HMNZS Aroha
History
New Zealand
NameAroha
BuilderStevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers
Launched9 September 1942
Commissioned12 May 1943
Decommissioned1945
IdentificationPennant number: T24/T396
FateSold to Red Funnel Trawlers
Australia
NameMaldanna
OwnerRed Funnel Trawlers
Acquired1946
In service1946
Out of service1958
FateScrapped in 1963
General characteristics
Class and typeCastle-class minesweeper
Displacement625 tons
Length135 ft (41 m)
Beam23 ft (7.0 m)
PropulsionSingle screw, triple reciprocating engine
Speed10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)

HMNZS Aroha was one of eight steel New Zealand-built Castle-class ships built and commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II. She was the first steel Castle-class trawler launched for the navy.[1]

Background

The vessel was ordered after the New Zealand government, facing a requirement for more minesweepers to operate in home waters, chose the Castle-class design because it was simple enough to be built with the country's limited ship construction facilities at the time.[2]

Operational history

Aroha was the first of nine minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy and was commissioned on 17 November 1943. the others being Awatere, Hautapu, Maimai, Pahau, Waiho, Waima, Waipu, and Waikato (never commissioned). She served with the 97th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group, located at Auckland.[3] Aroha ran aground twice during her career, first on 28 August 1943 off North Head and then three days later near the entrance to Whangārei Harbour, damaging her rudder and stern post.[4] Repairs took two months.[4]

In October 1944, Aroha towed the badly damaged Flower-class corvette Arbutus from Fiji to Auckland after she suffered damage to her rudder, propeller, and hull.[4][3][5] In 1945, Aroha was offered on loan to the British Pacific Fleet, along with Waipu, Arabis, Kiwi, and Tui.[4] Only Aroha was required, and she sailed from Wellington to Sydney, serving there for six weeks.[4] After the six weeks ended, she sailed to Auckland to be paid off.[4]

In 1946, along with Waiho and Waima, Aroha was sold to Red Funnel Trawlers, and began fishing the same year.[4][3] She was laid up in 1958 and sold for scrap in 1963.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "DOMINION ITEMS". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 2023-12-30.
  2. ↑ "HMNZS Waiho Castle-Class Minesweeper". National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. 2015-10-06. Archived from the original on 2009-12-21. Retrieved 2023-11-07.
  3. 1 2 3 "CHAPTER 18 — The Minesweeping Flotillas | NZETC". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 2023-12-29.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 McDougall, R.J. (1989). New Zealand Naval vessels. ISBN 0-477-01399-6.
  5. ↑ Waters, p. 275
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