HMNZS Hautapu (T26/T340)
HMNZS Hautapu was one of eight steel New Zealand-built Castle-class trawlers built and commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II.
Background[edit]
HMNZS Hautapu
NZ Castle class trawler,
Pennant T 340
Built by Stevenson & Cook (Port Chalmers, New Zealand)
Ordered 1941
Laid down Jul 1942
Launched 18 Nov 1942
Commissioned 28 Jul 1943
Hautapu docked at Lyttleton, HMNZS Tasman, either 1946 or 1947
HMNZS Hautapu (T26)(T340) at Wellington
Mutiny at HMNZS Tasman concerning crew of HMNZS Hautapu
In April 1947, the Naval Board’s response to the Philomel mutiny prompted further problems in the South Island. On the morning of 8 April seven ratings at Tasman, the naval base in Lyttelton, refused to go on duty and demanded that they be discharged on the same basis as the Philomel strikers.[9] . Eleven members of the HMNZS Hautapu’s crew then walked off the ship. These men were still absent when the ship sailed for Lyttelton later in the day.[10] There is clear evidence that the ratings at Tasman and Hautapu had acted in concert.[11] The Naval Board responded firmly to this unrest. Commander Davis-Goff, who was responsible for personnel matters, was sent to Lyttelton to deal with the disorder. He warned all the ratings at Tasman that men “committing mutinous conduct at this late stage, having had time to think things over, would be dealt with severely” and reminded them of their obligations under the oath of allegiance. Davis-Goff spoke to the men who were refusing to work and six of them then returned to duty. One of the ratings who had left the Hautapu re-joined her in Lyttelton, and arrest warrants were issued for the other ten men.[12]
The seven men involved in the disturbances at Tasman were convicted of taking part in a mutiny not accompanied by violence and were sentenced to 60 days detention with all but fourteen days of that term suspended. Ratings under 21 years of age only had to serve ten days. The majority of the mutineers from Hautapu were arrested by the police within a few days and were later convicted of taking part in a mutiny not accompanied by violence and of desertion. They were also sentenced to 60 days detention, but were required to serve on average about 24 days. Ratings under 21 years of age only had to serve eighteen days. Some men may also have lost good conduct badges.
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EX – HMNZS Hautapu ashore
HMNZS Hautapu at Shelly Bay before she was sunk
HMNZS Hautapu
our history is who blew up a 41m steam trawler alongside a wharf in Wellington’s Shelly Bay on 2 June 1966? Maritime
SHIPWRECK SAGA- the sinking of the HAUTAPU |
HAUTAPU shortly after she was sunk by an explosion at a Shelly Bay, Wellington, wharf: Picture IAIN LOVIE COLLECTION
SHIPWRECK SAGA
Sinking of the Hautapu
Lynton Diggle is co-author of the 8th edition of the New Zealand Shipwreck’s book, recently released.
He is working on the supplement.
One of the great mysteries of our maritime history, is who blew up the Hautapu, on the 2nd of June
- Lynton is anxious to contact anyone who was crew on HMNZS Inverell, at that time,
particularly the armourers, the ‘cracker stackers’. Anyone who can help, phone Lynton on 09- - Write to 3 Ngaio Rd. Titirangi, or email: diggle@words-worth.co.nz
After her rudder was badly damaged by striking an unidentified object off the northern Kaikoura Coast
on the night of November 2, 1963, the Hautapu, a 41m. steam trawler, ex minesweeper, was beached
in Ward Bay, between Chancet Rocks and Long Point, seven and a half miles south of Cape Campbell.
With heavy seas pounding her, she listed heavily to starboard and quickly filled with water. The
eight-man crew got ashore through heavy surf.
The Hautapu lay on the beach for several months, at the mercy of the sea and vandals, both causing
extensive damage. Salvage efforts were slow, but during April 1964 several attempts were made.
These culminated in her being towed off the beach by the Perano’s whaling tender Tuatea on April 29, - The Hautapu was towed into Wellington next day where, on slipping and inspection, was
found to be a constructive total loss and was laid up. For two years she lay there, until May 1966
when her owners gave her to the Royal New Zealand Air Force for use as a target. May 31 was set
for the exercise in which she was to be sunk 20 miles south of Cape Palliser by Air Force Vampires,
Canberras and a Sunderland. However, the ship that was to tow the Hautapu to sea, H.M.N.Z.S.
Inverell, was diverted to search for the collier Kaitawa sunk off Cape Reinga, on the 23rd May, and so
the exercise was postponed and the Hautapu remained at the Air Force base at Shelly Bay. In the
early hours of Thursday June 2, 1966, a scuttling charge placed in the Hautapu’s engine room by
Navy, ‘cracker stackers,’ exploded and she sank stern first at her berth, bow still afloat. The charge
was designed to be remotely fired in case the Air Force missed their target. The Air Force would
have still looked good. No one has ever been charged with the sinking.
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The vessel was ordered after the New Zealand government, facing a requirement for more minesweepers to operate in home waters, chose the Castle-class design because it was simple enough to be built with the country’s limited ship construction facilities at the time.[1]
Operational history[edit]
Hautapu was the third of the nine steel minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and was commissioned on 28 July 1943. the others being Aroha, Awatere, Maimai, Pahau, Waiho, Waima, Waipu, and Waikato (never commissioned). She served with the 96th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group, located at Lyttleton.[2] In 1945 Hautapu was assigned to the Canterbury project to improve radar and meteorological observations but was not actively involved until 1946.[3][4] In 1947, Hautapu was involved in the 1947 Royal New Zealand Navy mutinies, with a party of sailors giving a note to the captain stating that they were dissatisfied with the handling of lower-deck committees and that that they would not work until their issues were resolved. Eleven sailors subsequently left the ship, but one later changed his mind and returned.[5] Despite this, Hautapu still continued to Lyttleton, without the crew.
Post RNZN service[edit]
Later in 1947, Hautapu was put up for sale and sold to New Zealand Fisheries Ltd. (which was located in Wellington) to serve as a fishing trawler. In 1963, Hautapu was laid up, due to high operating costs, and poor results with fishing,[6] later being put back into service.
On 4 November 1963, Hautapu struck an unidentified object and was run aground off the Marlborough east coast, damaging the rudder, and was pulled towards the beach despite her being in full astern.[7] All eight crew members onboard survived. Following this there were attempts to salvage the Hautapu, but none would succeed. Hautapu was eventually salvaged on 29 April 1964, and was towed to Wellington. Once salvaged it was found vandals had stripped the vessel of most of her gear.[8] When Hautapu reached Wellington, she would be taken on to a slipway for inspection, to determine the fate of the ship. After the inspection she was declared a total loss as it was found the waves had damaged her structurally, with repair being considered futile.[4] As they owned the trawler Taiaroa (formerly HMNZS Waikato) New Zealand fisheries decided to keep Hautapu for spare parts for Taiaroa.[4] After two years Hautapu was offered to the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) to be sunk, which they accepted.[4] She was to be towed by HMNZS Inverell, and attacked by de Havilland Vampire and English Electric Canberra jets.[9] Plans of sinking her were postponed after the MV Kaitawa sank with all hands lost, with the Inverell being sent to locate her wreck.[4] However, on 2 June 1966, Hautapu sank at Shelly Bay after a stern charge was detonated, which was placed there in case the RNZAF could not sink the Hautapu.[10] After the sinking, there was a legal dispute on who owned the wreck, with the RNZAF claiming that the New Zealand Fisheries Ltd still owned the wreck, and the New Zealand Fisheries Ltd claiming the RNZAF owned the wreck, resulting in a six-year legal battle.[11][10] In July 1972, after another gathering of officials, the Secretary of Defence would assist in removing the wreck of Hautapu, while denying ownership of her.[10] She was cut up in 1972–1973 by divers of the Royal New Zealand Navy, with the floating crane Hikitia raising the sections ashore to be scrapped
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JCs Royal New Zealand Navy Ships and New Zealand Defence 