Nora Niven and Simplon were chartered by the Royal Navy during the First World War to be used as minesweepers and In respect of personnel it was acknowledged that the normal crews of the trawlers would have to be utilised, but that for the purposes of naval discipline, the masters should be given a temporary status in the New Zealand Branch of the Royal Naval Reserve. They were later recognised as having been members of the New Zealand Naval Auxiliary Service. The Nora Niven was a 90ft steam Trawler launched 17th November 1906. Built by Cochrane & Sons of Selby for the Napier Fish Supply Co of New Zealand this state of the art trawler with an Ice Making machine that could produce 3 tons of ice in 24 hour and cool storage compartments for 80tons of fish. In June 1917, a German surface raider, the SMS Wolf entered New Zealand waters. She laid two small minefields in New Zealand waters and sank two merchant ships. One (the Port Kembla) off Farewell Spit, and another (the Wairuna) off the Kermadec Islands. Two fishing trawlers, the Nora Niven and Simplon, were fitted as minesweepers and took up sweeping duties in these areas. Another brief flurry of activity occurred when Felix von Luckner, imprisoned on Motuihe Island after being captured in the Society Islands, escaped and commandeered a small vessel before being recaptured in the Kermadec Islands. https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-themes/world-war-one/minesweeping-ww1/ Regarding Second World use read below- A comprehensive report here https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c12.html
HMNZS Phyllis at the Devonport Naval Base, perhaps HMNZS Kiwi (T102) inboard
HMNZS Phyllis
Built: Seattle Construction Co., USA 1912 Type: Danlayer Pennant No.: T22 Displacement: 148 tons gross, 67 tons net Length: 96.1 ft./29.3 m Beam: 19.5 ft./ 5.9 m Draft: 2.8 ft./0.8 m Propulsion: Steam recip., ihp 350, single screw coal fired Speed: 9 knots. Armament: 2 x light MG Complement: 14
Phyllis was built as a whale chaser built for the Norwegians named Star III, and worked from Stewart Island. She was laid up there in 1929, sold to a NZ buyer, renamed Phyllis and used as a trawler.
The ship was purchased from the Canterbury Steam Trawling Co. Ltd.of Christchurch on 3 September 1942 and fitted out at Lyttelton as a danlayer, the intention being to employ her at Auckland. A danlayer is a small vessel employed in minesweeping operations to lay dan-buoys to mark the limits of the channels swept through a minefield.
She was commissioned on 11 January 1943 as HMNZS Phyllis and sailed for Auckland but was delayed by engine trouble in Wellington. Inspection at Auckland revealed numerous defects and she prove unsatisfactory as a danlayer. Repairs were not completed and little or no use was made of Phyllis: she paid off in 28 February 1944 and was sold.
Displacement: 169 tons gross, 98 tons net Length: 88.3 ft./26.9 m Beam: 23 ft./7 m Draft: 7.75 ft./2.3 m Propulsion: Motor 145 bhp single screw diesel Speed: 10 knots. Complement: 12 Armament; 1 X light MG, DCs
Kaiwaka was a wooden motor-powered cargo lighter owned by NZ Refrigerating Co. Ltd employed carrying meat to overseas ships off Wanganui.
She was requisitioned on 7 January 1941 for conversion to a danlayer. A danlayer is a small vessel employed in minesweeping operations to lay dan-buoys to mark the limits of the channels swept through a minefield.
She was delivered to the naval authorities on 5 March 1941 and commissioned for service on 21 May 1941 by Lieutenant A. K. Griffith RNZNVR. She was based mainly at Auckland operating with the 25th MS flotilla and occasionally towing targets.
At the beginning of March 1942 Kaiwaka sailed to Suva where she was employed as a danlayer assisting the USN in laying protective minefields in the Nandi area, returning to Auckland on 25 April.
She visited Wellington several times , being temporary port danlayer for two months in 1943.
During October 1943 Kaiwaka and Thomas Currell swept the short lines of mines in the minor channels on either side of Rakino Island in the Hauraki Gulf.
In January-February 1944 she took part in sweeping the independent minefield in the Bay of Islands and in May she assisted with the sweeping of the defensive minefield laid in March 1942 across the main channel in the Hauraki Gulf.
In March-May 1945 Kaiwaka and the minesweepers began a final clearance of the German minefield laid in June 1940 in the approaches to the Hauraki Gulf.
Kaiwaka paid off on 16 September 1945 when replaced by a converted Castle class minesweeper. She was handed over to the Marine Department and refitted but return to her owners was clouded by legal issues over her condition and delayed until 19 July 1947.
The motorized lighter was built at the WG Lowe & Sons shipyard in Auckland in 1937 for the New Zealand Refrigeration Company [1] . The unit had a wooden hull, one deck, was 88.3 feet long, 23 feet wide, its draft was 7.7 feet (26.9 x 7.0 x 2.3 m), and had 169 gt [1] . The drive was diesel engines with a total power of 58 nhp [1] (145 bhp [2] ) with one screw [3] . The maximum speed was 10 knots, the economic speed was 9 knots [3] . At the time of launching the vessel was mistakenly registered as MV Kaiwhaka [3] , in 1938 the name of the vessel was changed to MV Kaiwaka [1] .
Before the war, lightering was used in Wanganui to load New Zealand meat onto ships for shipment to other countries [4] .
On February 7, 1941, the owners of the ship were informed that it would be requisitioned by the RNZN, it was delivered to the Navy on March 5 and was adapted to the role of a buoylayer ( danlayer ) [5] – a ship cooperating with minesweepers and minelayers , marking water areas with buoys to be mined or intended to be cleared of mines [2] . In addition, the ship was equipped with sonar and depth charges – it could also serve as an antisubmarine minesweeper (AS MS – ZOP minesweeper ) [4] . During the war, the crew consisted of 12 people [3] .
She entered service as HMNZS Kaiwaka (T14) on May 21 (or May 25 [2] ) under the command of RNZN reserve captain AK Griffith [5] [4] . The ship was part of the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla, initially based in Auckland , and was sometimes also used to tow targets [3] .
In March 1942, Kaiwaki and Coastguard assisted in laying minefields off Fiji , and the ship returned to Auckland after six weeks . [3] Kaiwaki visited Wellington several times and for two months, until the end of June 1943, he worked there as a buoy maker [3] . In October 1943 and May 1944 he was in the Hauraki Gulf helping to clear minefields that had previously been placed there [3] . The ship was decommissioned in September 1945 [3] .
On November 19, 1945, Kaiwaka was transferred to the Marine Department, where she was refurbished before the planned return to her previous owners, the renovation was completed in March 1946 [6] . Before Kaikaki was taken over, her owners filed for compensation due to the very poor condition of her wooden hull [6] . The case was finally settled with the payment of compensation in the amount of 50,000 pounds and on September 19, 1947, Kaiwaka, together with the motor lighters “Thistle” and HMNZS “Tuirangi”, as well as the lighters Agnes and Florence, were returned to their previous owners and into the civil service [6] .
After the war, Kaiwaka did not return to Wanganui and changed owners many times; initially she worked as a lighter in Gisbourne , but the port built there in 1967 meant that she was no longer needed [6] . In March 1968 she was sold to a private owner from Tauranga and before 1973 she was sold again, a helicopter landing platform was built on her stern, the ship was then anchored in Fiordland [6] . In 1974, 1977 and 1986 Kiwaka was recorded in Omamaru , Auckland and Matauwhi Bay [6] .
In 1972, the ship took part in a protest against French nuclear tests in the Pacific
During 1913, New Zealand was sent on a ten-month tour of the British Dominions, with an emphasis on a visit to her namesake nation. She was back in British waters at the start of the First World War, and operated as part of the Royal Navy’s Grand Fleet, in opposition to the German High Seas Fleet. During the war, the battlecruiser participated in all three of the major North Sea battles—Heligoland Bight, Dogger Bank, and Jutland—and was involved in the response to the inconclusive Raid on Scarborough, and the Second Battle of Heligoland Bight. New Zealand contributed to the destruction of two cruisers during her wartime service and was hit by enemy fire only once, sustaining no casualties; her status as a “lucky ship” was attributed by the crew to a Māori piupiu (warrior’s skirt) and hei-tiki (pendant) worn by the captain during battle.
After the war, New Zealand was sent on a second world tour, this time to allow Admiral John Jellicoe to review the naval defences of the Dominions. In 1920, the battlecruiser was placed in reserve. She was broken up for scrap in 1922 in order to meet the United Kingdom’s tonnage limit in the disarmament provisions of the Washington Naval Treaty. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMS_New_Zealand_(1911)
Originally built as the Enrico, she was built by R Williamson & Son, located at Workington for use as a fishing trawler.[1] In 1921, Sanford was expanding its fleet of fishing vessels, having heard of several trawlers in the United Kingdom, Sanford sent several representatives to look over the vessels.[1] The Enrico seemed to fit the needs of the company and was purchased for £5,500 and had her name changed to Thomas Currell.[1][2] Before her voyage to New Zealand, she received a few alterations and was given spare equipment, including a spare propeller and shaft.[1][2] The voyage to Auckland would take three months, arriving in February 1922, and was put into service shortly after her arrival.[1]
World War II
Thomas Currell as a minesweeper during World War II
At the outbreak of World War II, Thomas Currell was on a usual fishing trip, and was unaware of the declaration of war due to a lack of radios on board, and was unable to be contacted.[2][3] She would return to Auckland, one week after war was declared, she discharged her catch and would be shifted to the Devonport Naval Base, as it had been commandeered by the government.[3] Along with the other Sanford trawlers, James Cosgrove and the Humphrey, they were converted for minesweeping duties and fitted with 4-inch (102 mm) guns, depth charges, and minesweeping equipment, also being given a wireless telephone and telegraph equipment.[3] The Thomas Currell was commissioned for the Royal New Zealand Navy on 10 October 1939, serving at Auckland.[3][4][5] On the morning of 19 June 1940, a distress signal was received from the passenger ship RMS Niagara, reporting it had struck a naval mine between Bream Head, and the Moko Hinau Islands and was sinking.[4] The James Cosgrove and Thomas Currell were ordered to sea, steaming at full speed towards her, arriving at 12:50 PM with minesweeping gear being deployed at 2:48 PM.[4] She and the James Cosgrove would discover two contact mines which had been laid recently, both were destroyed by rifle fire.[4]Thomas Currell would be paid off in September 1944, with work to convert her back into a fishing trawler completed by late 1945.[4][5]
Thomas Currell would resume fishing once converted back into a fishing trawler, but was laid up in 1952, being put up for sale as at that time it was thought that large steam trawlers were no longer an economical method of fishing, with coal becoming more expensive and crew becoming harder to find as she was rather dated.[6] Sanford was approached by the Wellington Fishermen’s Co-operative with the proposal to purchase a large trawler to ensure a regular supply of fish for the co-op, retailers, and customers.[6] The Thomas Currell would be examined and it was found the trawler needed some hull repairs, with work being carried out by Mason Bros Engineering Co Ltd in the Devonport drydock.[2][6] She would be sold for £7,000 and would sail to Wellington under the command of John Campbell.[2][6]
In 1955, the Thomas Currell was re-engined as her current boiler was becoming more expensive to operate.[7] A 480 brake horsepower (360 kW) diesel engine was installed, with additional ballast needed due to a 20-ton difference in weight between her old engine and her new engine. The cost of this refit would cost £20,000 in total.[7] In the late 1950s, the company who owned the Thomas Currell would go out of business, and she would be put up for sale.[7] She would be sold to the Wellington Trawler Company.[7] In 1966, during the Chatham Islands crayfish boom, the Thomas Currell would be moved to Port Hutt to act as a floating freezer to store crayfish, which the Holmdale would take to mainland New Zealand.[8] She would be maintained by Jimmy Lenagham, who had been the chief engineer on her voyage to Port Hutt. While she was moored, she would occasionally break free from her moorings, hitting other ships.[8] This caused Lenagham considerable anxiety so in 1968, he decided to rid himself of the problem and would run the Thomas Currell ashore at full speed at Port Hutt.[8] She remains there to this day.
HMNZS James Cosgrove (AK1295, 6, T10) was a Castle-class trawler built for the United Kingdom for use as a minesweeper. She was purchased by Sanford Ltd in 1920 for use in New Zealand as a fishing trawler, being used as a minesweeper again during World War II. She was scrapped at the Western Viaduct in the 1950s, with her hulk being sunk in 1952.
Thomas Currell (centre / right) and James Cosgrove (left) in Calliope Drydock, Devonport, New Zealand.
The James Cosgrove was built by the Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, located in Ayr, for use as a minesweeper, being converted into a fishing trawler after World War I had ended.[1] She was purchased by Sanford in 1920 and sailed to Auckland from Glasgow in May 1920, arriving at Auckland on 2 July 1920. [1][2] In March 1928, the James Cosgrove was mistaken to have been in distress after the inspector of police in Napier received a call about the vessel, which appeared to be in trouble four miles (6.4 km) offshore, later seen steaming south.[3] Once the James Cosgrove arrived back in Auckland a few days later, the officers stated that there were no grounds whatever for the reports that she was in distress, with the probable explanation that the locals were unfamiliar with trawling and mistook it as the ship breaking down.[4] On 24 May 1936 the cook of the James Cosgrove disappeared from the vessel while she was trawling in the Bay of Plenty.[5]James Cosgrove would turn back and would retrace the ship’s course for an hour, also searching the entire ship, but the cook was never found.[5] With it being likely that he fell overboard.[5]
Within a day of war being declared against Germany on 3 September 1939, the Marine Department would requisition the James Cosgrove along with the other Sanford trawlers, Thomas Currell, and Humphrey, which would be converted for minesweeping duties and fitted with 4-inch guns, depth charges, and minesweeping equipment, also being given a wireless telephone and telegraph equipment.[6] James Cosgrove would be commissioned on 10 October 1939, being the first of the Sanford trawlers to be commissioned.[6] On 28 February 1940, James Cosgrove would be towed back to Auckland by the Humphrey after a serious engine fault.[7] On the morning of 19 June 1940, a distress signal was received from the passenger ship RMS Niagara, reporting it had struck a naval mine between Bream Head, and the Moko Hinau Islands and was sinking.[8][7] The James Cosgrove and Thomas Currell were ordered to sea, steaming at full speed towards her, arriving at 12:50 PM with minesweeping gear being deployed at 2:48 PM.[8][7] She and Thomas Currell discovered two contact mines that been laid recently, both were destroyed by rifle fire.[7][8] In December 1943, James Cosgrove was found to have major boiler faults and was immediately withdrawn for disposal.[7]
After World War II, James Cosgrove was offered back to Sanford Ltd, but because of her age, the cost of conversion, and that she was a heavy coal burner (11-12 tons daily) the company never took up ownership of the trawler.[1] Instead, she was laid up at the Viaduct Basin until the 1950s, when she was sold for scrap in 1951, with her hulk being towed to sea to be sunk.[1][7] But a later report in June 1961, the Marine Department advised the Coromandel Country Council that the submerged hulk of the James Cosgrove would need to be removed as it was near the Coromandel wharf, being a danger to navigation.[7] As she had been placed there as part of proposed harbor works years earlier, being filled with concrete.
HMS James Cosgrove Admiralty Trawler, Castle Class – Ad No 3716 HMNZS James Cosgrove Auxiliary Minesweeper – T.10 Boom Gate Vessel Launched by Ailsa Shipbuilding Company, Yard No: 332A, on 5/3/1918. Scuttled in 1952 360t light, 547t deep load. 125 ft 6in pp x 23ft 6in x 12ft 6in (depth of hold) 1 Shaft reciprocating VTE, 480 ihp, giving 10.5 knots 1 x 12 pdr Crew 18 approx, depending on role
1919 sold as a mercantile, same name. 1922 Sanford Ltd 10/10/1939 commissioned in the RNZN as a Minesweeper based at Aukland with the First Group 14/11/1940 joined Group III based at Lyttelton as a Port Minesweeper She then became part of the 96th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group, 25th Minesweeping Flotilla 1941 purchased by the RNZN April 1944 converted to a BGV 1946 returned to Sanford Ltd
It does not appear to have had any wartime or post-war service with the Royal Navy and was put up for sale as a fishing vessel. It also appears as if the original name was Robert Farecloth but was changed to Humphrey. In 1928 it was purchased by a New Zealand fishing company Sanford and brought to New Zealand for service as a fishing vessel.
By 1939 it was still under the ownership of Sanford in Auckland and working as one of its fishing fleet. The Marine Department under wartime regulations requested Sanford release its trawlers under charter to the Navy. Humphrey was the second vessel taken up and was taken over to the Devonport Naval Base to be fitted out as a minesweeper which took five weeks. A 102mm gun was fitted along with minesweeping gear. She was commissioned formally on 16 October as HMS Humphrey. She was one of three vessels of Sanford’s taken up from commercial service for use as minesweepers at the outbreak of the Second World War. There other two vessels were James Cosgrove and Thomas Currell which was of the same class as Humphrey. At the start of the war, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy only had one minesweeper HMS Wakakura in commission and was ordered to take up vessels for minesweeping duties as soon as possible. The government did not want a repeat of the situation in the First World War when it had to scramble for vessels after discovering mines had been laid in New Zealand waters by the raider SMS Wolf. Because of the need for minesweepers, the civilian crew of Humphrey was kept on and the master given a temporary naval rank and Volunteer Reservists joined the ship to complement the civilians. In order for more financial control, the government purchased Humphrey from Sanford in November 1940 for the sum of £22,500. This nullified the costly charter that benefited Sanford.
Initially Humphrey saw little service. In February 1940 she had to tow HMS James Cosgrove back to Auckland after she developed a serious engine fault. This changed in 1940 when the German raider HKS Orion laid mines in the Hauraki Gulf. At the time Humphrey was in refit in Auckland at the Naval Base. On 19 June 1940 the RMS Niagara struck a mine and sank in the Gulf taking with her a shipment of gold. Along with HMS Wakakura, Humphrey and her sister ships swept the approaches to Auckland and disposed of the German mines located. After the first deployment in the Gulf, Humphrey was sent to sweep off Wellington and then Lyttelton [Christchurch]. She then moved on to Cape Farewell and Cape Campbell in the South Island. During this time she never came across any enemy mines. In August 1940 Humphrey recovered a mine that was found drifting off Red Mercury Island. After the explosive was removed and destroyed the minesweeper towed the mine back to the Naval Base.
In November 1940 the First Minesweeping Group was formed in Auckland consisting of Wakakura & Humphrey. This was not a fixed location as in 1941 the minesweepers would be deployed wherever needed. By 1942 permanent locations were allocated and the sister ship Thomas Currell joined the Auckland based Group. In 1942 Humphrey was temporarily detached and sent to the Third Minesweeping Group based at Lyttelton but was back in Auckland by October. From 1940 to early 1944 the Groups were constantly sweeping the shipping channels off the main ports.
In early 1944 HMNZS Humphrey was sent to Wellington for conversion into a Boom Gate Vessel as New Zealand-built Castle-class minesweepers were coming into service. The project was abandoned as the war situation improved and she was tied up in Wellington. At this time the wartime government was under pressure from the fishing companies to return their vessels so they could resume pre-war fishing operations. On 21 May 1944 Humphrey returned to Auckland from Wellington and paid off from service in the Royal New Zealand Navy. In July she was sold back to Sanford, refitted, and resumed her working life as a fishing vessel. In 1954 she was sold by Sanford and was dismantled in Auckland. By 1956 she was hulked as a shingle bin near Waikauri Bay, Takatu north of Kawau Island. In 1970 the hull was towed back to Auckland and scrapped.
The HMNZS Futurist docked at an unidentified wharf.
She had been nominated for requisition and was already fitted with basic minesweeping gear whilst still fishing in April 1940. On 20 June 1940, the day after the sinking of the liner Niagara, she was requisitioned and commissioned for permanent service as a minesweeper., Commissioned 1941 Decommissioned 1944 Functioned as a boom gate vessel until 1944 Sunk in 19 March 1947 near the Flaxbourne River mouth. Converted trawlers These vessels were usually armed with a quick-firing 4-inch (102mm) or 3-inch (76mm) gun on a raised bow platform, some machine guns, and depth charges. Vessels used for minesweeping were also fitted with minesweeping and mine handling equipment.
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JCs Royal New Zealand Navy Ships and New Zealand Defence 