Ngapona Newsletter
LONGCAST
3 – 6 October 19 – Auckland On Water Boat Show
11 October 19 – Navy Club, Remuera Club at 1200
18 October 19 – Ngapona Assn Lunch at Glen Eden RSA
18 October 19 – Trafalgar Day Luncheon at Te Atatu RSA
8 November 19 – Navy Club, Remuera Club at 1200
15 November 19 – Ngapona Assn Lunch at Grey Lynn RSA
15 – 17 November 19 – Terra Australis Conference at DNB
13 December 19 – Navy Club, Remuera Club at 1200
13 December 19 – Maritime Societies’ Annual Dinner, Northern Club at 1830
20 December 19 – Ngapona Assn Xmas Lunch at Orakei RSA
FUNERAL DETAILS
WOOD, Douglas William Page. (Woodeye) Y100624, RNZNVR, HMNZS Ngapona
Passed away on the 23rd September 2019 at Waitakere Hospital; aged 73 years. Loved husband and friend to Carol, Treasured father, father-in-law and Poppa to Janine Russell and Melissa, Ella, Ava and William. He will be missed but never forgotten. A service to celebrate Doug’s life will be held in the Main Chapel of the Morrison Funeral Home, 220 Universal Drive Henderson, on Tuesday 1 October 2019 at 12:30 pm. In lieu of flowers, donations to Hospice West Auckland would be appreciated and can be left at the chapel. RIP Doug For ex-service members, medals should be worn.
NEW MEMBERS
Welcome on board to:
Lt Cdr Garth Mathieson, RNZNVR, OIC Ngapona Tauranga Division
Margaret Mitchell
CDRE Tony Millar, MNZM, RNZN, Maritime Component Commander, joined our email list.
A warm welcome to you all.
BOAT SHOW
The Auckland On Water Boat Show runs from 3 – 6 October from 10am – 6pm Thursday to Saturday, and 10am to 5pm on Sunday.
LAST CALL – TRAFALGAR DAY LUNCHEON
HAVE YOU REGISTERED YET? – DO IT NOW
To all matelots past and present, who have served under any of the white ensigns.
The President and Quarterdeck Division of the Te Atatu Memorial RSA will host a luncheon on Friday 18 October 2019 to celebrate in true naval fashion the 214th Anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and you are invited to attend. Please note this luncheon is restricted to 100 attendees and applications close Friday, 4th October 2019. Don’t miss out!
SHIP OF THE WEEK – HMNZS BLACKPOOL
The Whitby-class, Type 12 frigate, HMNZS Blackpool, was designed for the RN in the early 1950s for ASW against the Warsaw Pact submarines. Blackpool was the last Whitby to be constructed and was loaned to the RNZN while HMNZS Canterbury was being built.
She left Portsmouth en route to NZ on 9 October 1966 and voyaged through the Mediterranean stopping at Gibraltar and Malta. While at Malta she met HMNZS Santon returning to the UK and did a RAS[L] at sea with RFA Wave Ruler on 22 October. She transited the Suez Canal and at Aden met HMNZS Hickleton in company with HMS Picton both returning to the UK.
She first arrived in Auckland on 25 May 1967. Unlike HMNZS Otago & Taranaki she did not have her armament upgraded when in RNZN service and retained the weapons she was commissioned with.
In October 1970 she was part of RNZNVR training for Ngapona & Olphert divisions. In November she trained personnel from RNZNVR Pegasus & Toroa divisions returning to Auckland on 29 November 1970. This was her last active deployment for the RNZN. In January 1971 she acted as guardship for the One Ton Cup trials. She was then put into reserve as preparations were made to return her to the RN now that HMNZS Canterbury was ready to e be commissioned into service in the UK. Blackpool left Auckland on 22 April 1971 and was returned to the RN at Portsmouth in June 1971. The ship’s company was transferred to HMNZS Canterbury. Blackpool went into reserve and was sold for breaking up in 1978.
(Note lack of crossed fern leaves at the base of the crest.)
DID YOU KNOW?
On 3rd October 1960, HMS Anchorite, a British submarine on detachment and based in Sydney, struck an uncharted rock in the Hauraki Gulf while submerged and conducting ASW training with the visiting destroyer HMS Craysfort. The rock, known by local fishermen but not reported because it was a good fishing spot, caused a four-meter gash in the submarine’s outer hull and she had to be dry-docked at Auckland for repairs. The feature was formally named as Anchorite Rock when the charts were amended. Anchorite had been run aground off Rothesay Bay, three years earlier.
