- Yes - TT
- Yes - Premium
- Yes - Event/BP
- No - I would not like to see HMNZS Monowai in game.
Discription:
HMNZS Monowai was the only AMC operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy during the second world war, she would eventually operate in both the Pacific, and European theaters, although in a different role.
Monowai’s career is quite unique, as she commissioned into the Royal Navy in the New Zealand division, before transferring into the RNZN upon its creation of the 1st of October 1941, then transferring back into the Royal Navy in June 1943.
This suggestion is for her RNZN 1943 fit, her last year in service with the RNZN as an AMC.
History:
Built for the P&O line by Harland and Wolff, she was laid down in Greenock on the 20th of June 1920 as Yard No.659 to be named SS Rasmak, launching on the 16th of October 1924. She finished fitting out in February 1925, achieving a speed of 19.8kt.
Her named was changed to Razmak before her delivery to P&O on the 26th of Feb 2925. Her maiden voyage would be on the 13th of March sailing to Bombay, India, however she wouldn’t remain on this line for long, switching to the Marseilles-Eygpt-India route in 1926.
She was laid up for sale from July 1930 before transferring to the Union Steam Ship co (USSc) due to the loss of their SS Tahiti in August 1930, being renamed Monowai after lake Monowai in Fiordland, New Zealand. She was laid up in Auckland from 1936.
Upon the outbreak of war in 1939, she was requisitioned by the RNZN for military use in October 1939. Guns suitable for an AMC had been stored at Devonport naval base in Auckland, and were to be fitted to the Monowai. Her refit was completed on the 30th of August 1940, commissioning as the HMS Monowai. She served as an AMC in the Royal Navy’s New Zealand division until the creation of the Royal New Zealand Navy in in October 1941.
Her primary role was convoy escort, most often escorting troop convoys from Auckland to the Pacific. During this period of convoy escort duty she saw a minor refit in 1941. In December of the same year during gunnery practice. she suffered a hung round in the port fowrd 6" gun, igniting the charge, blowing the gun’s breech into the gun crew, , killing 4 and injuring several others. The gun was replaced in port.
She received a large refit in 1942 which saw her gain the NZ made SS1 (modified) surface search radar set, extra 20mm Oerlikon cannons, and the replacement of two of her 6-inch Mk VII guns on 20° mountings with two 6-inch Mk XXIV on 30° mountings from HMS Ascania.
After these refits, the Monowai escorted the troopship HMNZS Taroona bound for Fiji while carrying troops herself. After landing these troops and refueling, she and the Taroona started a voyage back to Auckland, when only eight miles out of Suva two explosions were heard to port, before the Japanese submarine I-20 surfaced 7,000 yards abaft the port beam and opened fire. The Monowai responded with the 4x6" guns that could fire on the port broadside, straddling the submarine, which immediately dived to avoid damage, as she believed she was attacking a merchant ship. The Torpedoes the I-20 had fired had exploded prematurely, and it is believed that they had hit a coral reef in the area.
Considered obsolete in 1943 she was transferred to Liverpool and transferred back to the Royal Navy to be converted into a Landing Ship Infantry (large) or LSI(L). During her conversion she received a new armament, allowing for 1,800 fully equipped troops and 20 large assault landing craft. She was used in this role in a landing at Taranto in February 1944, as well as the Normandy landings in June of the same year. As a troop ship she carried over 73,000 troops to France from Britain.
After the war’s end in 1945 she partook in three voyages repatriating Russian POWs, then in 1946 she took part in repatriating Australian soldiers. the HMS Monowai was released from service in September of 1946 and returned to her owners, where she sailed the Trans-Tasman service, being broken up in Hong-Kong in 1960.
General Characteristics:
Dismensions:
Length: 500ft (152.5m)
Beam: 63ft (19.3m)
tonnage:10,852 GRT
Compliment: 366
Propulsion:
Type: Oil fired, twin shaft, quadruple expansion steam engines producing 14,740 bhp (10,990kW)
Speed: 18kt
Armament:
6 x 1 - 6-inch Mk VII on 20° mount
2 x 1 - 6-inch Mk XXIV on 30° mount
2 x 1 -3-inch QF 12-pounder 12 cwt on HA mounts
6 x 1 - 20mm Oerlikon
2 x 1 - Lewis machineguns
4 x 1 - Bren light machineguns
Sensors:
SS1 (Modified) radar
Sources
https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-collections/ships/monowai-armed-merchant-cruiser/
http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Tech-NZRadar.htm
McDougall, R.J (1989). New Zealand Naval Vessels. pp. 30–36.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNZS_Monowai_(F59)
http://ssmaritime.com/Monowai.htm
Simmons, E., & Smith, N. (2007). Echoes over the Pacific. pp 33-34 (http://radarreturns.net.au/archive/EchoesRRWS.pdf)
Jim Calder. (2014) HMS MONOWAI. ARMED MERCHANT CRUISER… 1940 – 1943 pp 1-5. (https://heritage.christchurchcitylibraries.com/Archives/Newth/CalderJ/PDF/JC-Monowai.pdf)
Note: More information about the SS1 type radar is needed, I cannot access the following files but they may include data relating to the performance of the set.
- ADM 220/1644 - Report of R.C.M. Trials, Tantallon, January-July 1944, where an NZ radar set was used to represent a German radar.
- New Zealand Scientists in Action: The Radio Development Laboratory and the Pacific War by Galbreath.