- Yes - In the Tech Tree.
- Yes - Event/BP.
- Yes - Premium.
- No - I would not like to see HMNZS Matai in game.
HMNZS Matai during her early war service out of Auckland, 1941
Description:
HMNZS Matai was one of many requisitioned vessels transformed into minesweepers for the Royal New Zealand Navy during the Second World War.
Unlike most of the other requisitioned vessels, she was already under government control by the time she was taken over, however she was a part of the New Zealand Marine Department, acting as a lighthouse tender and cable layer.
This suggestion is for her fit as she appeared in the Solomon Island campaign in 1942.
SS Matai at Lyttelton harbour pre war, still acting as lighthouse tender (n.d)
History:
Laid down by R&W Hawthorn, Leslie and Co. Ltd, at Hebburn, England. She would be ordered directly by the NZ Maritime Department. She would launch on the 11th of the June 1930, fitting out and completing in July as the SS Matai.
She would leave the UK after completing, arriving at Wellington on the 31st of March 1931. She would service lighthouses all around both the North and South Islands, in addition to those placed offshore. also be the main cable layer for NZs underwater telegraph cables during this time, laying new cables and maintaining the older lines. As a secondary job she would act as the Yacht for the Governor-General of New Zealand, transporting whomever was in that position to where they were needed. She would also transport scientists around to small islands, as to collect scientific samples.
This would continue so until mid 1941, when she would be requisitioned for use as the Flagship of the 1st Minesweeping Flotilla. She was not requisitioned upon the start of the war in 1939, as it was believed that minesweeper numbers were sufficient, however the with the threat of the Japanese joining the war, there were now two parties that could lay mines in NZ waters, not just the one, thus increasing the need for their duties.
She would be refitted as the Flagship of the Minesweeping Flotilla due to her large size and internal arrangement, as she had large meeting rooms initially used by the Governor-General, which would be seen as useful. She had the usual minesweeping equipment added, a 4" gun, depth charges, and MGs on the bridge wings. She would be given the pennant T372, and commissioned as the HMNZS Matai on the 1st of April 1941.
SS Matai on the patent slip, Wellington, pre war (n.d)
After working up and trials, she would sail with other minesweepers as to clear a German minefield left in the Hauraki Gulf. She would also maintain friendly minefields due to her cable laying equipment, however she couldn’t lay her own mines, being effectively a minesweeper and dan-layer. In this role she would mainly see service out of Auckland, but was actually a mobile formation, moving to wherever they were needed.
The 1st Minesweeping flotilla was organised as such by 1941;
| Flotilla | Where | Ships | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1st NZ M/S Flotilla | Mobile | Matai (Flagship), Muritai, Rata, Gale, Coastguard | ||
| 1st M/S Group | Auckland | Wakakura, Humphrey, Duchess | ||
| 2nd M/S Group | Wellington | South Sea, Futurist | ||
| 3rd M/S Group | Mobile | James Cosgrove, Thomas Currell |
However, by August 1942, she would sail as the flagship of the 25th Minesweeping Flotilla, which comprised of HMNZS, Matai (flagship), Kiwi, Tui, and Moa. For this service she was refitted, as to give her a chance against Japanese aircraft and submarines. She would gain two single 20mm Oerlikons in two separate tubs aft, arranged one after the other, ASDIC would be fitted, and extra depth charges fitted. Her pennant would change to T01.
The Flotilla would join the US Solomon Campaign, arriving at Guadalcanal on the 31st of December 1942. Upon arrival they would begin ASW patrols out of Tulagi in addition to minesweeping efforts. During this time while sailing with the Moa, a US MTB would fire two torpedoes at the pair of vessels, but the torpedoes would pass between them. She would serve here without major incident until she was released from service due to the war’s end in 1945.
From here she would return to being the SS. Matai under the NZ Maritime Department. Soon after she would be seen as uneconomical in her pre-war roles, and as such was refitted as a ferry. This would last until she was sold in 1963 to Hong Kong Shipping Co and renamed Zetai Star. This would not last long, as she was scrapped in 1965.
| General Characteristics: | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Name: HMS Maitai | |||||
| Country: New Zealand | |||||
| Type: Minesweeper | |||||
| Class name: Matai | |||||
| Year of commission: 1941 | |||||
| Refit: 1942 | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Dimensions: | |||||
| Length: 219ft (66.8m) | |||||
| Beam: 35ft (10.7m) | |||||
| Draught: | |||||
| Displacement: 1,050t standard load | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Propulsion: | |||||
| Powerplant: Oil fired boilers with VTE producing 1,050hp (782kW) across two shafts | |||||
| Speed: 13kt | |||||
| Endurance: unknown | |||||
| ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | |||||
| Armament & sensors: | |||||
| Compliment: usually ~80, up to 90 | |||||
| Primary armament: 1x1 QF 4-inch Mk.V (High Angle mount) | |||||
| Secondary armament: 2x1 20mm Oerlikon | |||||
| Tertiary armament: 2x1 .303 Bren, Minesweeping gear, 40 Depth Charges, 2 rails | |||||
| Radar: -nil | |||||
| Sonar: Type 127 |
SS Matai now acting as a ferry post war (n.d)
Sources:
Gillett, R. (1983). Australian and New Zealand Warships 1914-1945 (p.294)
Harker. J (2000). The Rockies, New Zealand Minesweepers at War (pp.8-10, 43, 54-61, 133-145, 183-208)
Waters. S.D (2003) The Royal New Zealand Navy, (pp.163, 173-182, 202, 266-332)
Joining the Navy – RNZN Communicators Association
HMNZS Matai - Wikipedia
Matai 1930