HMNZS Rimu In the Hauraki gulf.
History
New Zealand
NameRimu
BuilderSeagar Bros. Ltd. Auckland
Launched9 September 1941
Commissioned15 July 1942
Decommissioned1945
IdentificationPennant number: T18
FateHulk sunk by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1958
General characteristics
Class and typeCastle-class minesweeper
Displacement625 tons
Length135 ft (41 m)
Beam23 ft (7.0 m)
PropulsionSingle screw, triple reciprocating engine
Speed10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph)

HMNZS Rimu was one of three composite New Zealand-built Castle-class ships commissioned by the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II.

Background

The vessel was ordered after the New Zealand government, facing a requirement for more minesweepers to operate in home waters, chose the Castle-class design because it was simple enough to be built with the country's limited ship construction facilities at the time.[1]

Operational history

Rimu was second of three composite minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy and was commissioned on 15 July 1942. The other two were Hinau and Manuka. She served in the LL Group (later renamed to the 194th Auxiliary minesweeping division)[2] which was located at Auckland.

After the war she was laid up due to coal shortages, and in 1955 she was sold to a private firm in Auckland.[3]

In 1958 she was offered to the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a target ship.[4] Rimu was to be hit with depth charges, machine gunned, and rockets from four de Havilland Vampire jet fighters.[3] Rimu was machine gunned and was struck by dropped depth charges which broke the ship in half, sinking her instantly.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "HMNZS Waiho Castle-Class Minesweeper". National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy. 6 October 2015. Archived from the original on 21 December 2009. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  2. ↑ "CHAPTER 18 — The Minesweeping Flotillas | NZETC". nzetc.victoria.ac.nz. Retrieved 7 November 2023.
  3. 1 2 "R.N.Z.A.F. WILL SINK HULK". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2023.
  4. 1 2 "HULK SUNK TOO SOON". paperspast.natlib.govt.nz. Retrieved 11 November 2023.


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