15 When hostilities against Japan commenced on December 8, 1941, H.M.N.Z. ships “Achilles,” "Leander,” and “Monowai” were engaged in patrol and escort duties in the South Pacific area. In the early hours of that memorable morning an urgent request .was received in Wellington that the “Achilles” should proceed to Singapore to reinforce the Eastern Fleet which was desperately short of cruisers. The request was approved of at once by the War Cabinet, and in less than four hours a signal was made to the “Alchilles,” then at sea on passage to Fiji, to “proceed with all despatch to Suva and complete with fuel. Probable final destination Singapore.” Two hours later this was amplified by another signal instructing the “Achilles” to proceed from Suva to Port Moresby, New Guinea and thence, after fuelling, “with all convenient despatch” to Singapore to join the Eastern Fleet. • Twelve hours after receiving the first signal, the “Achilles” sailed from Suva, and proceeding at top speed arrived at Port Moresby in the evening of December 11.

In the meantime the situation had changed rapidly and while she was still oiling the “Achilles” received orders to cancel her sailing to Singapore and return to Auckland where she arrived in the forenoon of December 16. The paramount duty of all available naval forces in the South Pacific was the protection of the sea communications of Australia and New Zealand. To this end the Anzac Squadron came into being, comprising the available ships of the two Dominions. The “Achilles” proceeded from Auckland’ at midnight of December 16 and 17 to join the Anzac Squadron which met an important United States convoy and escorted it to Brisbane. Subsequently the Squadron acted as an escort to the “Aquitania” and another ship carrying troops and supplies to Port. Moresby. Subsequently the “Acnilles” took part, with th,e “Leander” and the “Monowai,” in covering the considerable movements of New Zealand troops and supplies to Fiji. To the “Monowai” came the first contact with the enemy. On January 16, 1942, the “Monowai” had just cleared Suva harbour on her passage to Auckland when she was attacked by a Japanese submarine. After a brief exchange of gunfire in which no hits were made by either side, the submarine broke off the action and dived.

Later the “Leander” and the “Achilles,” operating under the United States Commander for the South Pacific Area, were employed as escorts for important convoys, transporting personnel and supplies from the United States to the South Pacific, and’ with United States task forces in the Solomons Islands area. On January 5, 1943, a task force covering the passage of reinforcements to Guadalcanal was attacked by Japanese aircraft. One bomb hit the “Achilles” on a gun turret, her casualties being thirteen killed and eight seriously wounded. Three weeks later the “Kiwi” and the “Moa” fought a gallant and successful action against a large and heavily-armed Japanese submarine. Forced to surface after being depth-charged, the submarine was engaged by gunfire from the two small • Now" Zealand ships. The fierce action lasted more than an hour, during which the “Kiwi” thrice rammed the submarine, which finally struck a reef and was wrecked. One Japanese survivor was picked up.. The following night the “Moa” and the “Tui” engaged four enemy armed landing-craft, two of which were sunk in a sharp action. The “Moa” was sunk at Tulagi in the Solomons on April 7. 1943, as a result of an enemy air attack. Five ratings were killed and fifteen injured. The Commanding Officer also was injured. In August, 1943, the “Tui,” which was escorting a. convoy from Noumea, took part with aircraft in the sinking of’ another large Japanese submarine from which six survivors were picked up. Operating as a unit in an American task force of cruisers and destroyers, the “Leander” took part in a night action of July 12-13, 1943, against two groups of Japanese destroyers and at least one cruiser, which were attempting to reinforce enemy troops in New Georgia. In this action, known as the Battle of Kolombangara, two American cruisers and the “Leander” were damaged by torpedoes, and a United States destroyer was also torpedoed and .had to be sunk some hours later. The Japanese lost one cruiser and possibly three destroyers sunk, and o**s destroyer was severely damaged. The “Leander” returned to Auckland on July 29, 1943, and was docked for temporary repairs. The ship subsequently sailed for the United States for permanent repairs and re-arm-ing. She arrived at Boston on December 23, 1943, having completed seven and a-half years’ service in the Royal New Zealand Navy. The “Monowai” completed her service in the South Pacific on March 16, 1943, when she arrived at Auckland and was docked for a refit. From August 30, 1940, when she was commissioned as an armed merchant cruiser, to March 16, 1943, the ship steamed a total distance of more than 137,000 miles. The “Monowa>” left Auckland on April 24, 1943, and proceeded, via the Panama Canal, to Liverpool, where she arrived on June 3, 1943. The ship then paid off and was converted fo*r transport duties. On September 22, 1943, the cruiser “Gambia” was commissioned as a unit of the Royal New Zealand Navy. After operating with other cruisers for some weeks against enemy blockade-Funners in the North Atlantic, the “Gambia” proceeded to the Indian Ocean and joined the Eastern Fleet. The ship there took part in several successful operations against Japanese bases. H.M.N.Z.S. “Gambia” held her own as a most efficient ship among the cruisers of her squadron .whic.h were subsequently transferred to the British Pacific Fleet. As a unit of a task force of that Fleet, the “Gambia” has since taken part in a nunjber of successful operations against the Japanese in the Sakishima Islands.

Early in 1943 the “Achilles” had proceeded, to., England for re-arming and a complete refit. The ship was re-commissioned on May 23, 1945, and proceeded to the Mediterranean and thence to Indian waters, where she served' for three months in the Eastern Fleet. In December of 1944, the “Achilles” was transferred to the British Pacific Fleet, with which she has recently served in operations against the Japanese. The 25th. Mine Sweeping Flotilla served for more than three years in the South Pacific, operating as an anti-submarine escort to United Nations’ transports and supply ships arriving at and departing from forward bases in the South Pacific area. Apart from the engagements of the “Kiwi.” the, “Moa,” and the “Tui,” already referred to, and some minor incidents, there was little to relieve the monotony of these ships’ important. but mainly unspectacular round of duties faithfully performed under uncomfortable conditions in tropical waters. Expressing his “sincere appreciation for the services you have rendered to oui’ common cause,” the Commanding General of the United States 14th. Army Corps remarked that the 25th. Mine Sweeping Flotilla

|iad “at all times eagerly undertaken every mission assigned, and has completed them all with signal success.” Early in 1944 twelve Fairmile motor launches of the Royal New Zealand Navy were placed under the operational control of the Commander of the South Pacific area for service in the Solomon Islands. Since then they have steamed many thousands of miles carrying out their important patrol and escort duties. These vessels recently returned to New Zealand. The corvettes “Arabis” and “Arbutus,” manned by New Zealand officers and ratings, were commissioned last year for service with the R.N.Z.N. The former joined tne Twenty-fifth Mine Sweeping Flotilla and the latter was doing duty with the British Pacific Fleet.