NGAPONA Newsletter

LONGCAST

10 May 19 – Navy Club Lunch, Remuera Club. (WoN & SoY)
17 May 19 – Ngapona Assn Lunch at Pt Chevalier RSA
25 May 19 – Artificer Apprentices Assn, Ngataringa. Contact andy.francis@xtra.co.nz
1-3 June 19 – Queen’s Birthday Weekend
1-3 June 19 – RNZN Antarctic Veterans Reunion, Rangiora RSA Contact bill.lochrie@xtra.co.nz
14 June 19 – Navy Club Lunch, Remuera Club.
16 June 19 – Ngapona Assn AGM, Pt Chevalier RSA
21 June 19 – Ngapona Assn Lunch at Howick RSA

THE NAVY CLUB MONTHLY LUNCH

The Navy Club holds a monthly lunch at the Remuera Club on the second Friday of each month. This month, 10 May, they will have the 2018 Sailor of the Year LCSS Alicia Wall as their guest speaker and she will be accompanied by the Warrant Officer Navy. They need everyone seated by 12:15 so they can get the guest speaker underway. All ex-service persons are welcome. Please contact the Secretary, Noel Davies, at noel@daviesgroup.nz if you would like to attend. You will need to be at the club prior to midday.

NEW RAN MINEHUNTERS

The Australian government could accelerate the replacement of the Royal Australian Navy’s current Huon-class minehunters by bringing the project forward from the 2030s to the mid-2020s. The move would be completed as part of a new maritime mine countermeasures program, which is to be known as SEA 1905. Over AUD 1 billion has been allocated to deliver the full scope of SEA 1905, including the building of the two mine warfare support vessels and investment in new mine countermeasure systems. As outlined by the Liberal Party ahead of federal elections in May, the two mine warfare support vessels would be built at the Henderson shipyard precinct in West Australia.

A decision on the construction of an additional hydrographic vessel is scheduled for approval in fourth quarter 2019 with construction expected to start in the early 2020s.

Part of the Hydrographic Data Collection Capability project (SEA 2400), the vessel would undertake a strategic collection of maritime environmental data as part of the military survey function.

“Our government is investing more than AUD 200 billion in Australia’s defence capability over the next 10 years – the nation’s biggest investment in defence in decades,” Australian prime minister Scott Morrison said. “This commitment in West Australia adds to the 31 minor war vessels already being built in the state – built in Australia, by Australian workers, with Australian steel.”

HMAS Gascoyne is the fourth of the six Huon Class Minehunters (MHC). She was launched on 11 March 2000 and is based in Sydney at HMAS Waterhen. A large minehunter by world standards, the 720 tonne, 52.5 metre MHC is propelled by a V8 diesel engine driving a controllable pitch propeller in transit, and three retractable thrusters whilst minehunting. HMAS Gascoyne is the second RAN ship to carry the name, the original was Australia’s first River Class anti-submarine frigate that served with distinction during World War II. In October 1944, whilst surveying for the US landings at Leyte Gulf, Gascoyne (I) experienced 39 air attacks and saw 30 Japanese aircraft destroyed. In July 1945, she provided bombardment support for the Australian troop landings in the Balikpapan area of Borneo.

HMAS Gascoyne

DID YOU KNOW?

On 6 May 1990, the names assigned to the four sail training craft announced as Paea ll, Mako ll, Manga ll and Haku ll.