HMNZS Wakakura (T00)

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Career (New Zealand)	Royal New Zealand Navy
Name:	HMNZS Wakakura (T00)
Commissioned:	1926
Decommissioned:	1947
General characteristics
Class and type:	Castle class naval trawler
Displacement:	540 standard, 620 tons fully loaded
Length:	135 ft (41 m) /125 ft (38 m) feet
Beam:	23.5 ft (7.2 m)
Draught:	15 ft (4.6 m)
Propulsion:	One shaft reciprocating, 420 ihp (310 kW)
Speed:	10 knots
Complement:	26 (training)
Armament:	1x4 inch gun, 2x1 MGs, twin Lewis, 4 depth charges

HMNZS Wakakura (T00) was originally a first World War Castle class naval trawler from Canada. She was purchased by New Zealand in 1926 and transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy when it was established in 1941. The Wakakura remained in commission throughout the second World War and was sold to Tasman Steamship Co and converted to a refrigerated cargo vessel in 1947.

"A little trawler paid a big part in the lives of New Zealand's pre-war and wartime naval reservists. Her Majesty's Trawler (later HMNZS) Wakakura, purchased from the Royal Navy scrap heap 'as is, where is' to be a training ship, also left an impression on various wharves and a couple of other ships as she roamed from port to port around New Zealand instructing young would-be sailors in naval procedures." ^[1]

She displaced 530 tons standard, could manage 10 knots and was equipped with a 4 inch gun during WWII.

Wakakura is a Māori word which means "precious canoe" or "training boat".

Contents 1 See also 2 Notes 3 References 4 External links

[edit] See also

• Minesweepers of the Royal New Zealand Navy

[edit] Notes

[edit] References

• Harker, Jack S. (2006) Left hand down a bit! : the Wakakura story. Kotuku Media. ISBN 0908967047
• McDougall, R J (1989) New Zealand Naval Vessels. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780477013994
• Walters, Sydney David (1956) The Royal New Zealand Navy: Official History of World War II, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington Online

[edit] External links

• Wakakura Book Launch