Cruisers of the Royal New Zealand Navy

Commissioned cruisers of the Royal New Zealand Navy from its formation on 1 October 1941 to the present:

Name Type Class Dates Notes
HMNZS Achilles (70) Cruiser Leander class 1941–1946 in the New Zealand Division 1936–1941
HMNZS Leander Cruiser Leander class 1941–1948 in the New Zealand Division 1937–1941
HMNZS Monowai (F59) Armed merchant cruiser n/a 1940–1943 Liner fitted with guns. Surplus in 1943 and converted to landing ship
HMNZS Gambia (C48) Cruiser Crown Colony class 1943–1946 Passed to RNZN as Leander and Achilles were out of action after being damaged in Pacific.
HMNZS Bellona (63) Cruiser Dido classBellona subgroup 1946–1956
HMNZS Black Prince (81) Cruiser Dido classBellona subgroup 1946–1961 Second World War light cruiser loaned from Royal Navy. In reserve 1947-1953. In reserve from 1953. Used as accommodation and source of parts for 'Royalist
HMNZS Royalist (C89) Cruiser Dido classBellona subgroup 1956–1966 Second World War light cruiser purchased from Royal Navy after reconstruction

Loss of HMS Neptune

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HMS Neptune was a Leander-class light cruiser which served with the Royal Navy during World War II. Early in 1941 the New Zealand Government responded to an Admiralty request for sailors to man an additional cruiser. Neptune was selected and was expected to leave the United Kingdom for New Zealand in May. However, because of the loss of cruisers during the Crete campaign Neptune was instead attached to Admiral Cunningham's Force K, based on Malta. On 19 December 1941 she was sunk by mines. Only one crewman survived.[1]

150 of those lost were New Zealanders, 80 of them had served in the Naval Reserve before the outbreak of war. The loss of Neptune was the greatest single tragedy New Zealand Naval Forces have experienced.

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Royal New Zealand Navy Archived 2008-01-23 at the Wayback Machine HMS Neptune

References

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  • Walters, Sydney David (1956) The Royal New Zealand Navy: Official History of World War II, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington Online
  • McDougall, R J (1989) New Zealand Naval Vessels. Page 23–36. Government Printing Office. ISBN 978-0-477-01399-4
  • Royal New Zealand Navy HMS Neptune