Ships Callsigns

9 thoughts on “Ships Callsigns”

• HMNZS Lachlan : VKMX

• Looking at the numbers of ships and men the RNZN had in those days, makes today’s navy look very sad indeed.

• or ZMCU

• HI All
  Regarding ships call signs I didnt see HMNZS Royalist in there I thnk the call sign is ZMSP but I will stand corrected
  Cheers
  Dins

• ZMWP – I’ll put up more callsigns later.

• Hi there,
  I hold copies of Signal Letters of British Ships including Naval Ships of the Commonwealth (BR70)including 1946 1947 1949 1953 1957 1959 1965 1966 and 1968, and 8 much earlier years prior should any of your Communicator members wish to follow up on RNZN ships Callsign’s, or R.N. ships of the NZ division prior to 1948.
  My current worksheets on RAN ships, Army ships/boats, R.N. submarines on the Australian Station, some RAAF SAR boats can be found at http://rancba.org.au/RAN_Ships_Callsigns.htm.
  In my research I have taken the liberty to stray across the Tasman and have included in Sheet 3 all the Ships Callsigns information that I have been able to read up on to date relevant to the RNZN. Should any of your readers have any information at variance to that which I have been able to research, it would be great to hear from you. Yours aye,
  Graham ‘Sandy’ McNab
  ex-RAN TEL/RO 1958-1967

• Ships of the NZDRN / RNZN including visitors to the Australian Station.
  (Many thanks to Bob ‘Blue’ Bergin for his earlier years input and
  Dave Carroll, Chairman of the RNZN Communicators Association)
  Also extracts from Signal Letters of British Ships (SLOBS) 1947 1948 1949 and later editions.
  ENCODE DECODE
  Achilles GVBK C70 BVCD Claymore Z03
  Arabis MWLB / ZMSC K385 BYJK Tasman P3563 (ex-Q1348)
  Arataki (I) ZMXN YTL627 GCFX Gambia C48
  Arataki (II) ZMLS A10 GSFH Philomel (I) ?
  Arbutus MWQC / ZMSD K403 GVBK Achilles C70
  Aroha ZMBZ T396 / T24 GVRF Leander C75
  Awatere ZMBQ T397 / T26 GXPD Wakakura (I) T00
  Bellona GCQQ / ZMSF C63 ZMBE Te Kaha F77
  Black Prince GCQS / ZMSG C81 ZMBJ Manga (I) P3567 (ex-Q1185)
  Blackpool (On loan) ZMMG F77 ZMBL Kiama M353
  Breeze ZMBW T371 ZMBQ Awatere T397 / T26
  Canterbury (I) ZMCR F421 ZMBW Breeze T371
  Canterbury (II) ZMCR L421 ZMBZ Aroha T396 / T24
  Charles Upham ZMCU A02 ZMCC Hautapu T340 / T26
  Claymore BVCD Z03 ZMCD Monowai (I) F59
  Coastguard ZMRV T12 ZMCN Maimai T338 / T27
  Echuca VLTQ / ZMFZ M252 ZMCR Canterbury (I) F421
  Endeavour (I) (John Biscoe) ZMSH Z284 ZMCR Canterbury (II) L421
  Endeavour (II) (USS Namakagon) ZMSE A184 ZMCR Stawell M348
  Endeavour (III) ZMRZ A11 ZMCS Pahau T351 /T28
  Gambia GCFX C48 ZMCU Lachlan F364
  Haku (I) ZMRC P3565 (ex-Q1349) ZMCU Charles Upham A02
  Haku (II) ZMDK 6914 ZMCW Inverell M233
  Hauraki ZMNK ? ZMDK Haku (II) 6914
  Hautapu ZMCC T340 / T26 ZMDS Waiho T403 / T34
  Hawea (I) ZMXF F422 ZMDU Takapu (I) P3556 (ex-Q1187)
  Hawea (II) ZMZO P3571 ZMFI Monowai (II) (ex-MoanaRoa) A06
  Hawera ZMLG T16 ZMFP Waipu T357 / T32
  H.D.M.L. 1183 ZMSR ML1183 ZMFS Wellington (I) F69
  H.D.M.L. 1184 ZMSS ML1184 ZMFS Wellington (II) P55
  H.D.M.L. 1190 ZMST ML1190 ZMFZ Echuca M252
  H.D.M.L. 1191 ZMSV ML1191 ZMGW Matai T372
  H.D.M.L. 1192 ZMSW ML1192 ZMHC Moa P3553
  H.D.M.L. 1193 ZMSX ML1193 ZMJD Tawhai T348
  H.D.M.L. 1194 ZMSY ML1194 ZMJT Manga (II) 6913
  H.D.M.L. 1348 ZMSZ ML1348 ZMKF Otago (II) P148
  H.D.M.L. 1350 ZMTB ML1350 ZMKF Taranaki F148
  Hickleton (R.N on loan) GSQS / ZMUM M1131 ZMKZ Manuka T401 / T19
  Hinau (I) ZMLK T399 / T17 ZMLF Kapuni T15
  Hinau (II) ZMSE P3556 ZMLG Hawera T16
  Inchkeith MBQG / ZMSJ T155 ZMLK Hinau (I) T399 / T17
  Inverell VKMN / ZMCW M233 ZMLO Tarapunga A08
  Isa Lei ZMSU YF1038 ZMLQ Rimu T402 / T18
  James Cosgrove ZMNR T10 ZMLR Manawanui (II) (Kahu) A09
  Kahawai BGTC / ZMSV P3553 (ex-Q1191) ZMLR Manawanui (III) A09
  Kahu ZMTE SDML3571 ZMLS Arataki (II) A10
  Kahu (ex Manawanui (II) ZMOA A04 ZMMG Blackpool (On loan) F77
  Kaniere ZMXG F426 ZMMQ Wairua T349 / T33
  Kapuni ZMLF T15 ZMNK Hauraki ?
  Kiama VKMT / ZMBL M353 ZMNR James Cosgrove T10
  Killegray GTSD / ZMSK T174 ZMOA Kahu (ex Manawanui (II) A04
  Kiwi (I) BGYX / ZMSL T102/P102 ZMOW Kiwi (II) P3554
  Kiwi (II) ZMOW P3554 ZMPS Waikato (II) F55
  Koura ZMTB P3564 ZMQQ Waikato (I) T343
  Kuparu ZMSZ P3563 (ex-Q1348) ZMQR Waima T349
  Lachlan VKMX / ZMCU F364 ZMRB Wakakura (II) P3555
  Leander GVRF C75 ZMRC Haku (I) P3565 (ex-Q1349)
  Maimai ZMCN T338 / T27 ZMRC Tamaki P3553
  Mako (I) ZMSR P3551 (ex-Q1183) ZMRS Resolution A14
  Mako (II) ZMTC 6912 ZMRV Coastguard T12
  Manawanui (I) ZMRQ YTL622 ZMRZ Endeavour (III) A11
  Manawanui (II) (Kahu) ZMLR A09 ZMSC Arabis K385
  Manawanui (III) ZMLR A09 ZMSD Arbutus K403
  Manga (I) ZMBJ P3567 (ex-Q1185) ZMSD Southland (ex-Dido) F104
  Manga (II) ZMJT 6913 ZMSE Endeavour (II) A184
  Manuka ZMKZ T401 / T19 ZMSE Hinau (II) P3556
  Maroro BGTD / ZMSW P3554 (ex-Q1192) ZMSF Bellona C63
  Matai ZMGW T372 ZMSG Black Prince C81
  Moa (I) BGY? / ZMSO T233 ZMSH Endeavour (I) Z284
  Moa (II) ZMHC P3553 ZMSI Otago (I) F111
  Monowai (I) ZMCD F59 ZMSI Te Mana F111
  Monowai (II) (ex-MoanaRoa) ZMFI A06 ZMSJ Inchkeith T155
  Ngapona BGTG / ZMSY P3561 ZMSK Killegray T174
  Otago (I) (ex-Hastings) ZMSI F111 ZMSL Kiwi (I) T102/P102
  Otago (II) ZMKF P148 ZMSM Philomel (II) P3552
  Paea (I) ZMSS P3552 (ex-Q1184) ZMSN Sanda T160
  Paea (II) ZMSS 6911 ZMSO Moa (I) T233
  Pahau ZMCS T351 /T28 ZMSP Scarba T175
  Parore ZMST P3562 (ex-Q1190) ZMSQ Tui (I) (WWII Corvette) T234/P33
  Philomel (I) GTCN / GSFH ? ZMSQ Tui (II) ex-USS Charles H. Davis A2 / A05
  Philomel (II) BCBZ / ZMSM P3552 ZMSR H.D.M.L. 1183 ML1183
  Pukaki (I) ZMXD F424 ZMSR Mako (I) P3551 (ex-Q1183)
  Pukaki (II) ZMZL P3568 ZMSS H.D.M.L. 1184 ML1184
  Resolution ZMRS A14 ZMSS Paea (I) P3552 (ex-Q1184)
  Rimu ZMLQ T402 / T18 ZMSS Paea (II) 6911
  Rotoiti (I) ZMXK F625 ZMST H.D.M.L. 1190 ML1190
  Rotoiti (II) ZMZM P3569 ZMST Parore P3562 (ex-Q1190)
  Royalist GCJG / ZMWP C89 ZMSU Isa Lei YF1038
  Sanda BDLQ / ZMSN T160 ZMSV H.D.M.L. 1191 ML1191
  Santon (R.N. on loan) GTDY / ZMUP M1178 ZMSV Kahawai P3553 (ex-Q1191)
  Scarba GYWX / ZMSP T175 ZMSW H.D.M.L. 1192 ML1192
  Southland (ex-Dido) GHWA / ZMSD F104 ZMSW Maroro P3554 (ex-Q1192)
  Stawell VKMR / ZMCR M348 ZMSX H.D.M.L. 1193 ML1193
  Takapu (I) ZMDU P3556 (ex-Q1187) ZMSX Tamure P3555 (ex-Q1193)
  Takapu (II) ZMTB / ZMLK A07 ZMSY H.D.M.L. 1194 ML1194
  Tamaki ZMRC P3553 ZMSY Ngapona P3561
  Tamure BGTF / ZMSX P3555 (ex-Q1193) ZMSZ H.D.M.L. 1348 ML1348
  Tarapunga (I) ZMTA P3566 (ex-Q1187) ZMSZ Kuparu P3563 (ex-Q1348)
  Tarapunga (II) ZMLO A08 ZMTA Tarapunga (I) P3566 (ex-Q1187)
  Taranaki ZMKF F148 ZMTA Tarapunga (II) A08
  Tasman BYJK P3563 (ex-Q1190) ZMTB H.D.M.L. 1350 ML1350
  Taupo (I) ZMXC F421 ZMTB Koura P3564
  Taupo (II) ZMZN P3570 ZMTB / ZMLK Takapu (II) A07
  Tawhai ZMJD T348 ZMTC Mako (II) 6912
  Te Kaha ZMBE F77 ZMTE Kahu SDML3571
  Te Mana ZMSI F111 ZMUM Hickleton M1131
  Tui (I) (WWII Corvette) BGYY / ZMSQ T234 / P33 ZMUP Santon M1178
  Tui (II) ex-USS Charles H. Davis ZMSQ A2 / A05 ZMWP Royalist C89
  Tutira ZMXJ F517 ZMXC Taupo (I) F421
  Waiho ZMDS T403 / T34 ZMXD Pukaki (I) F424
  Waikato (I) ZMQQ T343 ZMXF Hawea (I) F422
  Waikato (II) ZMPS F55 ZMXG Kaniere F426
  Waima ZMQR T349 / T33 ZMXJ Tutira F517
  Waipu ZMFP T357 / T32 ZMXK Rotoiti F625
  Wairua ZMMQ T372 ZMXN Arataki (I) YTL627
  Wakakura (I) GXPD T00 ZMZL Pukaki (II) P3568
  Wakakura (II) ZMRB P3555 ZMZM Rotoiti (II) P3569
  Wellington (I) (ex-Bucchante) ZMFS F69 ZMZN Taupo (II) P3570
  Wellington (II) ZMFS P55 ZMZO Hawea (II) P3571

• Well I hope you can hear the call sign of HDML Kuparu on the water this summer, and possibly HDML Haku- Black Watch.

• Blackpools UK Callsign when we took her over was MTWN.

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