NAVALESE BITS & BYTES.
Welcome to 2010. I certainly hope you all had a good Christmas and New Year. As we all know the weather has been pretty grotty one way and another. So much for Summer. So much for Global warming!!!!!!!. My apologies for not making my deadline for the December 'Tattler' due to computer problems but we are now back in business.
As was mentioned in the December issue we did have a very successful golf tournament in November. To keep the ball rolling I have tenatively booked 'Everglades' for Sunday the 14th of March for another golf day. I will keep you informed as to details as they come to hand. Hopefully it will be another good day out.
Not much happening Navy wise over the holiday period however of interest was the success of our two Christch based Sea Cadet Units, TS Steadfast who were the overall winner at the Sea Cadet regatta in Auckland over the Christmas period and TS Cornwell's being awarded the Sea Cadet Efficieny Trophy for 2009. Our hearty congratulations to both of those units.
We have our first meeting for the year this coming Tuesday 2nd February. I am picking it will be an important year for all our branches in the Christchurch area I.E. Canterbury, Christchurch and Papanui perhaps more especially so in decisions being made in relation to amalgamation. We will see how the land lies as the year progresses taking into account the thoughts and opinions of our other branches.
Congratulations to our shipmate, Roy Parrott, on attaining the ripe old age of 80 years young thus qualifying him for his OBE. Well done Roy and we certainly had a wonderful evening on your birthday, what I remember of it. BZ Roy.
Well thats all for this month. Hopefully there will be more to report in our upcoming issues.
See you at the leaner
Yours aye
Ron Mayell
President Papanui Branch RNZNA
30th January 2010
P.S. I have changed my address and new address is
3B Mayo Place
Belfast
Christchurch 8051. Ph 3235610. For your info.
HMNZS GAMBIA.
Discussions between the Admiralty, NZNB and the NZ High Commissioner in London concluded in early September 1943 with the decision to take Gambia into the RNZN and she was commisioned with her Kiwi crew on 22nd September under Captain N.J.W. William-Powlett.
Displacement: 8000 tons, Dimensions: 555.5' x 62, x 21', Machinery: Admirialy 3-drum boilers, Geared turbines, 72,000shp, Speed: 31.5 knots, Armament: 12 x 6", 8 x 4", 10 x 2-pdr, 20 x 20mm MG, Torpedoes: 6 x 21", Complement: 730.
Gambia was laid down in July 1939 at the Swan Hunter yard and completed in February 1942. War service took her to the East Indies, where she had an active career before returning to Britian for refit in 1943.
She was the most powerful gun-armed ship in the RNZN carrying 50 percent more fire power than Achilles on similar displacement. She returned to the RN in 1946 paying off into reserve in late 1960, was sold for scrap in1968 and broken up the following year.
R.I.P.
