HMNZS Rimu
{{Short description|A Castle-class minesweeper of the RNZN}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2023}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=November 2023}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = HMNZS Rimu (cropped).jpg | Ship caption = HMNZS Rimu In the Hauraki gulf. }} {{Infobox ship career | Ship country = New Zealand | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|New Zealand|naval-1941}} | Ship name = Rimu | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Seagar Bros. Ltd. Auckland | Ship launched = 9 September 1941 | Ship commissioned = 15 July 1942 | Ship decommissioned = 1945 | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship honours = | Ship fate = Hulk sunk by the Royal New Zealand Air Force in 1958 | Ship identification = Pennant numbers: T18, T402 }} {{Infobox ship characteristics | Ship class = {{sclass2|Castle|minesweeper}} | Ship displacement = 625 tons | Ship length = {{cvt|135|ft}} | Ship beam = {{cvt|23|ft}} | Ship draught = | Ship propulsion = Single screw, triple reciprocating engine | Ship speed = {{convert|10|kn}} | Ship range = | Ship complement = | Ship EW = | Ship armour = | Ship armor = | Ship aircraft = | Ship notes = }} |
HMNZS Rimu 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|minesweeper|0}} design because it was simple enough to be built with the country's limited ship construction facilities at the time.{{Cite web |title=HMNZS Waiho Castle-Class Minesweeper|first=Michael|last=Wynd |date=December 2009 |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
Rimu was laid down in 1940 and was of a composite design, using Kauri wood due to a shortage of steel at the time.{{Cite book|title=The Royal New Zealand Navy: Chapter 12 — Minesweeping in New Zealand Waters |publisher=Historical Publications Branch, New Zealand Government |date=1956 |first=Sydney D. |last=Waters |url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c12.html |access-date=2023-12-23 |page=176 |via=NZETC, Victoria University of Wellington}}{{Cite news|title=Rimu Launched |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19410909.2.55 |access-date=2024-01-25 |work=Auckland Star|issue=213, Vol. LXXII |date=9 September 1941|page=6|via=Papers Past}} Rimu was launched on 9 September 1941, being built by Seagar Bros. Ltd, located at Auckland. Being the second naval ship launched in New Zealand for the Royal New Zealand Navy.
Operational history
Rimu was the second of four composite minesweepers constructed for the Royal New Zealand Navy and was commissioned on 15 July 1942. The others were {{HMNZS|Hinau|T17|2}}, {{HMNZS|Manuka||2}}, and Tawhai (never commissioned). She served in the LL Group (later renamed to the 194th Auxiliary Minesweeping Division){{Cite book |title=The Royal New Zealand Navy: Chapter 18 — The Minesweeping Flotillas |publisher=Historical Publications Branch, New Zealand Government |date=1956 |first=Sydney D. |last=Waters |url=https://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c18.html#n278 |access-date=2023-11-07 |pages=269–273 |via=NZETC, Victoria University of Wellington}} which was located at Auckland. She had refits in March 1943, August 1943, and October 1944.{{Cite book |title=Minesweeping operations: HMNZS Rimu |publisher=Archives New Zealand}}
Post-war
In September 1945, she would be paid off and placed into reserve. In 1954 she was sold to F. Appleton of Penrose to be scrapped at the Viaduct Basin along with the Hinau, and the tug Toia.{{Cite news |title=R.N.Z.A.F. will Sink Hulk |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19580820.2.154 |access-date=2023-11-11 |work=The Press|location=Christchurch|issue=28669 |date=1958-08-20|page=17|via=Papers Past}}{{Cite news |date=1955-02-02 |title=Three Navy Craft Scrapped |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19550202.2.71 |access-date=2023-11-07 |work=The Press|location=Christchurch |page=12|issue=27573|via=Papers Past}}{{Cite book |last=McDougall |first=R.J. |title=New Zealand Naval vessels |publisher=GP Books |location=Wellington |year=1989 |isbn=0-477-01399-6}}
File:Rimu at the Viaduct Basin (cropped).png
In 1958, her hulk was offered to the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a target ship.{{Cite news |date=1958-08-23 |title=Hulk Sunk Too Soon |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19580823.2.18 |access-date=2023-11-07 |work=The Press|location=Christchurch |page=4|issue=28672|via=Papers Past}} Rimu was to be hit with depth charges, machine-gunned, and rockets from four de Havilland Vampire jet fighters. Rimu was machine-gunned and was struck by dropped depth charges which broke the ship in half, sinking her instantly.