NGAPONA NEWSLETTER

LONGCAST
12 July 19 – Navy Club Lunch, Remuera Club
12 – 14 July 19 – Mururoa Vets Assn AGM, Warkworth RSA
19 July 19 – Ngapona Assn Lunch at New Lynn RSA
20 July 19 – Northland Lunch, Bay of Islands Yacht Club
3 August 19 – Ngapona Assn Mid Year Function at the Bays Club
10 August 19 – Navy Club AGM, Remuera Club at 1100
16 August 19 – Ngapona Assn Lunch & EGM at Birkenhead RSA

HMNZS NGAPONA COCKTAIL PARTY

Last Saturday, with some other members of the Association, I had the pleasure of attending the HMNZS Ngapona Cocktail Party held at the Navy Museum. I must congratulate the organisers from Ngapona for organising a very well run event. It was a most valuable opportunity to renew old friendships and meet on an informal basis with many serving personnel. Entertainment was provided by the Balmoral Highland Dancers, well-done girls. Congratulations must also go to the Museum staff for their catering. This is an excellent venue for such an event and facility for which the Navy should be justly proud.

NOTICE OF EXTRAORDINARY GENERAL MEETING – 16 AUGUST 2019

At the recent AGM of the Ngapona Assn, it was unanimously decided to remove the requirement that limited the number of Associate Members to 25% of the number of Full Members. In order to change the constitution, we are required to give a minimum of 28 days’ notice to members and the change should then be ratified at a General Meeting of the Association.

It is intended that a General Meeting will be held at the conclusion of our lunch at the Birkenhead RSA on 16 August 2019.

NGAPONA ASSN – MID YEAR FUNCTION

Our Mid Year Function will be held at the Bays Club, Anzac Road, Browns Bay on the 3rd of August. This is a great venue and a special menu has been prepared for us.

HMNZS NGAPONA COMMANDING OFFICER COMMENDATION

The Commanding Officer, HMNZS Ngapona, Lt Cdr Nigel Heslop, presented CPOMAA John Burridge with a CO’s Commendation at the recent Cocktail Party at the Navy Museum. The award recognizes two specific areas of his more recent and ongoing contributions. The first: his supplementation efforts in the New Zealand Defence Force Military Police (NZDF MP). The second: an important standout but characteristic example of his much-valued powers of initiative in action when he successfully completed the water rescue of a seventeen-year-old female at the Waitangi Day Celebrations in February last year.

Well deserved Budge!

DID YOU KNOW?

On 28th June 1948, the tug Arataki was completed and re-launched by the HMNZ Dockyard. It was under construction in Auckland as a US Navy harbour tug (YTL 627) under a reverse Lend/Lease scheme but was only 40% complete when all contracts were cancelled at war’s end. After rusting at Mechanics Bay, it was transferred to the Navy in April 1947, and completed for use as a yard tug and for target towing. It was sold in 1985.

Three tugs, all of the similar design, were built by Steel Ships of Auckland for the US Navy. YTL 622, Manawanui, used by the RNZN as a diving tender and ended her days at the Paeroa Maritime Museum. YTL 625 became Kawateri and was renamed James O’Brien she served most of her life as tug at Westport and sometimes ferry to Stewart Island and is the only one extant. (Last seen in Picton) They were 74′ LOA and had an archaic 320 hp air start directly reversing Atlas-Imperial diesel for propulsion. YTL