Historical Photo HMNZS Royalist (C89) at Yokosuka Japan October 1957
HMNZS ROYALIST was one of three Bellona or Improved Dido Class cruisers to serve in the Royal New Zealand Navy. She was built between 1940 and 1943.
- Royal Navy’s first all-female crew set for ‘phenomenal challenge’ of World’s Toughest Row.
- Duty and Valor
This Photo of the Royalist shows us outboard of the Cruiser USS Los Angeles
our Host Ship and was taken just after 4th October 1957 when the Russians
had launched Sputnik 1 and it had given rise to a “tense situation” worldwide.
but more so in the United States…and its “Allies”
The US Fleet was preparing an “Emergency Departure” to “Go to Sea” and
evacuate Yokosuka, but sanity quickly prevailed and this did not eventuate.
P O EW Frank Holbrook and I monitored the Sputnik in the EW Office, it was
orbiting about every 96 minutes and “Beeping” every second or so and from
memory was on about 40 megs…but it was pointless for us just listening to
“harmless” (as we assumed) beeps. So we gave it away after a day or so.
Any “Action” to be taken by Royalist would obviously come from the FO 2 FES
(who was also there in charge of the RN/RAN/RNZN Ships) , so we all waited
apprehensively to see what would happen…..Nothing did.
The original photo Jim indicates as follows USS Los Angeles, HMAS Tobruk, HMAS Anzac, USS Rochester, HMS Newfoundland then HMNZS Royalist in that order.