HMNZS Resolution (A14) was a hydrographic ship of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN).

HMNZS Resolution (originally  USNS Tenacious (T-AGOS-17) docked at Wellington, New Zealand.

Tenacious (foreground) and sister ship Contender tied up at Bishop's Point, Pearl Harbor, in 1991

Originally the United States Naval Ship USNS Tenacious (T-AGOS-17), the Stalwart-class ocean surveillance ship was used by the United States to locate and track Soviet submarines from 1989 to 1997, when she was transferred to the RNZN for use as a hydrographic survey ship. She served until 27 April 2012. She was subsequently sold to EGS Group, a private surveying company, and renamed RV Geo Resolution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNZS_Resolution_(A14)

HMNZS Takapu (Q1188/P3556) (all photos on blog https://rnznships.blogspot.com/ )

 

HMNZS Takapu

HMNZS Tarapunga and Takapu SML's parked up alongside Mothership Monowai

HMNZS Takapu - taken during Queens Visit, Waitangi Day 1963

HMNZS Kahawai, ex HMNZS Takapu looking forlorn - Philomel in the background - Oct 30, 1982

HMNZS Tarapunga and Takapu among  quite a few MLs including the White Boats Takapau and Tarapunga in the rear berthed at Russell during the Queens visit to Waitangi in the 1960s

Commissioned 22 May 1943 as Q1188

Survey Equipment: Fitted to Q1188 when rebuilt 1946-50

The USN supervised the construction and then took charge of the finished HDML for allocation to the Allied navy. Both Q1187(Tarapunga) & Q1188(Takapu) were shipped as deck cargo from Vancouver aboard SS Kootenay Park and arrived at Wellington on 30 April 1943. There they were unloaded by floating crane and underwent full commissioning trials.

Q1188 joined the 125th Motor Launch Flotilla based in Wellington. They then carried out routine patrols in their respective areas through to 1945. As the war came to an end in 1945 the launches were concentrated at Auckland to pay off.

Q1188 had been cannibalised for parts to keep the other HDMLs that were in service so she had to be rebuilt. This was completed in February 1950 and she was commissioned as SML 1188 and was sent to Wellington in March. After arriving in Wellington, she began a survey of Cook Strait. In April she was given the pennant number P3556.

From then until 1979 both vessels carried out surveys right across the New Zealand coastline mostly by themselves or as a pair. They would also work with HMNZS Lachlan & Monowai.

In November 1979 Takapu arrived at Auckland for paying off and was decommissioned in December.

Renamed: Takapu as Kahawai 1980

HMNZS Tarapunga (Photos on Blog -https://rnznships.blogspot.com/ )

Flying her paying off pennant after many years service in the Hydrographic branch

HMNZS Tarapunga and Takapu SML's parked up alongside HMNZS Monowai

HMNZS Tarapunga as Q1187

Being unloaded from SS Kootenay Park after arriving at Wellington on 30 April 1943

Both Q1187 (Tarapunga) & Q1188 (Takapu) shipped as deck cargo from Vancouver aboard SS Kootenay Park and arrived at Wellington on 30 April 1943. There they were unloaded by floating crane and underwent full commissioning trials.

It was intended that they would be used for anti-submarine patrols in the port approaches. They would replace the NAPS launches. Q1187 after commissioning joined the 124th Motor Launch Flotilla in Auckland.

As the war came to an end in 1945 the launches were concentrated at Auckland to pay off. Q1187 arrived on 30 June 1945 .

A second launch was required for survey duty so that Auckland Coastguard’s Cutter No. 1, formerly Q1187 reverted to the RNZN on 29 May 1950 and was given the pennant number P3566 in October 1950. She was converted to SML in March 1951 and commissioned as a survey vessel on 21 March 1951. In April she proceeded to Wellington to carry out surveys of the Cook Strait. From then until 1979 both vessels carried out surveys right across the New Zealand coastline mostly by themselves or as a pair. They would also work with HMNZS Lachlan & Monowai.

At the end of the 1978-1979 survey season Tarapunga was withdrawn from service and paid off in June 1979.

Renamed: Tarapunga as Mako 1980

HMS AUCKLAND -EGRET-Class Sloop ordered from Denny at Dumbarton under 1936 Estimates on 5th March 1937. This ship was laid down on 16th June 1937 and intended to be named HERON but when selected for use as an unarmed Survey Ship in New Zealand waters the name was changed to one more suitable for this duty. She was launched as HMS AUCKLAND by Mrs W Denny on 30th June 1938 as the second RN ship to carry the name, previously borne by a frigate built at Bombay in 1840. However because of the deterioration of the international situation it was necessary to change this requirement and she was completed as a fully armed EGRET Class Sloop on 16th November 1938 and sailed to relieve HM Sloop LONDONDERRY at Simonstown in January 1939.

HMS AUCKLAND

EGRET-Class Sloop ordered from Denny at Dumbarton under 1936 Estimates on 5th March 1937. This ship was laid down on 16th June 1937 and intended to be named HERON but when selected for use as an unarmed Survey Ship in New Zealand waters the name was changed to one more suitable for this duty. She was launched as HMS AUCKLAND by Mrs W Denny on 30th June 1938 as the second RN ship to carry the name, previously borne by a frigate built at Bombay in 1840. However because of the deterioration of the international situation it was necessary to change this requirement and she was completed as a fully armed EGRET Class Sloop on 16th November 1938 and sailed to relieve HM Sloop LONDONDERRY at Simonstown in January 1939.

HMNZS Tui (T234) was a Bird-class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was commissioned in 1941 for minesweeping and anti-submarine roles. Tui was the first of two ships with this name to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy and was named after a native bird from New Zealand. In March 1942 in Scotland, Tui and the four Isles-class trawlers, Killegray, Inchkeith, Sanda and Scarba had been newly built for New Zealand. They were formed into a flotilla and departed from the River Clyde with a convoy bound for Canada. The trawler flotilla then left for Auckland, arriving there in August.

HMNZS Tui (T234) was a Bird-class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was commissioned in 1941 for minesweeping and anti-submarine roles.

In October 1955 Tui was docked for conversion to an oceanographic research ship. On 5 March 1956, the now disarmed Tui was recommissioned and reclassified as a fleet auxiliary. 

In Auckland, Tui was assigned to the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla and sailed for Suva to replace Matai. In December she joined her sister ships Kiwi and Moa at Nouméa. The 25th Minesweeping Flotilla had been offered to COMSOPAC, and by early December Tui, Moa, and Kiwi with Matai as flotilla leader, were all together at Nouméa ready to move north. They sailed for the Solomons, escorting a convoy some of the way. Making Tulagi their base they began anti-submarine screen patrols on 19 December 1942 off Tulagi and Lunga Point, Guadalcanal.

Landing barges

On 21 January 1943, Tui and Moa came across four Japanese landing barges stopped close inshore. When Tui and Moa closed in, those aboard the barges opened fire with machine guns and small arms, and got under way. At close range Moa fired on the leading barge, but a fluke shot passed through the 4-inch (102 mm) gun aperture, ignited a cordite charge and injured all seven in the gun crew. Moa managed to silence the first barge and sink the last in line with 20 mm (0.79 in) gunfire, then withdrew and attended to the cordite fire and injuries. Tui then opened fire on the barges, sinking one with her 4-inch gun, and the remaining two escaped inshore in the darkness.[1]

Submarine I-17

On 19 August 1943, while escorting a convoy from Nouméa, Tui picked up a submarine contact. She made an initial run over it without using depth charges, a second run dropping two depth charges, and a third run throwing another two depth charges. Contact was lost and Tui signaled some US seaplanes who joined the search. A plane indicated that Tui should investigate smoke on the horizon. The submarine was sighted on the surface and Tui opened fire at maximum range, scoring one and possibly two hits. Aircraft then dropped depth charges and the submarine sank at 23°26′S 166°50′E. She was the Japanese submarine I-17, 2,190 tons, 108 metres (354 ft) long, built in 1939. Ninety-seven crewmen were lost. Tui picked up six survivors who said that Tui's depth charge attacks had damaged the submarine and forced it to the surface.

The commanding officer and anti-submarine control officer on Tui had doubted whether the contact was really a submarine, so the depth-charge attacks were not properly carried out. A later Naval Board report concluded that "had the proper procedure been followed and a full depth-charge pattern fired in the original attack, there is little doubt but that the submarine would have been destroyed then and there."[2]

I-17 was the first Axis ship to shell the United States mainland when she shelled an oil refinery near Santa Barbara on 23 February 1942.[3]

Other service

COMSOPAC released the New Zealand ships in June 1945, and Tui departed the Solomons escorting a group of six RNZN Fairmiles. On her return to Auckland, Tui worked with Kiwi and the 7th Trawler Group on the final clearing of the German minefield in the outer Hauraki Gulf.

Post-war service

Tui was put in reserve in June 1946.

Training

In 1952 the Navy wanted to free some Loch-class frigates for service in the Korean War. Tui was recommissioned in February 1952 to take over training duties previously undertaken by the frigate Kaniere. This training was carried out for the Naval Volunteer Reserve and included training for compulsory reservists as well as volunteer reservists and sea cadets.

She was also used part-time by the DSIR and the Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).

Oceanographic research

In October 1955 Tui was docked for conversion to an oceanographic research ship. On 5 March 1956, the now disarmed Tui was recommissioned and reclassified as a fleet auxiliary. She made many scientific cruises for the DSIR and NRL to places around New Zealand and Pacific islands. She investigated shipwrecks, notably MV Holmglen off Timaru in 1959 and MV Kaitawa off Cape Reinga in 1966.

Fate

Tui was decommissioned for the last time on 22 December 1967. She was stripped of her equipment and sold in December 1969 to Pacific Scrap Ltd who demolished her. She was replaced in 1970 by a purpose-built oceanographic ship with the same name.

HMNZS Resolution (A14) was a hydrographic ship of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Originally the United States Naval Ship USNS Tenacious (T-AGOS-17), the Stalwart-class ocean surveillance ship was used by the United States to locate and track Soviet submarines from 1989 to 1997, when she was transferred to the RNZN for use as a hydrographic survey ship. She served until 27 April 2012. She was subsequently sold to EGS Group, a private surveying company, and renamed RV Geo Resolution.

HMNZS Resolution (A14)

HMNZS Resolution (A14) was a hydrographic ship of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Originally the United States Naval Ship USNS Tenacious (T-AGOS-17), the Stalwart-class ocean surveillance ship was used by the United States to locate and track Soviet submarines from 1989 to 1997, when she was transferred to the RNZN for use as a hydrographic survey ship. She served until 27 April 2012. She was subsequently sold to EGS Group, a private surveying company, and renamed RV Geo Resolution.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNZS_Resolution_(A14)

HMNZS Tui (A2, A05) , formerly USNS Charles H. Davis (T-AGOR-5), was one of nine Conrad class oceanographic ships built for the United States Navy (USN), that later saw service in the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Serving with the USN from 1963 to 1970, these ships were designed to perform acoustic experiments on sound transmission underwater, and for gravity, magnetism and deep-ocean floor studies.

HMNZS Tui - returning home after RIMPAC

The ship was recommissioned into the RNZN in late 1970, and as HMNZS Tui served as an oceanographic survey and research ship until her decommissioning in 1997. In 1999, the ship was scuttled as a dive wreck.RNZN

In 1970, she was transferred to the RNZN, and was commissioned on 11 September 1970 as HMNZS Tui. Tui was named after the Tui bird, and was the second of two ships with this name to serve in the RNZN.

After a partial refit and the installation and testing of scientific equipment, Tui began a program of work for the Defence Scientific Establishment in Auckland. For years Tui went unobtrusively about the kind of work she was designed for, primarily underwater acoustics.

Tui worked in Australian, Indian Ocean and South Pacific waters. She worked on Auckland University research, with DSIR scientists, and with other oceanographic ships. Tui also took part in several American research programs. Her acoustic research was mainly to do with the detection and tracking of submarines.

During the 1970s she made an extensive search for the Maria Theresa Reef.

Decommissioning and fate

In 1997, Tui was decommissioned and was replaced by the hydrographic ship HMNZS Resolution.

In February 1999, Tui was scuttled 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) from Tutukaka Heads to serve as a tourist attraction and wreck for divers, following a period of work on her which removed any objects in danger of breaking free and welding shut any areas that may have posed a hazard for wreck divers.[1] Her anchor was presented to the City of Napier

HMNZS Monowai (A06) was a hydrographic survey vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Built in 1960, the ship was originally used as a civilian supply and passenger vessel by the New Zealand Government, under the name GMV Moana Roa, before being acquired by the RNZN in 1977. She remained in RNZN service until 1997, performing various duties such as coastal surveying, resupply, and surveillance. After being decommissioned she was sold to civilian operators in Britain in 1998 for conversion to a cruise ship, but was found unsuitable for the role and eventually sent to Spanish shipbreakers in 2002.

See all photos here

HMNZS Monowai - London

HMNZS Tarapunga and Takapu SML's parked up alongside HMNZS Monowai

HMNZS Monowai - previously Moana Roa

HMNZS Monowai, London - alongside HMS Belfast

HMNZS Monowai in Monaco

HMNZS Monowai - Doubtful Sound

HMNZS Monowai in Singapore,1978

Construction and design[edit]

The ship was laid down by Grangemouth Dockyard in Scotland in 1960. The ship displaced 3,900 tons at full load, was 90.8 metres (298 ft) in length overall and 82.3 metres (270 ft) long at the keel, had a beam of 14.1 metres (46 ft) and a draught of 5.2 metres (17 ft). Propulsion machinery consisted of two 7-cylinder two-stroke TAD 36 Clark Sulzer diesels, which provided 3,640 horsepower (2,710 kW) to the CP propellers The ship had a top speed of 14 knots (26 km/h; 16 mph). In RNZN service, the ship had a crew of 126 and after 1980 was armed with two 20 mm Oerlikons for self-defence. In 1982, she was fitted out to carry a single Wasp helicopter.^{[citation needed]}

Operational history[edit]

After being completed, the vessel spent the first part of her operational life as the New Zealand Government Island supply/passenger vessel GMV Moana Roa.^[1] She was acquired by the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1975 and converted over a two-year period to replace her predecessor, HMNZS Lachlan.^[2] Monowai was the second of two ships with this name to serve in the RNZN. She was named after the glacial Lake Monowai. Monowai is a Māori word meaning "channel full of water".

During her naval service she was known as the "Ghost of the Coast",^[2] as she quietly remapped most of the New Zealand coastline including the Chatham, Campbell, and Auckland Islands, as well as the many sub-Antarctic islands in New Zealand's responsibility.^{[citation needed]} She also acted as a resupply vessel carrying stores and equipment to Campbell and other sub-Antarctic islands and served as an "official residence" for VIPs and dignitaries at Pacific Island conferences.^{[citation needed]}

Other tasks included monitoring Chinese missile splashdown tests, responding to the 1987 Fijian coups d'état to assist in the evacuation of New Zealand citizens,^[3] participating in the ANZCAN cable route survey,^[2] and assisting in international searches for sea mounts and shoals.^{[citation needed]} She carried a helicopter and undertook rescue or aid missions, saving the lives of eight people during the New Zealand to Tonga Yacht Regatta.^[2]

Decommissioning and fate[edit]

Monowai was replaced in 1997 by HMNZS Resolution, formerly USNS Tenacious.^[2] She was sold to British buyers, Hebridean Island Cruises, for conversion into a cruise ship in 1998. She was laid up at Lowestoft in England after being found unsuitable for her intended use until 2002 when she was finally sent to Spanish shipbreakers

HMAS Lachlan (K364/F364) (later HMNZS Lachlan (F364)) was a River-class frigate that served the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) from 1945 to 1949. The vessel was later transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy serving as surveyor until 1975 and was eventually scrapped in 1993.

 More photos on blog - click here https://rnznships.blogspot.com/

HMNZS Lachlan as HMAS Lachlan shortly after the end of World War II

HMNZS Lachlan as HMAS Lachlan  1945

HMNZS Lachlan in Sydney

HMNZS Lachlan and V bomber

Late 1945: Frigate HMAS LACHLAN arrives in Fremantle

In 1948, the New Zealand government sought for a survey ship to temporarily use until a new one could be constructed in Britain. After negotiations, Lachlan was offered on loan for an initial time of three years and on 31 May 1949 was paid off from RAN service and was immediately given to the Royal New Zealand Navy the next day. Following trials through September 1949, on 5 October 1949 HMNZS Lachlan was commissioned into the Royal New Zealand Navy.[2]

The ship was fully disarmed at the dockyard at HMNZS Philomel and the ship's chart room enlarged for surveying. The ship was rushed into service so quickly that some of the finishing touches were done at sea. Her first survey was started on 18 November 1949 surveying the Wellington harbour entrance, taking three weeks to complete with assistance of a survey motor boat from Australia. To assist with the creation of the hydrographic service, on earlier voyages part of the ships company included personnel from the Royal Australian Navy and Royal Navy.

HMNZS Lachlan surveyed over fifty percent of New Zealand's coastline over her twenty-years commissioning. Some of her service included surveys in Australia and the rest of the pacific, and she even helped clear mines around the Gilbert & Ellice islands from the Second World War. Her bow was damaged in a collision with the Napier wharf in October 1954. In 1963 the New Zealand government purchased the vessel for 16,000 pounds. By 1970, she was due to be decommissioned but in May 1970 the Royal New Zealand Navy was ordered by the government by an extra five years.

In 1975, HMNZS Lachlan was painted all grey and docked at HMNZS Philomel to house ship's companies whose frigates were undergoing refits. In September 1975, her engines were removed and sold, and in 1993 the hulk of HMNZS Lachlan was sold to a Philippines company for scrapping.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMAS_Lachlan_(K364)