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12. Units of the British Pacific Fleet have visited New Zealand waters at various intervals and required the services of our local craft for exercises. The visit of the British submarine, H.M.S. " Vox," in August, 1945, resulted in H.M.N.Z. ships " Killegray " and " Hautapu " being utilized in anti-submarine exercises and escort duties in Auckland and Wellington respectively. On the departure of the " Vox," H.M.N.Z.S. " Aroha" acted as escort to Sydney. 13. When the aircraft carrier, H.M.S. " Indefatigable," with destroyers " Wizard " and " Urchin " in company, visited Wellington for exercises in the Marlborough Sounds,. H.M.N.Z.S. " Maimai " served as a store supply vessel. " Maimai " has also been used as a supply vessel to the various lighthouses in the Wellington area, and will shortly be engaged in lifting loop and mine cables, similar to the duties carried out in the Auckland area by " Vesper " and " Muritai." 14. "Hautapu" in the near future is to be loaned to the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research to operate as a radar research vessel for the project known as the- " Canterbury project," and is at present being refitted for that purpose. 15. With the exception of " Hautapu" and the Castle-type trawlers who are engaged in the Auckland mine-clearance with the 25th A/S M/S Flotilla, all other vessels to the present date have been paid off. SECTION IV.—VISITS OF BRITISH AND ALLIED SHIPS New Zealand ports have experienced many visits from British and Allied warships: from April, 1945, to the present date. With the British Pacific Fleet Headquarters in Australia, and owing to the tremendous task of refitting and repairing of the Fleet, it was decided that Auckland would be used as a refitting base for vessels unable to be refitted in Australia and the forward areas. 2. The sloop, H.M.S. " Redpole," arrived in Auckland on 11th April for refit r while in May and June one cruiser and three destroyers, H.M.S. " Newfoundland," H.M.S. " Wager," H.M.S. " Whirlwind," and H.M.S. " Wakeful" respectively, were repaired and sailed for Australia, thence to the forward area. 3. In July, 1945, the British A/S training submarine H.M.S. " Vox," who had been on patrol duty with the British Pacific Fleet, sailed for Auckland and Wellington escorted by the minesweeper H.M.A.S. " Lismore " of the Royal Australian Navy for exercises with local vessels. These were carried out effectively with H.M.N.Z. ships " Killegray " and " Hautapu." " Vox " sailed for return to Sydney on 19th August, 1945. Also on that date another destroyer, H.M.S. " Undaunted," sailed for Auckland to refit, arriving there on 22nd August. She remained in Auckland until late October. 4. The month of November was notable in that five vessels of the British Pacific Fleet visited various ports to " show the flag." The most outstanding of these was that of the aircraft carrier, H.M.S. " Indefatigable," wearing the flag of Vice-Admiral Sir Philip Vian, K.C.8., K.8.E., D.5.0., with the destroyers H.M.S. " Wizard " and " Urchin " in company. After a week in Wellington, these vessels sailed for Picton for three days' exercises in the Marlborough Sounds, and on 12th December sailed for Auckland, leaving finally for Sydney on 18th December. 5. A " showing the flag" visit in November was carried out by the cruiser,. H.M.S. " Newfoundland," from Ist to 11th November, calling at Bluff, Dunedin, Lyttelton, and Wellington. The destroyer, H.M.S. " Barfleur," also visited Nelson on 18th to 29th November, when she sailed for Auckland to refit, returning to Sydney on 28th January, 1946.

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