The following Sailors ‘Crossed the Bar’ during the month of July 2018. Details of funerals etc can be found by clicking HERE.

BREITMEYER John Maxwell (Jack) MN

The Royal New Zealand Band will provide a concert at the Great Lake Centre in Taupo on 16th August 2018 at 7pm.   Join the band for a very special night of music from the full concert through to the Big Band and smaller groups.  There is a very special performance of the Artie by Chief Petty Officer Michael Miller.   Taupo is the adopted city for the Band.

The next Anngual General Meeting for the RNZN Communicators Assn will be held at the Birkenhead RSA on 29 September 2018 commencing at 1100.  Items for the Agenda or remits are to be forwarded to the Secretary, John Titmus email trixiedog@doglover.com by 15 August 2018.  This will allow sufficient time for items to be circulated amongst members.

It is with great sadness that another of our branch has crossed the bar.  The following has been received from Judith Collie nee Buckingham

The following has been received from David Little who is searching for any crew members who may have served in HMNZS WAKAKURA during WWII. The original request follows:

I have recently read the book “Left hand down a bit” written by the late Jack Harker. I found the book a fascinating account of wartime anti-submarine/minesweeping patrols on the New Zealand coastline by HMNZS Wakakura.

I would like to contact any former Wakakura crew members still alive, to learn more about the various patrols made around the New Zealand coast during World War 2.

I have contacted both the Navy Museum at Devonport and the National Archives in Wellington for the Wakakura log books covering the World War 2 period, but both institutions tell me they do not have them. It appears the log books were never kept after World War 2, which is most unfortunate, from a research viewpoint.

It is possible that there are some former Wakakura crew members living in your area. If you could put me in contact with those people, I would greatly appreciate it.

To save your paper resources, I can be emailed at: pubbanugini@gmail.com

Regards David Little

If you are visiting the UK here is a place not to be missed ‘The Isle of White Distillery‘ . Here you will find such exotic drinks like Rock Sea Vodka, HMS Victory Navy Strength Gin, Mermaid Gin and of course HMS Victory Navy Strenth Rum .

The Isle of Wight Distillery is proud to announce a partnership with The National Museum of the Royal Navy to produce, under license, a unique Navy Strength Rum.  A 750ml bottle of this substance will set you back 46 pounds 50 stirling which includes VAT.

HMS Victory Rum is a fine blend of aged demerara rum from Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica. Reminiscent of the taste of traditional ‘Rum Tots’ issued on board naval ships. The rum has been refined and rested in oak barrels using an oak stave from HMS Victory herself, adding an extra depth of character from the Royal Navy’s most illustrious warship.

The term ‘Navy Strength’ refers to when in the 18th century, the Royal Navy legislated that all Naval ships were to carry a quantity of rum on board for the sailors’ rum tot rations. All spirits on board ship had to be 100° proof (the English standard of the day) which equates to 57% ABV

OR

If you fancy an Exclusive Rum experience then enjoy an exclusive RUM Dinner on HMS WARRIOR 1860 located in the Portsmouth Dockyard.

OR

other SPECIAL EVENTS like Trafalgar Night, Pickle Night or Burns Night.

Join the Royal New Zealand Navy Band for an outdoor lunchtime concert in Rotorua. They will be at Te Manawa, the shared space at the corner of Tutanekai and Hinemoa Street, from 12pm, Wednesday the 15th of August. Come along and have a listen! We’ll be performing an entertaining and diverse range of music showing everything the Navy Band can do. From a traditional march to your favourite Kiwi classics, you’ll find something to tap your toe to.

To all matelots past and present, who have served under any of the White Ensigns.  The President and Quarterdeck Divisions of the Te Atatu Memorial RSA are again hosting a Luncheon on Friday 19th October 2018 to celebrate in true Navy fashion the 213th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and you are all invited to attend.  Captain Andy Watts ONZM, RNZN is the guest speaker.  Please click HERE for further details and registration.

The three images below have some people stumped as to what it is and what this equipment was used for.  Can you help?  There is a thought that it is a naval piece of equipment.

The following was tabled at at the RNZNA Papanui monthly meeting which was held 7 Aug 18.A proposed reunion of all naval personnel who have taken part in “Operation Deep Freeze” and Southern Ocean to be held at the Rangiora RSA over Queens Birthday 2019. Target audience are crews from supply ships Endeavours 1 & 2, Loch Class Frigates, Pukaki and Rotoiti, OPVs Wellington and Otago, the ANZAC Frigate Te Kaha and those on Otago (F111) which relieved Pukaki 1964 and Taranaki’s MedvacMay/June 1966. The intent is to gather old hands and those still serving, that have seen icebergs and rough seas under one roof.

Expressions of interest to:

Bill Lochrie – 021 040 3511 email bill.lochrie@xtra.co.nz or
Peter Stent – 021 624 559 email pstent@snap.net.nz

The following Sailors ‘Crossed the Bar’ during the month of August 2018. Details of funerals etc can be found by clicking HERE.

UNDERWOOD, Alan Kenneth. Seaman Gunner

zoomPresident Donald J. Trump signs the $717 billion Fiscal 2019 National Defense Authorization Act at a ceremony. Photo: US Army

US president Donald J. Trump has signed a $717 billion National Defense Authorization Act under which the US Navy would get funds for a total of 13 new vessels.

Signed by the president at a ceremony at Fort Drum, New York, August 13, the NDAA includes funds for three littoral combat ships, a fourth Ford-class aircraft carrier, a Columbia-class ballistic missile submarine, and six icebreakers.

“With this new authorization, we will increase the size and strength of our military by adding thousands of new recruits to active duty, Reserve and National Guard units, including 4,000 new active duty soldiers,” Trump told members of the Army’s 10th Mountain Division and their families. “And we will replace aging tanks, aging planes and ships with the most advanced and lethal technology ever developed. And hopefully, we’ll be so strong, we’ll never have to use it, but if we ever did, nobody has a chance.”

The act – named for Arizona Sen. John S. McCain – does not fund the military. Rather, it authorizes the policies under which funding will be set by the appropriations committees and then voted on by Congress. That bill is still under consideration.

In addition to new ships, the act authorizes a 2.6 percent military pay raise and increases the active duty forces by 15,600 service members. It sets active duty end strength for the Army at 487,500 in fiscal 2019, which begins Oct. 1, 2018. The Navy’s end strength is set at 335,400, the Marine Corps’ at 186,100 and the Air Force’s at 329,100.

On the acquisition side, the act funds 77 F-35 joint strike fighters at $7.6 billion. Also included are 24 F/A-18 Super Hornets, 10 P-8A Poseidons, two KC-130J Hercules, 25 AH-1Z Cobras, seven MV-22/CMV-22B Ospreys and three MQ-4 Tritons.

Thanks Nick C for the article

Don’t trust the cloud? Worry about computers crashing? Losing thousands of priceless photos overnight is a common problem.

You probably store a lot of videos and photos on your PC and you probably intend to back them up, but you just haven’t done it yet. Back up is hard to do, it’s too expensive and for sure it takes too long.

Storing your photos and videos in the Cloud also have risks. You might be locked out of your account, being hacked by someone who deletes all your stuff, and by your account being closed if you don’t pay any charges required. They are also expensive if you need a lot of storage.  This site is not endorsing this product and if wish to learn more click on this link HERE.   Thanks John B for the article.

I hope your all enjoying my new commemorative WW1 pint glass designs.
I’ve just finnished the first set of WW2 commemorative pint glasses and they have turned out better than I expected.

This is an interesting article.  Click HERE to read of Russia’s might.  Click on image to enlarge.  Thanks Nick C for the article.

Here is an image of two old and bolds who some of you will recognise at once.  The quality is not so good but it was taken in 1962.  The image is of Ian (Mary) Buckingham (RIP) and Charlie (Horse) Conroy both of Royalist.  Thanks Alan (Tug) Wilson for the image.

Hyundai Heavy Industries hosted a keel laying ceremony for the Royal New Zealand Navy’s future tanker HMNZS Aotearoa at its shipyard in Ulsan, South Korea, on August 13.

Aotearoa’s keel laying consisted of more than 500 tonnes of carefully constructed keel blocks being positioned together in the dry dock, where she will continue to expand upwards and outwards until her launch date early next year.

Aotearoa represents the first of a new fleet of RNZN ships built specifically to address the global requirements of the New Zealand Defence Force and government agencies for deployment from Antarctica to the Arabian Gulf.

The keel laying ceremony took place some seven months after first steel was cut for the New Zealand Navy’s largest vessel ever.

This is an exciting time for our Navy,” said Chief of Navy Rear Admiral John Martin.

“It is filled with challenges and opportunities as we ready ourselves for Aotearoa, as well as our modernized frigates. It is these three ships on which our combat capability will be based.”

HMNZS Aotearoa is designed to provide logistical support to New Zealand and coalition maritime, land and air units.

Her primary purpose is to conduct fuel resupply but she will also be capable of supplying dry goods, water, spare parts or ammunition. Her missions will include humanitarian and disaster relief, support to United Nations security operations, support to a coalition naval task group and Antarctic resupply.

The 173.2-meter-long ship will have the ability to carry 12 20-foot shipping containers, high-capacity freshwater generation plants, self-defense systems, aviation and marine fuel cargo tanks, dual all-electric replenishment-at-sea rigs and will be able to carry a Seaspite or NH90 helicopter. Aotearoa will displace 26,000 tonnes and will be operated by a crew of 64.

The ship’s $493 million price tag includes the tanker’s enhanced “winterization” capabilities, such as ice-strengthening for operations in Antarctica, including resupplying McMurdo Station and Scott Base. Predecessor tanker HMNZS Endeavour was not Antarctic-capable. Thankd Red M for the article.

The New Zealand government has approved NZ$103 million for the purchase and refit of a second-hand multi-role offshore support vessel that will be used as a dive and hydrographic support vessel by the Royal New Zealand Navy.

Following purchase, the 85-meter Norwegian-built survey vessel MV Edda Fonn will be outfitted with the dive and hydrographic systems required by the defense force.

MV Edda Fonn will replace hydrographic ship HMNZS Resolution and dive support ship HMNZS Manawanui. The two vessels were decommissioned from the RNZN in 2012 and 2018 respectively, following several decades of service.

“This vessel will ensure that the current capability gaps for diving and hydrography are filled as quickly as possible, with a proven, well tested platform,” says Minister of Defence Ron Mark.

The ship is scheduled to be delivered to Devonport Naval Base in May 2019. It will feature a 100t salvage crane, a remotely operated vehicle and a contemporary dynamic positioning system, which will allow Navy’s specialist divers to achieve greater levels of effectiveness and safety, in a greater range of conditions.

The New Zealand Navy was initially scheduled to receive a custom, new-build vessel but an NZ$148 million cost blowout in the country’s frigate upgrade project forced the government to consider a used vessel.

Defense officials identified the MV Edda Fonn, owned and operated by Norwegian company Østensjø Rederi, as the most suitable option from an initial list of over 150 candidate offshore and subsea support vessels.

“Defence officials have subjected the Edda Fonn to considerable scrutiny ahead of purchase,” says Ron Mark. “We have been assured by independent experts that it is in excellent condition, and will handle well in the operations the Defence Force will use it for,” says Ron Mark.

The vessel generally operates in the North Sea, and is under lease until the end of 2018, following which the modification process will begin.

Once delivered, final modifications will be undertaken in New Zealand. It is expected that New Zealand industry will be involved in this part of the project. The ship is expected to be in service with the Navy by November 2019.

The NZ$103 million project budget is for the purchase, modifications and introduction into service. Thanks Red M for the article.

This is a transcript of a letter which was originally written by LRO(G) Royston Williams wifes Great Great Great Great Grandfather who was a Master in the Royal Navy.  His name was Richard Anderson and he was the Master of HMS Prince at the Battle of Trafalgar. The original description is held in a Museum at Birmingham UK.  Thanks Royston for the transcript.

HM Ship “Prince” , Gibralter 29th October 1805

Dear Sir,  I have just time to write a few lines so shall begin immediately with the morning of the 21st October.

At daylight we saw the enemy to leeward 10 miles and about 10 miles from the shore between Cape Trafalgar and Cadiz:  we have 26 sail of the line and 2 frigates, the enemy 33 sail of the line and 7 frigates.  They immediately formed a close line of battle and waited for us; our Fleet was sailing in two lines, Nelson leading one; Collingwood in ‘The Royal Sovereign’  leading the lee line.  The Britania, Prince and Dreadnought were to the windward consequently the furtherest from the enemy and little wind.  We did not get into action until the latter part so had a complete view of the attack, however, when we did go down we totally dismasted our opponent with two broadsides and set him on fire, which prevented him doing any more and saves us of course.  She was called ‘La Achille’ of 80 guns and 800 men, had 42 pounders on her lower deck.  We have our masts and bowsprit wounded, sails and rigging also; we saved 145 poor seaman and soldiers with our boats after she blew up and a cutter saved 150 more out of the 800.  It was a most horrid sight and could be seen to see the poor fellows flying in the elements.  I have got great credit to placing the ship in the manner I did and for getting us clear again of the ship on fire which we blew up.  Captain Grindell has publically thanked me in the presence of the officers on the quarterdeck for my conduct in getting clear of the ship on fire.

The action began ten minutes past twelve, our ships went down in 2 lines ahead; Admiral Collingwood broke their centre in ‘The Royal Sovereign’ and to the ‘St Anna’ of 120 guns, he behaved nobly.

Nelson attacked the French Admiral and ran on board of him; poor fellow; he was killed from atop of the French ship by a musket ball.  All the van of the enemy by that means was unoccupied, we all coming down in the rear brought such amazing force in the centre and rear which completely dished the enemy and before the van doubled to support their centre we had taken at least 10 sail and we had 7 sail of the rear of our vanguard which had not been in the action, so they went between the enemy’s van and our centre which cut them totally off and they ran away.

We went down the rear of their ships and smartly engaged as we passed.  Seeing a ship of our force two immediately struck to us and afterwards we bore upon another;  after giving her broadside she struck her colours.  After we had gone with her we went down the van and seeing another ship engaged we at length got alongside her; I was determined to have another dash at the French Flag.  We fired a whole broadside into her and in ten minutes she was in a complete blaze with a tremendous explosion and every poor fellow went.  We then went to take possession of the prizes;  We took possession of ‘The St Trinadada of 130 guns on 4 decks.  She had an Admiral on board, wounded and 500 killed.  His name is Don Digo Baltasar Althadisharo;  19 ships had struck and several burnt and blown up, the rest went to Cadiz.  We had ‘The Royal Sovereign’ ‘Buillule’ totally dismasted (and 11 prizes dismasted). We took the 4 decker in tow and at night it came on a most tremendous gale of wind which broke all our ropes and drove us near Cadiz.  the most dreadful gale I have ever experiencied.  I never was so anxious in my life to save this great ship to England. I had everything I wished from my Captain. At last I went on board her again and found she would founder so took all the poor prisoners out of her except 23 which to remove. would have died, and the gale of wind coming on I kept her up 48 hours, and the leak increasing was obliged to sink her, with the 23 poor fellows in her.  It was a hard case to see them go down and what was to be done.  We have more prisoners on board than English and only 40 tons of water, have just heard that after the gale, that Admiral Collingwood has ordered all prizes to be burnt or sunk;  thank God I am well, excuse haste a frigate going to England.  Signed Richard Anderson.

Richard Anderson was a Master in the Royal Navy. He died on 5 December 1835 aged 61. His wife Mary (nee Eggleston) died on 24 December 1833 aged 55.

Biography

Richard was born in 1774 on a farm near Kilham on the Yorkshire Wolds, the sixth son and seventh child of Robert Anderson and his wife, Elizabeth Robson. He was baptised at Kilham All Saints on 13 March 1774. ^[1]Richard and the two brothers who followed him, Christopher and Robert, wanted to go to sea. With an uncle, Edward Anderson, and his eldest brother, Thomas, both being ship owners in Hull it wasn’t such a strange ambition for a farmer’s son. He duly went to sea and was coerced into the Royal Navy.

Richard was impressed in 1793 aged 19 and taken to serve aboard “La Nymphe” captained by Edward Pellew. The ship had been woefully understrength and Richard was one of the few seamen taken. Perhaps that was why he could write “so don’t fret for me for I am well-used aboard the “La Nymphe” and I shall have liberty to go on shore whenever I ask the officers for I have got in with them.” ^[2]

On 19th June 1793 “La Nymphe” fell in with the French frigate, “Cleopatre” and a fierce battle ensued at very close quarters. Eventually Captain Pellew ordered his crew to board “Cleopatre” and, Captain Millon having been killed, the French surrendered. The two ships were tangled together and Captain Pellew offered ten guineas to the man who would go up the mast and cut the ship free. Richard and a mess mate succeeded in the task and were each paid 5 guineas. Cleopatra was taken to Portsmouth and it was from there that Richard wrote home on 24th June to his “Honourable Parents” to tell them all about his adventure.^[3][4] “Cleopatre” was taken into the Royal Navy and commissioned as HMS Oiseau. ^[5]

Richard has become a family hero and it is difficult to sort out the myths from the facts. What is certain is that on 8 May 1785, aged 21, he was made a Ship’s Master only two years after he was impressed.

Richard’s father, Robert, died in 1796 ^[6] but brother John was happy to remain with their mother and run the farm.

During the years that followed he made time to visit Kilham for in 1800 at All Saints he married Mary, ^[7]daughter of William Eggleston of Kilham. “My little Mary” he called her and she proved a good Naval wife, writing regularly and doing his laundry. ^[8]

HMS Prince.

On 13 February 1805 he was posted to HMS Prince, ^[9] captained by Richard Grindall. Prince was a heavy lumbering ship which was described by some wit as “sailing like a hay stack”. Prince was sent to join the blockade of the Franco-Spanish Navy in the summer of 1805. Richard’s diary is full of little bits of interesting information but gives a feeling of boredom rather than anticipation.

When matters came to a head Prince and another couple of ships were ordered to follow the fleet as best they could. Desperately slow, Prince was the last British ship to engage the enemy and was thus lucky enough to have no one killed at the Battle of Trafalgar on 14 October 1805. She took the greatest prize, the Santissima Trinidad, but a great storm blew up and all the prizes were lost on the way to Gibraltar. ^[10] “We all cry for him” wrote Richard when he recorded the death of Lord Nelson. ^[11]

In 1806 his youngest brother, Robert, was forced to leave his ship and return home as he was dying of consumption. Elizabeth Anderson followed him to the grave in a matter of months ^[12]much mourned by her family. ^[13]

Eventually Richard left the navy and settled back in Kilham to raise a family. His first child, Richard Eggleston Anderson, was born in 1816, followed quickly by Edward, William and Mary.

Richard’s “little Mary” died on Christmas Eve 1833. His life was drawing to its end and on the 2nd January 1834 he wrote his will, being at pains to ensure a future for his daughter, Mary, then aged 13. He died on 5 December 1835 aged 61 and was buried at All Saints on 7th. ^[14]

Richard’s grave.

“In memory of Richard Anderson late master in the Royal Navy who died on the 5th day of December 1835 aged 61 years, and Mary his wife who died on the 24th day of December 1833 aged 55 years. Also Mary their daughter who died on the 28th day of March 1838 aged 18 years”^[15]

His affairs were attended to by his brother, David. His goods and chattels were valued at £283 but there was also his house in Kilham and the house in Hull which had been left to him by uncle Edward in 1806.

NAVY Number Plate Surrounds with RNZN ensign are only sold in pairs.  The cost of a pair is $45.  This is a negotiated deal and includes postage to both Islands direct from the manufacturer.   If you wish to change the text the price will rise to $52.95 and you will need to get the Navy Decals separately from Maurice Hartshorne who is on facebook.

The surround manufacturer details are info@doozi.co.nz , ph 021877016 also on http://www.facebook.com/doozinz