HMNZS Waima was one of eight steel New Zealand-built Castle-class trawlers built and commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II.

HMNZS Waima
History
New Zealand
NameWaima
BuilderStevenson & Cook, Port Chalmers
Launched3 April 1943
Commissioned28 March 1944
Decommissioned1945
IdentificationPennant number: T33/T349
FateSold to Red Funnel Trawlers
Australia
NameMoona
OwnerRed Funnel Trawlers
Acquired1946
In service1946
Out of service1960
FateScrapped in 1963
General characteristics
Class and typeCastle-class minesweeper
Tonnage290 GRT
Displacement625 tons
Length135 ft (41 m)
Beam23 ft (7.0 m)
Depth13 feet (4.0 m)
PropulsionSingle screw, triple reciprocating engine
Speed10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)

Background

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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.[1]

Operational history

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Waima was the eighth of the nine steel minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) and was commissioned on 28 March 1944. the others being Aroha, Awatere, Hautapu, Maimai, Pahau, Waiho, Waipu, and Waikato (never commissioned). She served with the 96th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group, located at Lyttleton.[2] In September 1945, Waima along with the Waiho and Waipu were converted into danlayers, with operations ceasing October 1945 due to coal shortages, resuming in March 1946 with a guaranteed supply of coal for all 3 trawlers with them making up part of the 25th Auxiliary Minesweeping Division, which was formed to sweep the Waitemata Harbour for a final time.[3][2][1]

Post RNZN history

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Waima would be sold to Red Funnel Trawlers, located in Sydney in May 1946, being towed to Australia by the Matai, arriving on 12 September 1946.[3] She would be renamed to Moona, and began trawling that same year, being laid up in 1958. She would temporarily re-enter service in mid-1959 but would be laid up once again in 1960.[3] In 1963, she would be sold to Robin & Co. Ltd, located in Singapore to be scrapped.[3]

References

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  1. ^ a b "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.
  2. ^ a b "Chapter 18 — The Minesweeping Flotillas". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Archived from the original on 2023-11-09. Retrieved 2023-11-21.
  3. ^ a b c d McDougall, R.J. (1989). New Zealand Naval vessels. GP Books, Informing New Zealanders. ISBN 0-477-01399-6.