Info on Bill Innes

[admin]

My name is David Innes, from Port Chalmers, New Zealand.

I am wondering if you can help me with a wee bit of information about a great uncle of mine.

William (Bill) Martin Innes, he would be of WW1 vintage. 
I have an old photo of him, in what I believe to be in an old RN or RNZN uniform (see below)

With the rank of Lt Cmdr, the broad insignia is of a braided rope type that
is the top with loop and lower band with the smaller straight band in the
centre. Not all straight lined as the type used now.

I know or think i know this much about him.

      Name:
     Innes, Bill

      Flourished:
     c1946

      Role:
     Chief Engineer

      Abstract:
     Chief Engineer of the RATA when converted from minesweeper back to
coaster after World War 2

      Source:
     New Zealand Marine News 2000 Volume 49 Number 3   Pages 127-128

      Title:
     Mail barrel: Memories Evoked

      Article Abstract:
     Letter with memories of work as an apprentice at Stevenson & Cook at
Port Chalmers, after the Second World War when minesweepers were being
converted back to coasters

As it is 150 year since we arrived in New Zealand next year we are trying to
put our history together, so any help here would be great.


Best regards

Dave Innes

Please reply to stormchaser_nz@xtra.co.nz

[JamesD]

Hello Dave,

Going by your Great Uncle's uniform and cap, I would say he was in the Royal Naval Reserve during WWII and not WWI. I will email you later with an email address to contact someone in the RNZN Museum. Could have been that he was already on the RATA prior to commencement of the war. Ships Taken up From the Trade (STUFT) for warship duties during the war, sometimes kept the original merchant crews with the addition of naval watchkeeping officers, communications and seamen ratings (anti-submarine, gunners, etc).

Regards

Jim

[Banjo]

you're a good  swear word Jim

[JamesD]

Thanks Banjo - I'll take that as a compliment.

Here's more on RATA:

RATA was built in Glasgow in 1929 and classed as a coastal cargo vessel. During her war years as HMNZS Rata, she had a crew of 56 and carried the following:
1 x 4inch gun
2 x 20mm guns
2 x machine guns
Depth Charges
Asdic
 
She had two steam reciprocating engines, triple expansion, rated 1200 hp and could do about 10 knots. She served as an Anti-submarine minesweeper and was owned by the Anchor Shipping and Foundry Company, Nelson. 974 GRT. She was taken over by the Navy in November 1940 and commissioned 14 May 1941 and decommissioned 19 October 1943.
 
Rata was initially assigned to the 1st Minesweeping Flotilla at Auckland but from April 1942 she spent her time patrolling around the Wellington coastline as part of the 95th Auxiliary Minesweeping Group.

Happy New Year to you all.

This pic is the only one I have of Rata as a coaster - taken off Wellington in 1934. These type of ships normally had their derricks removed for wartime service.