A Ship Sails Home – HMNZS OTAGO
This NFU film follows the maiden voyage of HMNZS Otago. Built at a Southampton shipyard, she was the first ship made for the Royal New Zealand Navy. The anti-submarine frigate is shown undergoing sea trials in 1960, before a haka on the Thames and a bon voyage from Princess Margaret send the Otago homewards. There are visits to ports in the Mediterranean, Suez, Singapore and Australia (where the crew enjoy shore leave) before arrival in Dunedin in January 1961. The Otago later supported protests against nuclear testing at Mururoa; she was decommissioned in 1983.
What a wonderful film. Is there an archive of RNZN films anywhere that we can get access to?
Hi Butts – I am not aware of any such archive but yes great video. There is a very good video on Godfrey Dykes site of HMS New Zealand. Well worth a look.
Thanks Frank, I had a quick look at that site last month, so I will look it up. When I first checked the site I knew I would get trapped there so I haven’t been back since. So easy to get side tracked as it is so interesting.
First saw this about 30 odd plus years ago. The only person I recognized in it was a certain very junior naval officer at the beach who is the first to head into the water…
Buck Rodgers was the signalman manning the 10 inch SP but he only had about 2 secs of glory.
If Buck is still with us I’d like to say Hello
Robin,
I have passed your email address on to Rex (Buck) Rogers.
Brian Cross Joined OTAGO on commissioning in UK and came home in her. He alone did all the hard work. Also enjoyed the scene to the full.
It’s a great shame the National Film Unit was abolished; the produced some fine NZ documentaries.
Brian Cross was alone in all the hard work. I was detailed off to provide the lighting of the ship board scenes which involved lugging around and setting up the lamps. Most of which was done in my own time. The effort was worth it.
Charlie Claxton