Navy Reviews

I begin by greeting everyone in the languages of the realm of New Zealand, in English, Māori, Cook Island Māori, Niuean, Tokelauan and New Zealand Sign Language. Greetings, Kia Ora, Kia Orana, Fakalofa Lahi Atu, Taloha Ni, and as it is morning [sign].

I then specifically greet you: Chief of Navy, Rear Admiral Tony Parr; Vice-Chief of Defence, Rear Admiral Jack Steer; Deputy Chief of Navy, Commodore Bruce Pepperell; Maritime Component Commander, Commodore Ross Smith; Associate Minister of Defence, Hon Heather Roy; Your Worship, Andrew Williams, Mayor of North Shore; Inspectors Les Patterson and Gary Davey of the New Zealand Police; Officers and men and women of the Royal New Zealand Navy; Veterans; Distinguished Guests otherwise, Ladies and Gentlemen.

It is an honour to be here this morning, to recognise the Royal New Zealand Navy on parade. I first congratulate you, Rear Admiral Tony Parry on your promotion to Chief of Navy last year and register this as the first time you have participated in this event in your new capacity.

Navy Divisions is an opportunity to acknowledge the work of the Navy as a whole, and the exceptional efforts of a few.  Shortly, I will present a number of awards recognising excellence within the Navy.  Before doing so I would like to comment on two contrasting but equally significant events in New Zealand’s naval maritime history.

Late last year, the country and the Navy marked the 70th anniversary of the Battle of the River Plate in December 1939.  I had the honour of addressing a service at the National War Memorial in Wellington where the exploits of the New Zealand naval ship Achilles were celebrated.

The battle occurred when three small Allied cruisers, including Achilles engaged the German pocket battleship, Admiral Graf Spee, off the Atlantic coast of South America.  Despite having much less powerful armament to the Graf Spee the three cruisers did not shy away from taking on the battleship, which had been causing major damage to Allied shipping in the Atlantic and Indian oceans.

Damaged in the battle, the Graf Spee took refuge in the neutral port of Montevideo, Uruguay, where she was later scuttled rather than face the superior force the master incorrectly believed was waiting for him in Atlantic waters.

The event was a major boost to public morale in the first few months of the Second World War and the Achilles’ crew was given a welcome for heroes when she visited in Auckland a few weeks later in February 1940. 

It is right to remember victories and the officers and crew who fought in this momentous battle.

In December, however, another more sombre date in the history of the Navy was also marked by a service at the Devonport Naval Base Chapel and elsewhere. 

That service marked the sinking of the light cruiser Neptune, a sister ship to Achilles in the Mediterranean in December 1941. 150 New Zealanders were serving on her.

During 1941, Neptune had led a highly successful raiding squadron known as Force K destroying convoys supplying German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Corps.   Working in co-operation with aircraft and submarines, Force K played havoc with the German and Italian convoys, sinking or badly damaging many ships. 

On 18 December 1941, Force K, consisting of the Neptune, two other cruisers and four destroyers, sailed from Malta to intercept an Italian battleship force. 

However, early in the morning of 19 December, in heavy seas, Neptune, under the command of Captain Rory O’Conor, struck a mine.    A minute later another cruiser Aurora was also hit and while damaged, was able to slowly leave.

Neptune, then going full speed astern to exit the minefield, hit two more mines, the first destroying her propellers and steering gear, bringing her to a stop.  Soon after, a third cruiser, Penelope also hit a mine but was not badly damaged.   Two hours later, as the destroyers attempted to come to Neptune’s aid, one of them, Kandahar also struck a mine, destroying her stern.

Shortly thereafter, Neptune hit a fourth mine and less than five minutes later, capsized and sank.  Most of the crew jumped over the side and were lost trying to swim towards waiting vessels.   With the ships close to the African coast and morning coming on a difficult decision was made to leave the stricken vessels.  It was decided that re-entering the minefield would likely result in further loss of life either from mines or aerial attacks. 

According to the Neptune’s sole survivor, Leading Seaman Norman Walton, an English rating, only 16 men, including Captain O’Conor were left afloat in a raft when daylight came.  One by one they succumbed to exhaustion and thirst before Walton was picked up by an Italian destroyer on Christmas Eve three days later. 

The significance of the tragic loss of the Neptune was well put by the New Zealand historian Sydney Waters the following way: “More than 750 men—150 of them New Zealanders—died when HMS Neptune went down in the Mediterranean on that stormy morning.  The names of the two officers and 148 ratings furnished by far the longest list of casualties in the war record of the Royal New Zealand Navy, then but lately come of age. The Neptune was not a New Zealand ship as were her sisters, Achilles and Leander, but her loss brought grief to many homes in every city and major town in the Dominion, as well as to country villages from Auckland to Southland.”

Coming just before Christmas, and not long after the devastating attack on the United States Fleet at Pearl Harbour, it was indeed a dark time.  

The loss of the Neptune reminds us that armed conflict is often about tragedy as much as victory. In both there are invariably injuries and loss of life that are accompanied by great mourning of comrades and family. Whatever the circumstances, we remember all those who served for their courage and sacrifice in defence of their country and for the freedoms and liberties we all hold dear. 

The names of New Zealanders who lost their lives are on the Memorial Wall within the Devonport Naval Base. Two years ago on 12 December 2008, a public memorial was also unveiled in Dunedin to mark all the sailors who died on the Neptune. 

While New Zealand's Navy is today generally occupied with less fierce pursuits, the values of that earlier generation, of those who served on Neptune, Achilles and many other ships, remains a hallmark. The Navy and naval personnel play an important role in peacekeeping and fulfilling the maritime component of New Zealand's defence.  The commitment that everyone present has been asked to make the RNZN the best small nation Navy in the world, was recognised in November last year, when the Navy was awarded a rare Gold Award in the New Zealand Business Excellence Awards.   

It is in the nature of a military career, and particularly one in the Navy, that you can often spent a lot of time away from your families.  That commitment is accentuated for those involved in peacekeeping, which is marked, by new challenges and also significant risks.  As Governor-General and Commander-in-Chief I wish to add my thanks for your dedication to your work, and to upholding the values of those who have gone before you.

This then brings me to the presentations of a number of awards for outstanding achievement and commitment.

But before I do, I will close in our country's first language offering everyone greetings and wishing everyone good health and fortitude in your endeavours. No reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, kia ora, kia kaha, tēnā koutou katoa.