RNZN
HMNZS Aotearoa: Covid-19 again scuppers best-laid plans for Navy’s big new ship
The maiden Kiwi voyage of the Navy’s new ship has been knocked back as coronavirus continues to conspire against HMNZS Aotearoa. Meanwhile, some of its new crew have been siphoned off to help with Operation Protect, the Defence Force’s (NZDF) contribution to the national Covid-19 response, which includes providing security at managed isolation and quarantines facilities. Read more from Stuff.co.nz here
Armistice Day commemorations at Caroline Bay war memorial in Timaru
A weapon used in World War II was fired next to the Caroline Bay war memorial as South Canterbury marked Armistice Day. The 1941 South Canterbury Returned and Services Association’s 25-pounder Howitzer fired blanks three times in front of more than 30 people, including war veterans, before 11am on Wednesday. Read more from Stuff.co.nz here
SHIP OF THE WEEK – HMNZS TARAPUNGA (1980)
HMNZS Tarapunga was a modified Moa class inshore patrol vessel of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). She was built in 1980 by the Whangarei Engineering and Construction Company as a version re-engineered for use as an inshore survey vessel. After decommissioning, she was purchased by North American owners and can be seen in Harper’s Island Episode 1, as the charter boat that brings the wedding party to the island. Can also be seen in season 2, episode 9, of Psych, from 2007
RNZN COMMUNICATORS REUNION 2021
After a bit of COVID uncertainty, we are pleased to advise you that our 2021 Reunion over the weekend of 26 – 28 March 2021 at New Plymouth is going ahead. So what does this mean? This means that Level 1 does not preclude our 2021 Reunion from taking place and our New Zealand domiciled membership from attending. Our quarantine regulations will remain in place under Level 1 so it is unlikely that our international membership will consider attending as they will need to meet their own 14-day quarantine costs. But the choice is theirs to make. If you have been holding off registering because of COVID, now is the time to join your shipmates for a weekend of ‘tall tales’ and reminiscing.
Sailor dragged beside boat as ‘punishment’ suffers serious foot injuries after being sucked into propeller
A sailor who was dragged beside an inflatable boat as punishment during a Navy dive course suffered serious injuries when his foot was caught in the propeller. Stuff learned of the incident while investigating the death of Able Diver Zachary Yarwood on the next intake of the dive course a few months after the August 2018 incident. Read the full story from Stuff.co.nz here
DEFENCE FORCE LONG SERVICE AWARDS
Defence Minister Ron Mark has welcomed the news that Her Majesty The Queen has approved a range of changes to the New Zealand Defence Force long service awards system. “A fairer system has been developed to recognise the vital contribution Regular Force and Reserve Force military personnel make by serving the New Zealand Government and the public,” said Ron Mark. “The changes will resolve a range of legitimate grievances held by both serving and ex-serving personnel, relating to inconsistencies in the eligibility criteria between the various awards. “The eligibility criteria changes will immediately qualify about 650 current military personnel for their first long service award, and entitle more than 1700 other current military personnel to a clasp to a long service award they have already...
REECE GOLDING – FINAL DAY IN A BLUE SUIT
WOSCS R.S. Golding, MNZM, MSM – Terminal Date 31 Aug 20. This week sees the final day in uniform of WOSCS Reece Golding – the conclusion of almost six decades of combined RNZN and RNZNR service – a staggering achievement. HMNZS Ngapona intended to hold a function to recognise Reece’s service but this has had to be postponed due to Covid-19.
Councillors recommend adopting charter for new Navy vessel HMNZS Aotearoa
Read the story from Stuff.co.nz here
NZ sailor brandished weapon at comrade after live firing exercise
From Stuff.co.nz A Kiwi sailor brandished a gun at a fellow Naval rating after live firing training on a weapons range. The incident happened on April 5, 2019, at the Royal New Zealand Navy’s Tamaki Leadership Centre on the Whangaparāoa Peninsula, north Auckland. The circumstances leading up to the incident are not yet publicly known but will be subject to a wider NZ Defence Force investigation. Stuff began inquiries into the incidentearly in 2020 but an ongoing investigation into one of the individuals meant the Defence Force did not comment on the nature of the incident until Friday. A Defence Force spokeswoman confirmed the two sailors become embroiled in a dispute at the end of routine firing training. The quarrel happened after the weapons were cleared, meaning there were no...
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