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Royal New Zealand Navy
Part 4: The Post War Era - 1946 to 1959
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This list displays those ships commissioned into the
Royal New Zealand Navy from the end of World War II until 1959.
Notes:
(i) Dates shown follow the English precedent, ie. Day/Month/Year.
Cruisers
Modified Dido Class Light Cruisers
Displacement (tons): 5,950 Standard, 7,410 Full Load
Dimensions (feet): 512 x 50.6 (Royalist 52) x 15
Propulsion: Parsons geared turbines, 62,000 hp, 4 shafts
Max. Speed (knots): 33 (Royalist 32)
Armament: 8 x 5.25-inch, 12 x 40mm Bofors,
(Royalist 8 x 40mm Bofors), 4 x 3 pdrs,
6 x 21-inch torpedo tubes
Complement: 540 (Royalist 550)
No. Name Commissioned Notes/Fate
C63 Bellona 1/10/46 Ex-HMS Bellona. Replaced Achilles
Initially used for Harbour Training
duties. Paid off 1952. Returned to
RN 17/4/56. Broken up 11/59 in UK.
C81 Black Prince 5/46 Ex-HMS Black Prince. Replaced
Gambia. Immediately laid
up in reserve. Recomm'd 2/53.
Decomm'd 8/55. Returned to RN
11/61. Broken up in 1962 in Japan.
C89 Royalist 10/4/56 Ex-HMS Royalist. Replaced Bellona.
Paid off 20/7/66 and returned to
RN. Sold and then broken up in
1968 in Japan.
Note: Bellona built by Fairfield Shipbuilding & Eng'g Co. Ltd, Scotland,
Black Prince built by Harland and Wolff, Belfast, Nthn Ireland and Royalist
built by Scotts Shipbuilding & Eng'g Co. Ltd, Scotland.
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Frigates
Loch Class (Anti-Submarine) Frigates
Displacement (tons): 1,435 Standard, 2,260 Full Load
Dimensions (feet): 307.6 x 38.8 x 12
Propulsion: Vertical reciprocating 4 cyl. triple expansion,
5,500 hp, 2 shafts
Max. Speed (knots): 19.5
Armament: 1 x 4-inch, 4 x 2 pdrs,
6 x 20mm Oerlikons,
2 x Squid depth charge mortars
Complement: 114
No. Name Commissioned Notes/Fate
F421 Taupo (I) 3/9/48 Ex-HMS Loch Shin. Meditteranean
service 4/50 - 11/50. Sold 1961.
F422 Hawea (I) 1/10/48 Ex-HMS Loch Eck. Meditteranean
service 4/50 - 11/50. Sold 1965.
F424 Pukaki (I) 3/9/48 Ex-HMS/HMCS Loch Achanalt.
Coastal training ship.
Singapore service 6/61 - 6/62.
Laid up 5/65. Sold 1965.
F426 Kaniere 7/7/48 Ex-HMS Loch Achray. Alongside
Training ship 1961. Sold 9/66.
F517 Tutira 1/4/49 Ex-HMS Loch Morlich. Sold 1961.
F625 Rotoiti (I) 7/7/49 Ex-HMS Loch Katrine.
Coastal training ship.
Paid off 8/65. Sold 9/66.
Note: Taupo built by Swan Hunter, UK, Hawea and Kaniere
built by Smiths Dock Co. Ltd, UK, Pukaki and Rotoiti built by
Henry Robb Ltd, Scotland and Tutira built by Wigham Richardson, UK.
All the above ships saw service during the Korean War. Hawea and Rotoiti
had two tours of duty, whilst the remainder had one each.
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Mine Warfare Vessels
Bathurst Class Minesweepers
Displacement (tons): 1,025 Standard
Dimensions (feet): 186 x 31 x 8.6
Propulsion: Triple expansion, 2,000 hp, 2 shafts
Max. Speed (knots): 15.5
Armament: 1 x 4-inch, 1 x 40mm Bofors,
6 x MGs
Complement: 71
No. Name Commissioned Notes/Fate
M233 Inverell 4/52 Ex-HMAS Inverell comm'd 17/9/42
Training ship 15/8/65. Sold 1979.
M252 Echuca 5/52 Ex-HMAS Echuca comm'd 7/9/42
Reserve 1953 until sold 1967.
M353 Kiama 5/52 Ex-HMAS Kiama comm'd 26/1/44
Training and fisheries protection
vessel 15/3/66. Sold 1979.
M348 Stawell 5/52 Ex-HMAS Stawell comm'd 7/8/43
Training vessel 1955-59. Sold 1968
Note: Inverell built by Morts Dock, Balmain, NSW, Echuca and
Stawell built by Williamstown Dockyard, Vic, and Kiama
built by Evans Deakin & Co. Brisbane, Qld.
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Other Vessels
River Class Survey Ship
Displacement (tons): 1,546 Standard, 2,220 Full Load
Dimensions (feet): 301.8 x 36.8 x 12
Propulsion: Triple expansion, 5,500 hp, 2 shafts
Max. Speed (knots): 20
Armament: Removed
Complement: 140
No. Name Commissioned Notes/Fate
F364 Lachlan 1/10/49 Ex-HMAS Lachlan comm'd 14/2/45.
Used as a Survey Ship 1949 - 75.
Purchased outright in 1962. Paid
off and used as Base Ship 2/75.
Note: Built by Williamstown Dockyard, Vic in 1945.
Ailanthus Class Antarctic Support Vessel
Displacement (tons): 1,275 Standard, 1,460 Full Load
Dimensions (feet): 194.6 x 37 x 13.6
Propulsion: Diesel-electric, 1,200 hp, 1 shaft
Max. Speed (knots): 12
Armament: None
Complement: 50
No. Name Commissioned Notes/Fate
-- Endeavour (I) 15/8/56 Ex-USS Satinwood (Netlayer YN89).
Trans'd to RN as HMS Pretex (ZZ84)
8/44. Returned to USN 11/45 and
sold in 1947 to Falkland Islands
Dependencies as John Biscoe. Sold
to RNZN 6/56. Used in 5 Antarctic
voyages. Decomm'd 7/1/61, sold to
Canada 6/62 as Arctic Endeavour.
Sank and lost at moorings in
Newfoundland on 11/11/82.
Note: Built by American Car & Foundry Co. Inc., Delaware, USA.
Refitted by Thornycroft in 1956 before arriving in NZ in 10/56.
Tugs
Displacement (tons): 125 Standard
Dimensions (feet): 75.8 x 18.2 x 8
Propulsion: Diesel, 320 hp, 1 shaft
Max. Speed (knots): ?
Armament: None
Complement: 4
No. Name Commissioned Notes/Fate
-- Manawanui (I) 1948 Built for USN as YLT622. Sold to
RNZN upon completion. Used as a
Diving Tender. Laid up 1978.
Historic Maritime Park, Paeroa, 1983.
-- Arataki (I) 1948 Built for USN as YLT627. Sold to
RNZN upon completion. Used as a
Harbour Tug. Laid up 1984.
Believed privately owned in Picton?
Note: Note: Both built by Steel Ships Ltd, Auckland.
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Part 5: The Recent Past - 1960 to 1979 
Part 3: World War II - 1941 to 1945
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