HMNZS Manuka
{{Short description|A Castle-class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2023}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = HMNZS Manuka (cropped).jpg | Ship caption = HMNZS Manuka in the Hauraki gulf }} {{Infobox ship career | Ship country = New Zealand | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|New Zealand|naval-1941}} {{shipboxflag|New Zealand |
| Ship name = Manuka
| Ship ordered = 1940
| Ship builder = Mason Bros. Engineering Co. Ltd Auckland
| Ship launched = 23 September 1941
| Ship commissioned = 30 March 1942
| Ship decommissioned = 1945
| Ship in service = 1946
| Ship out of service = 1952
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| Ship fate = Sunk at moorings in 1952 at the Chatham Islands
| Ship identification = Pennant numbers: T19, T401, WN82
| Ship laid down = 21 October 1940
| Ship operator = 1946-1952 Chatham Islands Fishing Company
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
| Ship class = {{sclass2|Castle|minesweeper}}
| Ship displacement = 625 tons
| Ship length = {{cvt|135|ft}}
| Ship beam = {{cvt|23|ft}}
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| Ship propulsion = Single screw, triple reciprocating engine
| Ship speed = {{convert|10|kn}}
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}}
|}HMNZS Manuka was one of three composite New Zealand-built Castle-class trawlers 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 {{sclass2|Castle|trawler|0}} design because it was simple enough to be built with the country's limited ship construction facilities at the time.{{Cite web |date=2015-10-06 |title=HMNZS Waiho Castle-Class Minesweeper |url=http://forum.rnzna.org.nz/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=110.0;attach=39 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221205319/http://forum.rnzna.org.nz/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=110.0;attach=39 |archive-date=2009-12-21 |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy |language=en-GB}}
Construction
Manuka was laid down on 21 October 1940 and was of a composite design, using Kauri wood due to a shortage of steel at the time. {{Cite web |title=CHAPTER 12 — Minesweeping in New Zealand Waters {{!}} NZETC |url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c12.html |access-date=2023-12-23 |website=nzetc.victoria.ac.nz}} Manuka was launched on 23 September 1941, being built by Mason Bros Engineering Co, located at Auckland.{{Cite web |title=THIRD MINESWEEPER |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19410924.2.76?items_per_page=10&page=3&query=manuka+minesweeper&snippet=true |access-date=2024-01-25 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} Being the third naval ship launched in New Zealand for the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Operational history
Manuka was the third of four composite minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy and was commissioned on 30 March 1942. The others were {{HMNZS|Hinau|T17|2}}, {{HMNZS|Rimu||2}}, and Tawhai. Manuka served in the LL Group (later renamed to the 194th Auxiliary Minesweeping Division){{Cite web |title=CHAPTER 18 — The Minesweeping Flotillas {{!}} NZETC |url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c18.html#n278 |access-date=2023-11-07 |website=nzetc.victoria.ac.nz}} which was located at Auckland.
Post-war
In 1946, Manuka was leased to the Chatham Island Fishing Company, under the condition that she would only be used in New Zealand waters, and that she would be given back to the navy in case of an emergency.{{Cite news |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19770830.2.210 |title=Light restoration brings memories |date=30 August 1977 |first=D. W |last=Hodge |work=The Press |page=31 |access-date=2023-11-11 |via=PapersPast}} Manuka would follow fishing fleets, working the coast that was sheltered. At the end of the day the fishing trawlers would discharge their catches onto Manuka, where they would weigh, clean and process the fish. When she was full, she would sail to Wellington, often carrying radios for repair, and mail. When the vessel returned it would carry supplies for the Chatham islanders. As time went by while in service, there would be more and more problems with the boiler on Manuka. to the point where she would need a replacement.{{Cite book |last=Makarios |first=Emmanuel |title=Nets, Lines and Pots: A history of New Zealand fishing vessels. |publisher=IPL Books |year=1996 |isbn=9780908876013 |edition=2nd |location=New Zealand}} Over the course of her career she would also run aground multiple times while fishing.{{Cite book |last=McDougall |first=R.J. |title=New Zealand Naval vessels |year=1989 |isbn=0-477-01399-6}} In 1950, Manuka was moored in Port Hutt, acting as a floating freezer, with local trawlers storing their catches onboard. On 4 October 1952, while anchored in Port Hutt, Manuka sunk at her moorings. There was nobody aboard when she sank.