COMPILING NAVAL HISTORY OF N.Z.

Grey River Argus, 19 April 1948, Page 7

COMPILING NAVAL HISTORY OF N.Z.

An important part of the Naval Section of the Official History of New Zealand in World’War II will be that covering the' performance of New Zealand officers 'find ratings who served wholly or in part in ships and establishments of the Royal Navy, numbered in all some 6,000 to 7,000 and saw service in practically ' every type- of ships from ’ batteships and aircraft-carriers to motor laurtches and landing craft, as well as' merchant ships,.and took part in most of the important operations of the war at sea and in numberless minor affairs. W New Zealanders swept mines in the North Sea and the English Channel, in the Mediterranean and off Madagascar. Many served and fought in Coastal Forces craft in British waters, off tho coasts of France and the Low Countries and from Gibraltar to the Aegean Sea in the Mediterranean. They sailed to ; the Arctic Ocean with North Russia convoys, ’ to the Mediterranean' with Malta convoys, and in escort ships they fought Üboats in the long and bitter Battle of the Atlantic. There were New Zealanders in the ships that hunted the Bismark to her doom and others took part in thp attacks on the Tirpitz in Norwegian waters. New Zealand officers and ratings had grim times at Hong Kong and Singapore during the first tragic months of the Japanese war and many served with the British Pacific Fleet in the final victorious onslaught of 1945. New Zealanders took part in the raid on St. Nazaire, the capture of Diego Suarez, Madagascar, the landings in North Africa, Sicily and Italy and the seaborne invasions of Normandy and Frovenco. „ , . , More than 700 New Zealanders attained commissioned rank and some 300-odd served as naval airmen, m the Air Branch of the R.N.Z.V.R. At the peak period, there were nearly 600 serving mostly as pilots, with the Fleet Air Arm; representing 10 per cent, of its flying officers. In fleet carriers or escort carriers they took part in every kind of naval air operation, from attacks on the Tirpitz and enemy bases to anti-submarine patrols while covering convoys. Many served in the big carriers of the British Pacific Fleet. Vice-Admiral Sir Phillip Vian considered New Zealand pilots to be “second to none,’-’ and to have “over-excelled in the offensive spirit.” SUBMARINE SERVICE New Zealanders were well represented in the submarine service ot the Royal Navy. At least one officer rose to command of an ocean-going submarine and others were in midget submarines. From the days of the Admiral Graf Spee in 1939, to the end of the war, many ratings of the K.N.Z.V.R. served as DJE.M.S. gunners in merchant ships in every part of the world. Many New Zealand officers and ratings were associated with the development and use of radar in the Royab Navy. . . . .. As a necessary preliminary to the writing of a comprehensive series of naratives of their achievements, ..he naval archivists are compiling a. list of New Zealand officers and ratings showing the ships and establishments of the' Royal Navy in which they served. It has been found, however, that in most cases Navy Office records give very scanty information and show .only the names of the bases or depot ships on whose books they were borne for various periods, whereas thev probably were serving afloat in an operational vessel, tender to the base or depot. For this reason, Navy War Archives are seeking the help and co-op-eration of all New Zealand officers and ratings who saw service overseas with the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy in completing this list to the end that the ultimate story shall be an adequate and worthy record ot the notable part played by New Zealand at sea during World War 11. It is requested, therefore, that all concerned will supply a list of:— (a) All the ships of the Royal Navy and the Merchant Navy in which they served. . . (b) The number of other designations of their squadron or flotillas. c). The periods of service in each vessel (with rank or rating), and (d). A very brief indication of the operations in which they took part. A full and prompt response to this appeal will be of the greatest help to the Naval Archivist and War Historian, Navy Office, Wellington, to whom the information as outlined above should be addressed.