Service HMS New Zealand (1911)

1 service

1.1 battle of heligoland bight
1.2 raid on scarborough
1.3 battle of dogger bank
1.4 battle of jutland
1.5 post-jutland career

1.5.1 dominion tour

service

new zealand sent on ten-month flag-waving tour of new zealand via south africa in 1913. during tour, ship seen estimated half-million new zealanders—almost half population—and captain presented māori piupiu (a warrior s skirt made rolled flax) , greenstone hei-tiki (pendant), intended ward off evil.

the admiralty requested new zealand return united kingdom when tour concluded, rather remain in pacific region planned. new zealand government acceded request and, upon arrival on 8 december 1913, new zealand joined 1st battlecruiser squadron (1st bcs) of grand fleet. squadron visited brest in february 1914, , riga, reval , kronstadt in russian empire following june. on 19 august 1914, shortly after world war began, new zealand transferred 2nd battlecruiser squadron (2nd bcs).

battle of heligoland bight


new zealand steaming during battle of heligoland bight

new zealand s first wartime action battle of heligoland bight on 28 august 1914, part of battlecruiser force under command of admiral david beatty. beatty s ships intended provide distant support british cruisers , destroyers closer german coast, in case large units of high seas fleet sortied in response british attacks once tide rose. when british light forces failed disengage on schedule @ 11:35 a.m., battlecruisers, led beatty aboard flagship, hms lion, began head south @ full speed reinforce smaller british ships; rising tide meant german capital ships able clear sandbar @ mouth of jade estuary.

the brand-new light cruiser hms arethusa had been crippled earlier in battle , under fire german light cruisers sms strassburg , sms cöln when beatty s battlecruisers loomed out of mist @ 12:37 p.m. time, new zealand had fallen behind 3 newer , faster battlecruisers , not in position participate in battle. strassburg able evade fire hiding in mists, cöln remained visible , crippled british squadron. before german ship sunk, beatty distracted sudden appearance of elderly light cruiser sms ariadne off starboard bow. turned pursue, ariadne set afire after 3 salvos fired under 6,000 yards (5,500 m). @ 1:10, beatty turned north , made general signal retire. shortly after turning north, battlecruisers encountered crippled cöln, sunk 2 salvos lion. during battle, new zealand s captain, lionel halsey, wore māori piupiu on uniform, setting tradition followed duration of war. 2 days after battle, new zealand transferred 1st bcs, when battlecruiser inflexible arrived mediterranean.

raid on scarborough

the german navy had decided on strategy of bombarding british towns on north sea coast in attempt draw out royal navy , destroy elements of in detail. earlier raid on yarmouth on 3 november 1914 had been partially successful, larger-scale operation later devised admiral franz von hipper. fast battlecruisers conduct bombardment, while rest of high seas fleet stationed east of dogger bank, cover battlecruisers return , destroy pursuing british vessels. having broken german naval codes, british planning catch raiding force on return journey, although not aware of high seas fleet s presence. admiral beatty s 1st bcs (now reduced 4 ships, including new zealand) , 2nd battle squadron (consisting of 6 dreadnoughts) detached grand fleet in attempt intercept germans near dogger bank.

admiral hipper s raiders set sail on 15 december 1914, , bombarded several english towns; british destroyers escorting 1st bcs had encountered german destroyers of high seas fleet @ 5:15 a.m. , fought inconclusive action them. vice admiral sir george warrender, commanding 2nd battle squadron, had received signal @ 5:40 destroyer hms lynx engaging enemy destroyers, although beatty had not. destroyer hms shark spotted german armoured cruiser sms roon , escorts @ 7:00, not transmit message until 7:25. admiral warrender received signal, did new zealand, beatty, aboard lion, did not, though new zealand had been tasked relay messages between destroyers , flagship. warrender attempted pass on shark s message beatty @ 7:36, did not manage make contact until 7:55. on receiving message, beatty reversed course, , dispatched new zealand search roon. being overhauled new zealand when beatty received messages scarborough being shelled @ 9:00. beatty ordered new zealand rejoin squadron , turned west scarborough.

relative positions of british , german forces @ 12:00 hours

the british forces, heading west cover main route through minefields protecting coast of england, split while passing shallow southwest patch of dogger bank; beatty s ships headed north, while warrender passed south. left 15-nautical-mile (28 km; 17 mi) gap between them, through german light forces began move. @ 12:25 p.m., light cruisers of ii scouting group began pass british forces searching hipper. light cruiser hms southampton spotted light cruiser sms stralsund , signalled report beatty. @ 12:30, beatty turned battlecruisers towards german ships, presumed advance screen hipper s ships. however, 50 kilometres (31 mi) behind. 2nd light cruiser squadron, had been screening beatty s ships, detached pursue german cruisers, misinterpreted signal british battlecruisers sent them screening positions. confusion allowed german light cruisers escape, , alerted hipper location of british battlecruisers. german battlecruisers wheeled north-east of british forces , made escape.

new zealand became flagship of 2nd battlecruiser squadron (2nd bcs) of grand fleet on 15 january 1915, , saw action following week in battle of dogger bank.

battle of dogger bank

on 23 january 1915, force of german battlecruisers under command of admiral hipper sortied clear dogger bank of british fishing boats or small craft might there collect intelligence on german movements. alerted decoded german transmissions, larger force of british battlecruisers, including new zealand, sailed under command of admiral beatty intercept. contact initiated @ 7:20 a.m. on 24th, when arethusa spotted german light cruiser sms kolberg. 7:35, germans had spotted beatty s force , hipper ordered turn south @ 20 knots (37 km/h; 23 mph), believing speed outdistance british battleships north-west; planned increase speed armoured cruiser sms blücher s maximum of 23 knots (43 km/h; 26 mph) if necessary outrun battlecruisers.

beatty ordered battlecruisers make practical speed catch germans before escape. new zealand , indomitable slowest of beatty s ships, , gradually fell behind newer battlecruisers. despite this, new zealand able open fire on blücher 9:35, , continued engage armoured cruiser after other british battlecruisers had switched targets german battlecruisers. after hour, new zealand had knocked out blücher s forward turret, , indomitable began fire on @ 10:31. 2 12-inch shells pierced german ship s armoured deck , exploded in ammunition room 4 minutes later. started fire amidships destroyed 2 port 21 cm (8.3 in) turrets, while concussion damaged engines speed dropped 17 knots (31 km/h; 20 mph), , jammed steering gear. @ 10:48, beatty ordered indomitable attack her, combination of signalling error beatty s flag lieutenant , heavy damage beatty s flagship lion, had knocked out radio , caused enough smoke obscure signal halyards, caused rest of british battlecruisers, temporarily under command of rear admiral sir gordon moore in new zealand, think that signal applied them. in response, turned away hipper s main body , engaged blücher. new zealand fired 147 shells @ blücher before german ship capsized , sank @ 12:07 after being torpedoed arethusa. captain halsey had again worn piupiu on uniform during battle, , lack of damage new zealand once more attributed luck properties.

new zealand relieved australia flagship of 2nd bcs on 22 february 1915. squadron joined grand fleet in sortie on 29 march, in response intelligence german fleet leaving port precursor major operation. next night, german ships had withdrawn, , squadron returned rosyth. on 11 april, british fleet again deployed on intelligence german force planning operation. germans intended lay mines @ swarte bank, after scouting zeppelin located british light cruiser squadron, began prepare thought british attack. heavy fog , need refuel caused australia , british vessels return port on 17 april, , although redeployed night, unable stop 2 german light cruisers laying minefield. 26 28 january 1916, 2nd bcs positioned off skagerrak while 1st light cruiser squadron swept strait in unsuccessful search possible minelayer.

on morning of 21 april 1916, 2nd bcs sailed again skagerrak, time support efforts disrupt transport of swedish ore germany. planned destroyer sweep of kattegat cancelled when word came high seas fleet mobilising operation of own (later learned timed coincide irish easter rising), , british ships ordered rendezvous point in middle of north sea, while rest of grand fleet made south-eastern end of long forties. on afternoon of 22 april, battlecruiser fleet patrolling north-west of horn reefs when heavy fog came down. ships zigzagging avoid submarine attack when australia collided sister ship new zealand twice in 3 minutes. australia damaged badly enough put out of action several months, new zealand returned fleet on 30 may, day before start of battle of jutland, relieving indefatigable flagship.

battle of jutland


assembled officers of hms new zealand winston churchill , king george v

on 31 may 1916, 2nd bcs consisted of new zealand (flagship of rear admiral william christopher pakenham) , indefatigable; australia still under repair following collision new zealand. squadron assigned admiral beatty s battlecruiser fleet, had put sea intercept sortie high seas fleet north sea. british able decode german radio messages , left bases before germans put sea. hipper s battlecruisers spotted battlecruiser fleet west @ 3:20 p.m., beatty s ships didn t spot germans east until 3:30. 2 minutes later, ordered course change east-south-east position himself astride german s line of retreat , called ships crews action stations. ordered 2nd bcs, had been leading, fall in astern of 1st bcs. hipper ordered ships turn starboard, away british, assume south-easterly course, , reduced speed 18 knots (33 km/h; 21 mph) allow 3 light cruisers of 2nd scouting group catch up. turn, hipper falling on high seas fleet, 60 miles (97 km) behind him. around time, beatty altered course east apparent still far north cut off hipper.

thus began so-called run south beatty changed course steer east-south-east @ 3:45, paralleling hipper s course, range closed under 18,000 yards (16,000 m). germans opened fire first @ 3:48, followed british. british ships still in process of making turn, , 2 leading ships, lion , hms princess royal, had steadied on course when germans opened fire. british formation echeloned right indefatigable in rear , furthest west, , new zealand ahead of , further east. german fire accurate beginning, british overestimated range german ships blended haze. indefatigable aimed @ sms von der tann, while new zealand, unengaged herself, targeted sms moltke. 3:54, range down 12,900 yards (11,800 m) , beatty ordered course change 2 points starboard open range @ 3:57. indefatigable destroyed @ 4:03, when magazines exploded.

after indefatigable s loss, new zealand shifted fire von der tann in accordance beatty s standing instructions. range had grown far accurate shooting, beatty altered course 4 points port close range again between 4:12 , 4:15. time, 5th battle squadron, consisting of 4 queen elizabeth-class battleships, had closed , engaging von der tann , moltke. @ 4:23, 13.5-inch (340 mm) shell hms tiger struck near von der tann s rear turret, starting fire among practice targets stowed there obscured ship , caused new zealand shift fire moltke. @ 4:26, ship hit 28-centimetre (11 in) shell, fired von der tann, on x barbette detonated on contact , knocked loose piece of armour briefly jammed x turret , blew hole in upper deck. 4 minutes later, southampton, scouting in front of beatty s ships, spotted lead elements of high seas fleet charging north @ top speed. 3 minutes later, sighted topmasts of vice-admiral reinhard scheer s battleships, did not transmit message beatty 5 minutes. beatty continued south 2 minutes confirm sighting himself before ordering sixteen-point turn starboard in succession. new zealand, last ship in line, turned prematurely stay outside range of oncoming battleships.

a chunk of armour knocked new zealand s x turret during battle of jutland on display @ torpedo bay navy museum in auckland

new zealand straddled several times battleship sms prinzregent luitpold not hit. beatty s ships maintained full speed in attempt increase distance between them , high seas fleet, , gradually moved out of range. turned north , north-east try rendezvous main body of grand fleet. @ 5:40, opened fire again on german battlecruisers. setting sun blinded german gunners, , not make out british ships, turned away north-east @ 5:47. beatty gradually turned more towards east allow him cover deployment of grand fleet in battle formation , move ahead of it, mistimed manoeuvre , forced leading division fall off towards east, further away germans. 6:35, beatty following indomitable , hms inflexible of 3rd bcs steering east-south-east, leading grand fleet, , continuing engage hipper s battlecruisers south-west. few minutes earlier, scheer had ordered simultaneous 180° starboard turn , beatty lost sight of high seas fleet in haze. twenty minutes later, scheer ordered 180° turn put them on converging course again grand fleet, had altered course south. allowed grand fleet cross scheer s t, forming battle line cut across battle line , badly damaging leading ships. scheer ordered yet 180° turn @ 7:13 in attempt extricate high seas fleet trap had sent them.

this successful, , british lost sight of germans until 8:05, when hms castor spotted smoke bearing west-north-west. ten minutes later, had closed range enough identify german torpedo boats, , engaged them. beatty turned west upon hearing gunfire , spotted german battlecruisers 8,500 yards (7,800 m) away. inflexible opened fire @ 8:20, followed rest of beatty s battlecruisers. new zealand , indomitable concentrated fire on sms seydlitz, , hit 5 times before turned west disengage. shortly after 8:30, pre-dreadnought battleships of rear admiral mauve s ii battle squadron spotted , fire switched them. germans had poor visibility , able fire few rounds @ them before turning away west. british battlecruisers hit german ships several times before blended haze around 8:40. after this, beatty changed course south-south-east , maintained course, ahead of both grand fleet , high seas fleet, until 2:55 next morning, when order given reverse course , head home.

new zealand fired 420 twelve-inch shells during battle, more other ship on either side. despite this, 4 successful hits credited battlecruiser: 3 on seydlitz , 1 on pre-dreadnought sms schleswig-holstein. hit once during battle, confirming crew piupiu , tiki worn new captain, j.f.e. (jimmy) green, brought luck.

post-jutland career

new zealand relieved australia flagship on 9 june , temporarily attached 1st battlecruiser squadron, until hms renown relieved in september. on evening of 18 august, grand fleet put sea in response message deciphered room 40 indicated high seas fleet, minus ii squadron, leaving harbour night. german objective bombard sunderland on 19 august, based on extensive reconnaissance provided airships , submarines. grand fleet sailed 29 dreadnought battleships , 6 battlecruisers. throughout next day, jellicoe , scheer received conflicting intelligence; after reaching location in north sea british expected encounter high seas fleet, turned north in erroneous belief had entered minefield. scheer turned south again, steered south-eastward pursue lone british battle squadron sighted airship, in fact harwich force of cruisers , destroyers under commodore tyrwhitt. realising mistake, germans changed course home. contact came in evening when tyrwhitt sighted high seas fleet unable achieve advantageous attack position before dark, , broke off contact. british , german fleets returned home; british lost 2 cruisers submarine attacks, , 1 german dreadnought had been torpedoed. new zealand underwent refit @ rosyth in november 1916. temporarily replaced australia squadron flagship between 29 november , 7 january 1917.

grant howard, navy in new zealand

german minesweepers , escorting light cruisers attempting clear british-laid minefields in heligoland bight in late 1917. admiralty planned large operation 17 november destroy ships, , allocated 2 light cruiser squadrons , 1st cruiser squadron covered reinforced 1st battlecruiser squadron and, more distantly, 1st battle squadron of battleships. new zealand attached 1st bcs operation, became known second battle of heligoland bight. new zealand did not fire guns during battle. in previous engagements, captain green wore piupiu , tiki luck.

during 1918, new zealand , grand fleet s other capital ships used on occasion escort convoys between britain , norway. 2nd bcs spent period 8 21 february covering these convoys in company battleships , destroyers, , put sea on 6 march in company 1st bcs support minelayers. 2nd bcs again supported minelayers in north sea 25 june or 26 june end of july. during september , october, new zealand , 2nd bcs supervised , protected minelaying operations north of orkney. battlecruiser present @ surrender of high seas fleet part of 2nd bcs.

dominion tour

following war, admiral jellicoe tasked helping plan , coordinate naval policies , defences of british dominions. new zealand made available transportation, , refitted between december 1918 , february 1919 tour; main changes removal of flying-off platforms , lower forward four-inch guns. first stop india, new zealand arriving in bombay on 14 march 1919 , departing 6 weeks later. battlecruiser arrived @ albany, western australia, on 15 may, jellicoe , staff disembarked take overland route across country. new zealand sailed via melbourne , hobart depart sydney new zealand on 16 august.

new zealand dry-docked @ cockatoo island dockyard in sydney during admiral jellicoe s tour of dominions

the ship called upon christmas island, southeast of fanning island, on 19 november 1920, thinking uninhabited. instead, greeted joe english, of medford, massachusetts, had been manager of copra plantation on island, had become marooned 2 others, when war had broken out. men rescued.

one of new zealand s 4-inch guns, outside auckland museum

the ship particularly popular in new zealand, crowds flocked visit had done in 1913. jellicoe, too, popular , later returned new zealand serve governor-general 1920 1924. ship stopped off @ fiji , hawaii before arriving on 8 november in canada, final country assessed. after returning united kingdom, battlecruiser paid off reserve on 15 march 1920. new zealand regarded obsolete royal navy, because 12-inch guns inferior 15-inch (381 mm) guns deployed on latest generation of battlecruisers. sold scrap on 19 december 1922 meet tonnage restrictions set on british empire washington naval treaty. new zealand government completed paying off loan used fund ship in 1944/45 financial year.

many items battlecruiser sent new zealand after scrapped. equipment including several 4-inch guns, range finder , laundry equipment, used military units while other artifacts placed on display in museums. during world war ii, 4-inch guns main armament of land batteries protected entrances harbours @ auckland, wellington , lyttelton. captain s piupiu returned new zealand in 2005, , on display @ torpedo bay navy museum in auckland alongside ship s bell , other artifacts. museum of new zealand te papa tongarewa in wellington holds several items ship in collection.

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