HMNZS Wakakura (T00)

HMNZS Wakakura (T00) was originally a First World War Castle-class naval trawler built in Canada. Ordered by the Admiralty, the vessel, named TR 1, was loaned to the Royal Canadian Navy for use on the East Coast of Canada. She was purchased by New Zealand in 1926 and transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy when it was established in 1941. 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]

For other ships with the same name, see HMNZS Wakakura.

History
Canada
Name: TR 1
Builder: Port Arthur Shipbuilding, Port Arthur, Ontario
Laid down: 31 May 1917
Launched: September 1917
Completed: 17 October 1917
New Zealand
Name: HMNZS Wakakura
Acquired: 1926
Commissioned: 1926
Decommissioned: 1947
Identification: T00
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 (19 km/h; 12 mph)
Complement: 26 (training)
Armament:

She displaced 530 tons standard, could manage 10 knots (19 km/h) and was equipped with a 4-inch (102 mm) gun during World War II.

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

See also

Notes
  1. Harker (2006)

References
  • Harker, Jack S. (2006) Left hand down a bit! : the Wakakura story. Kotuku Media. ISBN 0-908967-04-7
  • McDougall, R J (1989) New Zealand Naval Vessels. Government Printing Office. ISBN 978-0-477-01399-4
  • Walters, Sydney David (1956) The Royal New Zealand Navy: Official History of World War II, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington Online


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