List of Royal New Zealand Navy bases

Last updated

This is a list of commissioned naval bases of the Royal New Zealand Navy from its formation on 1 October 1941 to the present. The Royal New Zealand Navy follows the British tradition of commissioning land naval bases as though they were ships. The administrative structures that work for a ship work just as well for a land establishment. The commander of a ship can become the commander of a land establishment, and be entirely comfortable with the way the place is run. This simplifies the overall administration of the navy. For this reason, naval bases are sometimes referred to as stone frigates.

Contents

In earlier times or in wartime, naval bases actually were ships. HMS Philomel was an old cruiser which functioned as New Zealand's first naval base. HMNZS Kahu was a Fairmile B motor launch, and it functioned as an administrative base for the Fairmile flotillas during World War II.

It is also in this tradition for land establishments to be associated with one or more "name ships". However this association is largely ceremonial.

List of bases

NameName shipsDatesLocationNotes
HMNZS CookHarptree
HDML 1183
1943–44
1944–46
Clyde Quay, Wellington
Shelly Bay, Wellington
HMNZS Cook II HMNZS Kahu 1943–44 Solomon Islands Administrative base for Fairmile flotillas
HMNZS Irirangi SDML P35541951–93 Waiouru Formerly Waiouru W/T Station. Radio intercept station
HMNZS Ngapona 1950–currentAuckland Naval Reserve training base
Has a satellite unit at Tauranga
HMNZS Olphert 1928–currentWellington Naval Reserve training base
HMNZS Pegasus 1928–currentChristchurch Naval Reserve training base
HMNZS Philomel HMNZS Philomel
1923–41
1941–47
1947–current
Devonport Was HMS Philomel

Main RNZN Logistics and Training Base

HMNZS Philomel II1948–53 Wellington Renamed Wakefield
HMNZS Tamaki [1] 1941–63
1963–2000
 
Motuihi Island
Fort Cautley, Narrow Neck
 
Training base
Training base
Now part of HMNZS Philomel
HMNZS Tasman1944–56
1975–?
Lyttelton
Devonport
HMNZS Toroa ?–currentDunedin Naval Reserve training base
HMNZS Wakefield1954–current Wellington Command and administration staff for naval personnel resident outside the Greater Auckland area. Formerly Philomel II
HMNZS Waiouru [2] 1943–51 Waiouru W/T Station. Renamed Irirangi

HMNZ Dockyard is managed by Babcock New Zealand Ltd on behalf of the Chief of Naval Staff through a commercial management agreement. [3] This is not a commissioned ship; it is instead analogous to HMNB Devonport or HMNB Portsmouth.

See also

Notes

  1. NZ Navy Museum: Training Expansion – HMNZS Tamaki
  2. Waters, S.D. 1956, The Royal New Zealand Navy page 447 re HMNZS Irirangi
  3. Development of naval repair facilities at Auckland, New Zealand 1841–1962 Archived 2007-09-27 at the Wayback Machine – Bell, J.A.; AMRINA Deputy Constructive Manager HMNZ Dockyard

References