History of the Royal New Zealand Navy facts for kids

The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) is New Zealand's navy. Its story goes back to early gunboats used to protect British interests in the new colony. It also has strong links to the British Navy.

How the Navy Started

At first, the British Royal Navy kept New Zealand safe. But in 1846, settlers bought their first gunboat. Later, from 1860 to 1865, a group of boats called the Waikato Flotilla was used. At the same time, a Naval Artillery Volunteer group was set up to defend harbours.

In 1884, the government bought four new torpedo boats. From 1887, New Zealand helped pay for ships of the Australasian Auxiliary Squadron.

Before the navy was officially formed, New Zealanders paid for a large warship called HMS New Zealand. This ship fought bravely with the Royal Navy in the Battle of Jutland.

The Naval Defence Act 1913 officially created the New Zealand Naval Forces. The old British ship HMS Philomel was the first to join this new force. From 1921, the forces were called the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. They had two cruisers and a minesweeper.

New Zealand in World War II

When Britain declared war on Germany in 1939, New Zealand quickly joined the fight. The naval force was now largely independent. So, on 1 October 1941, King George VI allowed the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy to become the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). From then on, New Zealand ships were called HMNZS (His/Her Majesty's New Zealand Ship).

Key Battles and Ships

The light cruiser HMNZS Achilles took part in the first big naval battle of World War II. This was the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939. Achilles and two other British cruisers, HMS Ajax and HMS Exeter, fought the German warship Admiral Graf Spee. They forced the German crew to sink their own ship rather than lose more lives.

Achilles later moved to the Pacific Ocean. It worked with the US Navy and was damaged by a Japanese bomb. After repairs, it served with the British Pacific Fleet until the war ended.

HMNZS Leander and USS St. Louis firing during the Battle of Kolombangara in 1943.

Achilles's sister ship, HMNZS Leander, took New Zealand soldiers to the Middle East in 1940. It then served in the Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, and Indian Ocean. Leander faced attacks, helped protect other ships, and sank an Italian ship called Italian auxiliary cruiser Ramb I. In 1943, it returned to the Pacific. There, it helped destroy the Japanese ship Japanese cruiser Jintsu but was badly damaged by torpedoes during the Battle of Kolombangara.

In 1941, there was a plan for HMS Neptune to become New Zealand's third light cruiser. Some New Zealanders were on board. On 19 December, 150 New Zealand crew members sadly died when the ship hit mines and sank off Libya. This was New Zealand's worst naval loss.

Growing the Navy

As the war continued, the RNZN grew much larger. By the end of the war, it had over 60 ships. These ships helped the British and Commonwealth forces fight in Europe and against Japan in the Pacific. They also defended New Zealand from German raiders. The threat of invasion from Japan in 1942 was a big concern. Many civilian boats were taken by the navy and armed to help with defence. One of these was HMNZS Monowai, which fought a Japanese submarine near Fiji in 1942.

In 1941–1942, New Zealand and the United States agreed that the RNZN would work best as part of the US Navy in the Pacific. So, the RNZN's operations were put under the South West Pacific Area command. Its ships joined United States 7th Fleet groups.

In 1943, the light cruiser HMS Gambia was given to the RNZN and became HMNZS Gambia. In November 1944, the British Pacific Fleet (BPF) was formed in Sydney, Australia. Most RNZN ships, including Gambia and Achilles, joined the BPF. They took part in the Battle of Okinawa and operations near Japan. In August 1945, Gambia represented New Zealand at Japan's surrender.

In total, 561 New Zealanders died while serving in the navy during World War II. After the war, the navy became much smaller.

Sailor Protests in 1947

The light cruiser HMNZS Black Prince

In April 1947, some sailors and non-commissioned officers on four RNZN ships and two shore bases had disagreements. These were non-violent protests. About 20% of the sailors in the RNZN were involved. Because of this, the RNZN had fewer people to work. This meant they had to take Black Prince, one of their most powerful warships, out of service. This event slowed down the navy's growth for about ten years.

Korean War Involvement

Six frigates, including HMNZ Ships Hawea and Kaniere, were sent to the Korean War. RNZN crews sometimes went ashore at night to attack targets and capture prisoners for information.

Vietnam War Involvement

RNZN medical staff were part of the 1st New Zealand Services Medical Team (NZSMT) in Vietnam. This team of 19 medical workers from the navy, air force, and army arrived in April 1967. Their job was to give medical help to South Vietnamese civilians and learn more about local health issues. They also treated injured soldiers. In June 1969, the team moved to a new hospital. They treated about 46,000 outpatients each year before leaving in December 1971.

Two RNZN staff also served with the second New Zealand Army Training Team Vietnam (2NZATTV). This team helped train Cambodian soldiers and provided first aid at a hospital.

Changes with the United States

Four RNZN frigates in Wellington Harbour in 1980.

From the 1960s to 1984, the Royal New Zealand Navy worked with SEATO and ANZUS treaty countries. But in 1984, the relationship with the United States became difficult. This was because New Zealand did not want nuclear-powered ships or ships carrying nuclear weapons to visit its ports. New Zealand also sent RNZN ships to check for environmental damage from French nuclear tests in the Pacific.

Support in East Timor

The RNZN helped with the INTERFET landings in East Timor. The frigate HMNZS Te Kaha and the tanker HMNZS Endeavour were sent. Te Kaha was later replaced by HMNZS Canterbury. Canterbury escorted the Australian ship HMAS Tobruk to Suai, carrying New Zealand soldiers. More New Zealand soldiers and naval staff were sent to East Timor as part of the UN peacekeeping force.

See also

• New Zealand Naval Forces (1913–1921)
• New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy (1921–1941)
• Coastal Forces of the Royal New Zealand Navy
• Minesweepers of the Royal New Zealand Navy