issue 177 february/march 2014 - royal new zealand … · issue 177 february/march 2014 te mana on...
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1our people
issue 177 february/march 2014
TE MANA ON PATROL
NAVY AT WAITANGI
SAILOR OF THE YEAR
T e T a u a M o a n a – w a r r i o r s o f T h e s e a
2 Mcc log
DIRECTORY
Published to entertain, inform and inspire serving members of the rNZN.
Navy Today is the official newsletter for personnel and friends of the royal New Zealand Navy, produced by the Defence communications Group, Wellington, Navy Today is now in its eighteenth year of publication.
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EDITOR: David mcLoughlin
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NaVy maKeS a SPLaSh aT WaITaNGI
SaILOr Of The year LPTI LOu ThyNe
raIN GOeS aWay fOr DIVISIONS
Te maNa IN LaST STaGe Of PIracy PaTrOL
NaVy TraINING SaVeS hearT aTTacK VIcTIm
DIVe Team POOL PhOTO becOmeS a hIT
meeT The NeW cDf
chamPION Of The NaVy
OTaGO’S breaThTaKING aNTarcTIc VOyaGe
contents NAVY TODAY ISSue 177 2014
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COVER IMAGE: members of hmNZS Te maNa’s boarding Party on the ship’s flight deck off the Somali coast, with the ship’s Seasprite helicopter in the overwatch position above them. This is the boarding team and flight crew involved in boarding operations during OP TIKI VI. Page 12.
3yours aye
even this early in 2014 we have achieved a number of significant milestones. Navy Divisions on 17 January was a credit to everyone involved. It is just so wonderful to see our
Navy parading before our commander in chief, his excellency the Governor General, and your friends and families. you can all be very proud of the turnout for Divisions (see article page 8).
as you all know 2013 was “the year of Our People.” a year where we worked on making things as good as we possibly could for you, the men and women of the royal New Zealand Navy and your families. In 2014 we will continue this work. It will be included in “our year of regeneration.”
The year 2014 will be the year where we remember our history, our ethos, our values and what it is to be the royal New Zealand Navy. We are a navy that has much in common with other navies but we have a unique history and our own traditions. In 2014 we will regenerate this pride in being the royal New Zealand Navy; we will remember our past and the deeds of those who went before us.
In doing so, we will develop an even stronger base from which to grow our Navy. after all, we do need to grow our capabilities and our numbers.
During this year we will continue our efforts to be the best Navy we can be. This will enable us to make the greatest contribution we can to the outputs of the NZDf.
as part of this work, this month we will host the Western Pacific Naval Symposium International mine countermeasures exercise, the largest international exercise the rNZN has hosted. We will send ships offshore to the rim of the Pacific exercise hosted by the united States Navy in hawaii. We will participate in the five Power Defence arrangement activities off the coasts of malaysia and Singapore. We will take command of an international counter-
piracy task group off the coast of africa. We will also participate in the many WWI commemoration activities which begin this year. This will be an important year for our country and our Navy.
In doing so we will reassert what it is to be the royal New Zealand Navy. We will bring back some of our lost traditions and we will regenerate the pride that we all need to have in our Navy, Te Taua moana o aotearoa.
We also need to recommit to developing mastery of the maritime domain. after all, we are a warfighting Navy. With the men and women we have in the Navy today and those who will join us over the next few years, I am confident that we can achieve these goals. We are after all, warriors of the sea.
What won’t change this year is the requirement for us to look after our people. That is always at the forefront of our work. your leadership are committed to working for the benefit of those serving in our Navy. every day one or many of you do something or achieve something that makes me very proud to be your chief of Navy.
I write this from Waitangi where our Navy is again part of the commemorations of the signing of the Treaty of Waitangi 174 years ago (see article page 4). Next year, the 175th anniversary, we will have a far larger presence here on what will be a very auspicious occasion.
Thank you for your hard work and your commitment, I look forward to working with you all this year.
yours ayeChief Of NAVY Rear Admiral J.R.Steer, ONzm
Above: CN greeting Navy families and friends at Divisions.
4 waiTangi day
navy’s Waitangi presence a direct link to the signing of the treaty in 1840The Navy again had a big presence at the Waitangi Day commemorations in the Bay of islands in the days up to and including 6 february, with a 100-strong Royal Guard of honour, the Navy Band, the RNzN maori Cultural Group and the Offshore Patrol Vessel hmNzS WeLLiNGTON.
WAiTANGi 2014
5waiTangi day
While the rain cleared in time for fleet Divisions in mid-January (see page 8) it was not to be at Waitangi, when the main celebrations took place in driving rain which,
however, did little to dampen the spirits of those in attendance.
The Navy’s centrality to commemorations at Waitangi dates directly to 1840, when captain William hobson rN arrived in the royal Navy frigate hmS heraLD to negotiate what became known as the Treaty of Waitangi with the assembled local chiefs, culminating with the signing of the treaty on 6 february, making New Zealand a british colony and hobson the colony’s Lieutenant Governor.
after the signing, heraLD took a copy of the treaty to other coastal parts of the country to gather further signatures.
Thus WeLLINGTON’s anchoring just off the Treaty Grounds and the big naval flagstaff there symbolically represented hmS heraLD’s presence on the same day 174 years before.
Through the rain, WeLLINGTON fired a 21-gun royal salute at noon on Waitangi Day, another naval tradition. a warship arriving at a port would fire its cannons until all ammunition aboard was spent, demonstrating it was disarmed and had no hostile intent. Today all salutes are fired with blank cartridges.
Waitangi Day as a national public holiday dates only from 1974, but the Navy’s association with 6 february and Waitangi goes back much further.
The first major observance there was in 1890, 50 years after the signing of the treaty. much later, the Navy oversaw the construction of a flagstaff in time for a ceremony there on 6 february 1934, following the gifting of the land to the nation by the Governor General of the day, Lord bledisloe. hmS DuNeDIN and hmS DIOmeDe attended, their crews taking part in the events, including a parade.
The next official ceremony was in 1940, 100 years after the treaty was signed. It was a subdued affair because of the outbreak of World War II. Ship’s company of hmS LeaNDer took part, as did a detachment of the maori battalion, about to depart for war. To this day that was the only time an army unit paraded at Waitangi.
by 1946, the flagstaff was in a poor state. The Navy offered to replace it and maintain the new one, which the Waitangi Trust board, administrator of the land, gratefully accepted. Personnel from Devonport Naval base duly erected it in naval style.
from 6 february 1946, the Navy began holding a ceremony at the
Opposite page: On parade at the Navy flagstaff
Left: The Commanding Officer of HMNZS WELLINGTON, LT CDR Phil Rowe, with Prime Minister John Key to his right and Opposition Leader David Cunliffe to his left. Defence Minister Jonathan Coleman is next to Mr Key
Top: On guard
Above: The Maori Cultural Group performs
6 waiTangi day
flagpole each year, commemorating caPT hobson’s service as New Zealand’s first naval governor. It began as a solely naval ceremony with no maori or government input but this soon changed. from 1952 the governor general attended and from 1958 the prime minister began attending, though not every year. maori cultural performances became a fixture from the mid-1950s.
In 1990—the 150th anniversary of the treaty’s signing—a charter was presented to the Navy, conferring on it “the right and privilege, without further permission being obtained, of marching at all times with drums beating, bands playing, colours flying, bayonets fixed and swords drawn through the lands of the Tai Tokerau, especially the Treaty Grounds.”
With next year being the 175th anniversary of the treaty’s signing, the Navy is planning an especially big presence.
Clockwise from top left: The Navy band is always popular
HMNZS WELLINGTON arrives at Waitangi
The Governor General inspects the Guard
From left Chief of Navy RA Jack Steer, Flag Lieutenant LT Eric Chapman and Warrant Officer of the Navy WOSA Lennie Shailes.
WAiTANGi 2014
7sailor of The year
Right: Chief of Navy RA Jack Steer congratulates LPTI Lou Thyne on becoming Sailor of the Year. The Commanding Officer of HMNZS TE MANA, CDR Shane Arndell enjoys the moment.
a few days later, on 22 January, chief of Navy rear admiral Jack Steer arrived onboard the frigate hmNZS Te maNa, which was berthed in the port of mumbai, India, for a short
break from her anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of aden. ra Steer had made the long-planned trip from New Zealand to present members of Ship’s company with the Operational Service medal for their deployment, Operation TIKI VI.
To the delighted surprise of everyone assembled on Te maNa’s flight deck for the medal ceremony, ra Steer unexpectedly announced that the ship’s Physical Training Instructor, LPTI Lou Thyne, was the Sailor of the year for 2013.
congratulating her, ra Steer said she brought outstanding professionalism to her job and showed incredible commitment to the Navy.
“I was very surprised,” LPTI Thyne said afterwards. “It came completely out of left field for me. I am immensely proud to have been awarded Sailor of the year.”
her award was in recognition of her outstanding work aboard Te maNa during the ship’s deployments over the past 12 months to asia, australia and the Gulf of aden.
The Sailor of the year is chosen by a selection board. This year it was chaired by Warrant Officer of the Navy WOSa Lennie Shailes assisted by WOmT(L) Kramer Pierce, WOmeD Teresa Ikenasio, WOPTI Peter hodge, WOmT(P) barry rees, WOch Steven bourke, cPOcWS Julie campbell and POSa ben Owens (SOTy 2010). They considered seven strong nominations.
LPTI Thyne, 25, is the sole physical training instructor onboard Te maNa, responsible for the fitness of 182 officers and crew. as well as running intensive fitness programmes, she has taken part in or overseen many other activities. They included the ship’s participation in the movember men’s health charity and the
production of a popular christmas video for families and friends back home.
christchurch-raised LPTI Thyne, who attended mairehau high School, joined the Navy in October 2008, initially as a chef, being posted to hmNZS caNTerbury for a year. but her passion was and is fitness and she was driven to become a physical training instructor, an important role in the military. She finished the PTI course in 2012 and shortly afterwards posted to hmNZS Te maNa.
“I get a lot of job satisfaction out of helping people achieve their goals and pushing them outside their boundaries to show them that you can achieve things if you are determined and you want to,” she said. “as I am currently on ship, my job involves management, organising events, maintaining morale and ensuring that Ship’s company remain fit.
“This deployment is new ground especially for me because I am a relatively young PTI. I love the challenge; there’s only one of me onboard so I have to be very self-reliant and motivated.”
Sport and fitness are her main outside interests. “fitness is my passion, so sport crosses both my career and outside interests. I am also constantly challenging myself to do new things. I love that I can continue to learn and develop in the Navy.”
When she finishes her time with Te maNa, LPTI Thyne hopes to post ashore to the fleet Gymnasium in hmNZS PhILOmeL to continue her career advancement by completing her PTI advanced course and pursuing tertiary study options.
“being in the Navy allows you to be an individual in that you can pursue your goals, advance and develop professionally and manage your career. It’s all up to you; you just need to be determined. The other side of the coin is that you work in a team environment and you’re part of a larger Navy family—I enjoy that. I enjoy meeting new people and the friends I make.”
TE MANA’s Physical Training Instructor is the Navy’s
SAILOR OF THE YEARBy David McLoughlin, Editor, Navy Today
The Navy’s Sailor of the Year is usually announced at Divisions, but this year, it was a notable absence during the fleet Awards segment of Divisions. Very few people knew why.
8 divisions
By David McLoughlin, Editor, Navy Today
friday January 17 dawned grey, windy and drizzly over auckland as hundreds of Navy personnel dressed in their finest whites for the 2014 fleet Divisions, held on the
Ngataringa sports fields behind Devonport Naval base as the traditional start to the Navy year.
The reviewing Officer for the parade, the Governor General, his excellency LTGeN the rt hon Sir Jerry mateparae, had flown out of Wellington on a day so fine and sunny there his wife had reminded him to put on sun block. On arrival at auckland airport he found the rain hosing down and asked his aDc to call the base to find out what the wet-weather Plan b was for Divisions.
“he told me there was no Plan b,” Sir Jerry told the assembled platoons and the crowds of Navy families, friends and local residents who had come along to watch the event. “I decided on my own Plan b. I would leave my speech on the Internet for you to read,” he said to much amusement. “but the weather cleared so it was back to Plan a.”
The last of the passing showers cleared as the 100-strong royal Guard of honour, the 24 platoons and the Navy band took their
places on the field. about 800 officers and ratings paraded, fewer than last year because two major ships were away—hmNZS Te maNa in the Gulf of aden with 180 personnel and hmNZS OTaGO in the Southern Ocean with 40 more.
“you will notice that today a number of the platoon commanders are carrying either a Koikoi, a hoe, a Nuiean Spear, a Pou or a Wahaika,” the master of ceremonies, LT cDr roger Saynor, told the guests and visitors. “These are the symbols of command that are awarded to the commanding Officer of a Naval unit and are carried today with honour and pride.”
as chief of Navy, rear admiral Jack Steer arrived, he quipped to the guests: “Thanks for making the rain go away.” VIP guests included the maori King, Tuheitia, Dame Trelise cooper (patron of the auckland rSa) and past chiefs of Navy and veterans,
The Governor General was greeted by the Navy’s maori cultural Group and took his place on the dais in front of the Guard, from which he received a general salute. a loud blast marked the start of the 21-gun salute. by the time it had finished and a Navy Seasprite helicopter had flown low overhead, the parade and spectators were shrouded in smoke from the cannons.
shoWers stop just in time for 2014 Divisions
2014 DiViSiONS
9divisions
Above: Smoke billows over the parade during the 21-gun salute
fleet aWarDsthe monoWai trophy for 2013, awarded to the force element achieving the highest level of operational excellence. Awarded to hmNzS Te mANA. As the ship is deployed, the award was accepted by mrs Nardi Dyke on behalf of her husband, Tem's Command Warrant Officer WOCWS Wayne Dyke
the commander W l j smith cup for 2013, awarded to the best overall Supporting force element. Awarded to the Operational Diving Team. Accepted by the team’s Commanding Officer, LT CDR Trevor Leslie.
the rnZn seamanship award for 2013, awarded to a unit, group or individual in recognition of outstanding effort to promote and enhance good seamanship practices within the RNzN. Awarded to LT CDR Ange Barker, Programme manager, Reclaiming Seamanship excellence.
the chatham rose Bowl and rnZn efficiency pennant for 2013, presented to the force element achieving the best all round result. Awarded to hmNzS CANTeRBURY. Accepted by the Commanding Officer, CDR David Turner.
the rnZn safety award 2013, a new award presented to a unit, group or individual for making a significant contribution to improving and or maintaining safety standards that enhances the Navy’s safety culture. Awarded to hmNzS Te KAhA. Accepted by the executive Officer, LT CDR michael Peebles.
the naval support command efficiency trophy 2013, awarded in recognition of a unit within the Naval Support Command whose staff consistently utilises effective processes to enable the department to operate at a high standard of efficiency. Awarded to the Leadership Development group. Accepted by WOmeD mike Wiig and mr Dave murray.
the naval support command customer service trophy 2013, awarded to the fleet Personnel Training Organisation, which rose magnificently to the personnel challenges of the RNzN in 2013. Accepted by WOCSS Vince Cook and CPOWTR Andrea Dewsnap.
the clasp to the new Zealand armed forces award, for 15 years of unblemished service. Awarded to CDR frank Rands, now with 45 years of service.
Above (from top to bottom): Mrs Nardi Dyke receives the Monowai Trophy on behalf of HMNZS TE MANA and her husband, TEM's Command Warrant Officer Wayne Dyke
LT CDR Ange Barker is presented with the RNZN Seamanship Award
as the smoke cleared, the sun broke through the clouds and Sir Jerry began his inspection of the Guard and the platoons. This took about 25 minutes, with Sir Jerry stopping frequently to talk to sailors.
Principal Navy chaplain Wayne Toleafoa—in his last official duty before leaving the Navy—led a prayer, followed by the Governor-General taking the dais again for the march-past.
In platoon order fleet Officers marched first, followed by fleet Officers and Warrant Officers, fleet Senior rates, two platoons of caNTerbury Junior rates, Te Kaha Junior rates, WeLLINGTON Junior rates, eNDeaVOur/maNaWaNuI Junior rates, fleet Junior rates, fleet Divers, Shore Support Officers, Shore Support Officers and Warrant Officers, two platoons of Shore Support chief Petty Officers, Shore Support Petty Officers and nine platoons of Shore Support Junior rates.
addressing the parade, ra Steer said every day one or many Navy people did something or achieved something that made him very proud to be their chief of Navy.
“I mean, just last week in Devonport, a gentleman collapsed in the street. Two quick-thinking young officers leapt to his aid and
10 divisions
it is an opportunity, at the start of a new year, to acknowledge and celebrate all that the navy and its people have accomplished over the previous year. The Governor General, His Excellency
LTGEN the Rt Hon Sir Jerry Mateparae
2014 DiViSiONS
11divisions
performed cPr. The ambulance crew advised that this saved the man’s life. This is the type of people we have in our Navy [see story page 15]. Today’s parade is another of those occasions. you have all done very well today, thank you to everyone involved.”
The Governor General said seeing the Navy on parade was always a special occasion: “It is an opportunity, at the start of a new year, to acknowledge and celebrate all that the Navy and its people have accomplished over the previous year. In doing so, it provides me with an opportunity, as the commander-in-chief, to recognise excellence in the Navy. It is also an opportunity to celebrate age-old traditions, stories and anniversaries of the Navy. It provides the basis to launch the Navy into the year ahead.”
after his speech, Sir Jerry presented the fleet awards (see separate story).
The audience, which included many parents with children, were treated to a coffee stall, ice cream van and fairground rides, as well as a formal morning tea in marquees on the field after the event finished.
Opposite page (top): On the march
Opposite page (bottom left): CN talking to Dame Trelise Cooper, patron of the Auckland RSA
Opposite page (bottom right)): The Governor General greets the Maori King
This page (top): The Governor General reviews the Guard
This page (left): Unable to be at Divisions, Ship’s Company of HMNZS OTAGO staged their own parade on the flight deck in a bitterly cold Southern Ocean, in sight of icebergs
12 Te Mana oP TiKi vi
at the time of publication, Te maNa is on her final counter-piracy mission in the Gulf of aden and Somali basin, assigned to combined Task force Tf 508. In practical
terms this patrol is no different from the last two patrols Tem has conducted with the coalition maritime forces’ cTf 151, except that tactical command and control has transferred to North atlantic Treaty Organisation (NaTO) and the ship is operating as part of NaTO’s counter piracy mission: Operation Ocean Shield.
Our time in our area of Operations since arriving in late November 2013 has been both challenging and rewarding for everyone onboard. We have faced the daily rigours of the North east monsoon, which has produced continual winds from the north-east at or around 15-20 knots and, dependant on where we are, continual seas of one to three metres while conducting the
numerous ‘approach and assist’ visits to the many Somali fishing
vessels, Indian and yemeni dhows we have come across in our
assigned patrol areas.
The continual alert requirements for the ship and helo has at times
meant long days for everyone onboard, but not so busy that we
haven’t had the chance to take a break at sea and participate in
organised sports, personal fitness and a few barbeques—just to
remind us of the summer at home we have been missing!
The port visits in and around the arabian Sea have provided
opportunities for everyone onboard to visit new and exciting
places, such as abu Dhabi in the united arab emirates, mumbai
in India, and the Seychelles. Officially, the port visits have been
to support and strengthen New Zealand’s relationship with the
hmNzS Te mANA has steamed a distance almost equal to 1½ times round the world since leaving Auckland last August for anti-piracy patrols in the Gulf of Aden and Arabian Sea. in this article, the Commanding Officer, CDR Shane Arndell, RNzN, describes life in a frigate on a distant deployment.
rigours at sea for te mana, but still time to relax as long deployment nears end
Te mANA OP TiKi Vi
13Te Mana oP TiKi vi
countries visited, but for everyone onboard it has enabled most of us to experience exciting new places with all the different cultures and customs while taking some well deserved leave ashore.
In mumbai we said farewell to some of our shipmates who had sailed with us from auckland in august 2013—all of whom had worked extremely hard during their time in Tem. I am extremely grateful for their commitment and comradeship, and we welcomed 27 new shipmates who had joined to continue with their professional training and, just as importantly, get to experience life at sea on operations, while getting to visit new and exciting places also.
for those who thrive on numbers to tell a story: since sailing from New Zealand in august Tem has steamed over 30,000 miles, or equivalent to nearly 1.5 times around the world, and has been at sea for over 130 days and counting. The helo flew a record 54 hours in December alone, and by the time we arrive back home in march will have flown approximately 150 hours, most of which has been to conduct counter-piracy surveillance up and down the coast of Somalia. In 2013 we had 28 personnel promoted (and counting as 2014 commenced with two new
cPOs already!); 20 personnel achieved individual professional qualifications for advancement (more to be come before we get home); and 42 personnel were formally recognised for their service or superior performance in the Navy and NZDf by awards of LSGcm, Gcb or commendations. We must also not forget our Navy’s Sailor of the year, LPTI Louisa Thyne, who is posted to Tem and still working hard to ensure we are all maintaining our fitness as we start making our way towards home.
finally, I would like to pass on my personal thanks to all the family, friends and mates of the Navy and air force who have supported everyone serving in Te maNa over the last seven months. Without your support throughout the deployment we would not have achieved as much as we have as a cohesive and happy ship. you can all be very proud of your sailor or airman who has served in Tem over the deployment, because I am, and I continue to be amazed on a daily basis of the great things that they have achieved to make Tem the warship that she is—New Zealand’s foremost fighting frigate! We look forward to sailing into auckland harbour on 12 march after seven months. can’t wait to see you all again.
This page (left): HMNZS TE MANA sails from Mumbai, India. Pictured in the foreground is ASCS Christopher Wise.
This page (top right): TE MANA CO CDR Shane Arndell (left) promoting OSCS Kirk Milner to ASCS in a ceremony onboard the ship in the Gulf of Aden. The visiting Commander Joint Forces New Zealand, AVM Kevin Short, helps fit the new rank slides.
This page (above): A day out on the water; the Medical Officer, CAPT Glenn Williams.
Opposite page: Ship’s Company embarked for her assignment to Combined Maritime Forces CTF-508. We bade farewell to several of our shipmates in Mumbai and welcomed a number of new faces to the TE MANA family as we embarked on our NATO Operation Ocean Shield patrol.
14 Te Mana oP TiKi vi
somali fishermen feel safer with te mana in sight
Somali fishermen working off the horn of africa have told the crew of royal New Zealand Navy frigate hmNZS Te maNa they feel more secure knowing the warship is conducting
counter-piracy operations in the region.
The frigate and its crew of 182 officers and ratings are on patrol off the horn of africa supporting the combined maritime forces (cmf) multi-national naval partnership of 30 nations.
cDr Shane arndell, commanding Officer of Te maNa, says the frigate’s specialist boarding teams have frequently visited small boats operating in the area to meet local mariners, share information on best practice and reinforce the message that piracy does not pay.
“Somali fishermen tell us ‘it’s great to see a warship out here. We feel safer therefore we can go out and start fishing again’,” he said.
Interaction with local fishermen is an essential part of counter-piracy operations because it reinforces to the local maritime community that the 30-nation combined maritime forces (cmf) are committed to stamping out piracy.
“The feedback from local fishermen reflects the reality of the success of cmf, North atlantic Treaty Organisation, european union and others engaged in the region,” said cDr arndell.
“New Zealanders can be proud of the work that Te maNa and its officers, sailors, and airmen are doing off the coast of Somalia. everyone we have come across has commented favourably on our being here. This, in turn, shows that we are achieving the united Nations mandate to disrupt piracy at sea,” he said.
The frigate carries specialist equipment and personnel, including boarding teams and rigid hull inflatable boats, to allow her to carry out her counter-piracy mission. Te maNa’s Sh-2G Seasprite helicopter gathers coastal intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to build an accurate picture of the maritime environment and deter criminal activity.
“We need to play our part, as an international citizen and as a nation that relies on trade from the sea,” said cDr arndell, noting that 95 per cent of New Zealand’s trade goes by sea. “The Gulf of aden and this part of the world is a vital link for our trade with the rest of the world so it is important that we contribute to the anti-piracy operations here.”
for three weeks from 24 January, Te maNa was participating in NaTO’s anti-piracy mission, Operation Ocean Shield, before rejoining cTf 151.
Defence minister Jonathan coleman said participating in Ocean Shield was a good opportunity for the NZ Defence force to test its interoperability with contributing NaTO nations.
“This deployment is an example of New Zealand’s commitment to playing our part in supporting NaTO in areas of common interest. In June 2012, the Prime minister signed a partnership arrangement with NaTO, and maritime security was identified as a key area of mutual security interest,” mr coleman said.
In april 2013 the cabinet approved Te maNa’s deployment to support the cmf in the Gulf of aden, and provision was made for the frigate to support other maritime security task forces operating in the region such as Ocean Shield.
New Zealand is the second NaTO partner nation, after ukraine, to contribute to Ocean Shield.
This page (top): TE MANA’s boarding team (bottom right) en route to visit a small boat with the ship nearby.
This page (above): HMNZS TE MANA’s Seasprite helicopter transfers vital stores to the ship during a replenishment at sea.
Te mANA OP TiKi Vi
15our PeoPle
navy officers help amBulance creW
to save man’s life
By David McLoughlin, Editor, Navy Today
Navy lieutenants LT Lachlan Whelan and LT Dan Wierenga were jogging near the Navy’s Ngataringa bay sports field on Jim Titchener Parade in Devonport on 8 January when
they saw two ambulance officers attending to a man who had collapsed by the roadside.
Just as they stopped to ask if they could help, the man, bruce baird, 54, of mairangi bay, suffered a massive heart attack. The ambulance officers suddenly had more work than they could instantly handle and asked the lieutenants if they were trained to perform cPr (cardiopulmonary resuscitation). as Navy personnel trained in first aid, they were.
"We could see things were escalating," said LT Wierenga. "They asked us if we could do chest compressions and we were happy to lend a hand,"
The pair had been taught to undertake the compressions to the tune of row, row row your boat and began working as the ambulance crew opened their defibrillator and wired mr baird for electric shock treatment to get his heart working properly again.
Six shocks and drugs were needed. The printout from the defibrillator, later presented to mr baird, shows clearly the cPr compressions performed by the lieutenants as well as the electric shocks and his heart finally beating back to normal.
after mr baird was taken to hospital—where he made a full recovery and was released after a few days—St John ambulance contacted Devonport Naval base to say he would very likely have died had it not been for the help from LT Whelan and LT Wierenga.
The following week, mr baird, with the ambulance officers Jason macaskill and Jono milne, visited the base to thank the lieutenants and see them awarded a Deputy chief of Navy commendation by DcN, cDre Dean mcDougall.
“Lieutenants Wierenga and Whelan’s professionalism and application of their military training during this incident saved a life and are in the finest traditions of the service, exemplifying the rNZN’s core values,” the commendation said.
“Their actions remind us of the importance of maintaining our first aid skills as they could be required at short notice; not only for our role at sea but also for the benefit of our families and the wider community.”
Presenting the commendations, cDre mcDougall quipped: “This just proves that going for a run is good for your health.”
mr baird said he could not give enough thanks to everyone involved in saving his life.
“I walk quite a lot most days and I was walking in Devonport that day. I don’t know the street names there. I was overheating and feeling ill so I lay down and called 111 on my phone, but I didn’t know the address. I crawled to the road and tried to wave cars down. One stopped and I gave my phone to the guy who gave the address.
“I vaguely remember the St John people arriving and asking where it hurt—then I woke up in hospital. I was told that 50 per cent of people who have a heart attack on the side of the road die, so the bottom line is I am alive. Thank you very much.”
This page (top): From left, paramedic Jason MacAskill, LT Wierenga, Mr Baird, LT Whelan and paramedic Jono Milne
Above: From left CDRE McDougall, LT Wierenga and LT Whelan at the DCN Commendation ceremony
16 news
The Navy communicators trade has been renamed and restructured as the communications Warfare Specialist (cWS) trade, a significant change to a very important branch
in our Navy and our Defence force.
Over the past decade, changes in Information and communications Technology (IcT) have fundamentally altered the way people work and live. The increasingly interconnected and networked world that is developing is also changing the way in which maritime warfare is conducted. IcT already supports almost every activity the military undertakes, including combat, logistics, surveillance and communications.
The unprecedented growth of IcT and changes in its application to modern warfare has required an increased dependency on IT networks and associated bearers for naval communicators. reading about events a day later in the newspaper is no longer acceptable. communications Information—previously considered an enabler of the Warfighting Discipline—is now a Warfighting Discipline in its own right and an exciting time for the communications Trade.
The communications Trade has recently undergone a comprehensive review in an effort to incorporate emerging technologies while also maintaining its focus on traditional roles. The last review was undertaken over a decade ago and saw the amalgamation of the radio and Signals branches. This served us well but it is now time to firmly embrace and implement the findings of the review to meet our current and future demands.
Therefore the rNZN communications Trade, formerly known as communications Operators have been restructured and renamed as the communications Warfare Specialist (cWS) trade which better aligns the communications Trade with their Operations Specialist branch counterparts.
Other than the name change, the biggest change is the addition of IcT as a core competency of the cWS trade. This new skill set will see all cWS personnel trained in IcT. however additional qualifications such as radio Supervisor or yeoman of Signals will also remain at the Senior rating level. It is imperative that rS and yS skills sets are maintained despite technological changes.
The cWS name change will also be accompanied by a new branch badge. This represents the historical and modern nature of the communications environment specifically: Global—the earth centred on aotearoa-NZ signifying the elements of Land, Sea and air that make up the environment the rNZN operates from and in; Lightning bolt—from Greek and roman mythology reflecting the roles of hermes and mercury as gods of the sky; and elliptical Orbit—depicting the future use of the stratosphere for terrestrial communications and with the inclusion of four Stars representing orbiting satellites in the form of the Southern cross.
changes in the communications BranchWon report
WARRANT OffiCeR Of The NAVY Lennie Shailes
To all the sailors of the RNzN, welcome back to another fantastic year in our Navy. This year like the last will be extremely busy and will also offer
up great opportunities for development, training and advancement.
During Navy Divisions held recently, Chief of Navy announced that this year will be the “Year of Regeneration” for our Navy. As he stated, this is not just about trying to build our numbers or encourage people to undertake training opportunities. An important part will be bringing back some of the traditions that we’ve let slip away. Continuing to have fun will also be a priority.
As part of this regeneration i’d like to encourage you all to take advantage of any education or training opportunities that are offered to you. By taking these you will not only help yourself, but also those around you. i also encourage you to look for and go after these chances; you may be surprised what you can get just by asking.
The Navy has a number of extra commitments this year. This is especially surrounding those to do with the anniversary of the start of the significant events during WWi. To ensure that we celebrate and remember those who have gone before us, i hope you all get involved and do those people proud.
Congratulations to LPTi Lou Thyne who was recently named by CN as our Sailor of the year for 2013. Lou has done a fantastic job while serving on hmNzS Te mANA, not only ensuring the sailors onboard are fit and healthy but that they are motivated. Lou’s enthusiasm for her job has improved life onboard during many arduous periods.
WO1 Alan ‘Tricky’ Cunningham recently relinquished his appointment as the Warrant Officer of the Defence force, handing over to WO1 Danny Broughton. On behalf of all the sailors of the RNzN, i’d like to thank Tricky who, throughout his time on watch, did a great deal in improving the conditions of service for our sailors, soldiers and airmen and women.
Welcome to JOCT and BCT 14/01. We thank you all for making the choice to join the Navy and i look forward to meeting you over the next few months. enjoy your training and remember the more effort you put it the more you’ll get out of it.
i know there will be a number of challenges for us all this year and if you need help with anything don’t be scared to ask.
Look after your mates.
wa
rr
an
t
officer of the
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vy
Right: The CWS new branch badge.
17oPeraTional diving TeaM
The Navy’s Operational Diving Team posed sitting in chairs at the bottom of the swimming pool at Devonport Naval Base for a Christmas photo that attracted 75,000 views on the Navy Facebook page and was shared hundreds of times around the world. It was also published on half a page in the New Zealand Herald. “How did they do it?” This was the question asked many times by people who saw the photo, which was arranged and taken by base photographer Chris Weissenborn, a diver himself. Here, Chris gives the answer.
I got a call from the Navy dive team to take a group shot with a twist, they wanted it taken underwater. ‘OK, sounds like a challenge,’ was my response. ‘how many people in the pic?' 'err,
around 20,' said the dive team.
So, around 20 people all underwater at the same time, keeping them all as close as possible, and to get a shot as they all hold their breath. yep this was going to be challenging!
I enjoy scuba diving, especially combining the sport with underwater photography. you have to plan to get the good shots, and also be very patient, calm and at the same time control your position in the water so you are neutrally buoyant.
Just before christmas I met the divers at the pool, and we went through a practice 'dry run' on land before jumping in, as there were so many divers to get into the group photo. The main thing was to get the divers into a small space so we would need at least three rows, sitting, standing and standing on chairs. Two rows wouldn't have done it, as I would have been too far away from the group, as the further away you get from your subject underwater, the harder it is to get good clarity.
We took about four attempts to get the shot I was happy with, and the divers did a great job at breath-holding whilst I was taking the
shots. It was much easier for me as I was using scuba gear because there was no way I could hold my breath for as long as the dive team could.
With a shot hopefully in the bag, I scurried back to the photo unit to upload what I'd taken, I quickly selected the best shot, and was very happy with it. all I did in Photoshop was tweak the contrast levels a little, then got the shot registered, and shared it with the divers.
The photo was uploaded to facebook, and the interest in it was incredible, I was stoked to learn after a day it had over 44,000 views, then I found out that the editor of the NZ herald wanted to publish it. Just goes to show how something 'a little different' catches the eye!
christmas photo of divers in the pool gets 75,000 faceBook vieWs
Top: The photo with 75,000 views
Above: Base photographer Chris Weissenborn
BehiND The SCeNeS
18 our PeoPle
01
04
05
02
1. chief of Navy rear admiral Jack Steer visited hmNZS Te maNa while she was in port in mumbai, India, on January 22 to present Operational Service medals to Ship’s company for Op TIKI VI. here he congratulates POeT Paul Van der hulle. 2. aScS beau aston, aScS ruben Posa, LT marc Griffiths, WOWT Nicholas rowe, ameD matt Pirini, LT cDr Paul matenga and aScS robert Self of hmNZS caNTerbury paying a visit to christchurch hospital children’s Ward during the ship’s recent visit to her home port. 3. aScS emily maxwell, boats coxswain 2, on duty for the auckland anniversary Day regatta. 4. LT cDr rob bryant and heather were married recently at St christopher’s chapel at Devonport Naval base. 5. Leading chef Jordan rippey receiving hmNZS caNTerbury’s Sailor of the Quarter award on 4 february from the cO, cDr David Turner. The citation for the award says: “During his tenure onboard, Lch rippey has matured into a strong leader and is considered a key figurehead for hmNZS
08
19our PeoPle
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caNTerbury’s Junior rate community. Demonstrating a strong power of command, he has shown himself to be an exceptional Leading hand who meets the highest standards of professionalism and dedication to customer service.” 6. New recruits, from left OScS James buckland, OScS Kiana Turanga and OeT Jack Vujcich at the attestation ceremony for basic common Training 14/01 on 22 January. Warrant Officer of the Navy WOSa Lennie Shailes (far left) stands by. 7. hmNZS caNTerbury senior rates POScS mat betty and POScS Gan elphick-moon with children from cholmondeley house, christchurch, in front of the newly painted and erected flag pole replacing the one that was knocked over during the 2011 earthquake. 8. SLT brock West is greeted by his wife Liv on hmNZS OTaGO’s return from the Southern Ocean on 2 february. 9. ach Stephanie Loader at work feeding the masses in hmNZS caNTerbury
09
20 news
By LT CDR Kelly Begg RNZN, Deputy Director Naval Excellence
One of the benefits of naval life is the ongoing focus on professional development and bonds within our branches, and so, on 10 December the Supply Officers
held their annual branch conference at Devonport with a theme of ‘Operationalising our future’.
Invitees included all members of the GLS (General List Supply) branch and Support Warrant Officers, along with several colleagues from the army and air force. There were a broad range of attendees, including our newest branch member who had graduated from Junior Officer common Training the week before.
The conference focused on looking at the future of the branch, including potential future employment contexts, and provided an opportunity to update people about programmes such as Joint enablers, capability changes and how Defence and Navy strategy impacts our people. There was also an opportunity for several more junior members of the branch to reflect on the varied operations we have been involved in recently, including the many and varied deployments of hmNZS WeLLINGTON in 2013; the Joint amphibious Task force and exercise Southern Katipo 2013; the imminent Western Pacific Naval Symposium—mine counter measures exercise; and planning that is occurring for hosting an international operation in New Zealand.
cDre (rtd) bruce Pepperell made his first return to Devonport since leaving the rNZN, speaking to us about his role in the civil Defence Wellington region emergency management Office, Wellington cricket, and how he has leveraged the lessons and experiences from his naval career.
The outcomes focussed on questions to be considered in the upcoming Supply Officer Profile review and how we can shape our operating paradigm in the current and future environment. There are a number of programmes, such as Joint enablers, which streamline some of the supporting functions which have traditionally featured in the Supply Officer career continuum, creating an opportunity for the branch to focus on operational and military skills and tailor our training to support these.
Overall, the conference provided many people the chance to reconnect with others in the branch and discuss what has been happening throughout a very busy 2013. Supply Officers tend to be employed across the NZDf in a variety of roles, so bringing the branch together on an annual basis is an important tool to ensure we maintain an understanding of what is happening outside our own roles. as we move through 2014 and beyond, the conference helped focus the branch on future employment, training and education opportunities as we look to evolve with the rNZN and NZDf.
Above: Supply Officers Conference attendees
supply officers’ conference discusses busy times
Left: From left, LT CDR Phil Rowe (Commanding Officer HMNZS WELLINGTON), Jack Hamilton (previous SPBT voyager on board HMNZS CANTERBURY), SPBT Trustee Don Robertson, SPBT Trustee Sarah Trotman, RA Steer, SPBT staff member Hannah Prior, SPBT Chief Executive Shelley Campbell and CAPT Mark Worsfold.
chief of Navy rear admiral Jack Steer and Sir Peter blake Trust Trustee Don robertson signed a memorandum of understanding (mOu) between the two organisations in
a ceremony at the Torpedo bay Navy museum, Devonport on 16 January 2014.
both organisations have a strong commitment to youth potential and developing the next generation of New Zealanders. They have already collaborated in many activities and initiatives and the mOu formalises their ongoing relationship and cooperation. areas for planned future joint initiatives include projects to develop youth leadership, workforce development and marine protection.
navy signs mou with sir peter Blake trust
21news
Left: Tag football action
By CPOCWS James Leomotu
The Navy hosted the Police & Services Tag football Tournament on Saturday 18 January at Ngataringa Sports Grounds.
rNZN were represented by two teams, Open men and Open mixed. This was the first Tag football tournament hosted by Navy. The Police organisers and many of the teams had not been to Ngataringa before and were very impressed with the facilities available to them. The Police are interested in hosting the next tournament at Ngataringa in 2015.
Our vision is to maintain our very good relationship with the Police and align ourselves with building safer communities through the sport of Tag. Tag football is a fairly a new sport to the NZDf but has gained popularity over recent years. It was introduced as an off-season game for NrL players over 10 years ago and has since gained momentum and popularity not just with the rugby League community but throughout the other sporting codes.
The Navy were previous champions in both grades in 2012, but this time round the Navy Open men came 3rd overall and the Navy mixed came 4th overall.
tag footBall at ngataringa
Sword of honour recipient SLT Sanjay Prakash from Junior Officer common Training 13/02 is embarking on a naval exchange to chile armed with enough Spanish phrases “to
get by”.
minister of Defence hon Jonathan coleman presented the Sword of honour to SLT Prakash after he achieved the highest overall results of the 22-week JOcT 13/01.
“I was pretty nervous about it but the whole course went really well, particularly the leadership aspects, so I was very happy to be awarded the Sword of honour,” SLT Prakash said.
adjusting to military life was no challenge for SLT Prakash who had previously spent three years in the army reserves based in burnham.
The 24-year-old was one of 117 sailors and officers who graduated from their initial training on December 6.
“for me, a course highlight was travelling to Sydney aboard the SPIrIT Of NeW ZeaLaND for the International fleet review in October,” he said.
experience aboard a Tall Ship is exactly what the former burnside high student needs when he leaves for a naval exchange in february to chile where he will board the eSmeraLDa—one of the largest Tall Ships in the world at 113 metres long.
“We’ll be travelling around cape horn, with a number of days spent in ports in brazil, uruguay, argentina and chile.”
SLT Prakash said the exchange was an opportunity to represent the rNZN abroad and strengthen ties with the chilean Navy.
“It’s going to be an incredible experience and I’m really looking forward to the challenges and opportunities it will bring.”
Since graduating, SLT Prakash has spent time sailing around the north-east of New Zealand aboard inshore patrol vessel hmNZS haWea conducting customs patrols.
“I was mainly observing officer of the watch duties which is something I will be training in soon. I also spent time with the Ship’s company shadowing them and learning about each of their roles onboard.”
beyond his exchange to South america the 24-year-old has his sights set on qualifying as a Lieutenant as quickly as possible.
he also has ambitious career-based goals including working in a united Nations observer role and deployments to regions such as the Korean Peninsula and the Sinai.
Above: Sword of Honour recipient SLT Sanjay Prakash.
joct sword of honour graduate bound for chile
22 news
By ENS Jarrod Walsh RNZN
The annual marine engineering forum was held in the Philomel Seminar centre at Devonport Naval base on 9 December. The event was well attended by over 150 people
ranging from our sole New Zealand based me captain (caPT David Gibbs) through to the latest recruits having recently passed from basic common Training. The theme of the forum was “Looking forward; marine engineering out to 2020”.
The day was made up primarily of presentations updating the current and future exciting me projects that will shaping the Navy up to 2020 and beyond. This included the current status of the Platform System upgrade and Seafare (Seaworthiness first action response element); a look into the Littoral Operational Support capability and maritime Projection Sustainment capability (the replacements for reSOLuTION, maNaWaNuI and eNDeaVOur).
Light was shed into the current training programmes for both officers and ratings, with briefs explaining why me junior officers are sent to england, the current state of manning for me ratings, and the large opportunities for promotion available for those who work for it.
following on from this came a different perspective on me—views from the mess decks. Te Kaha Leading rates gave a Junior rates perspective on the ship’s current mid-life upgrade and cPOmT(P) David Guy giving an invigorating and light hearted Senior rates perspective on “awesomeness, anger, frigates and the future” (a real highlight of the day!). finally the Director of Naval engineering cDr Kelvin Wishart gave an update on the Wellington perspective followed by a chance for the me branch to ask questions of the leadership before caPT Gibbs summarised the day and closed the forum.
The day proved to be highly successful. communication flowed from the top down as well as from the junior ranks up to the senior members of the me branch.
• Page 35—notice of 2014 Annual Engineers Conference.
marine engineers have highly successful forum
Top: The ME Forum participants
Middle: LMT(L) Benjamin Marshall posing a question to the ME Branch leadership
Above: CDR Peter Young awarding LT Elliot Kendrick his commissioning parchment.
23news
Above: This group photo was taken beside one of the Seasprites on the occasion of presenting SQNLDR Andy Gallagher his NZ Armed Forces Award. From left Mr Peter Lowen (MoD project manager) and his wife Christina, SQNLDR Ceilidh Martin (training requirements visit), F/S Todd Hewlett (RPT aircraft technician), CDR Owen Rodger (RPT pilot), SQNLDR Andy Gallagher (RPT engineering manager) and his wife Angela, LT CDR Sam Greenhalgh (RPT observer), F/S Nikki Brown (RPT avionics technician) and Ms Faith Ruggiero, the RPT’s administrative assistant.
By Peter Lowen, MHCP Project Manager, Ministry of Defence
The maritime helicopter capability Project (mhcP) is the purchase of eight Sh-2G(I) Seasprite helicopters, plus two spare aircraft, to replace the five Sh-2G(NZ) Seasprites
currently in service at No 6 Squadron in auckland. The contract to deliver the helicopters, complete with a full mission flight simulator, training and spares, was signed with Kaman aerospace last may.
all aircraft are undergoing a regeneration inspection and modification programme before acceptance and delivery to New Zealand in late 2014/early 2015. New Zealand based activities in support of the mhcP include the construction of ground facilities at Whenuapai for the simulator, training, logistics and software support activities.
To oversee the helicopter preparation on behalf of Defence is a resident Project Team (rPT) comprised of a ministry of Defence
seasprite project going well project manager, four rNZaf personnel, including two engineering officers, an avionics technician and an aircraft technician, plus two rNZN personnel; a pilot and an observer. The team is located at Kaman’s bloomfield plant in connecticut, uSa.
Setting up life in the uSa has been an interesting challenge for all team members and their families, some of whom will join the team in early 2014. Kaman is making excellent progress with the helicopters and the rPT is meeting the significant tasks associated with acceptance of the helicopters for NZDf use.
24 new chief of defence force
new cDf aims to turn future35 from vision into ‘tangiBle DeliveraBles’By Luz Baguioro, NZDF Media Manager
as an army officer who spent much of his command time in the New Zealand Special air Service, Lieutenant General Timothy James Keating was used to putting big picture
strategies into effect through specific tactics that achieve mission objectives.
as the recently appointed chief of Defence force, the operationally experienced commander is demonstrating this ability to translate vision into “tangible deliverables” as he aims to bring forward the future35 strategy developed by his predecessor, LTGeN rhys Jones.
“The vision established by General Jones is still going to be a powerful guiding vision for us. establishing that Joint Operational excellence, that ability to operate in a joint environment far better together, is going to drive us,” LTGeN Keating told Navy Today.
“What we will now start to do is plot out some tangible deliverables, tangible plans to move quicker towards that construct because I don’t think we need to wait till 2035 for that. We can achieve [that vision] early if we lay some solid plans.”
as the new chief, LTGeN Keating is pursuing a number of priorities in his first 12 months. The first item on his to-do list is to draw up a four-year plan setting out specific initiatives to achieve the future35 strategy, which envisages an agile and integrated armed forces that can mount an amphibious operation involving maritime, land and air assets in New Zealand or the Southwest Pacific by 2035.
“We will hold ourselves accountable as the leadership team and me as the head of the leadership team for the delivery of these elements of our plan from 2014 onwards,” he said.
25new chief of defence force
Opposite page (top): LTGEN Keating greeting Singapore soldiers on exercise at Waiouru
Opposite page (left): LTGEN Keating
The New Zealand Defence force took “a first good step” in realising the future35 strategy in the 10-nation exercise Southern Katipo last November, according to cDf. however, he would like to see the war games run more as an operation in 2015.
“There will be a joint commander and he will command the assets and the activities. Participants won’t be participating in separate exercises that are joined together but will be operating under a joint command and construct.
“We’ve got to practice as if it were a New Zealand operation,” he said. “So I want that level of command and control, that level of emphasis next time. and we will be setting some clear expectations and key milestones.”
One of cDf’s stated goals is to make NZDf operations better.
“I want to shift our thinking towards that Sir Peter blake statement. Is what we are doing going to make the boat fast? Is what we are doing going to make the helicopters in No 3 Squadron better able to deliver? Is what we are doing going to be able to sustain our ships at sea and our people delivering on those operations? That’s going to drive my emphasis.”
cDf says his predecessor has passed on to him “a very solid platform” from which the NZDf can scale new heights. results of the internal quarterly attitude survey show that morale has lifted steadily since early 2012 and was recorded at 46 per cent in the July-September 2013 quarter. attrition rates have progressively dropped from 21.6 per cent on 31 august 2012 to 13.6 per cent on 31 December 2013.
Last December, the government indicated it would provide
additional funding to support NZDf personnel and improve
defence equipment and infrastructure.
“We are presented with an opportunity and the challenge is to
make the most of that opportunity,” said Lt Gen Keating.
Given his vast operational experience, it is understandable that
this former Special forces commander would like to encourage a
quicker decision-making cycle in NZDf boardrooms to support the
implementation of decisions and plans.
“We need a process where we can move rapidly from concept to execution to making a decision that understands risks,” he said, adding that rapid decision-making enhances the NZDf’s operational capability.
“We need to challenge ourselves a little bit more and not be afraid to try different constructs. Sometimes, we just need to make a decision, understand the risks and give some things a go.”
although LTGeN Keating prefers to talk about specific and practical plans, he is just as comfortable in articulating in big picture terms his vision of what the NZDf might be under his leadership.
he envisions “a more unified Defence force” where all the three services work more collaboratively and effectively together. This, of course, is crucial to achieving the future35 strategy.
“It’s not one step further, but rather a great leap forward into a unified Joint force,” he said.
“It’s about keeping the best of what the services continue to deliver and what the cultures deliver to make air operations, maritime operations and land operations successful and safe. It’s also about understanding that in a new environment, many of the skills or even the cultures are very similar and need to work together.”
The vision is achievable, he said, citing evidence that he saw first-hand when he was commander of crIb 6 in afghanistan. The 100-strong contingent comprised personnel from the three services and was deployed to support international reconstruction efforts there from July to December 2005.
“What I saw on crIb 6 suggested that NZDf personnel are far more in common and alike than what we sometimes believe and make out,” he noted.
Given NZDf’s relatively small size, cDf says it is not cost-efficient to operate as an organisation with three separate silos.
“In a small defence force, you’ve got to get a large part of your full force used to working in all three environments. We cannot afford to silo through services,” he cited.
Now that the NZDf had drawn down its commitments in afghanistan, Timor-Leste and the Solomon Islands, the operational tempo has slowed.
This has presented “an opportunity for us to regenerate some of our capabilities and solidify some of our skills before the government directs us on our next operational missions. In the interim, we have relationships to re-establish with our partners and neighbours in the south-west Pacific and asia. It’s also an opportunity to build new partnerships.”
So does he see a tough road ahead?
On the contrary, he replies. “The exciting and challenging part is ensuring that, as the head of the organisation, I run an organisation that continues to inspire people to be as good as those the Defence force has always produced—with that focus on operational excellence and service to the country.”
“It’s about keeping the best of what the services continue to deliver and what the cultures deliver to make air operations, maritime operations and land operations successful and safe. It’s also about understanding that in a new environment, many of the skills or even the cultures are very similar and need to work together.”
26 chaMPion of The navy
27
By POPTI Marc Thomas and WOPTI Peter Hodge
The 2013 champion of the Navy was held at the Ngataringa sports fields on Wednesday 11 December. Thirty-six teams entered from all trades, units and ships in the rNZN with
approximately 800 people participating in the events. The theme for
the event was Science fiction.
before the tabloid kicked off, cPOmaa brad harris took all the
competitors for what was probably the largest ever warm up the
Navy has ever conducted with an aerobics warm up.
The events this year at the tabloid included a massive blow up
assault course, racing Segways, a giant water slide, javelin throwing, a
memory game, Pictionary, rock climbing and a team work game.
The following awards were presented on completion of the tabloid:
Overall winners—Divers; Top Ship team—hmNZS caNTerbury; Top
Shore Team—Divers; best Dressed—chefs; courage award—fleet
engineering centre; commitment award—Seamanship School;
comradeship award—chefs.
The Sports Person of the year awards were held in conjunction
with champion of the Navy. The awards were a reflection on the
successful year the rNZN had at Interservice tournaments with the
men having won basketball, hockey and rugby and the Women
winning football and Netball.
The SPOTY award winners for 2013 were as follows:
civilian administrator of the year—mr Greg hamilton (Navy
basketball); rNZN administrator of the year—cPOmT(L) Peter furjes
(rugby League); civilian Sports Person of the year—mr Sheng Wong
(rNZN Pistol club); manager of the year—LT cDr clinton Williams
(rugby); coach of the year—cPOmaa clinton hemopo (rugby);
young Sports Person of the year—OSTD Nirah Nathan (Netball);
Team of the year—Interservice men’s hockey Team; Sports Person of
the year—amT(P) Karl furey (rugby).
many local businesses got onboard and provided sponsorship for the
event, a massive thank you goes out: aSahI Devonport, Stone Oven
café, Sierra café Devonport, bella monte café, hells Pizza belmont,
New World Devonport and hotshots Philomel.
The champion of the Navy proved once again to achieve its aim
of increasing morale and providing a fun and enjoyable day for
all personnel. On completion of prizegiving, the entertainment
kicked off which included Sons of Zion, Three houses Down and
much more.
fun, fitness anD frivolity
chaMPion of The navy
Opposite page: Fun and frivolity
Above (top): OSTD Nirah Nathan (Netball) is awarded the Young Sportsperson of the Year Award by Maritime Component Commander CDRE John Campbell.
Above (bottom): ODR Trent Luka receives the Top Shore Team award on behalf of the Divers from Deputy Chief of Navy CDRE Dean McDougall
champion of the navy 2013
28
hmnZs otagoop castle and op fiordland sound
By SLT Dan Crawford RNZN
hmNZS OTaGO sailed south from Devonport Naval base for Op castle in mid-November. after a short visit to Tauranga and no small number of Southern Ocean themed Damage
control exercises we arrived in Dunedin on 22 November to complete the last of the pre-deployment preps. With a watchful eye on the weather patterns and welcome assistance from LT cDr matthew ruglys (rNZN meteorological Officer), OTaGO picked her window and sailed from Dunedin on 25 Nov bound for the Southern Ocean.
after hearing the stories from previous Southern Ocean deployments, most members of Ship’s company were pleasantly surprised by the relative comfort of the passage south. five days were spent steaming south with the bridge team on constant lookout for the first sign of ice before a reflection of white appeared in the sky. This ‘Ice blink’ was the first indication that we were about to enter ice-infested waters.
Nerves were high in members of the bridge team who had not experienced navigating in close proximity to ice before. These nerves were to be tested as the ship continued to close the ice
fleeT Progress
fLeeT PROGReSS
Op Castle sees an RNzN Offshore Patrol vessel with RNzAf P3 Orion support deployed to the Southern Ocean in support of Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic marine Living Resources (CCAmLR) fisheries along with other Nz Government agency taskings. OTAGO conducted boarding operations on CCAmLR-registered fishing vessels to monitor compliance with catch limits, operating procedures and safety features, reporting on any illegal activity in the area and provided extended capabilities in New zealand’s Search and Rescue region.
Top: March of the Penguins
Above: CO LT CDR Rob McCaw enjoying the perpetual sun at 2130 with McMurdo Base in the background
29
flows. after following an edge of ice for what seemed like hours, the commanding Officer, LT cDr rob mccaw, took the ship and manoeuvred to push through a small bridge to open water. Personnel moved onto the upper decks to observe. but, with as little as a thud on the hull, OTaGO cut through the rotting ice.
after all the excitement of the first exposure to ice, it soon became the norm with OTaGO always operating in the vicinity of ice looking for vessels of interest. Our first break came on Sunday 8 December when we closed a fishing vessel through thick fog. activity levels rose again as we prepared for the first boarding of Op castle. Two and a half hours were spent circling the vessel while the boarding team and embarked ministry of Primary Industry fisheries officers conducted a thorough search of the vessel, ensuring the strictest compliance.
The fog that had surrounded us during our first boarding lingered for the next eight days—opening and closing with visibility often less than 200 yards ahead of the ship. a further four boarding operations took place over this period—at any hour of the day. With nearly 24 hours of sunlight in a day, we were hardly surprised to come onto the bridge at 0330 to find a boarding operation which had started just after midnight coming to a close.
The passage south had been benign by Southern Ocean standards. The passage back to the north was anything but! after a rough few days, OTaGO returned to Dunedin on 21 December to change the mPI officers and prepare for operations in the fiordland sounds over the christmas period. Sailing on monday 23 with the Ship re-supplied, fast progress was made toward the Sounds—progress soon to be hampered by the weather.
In the space of two hours we transitioned from 5-10 kts wind in a calm sea to winds in excess of 65kts with seas reaching 15m! It was decided that OTaGO would take shelter in Dusky Sound on christmas eve where we would to remain until boxing Day.
christmas Day was spent at anchor in a bay north of anchor Island
in Dusky Sound (soon to become a kiwi sanctuary). This gave a welcome day to relax and unwind. members of the Ship’s company were treated to a delivery of stockings full of christmas goodies in the morning. The chefs put on what could only be described as an incredible feast for dinner before we were visited by Santa himself bearings gifts for one and all.
The ship’s satellite communications were made available to all so that calls to loved ones could be made. The ship also received messages of support from around the world, including a signal from hmNZS Te maNa on operations off the coast of africa.
after a relaxing day for most, OTaGO continued on her patrols through the sounds. a stop was made in milford to conduct some pilotage training for the bridge watchkeepers.
The unique topography in the sounds allowed the ship to conduct various different anchorages, enhancing the skills of all onboard. by far the most exciting was the mediterranean mooring conducted in Pickersgill harbour, Dusky Sound. This involved letting go both anchors and bringing the Ship back into a narrow inlet before passing berthing lines up onto the banks and securing them to trees. This particular location is the same site captain cook moored reSOLuTION in 1773 to observe the transit of Venus.
With our time in the Sounds up, we sailed for Dunedin to re-supply for the second and final phase of Op castle.
back into the area of Operations, the majority of the Vessels of Interest had pushed further south into the ross Sea. In keeping with the mission, OTaGO sought out potential leads through the ring of ice that surrounded these waters. for days on end the ship delicately manoeuvred and at times was forced to push through the ice in her attempt to drive further south.
after almost a week of this stress, the attempt south had to be abandoned as the ice thickened. all was not in vain though—in working our way towards the South we had crossed the antarctic
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Boarding officer’s reportBy LT Tyson Witana, RNZN
becoming a boarding officer was a very exciting prospect as OTAGO was tasked to patrol the Southern Ocean under the CCAmLR agreement and in support of the ministry
of Primary industries. The environment was undoubtedly one of the best scenic areas to operate in, as boardings were conducted against a backdrop of (sometimes) calm seas, spotted with sea ice as well as giant tabular icebergs looming in the distance.
The operational tempo was high as the lack of ‘dark hours’ in the Southern Ocean allows for boardings to be undertaken on a near 24-hour basis. That saw the Boarding team conducting operations starting as early as 0100hrs.
Conducting boardings was both a thrilling and challenging task. The first of the challenges was getting dressed up in all the personal protective equipment required for operating in such cold weather. Laden down with all this gear made for difficult going, embarking and disembarking from the Vessels of interest (VOi). however, numerous hours of training ensured that the team safely and swiftly conducted this evolution.
Onboard the VOis was an experience as we interacted with the different nationalities that make up the crew of each vessel. The language barrier only posed small difficulty in communication, as most masters were very receptive to having us onboard.
Getting a chance to operate in the Southern Ocean, especially as a Boarding Officer has been one of the highlights of my career. Not many people get to see and work in this frozen part of the world.
Above: View from the boat during boarding operation
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circle (Latitude 66° 33.9’ South). This gave the Ship’s company the opportunity to conduct a Southern Ocean themed ‘crossing the Line’.
The ‘Orcas’ (those who had already crossed into the antarctic circle, although randomly, were dressed as ninja penguins) gathered and gave out summonses to Ship’s company. With all the preparations complete, we were called to Neptune one by one. after a short penguin slide to give offerings to Neptune’s daughter we dressed into immersion suits and were taken to a nearby ice flow giving everyone the chance to enter the frigid waters (-1°c) of the Southern Ocean and play on the ice.
Our attempt south had to be abandoned for the meantime but with Ship’s company inducted into the Order of the red Nose, it was time to push for open water to allow some respite and to plan our next attempt. fortunately, an american research vessel and icebreaker, NaThaNIeL b. PaLmer, was heading north and passing close to our position. contact was made with the captain of PaLmer and they were happy to make a close pass by OTa allowing us to follow in her wake through the thick ice.
The lead-through started at 0300 with a bright orange sunrise illuminating our path (the sun having set only one hour prior). PaLmer had passed close to OTaGO turning to leave a swept channel for us to slip into. Once in her wake we found ourselves making at least 6 knots through ice we wouldn’t have pushed at 1 knot. In a matter of hours we had transited the ice to open water. The very same ice it had taken us so long to work our way through! With the lead-through complete and gifts passed to the PaLmer in thanks for their help we proceeded on our own way to maintain our patrol on the northern edge of the ice.
as we considered our options, the feeling of Groundhog Day began to set in. So many days were inseparable from the last. however, another icebreaker approached, the uS coast Guard vessel POLar STar. arrangements were again made for a lead-through operation. This time we wouldn’t be so fortunate. OTaGO fell in astern of POLar STar at 500 yards as she entered the icepack, however, this time the channel left by the POLar STar was closing much more rapidly. The sea conditions which we had expected to ease as we moved further into the ice remained. The heavy swell and strong winds worked against us; operating at low speeds in ice requires stabilisers to be shutdown meaning the swell was having a big effect on the ship and at low speeds we were being set by the wind. These conditions, not ideal at the best of times, were made so much worse by the proximity of growlers (solid chunks of glacial ice) and thick sea ice, meaning we were forced to abandon yet another attempt south.
The familiar feeling began to set in again as we maintained our presence north of the ice. command continued to closely monitor the satellite ice pictures in order to plan our next move. all the while we continued to follow the movements of Vessels of Interest. We were nearing the end of our time on station when the satellite
pictures, which had been misleading, began showing a trend of opening ice to the south. OTaGO began to scout along the edge of the ice before we found another opening. This time we were in luck, after a short push we broke into the ross Sea and continued south.
as we sailed south deeper into the ross Sea we were able to locate more fishing vessels. The furthest south of these was a New Zealand vessel conducting some research just to the north of the ross Ice Shelf. as we approached the vessel mt erebus towered in the distance, visible from over 70Nm, and closing further, the Ice Shelf loomed in the background. OTaGO sailed along the Ice Shelf before passing ross Island and heading further south into mcmurdo Sound to conduct the last of our trials.
being in mcmurdo Sound presented the opportunity for the Ship’s company to visit the antarctic continent, stepping ashore on ross Island. a rare opportunity to stretch our legs in a historic and isolated part of the world! here we were able to observe large colonies of penguins in close proximity to Shackleton’s hut. The sight falls under the antarctic Special Protected areas, meaning there were strict rules about what we could and could not do. Including how close we could approach the wildlife—not that the penguins followed these rules! curious about the new arrivals to their home they would suspiciously approach us providing some great photo opportunities. after a few short hours and with so much more to explore we had to return to OTaGO.
LWTr maria Joseph describes how it felt to step foot on such an incredible part of the world: “an experience of a lifetime. Those are the words I wrote home to describe what landing on antarctica felt like. We all know what snow and ice look like so it is quite hard to find words that can adequately describe what the experience was truly like. It was magical, the air was so fresh and pure that we all breathed a little deeper, the view was so beautiful and untouched that it was a struggle to tear your eyes away.”
While all of us would have wanted to spend more time on the continent we weren’t too disheartened by the notion of leaving. It was time to head home!
We began our passage north on friday 24 January, bearing the brunt of the Southern Ocean as we made out way home, arriving in Devonport to the welcome of friends and family on Sunday 2 february at 1600.
Operation castle is immensely challenging—the cO describes it as the single most demanding thing he has done in his career, and he has done this for two seasons! The operation saw OTa board a number of New Zealand and foreign-flagged vessels on behalf of ccamLr and complete almost all of the extreme and cold weather trials. aside from this, an almost-new Ship’s company from the 12/13 season now has a wealth of experience in operating in the vicinity of the frozen continent and many of these mariners will be in OPVs as they venture south in the coming seasons. We may be new to this game but we are fast learners.
Bring on CASTLE 14/15!
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engines reportBy CPOMT(P) Neil McIntosh
Operating in the Southern Ocean has its advantages and disadvantages just like every other place in the world, but we of the engineering creed define each place by how the engine room feels. up in the Tropics it’s “hot as hell.” Way down south it’s … well, we’ll just say “cOLD”.
my walk through the engine space takes me past the two main engines, my pride and joy when they are running hot and true; a constant worry for me in the Southern Ocean where heat being generated is rapidly lost to the zero degree water we float in. as I write this while in icy waters, the engines themselves are running fine for now, but I worry about the low temperatures inside the cylinders and in the jacket water which surrounds them. The last thing I need is choked injectors and carbon build-up inside the cylinders.
I also worry about the lube oil and the sludge and sulphur build-up, not to mention the chance of water leaking into the engine which tends to happen with the rK280s when cold. This lack of heat the engines are producing is as good of an environment as any for this to happen.
usually, good engineering judgement would prevail and a high-speed run would be programmed to ensure our normally stringent relieving operations could take place. but down here it’s a different story, we are ice bound! Not in the way you would imagine if you thought of Shackleton’s stranding, but in a way where we are surrounded by thin sea ice. There are clear passages here and there but the safety of the ship and the crew dictate that speeds are reduced and safe navigation is always the priority.
So the best I can do for now is give them a pat and watch the places where the cold air is contracting the steel allowing bolt tensions to ease and allow minor drips of oil to form. The stabilisers are humming along and keeping us upright set to a
manual speed input due to the lower speeds but they are doing their job and keeping the ice belt where it should be.
Into the Generator compartment I go. On opening the door I’m reminded of the all too familiar scream of the turbos as the two generators rumble away at a lower octave. These little beasties are doing their job. We have as much heating on as we can to keep the ship comfortable and the load being shared by these is around 400 kW. Ordinarily we would be on one generator but down here, with the loading so high, it would only take the ac to run up and we would have a TLf (total electrical failure) on our hands. On an OPV these TLfs are fortunately well practised so we can usually manage to get propulsion and steering back fairly quickly. bridge staff can manage for the 30 seconds or so it takes to get everything back up however once you put an iceberg in the general proximity the teeth begin to grit.
The rO (reverse Osmosis) is running constantly and luckily keeping up with the demand for the seemingly endless hot showers the crew seems to be having. anyone would think the water supply is endless and between me and the readers I believe some of the younger crew members think this too.
but these OPVs are good and there is still so much to be learnt. This is my third trip to the ice in an OPV and I’m still learning every day, not only from the environment but also from the young guys and girls I have the pleasure of working with. The lateral thinking of this new generation is awesome to see in action. by constantly asking questions we push the boundaries of our preconceived beliefs and on that rare occasion the right question gets asked and a solution to an otherwise baffling problem is found. couple this attitude with a strict engineering change process and the right training and these ships will not only improve the way they do business but potentially unlock huge capability that will ultimately benefit New Zealand in the long run.
rhib coxswain’s reportBy LSCS Jordan McHugh
One of my roles onboard hmNzS Otago is Rhib Coxswain for the boarding team. This has quite a few responsibilities, including the safety of the boarding
teams during the boarding to ensuring the vessel of interest isn’t dumping anything illegal while the team is conducting their search. This can be difficult even in the best of conditions when we’re operating around New zealand, let alone in the Southern Ocean.
While the boarding team and personnel on ship have to deal with the cold weather for short periods, the Rhib crews are exposed for three or four hours minimum in below freezing conditions with no shelter and no respite—always on the lookout for ice where even a piece of ice the size of a rugby ball can sink the Rhib.
We’re on call day and ‘night’ due to it being daylight 24/7. As the fishing vessels are from different countries they tend to operate in their own time zones rather than local time. We found this out with one fishing vessel where their 4pm was our midnight. We conducted a boarding from around 1am (local time) until about 5am and as their gear was inside the ice flow we were dodging large bits of ice as large if not bigger than the Rhib.
With a few pick axes, some cordage and a ladder, the Commanding Officer and i embarked the Rhib and with a well-timed jump and a bit of luck managed to scramble onto the side of an iceberg. We spent an hour scouting the sides of the iceberg and considering the sea state, gradient of the sides and the general agility of the Ship’s Company. in the end the Captain decided against the landing of the crew until a better and safer opportunity arose, although the opportunity to use my training in such an environment and to explore a fairly large iceberg was a great experience to say the least.
Above: LSCS McHugh on the iceberg
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hmnZs canterBuryhome port visit
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multi-role vessel hmNZS caNTerbury arrived in Lyttelton on Thursday 30 January for a four-day home port visit that included a charter Parade, a ship’s open
day and activities with the ship’s charity, cholmondeley house, which gives short-term education and care to children at times of family crisis.
caNTerbury was in port at the moment of the february 2011 earthquake. Ship’s company provided immediate help, an event recalled by the mayor of christchurch, Lianne Dalziel, who inspected the Guard at the parade.
Ship’s company paraded through the central city streets accompanied by the Navy band and reserves from hmNZS PeGaSuS.
children from cholmondeley house visited the ship in port and had a great time exploring her. The cO, cDr David Turner, presented the house with a cheque for $500 raised by Ship’s company.
When caNTerbury departed Lyttelton on monday 3 february, she had onboard 100 new recruits of basic common Training 14/01, getting a sea-acquaint voyage back to Devonport early in their training.
This page (top): Ship’s Company on parade
This page (right): CDR Turner presents the $500 cheque to Cholmondeley House fundraiser Shelley Keach
This page (right): The Navy Band plays
Opposite page: Mayor Lianne Dalziel inspects the Guard
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The Offshore Patrol Vessel hmNZS WeLLINGTON was the official Guard Ship for the 174th auckland anniversary
Day regatta, held on monday, 27 January, auckland anniversary Day. The ship embarked VIP guests at Queens Wharf, then anchored in the harbour for the regatta.
maritime component commander cDre John campbell hosted a buffet lunch on the flight deck, while one of the ship’s rigid-hull inflatable boat ferried news media around the harbour to record the regatta.
The first auckland regatta was an impromptu three-race event held on the day the city was founded, 18 September 1840, when captain William hobson’s officials raised the flag. It has been held every year since except 1900. Today it is a major sailing event often called “the world’s biggest one-day regatta.”
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hmnZs Wellingtonguard ship for auckland regatta
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34 reserves
Top: From left ASEA Thomas Katu, ASEA Barry Dulieu, CDRE Dean McDougall, SLT Dave Murden and SLT Annalisa Hoeksma.
Middle: LT CDR Ian Wells, CO HMNZS OLPHERT, inspecting the officers and senior rates at the End of Year Parade
Above: Attendees at the HMS NEPTUNE remembrance service
Wellington naval reservists end the year on a high note
By LT CDR Michael Stephens, HMNZS OLPHERT
following a busy year which saw Wellington Naval reserve hQ hmNZS OLPherT personnel involved in a number of operational and training activities, the year ended on a high
note at the end of year Parade, with old shipmates, families and friends and Deputy chief of Navy cDre Dean mcDougall as the VIP guest for the event.
LT cDr Ian Wells, commanding Officer hmNZS OLPherT, reviewed the high tempo of the year’s activities. These included support for the maritime Trade Organisation’s international exercise bell buoy, deployments on a number of rNZN ships and on the christchurch cordon, as well as OLPherT’s regular training activities. he thanked the OLPherT team for what they had achieved.
Looking forward, he encouraged them to each undertake specific operational and other support activity postings for the rNZN in 2014, in line with the command intent: “To build the team and commit to operational activity.”
The parade was a great way to round out the year. The highlight was cDre mcDougall presenting prizes and long service awards. The Volunteer reserve Decoration for serving reserve officers was presented to SLT annalisa hoeksma and SLT David murden. The Defence Service medal was awarded to aSea Thomas Katu. cDre mcDougall also commended them for their qualifying service and thanked their families for the ongoing support that makes such service possible.
hmNZS OLPherT held a remembrance service on 15 November marking the loss of the cruiser hmS NePTuNe on 19 December 1941.
NePTuNe ran into an uncharted Italian minefield in the mediterranean off Tripoli. at 2.10am a mine exploded off her starboard bow. Three more mines went off before the cruiser sank with the loss of 764 officers and men, including 150 New Zealanders.
Just one man, royal Navy able Seaman Norman Walton, was rescued, by an Italian torpedo boat after five days in the water. he spent 18 months in Italian prisoner of war camps before being released in 1943. Norman was able to visit New Zealand in 1991 and participate in NePTuNe remembrance services including Wellington at that time.
The Neptune association Website is at www.hmsneptune.com
35noTices
Navy engineers Conference 2014: engineering the future Philomel Seminar Centre, March 13-14 2014
The conference is open to serving and reserve charge Qualified Senior rates and all Officers
request for papers now open, any volunteers to deliver papers or topics of interest can be passed to
DDNe, LT cDr Paul Gray, rNZN
DeLTN 349 7221 or [email protected]
all marine engineering and Weapons engineering Junior Officers and Senior rates are strongly encouraged to bring forward papers/presentations to the conference of appropriate professional topics they have been working on or have a particular interest in.
The best paper by a Junior Officer/Senior rate will be selected for a professional development opportunity later this year or early in 2015. Papers should be between 15-20 minutes including a short period of Q&a following the presentation.
It is expected that each group or unit will provide at least one JO to present to the conference and some topics/ideas are available with background information for those who would prefer.
Several partner navies will be invited to attend and present as well as other industry and engineering leaders. There will be plenary sessions through the conference providing opportunities for questions to be asked of leaders and presenters as well as networking sessions.
The conference will also be an ideal time for some key updates to NZDf capability Projects, Strategic Programmes, Personnel and Leadership issues.
There will a networking evening event on the Tuesday night. more details will be released along with an aI as the programme takes shape
Reunion—Supplementary List officer cadets
It is proposed to hold a reunion of the first three classes of Officer cadets entered into the royal New Zealand Navy on the Supplementary List, in 1965, 1966 and 1967.
a tentative date of 28/29 march 2015 has been chosen. year 2015 will mark the 50th anniversary of the commencement of Naval Officer training in New Zealand.
It is felt appropriate to invite the Officers who were entered into the rNZN on the Supplementary List via other gateways in the 1960s, to attend if they so wish.
The venue will be in Devonport. Once the level of interest is established, date, format, venue and cost will be promulgated.
Please indicate your interest or otherwise by contacting John Greenwood at [email protected] or phone 09 407 3357
hmNzS OTAGO 54Th ANNiVeRSARY ALL ShiPS ReUNiONNAPIER RSA 34 Vautier St.
9, 10, 11 May 2014
reunion accommodation hQ
Quality Inn 311 marine Parade. Ph.06 835 3237 0800 404 800 .
Quote Otago rooms available under $100.00
Taste the wine, visit Pania, see Napier’s unique architecture after the 1931 quake.
contact Noel Davies 8 awatea rd Parnell auckland
Ph.09 377 0662
email [email protected] or [email protected] our local Napier rep.
“ALL ABOARD FOR A GREAT WEEKEND”
www.navy.mil.nz
Ship and base tours, band performances, damage control displays, parade display, helicopter landing, kapa haka performances and mORe!
Saturday 29 March 2014, 10am—4pm, Queens Parade, Devonport
NAVY OPEN DAY
Details will be posted on the Royal New zealand Navy’s website and facebook page closer to the date.
36 Mcc log
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