HMNZS Tawhai
{{Short description|World War II battleship}}
{{Use New Zealand English|date=January 2024}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2024}}
| {{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image | Ship image = ST_Tawhai_(cropped).png | Ship caption = Tawhai as a UNRRA fishing vessel. }} {{Infobox ship career | Ship country = New Zealand | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|New Zealand|naval-1941}} | Ship name = Tawhai | Ship ordered = | Ship builder = Seagar Bros. Ltd. Auckland | Ship launched = 20 July 1943 | Ship commissioned = | Ship decommissioned = | Ship in service = | Ship out of service = | Ship struck = | Ship reinstated = | Ship honours = | Ship fate = Sold to the UNRRA. | Ship identification = Pennant number: T20/T348 }}{{Infobox ship career | Hide header = title | Ship country = United Nations | Ship flag = {{shipboxflag|United Nations |
| Ship name = Tawhai
| Ship owner = United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration
| Ship acquired = 1946
| Ship in service = 1946
| Ship out of service =
| Ship fate = Last seen fishing October 1949
}}
{{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 Tawhai was a New Zealand-built composite Castle-class trawler built for the Royal New Zealand Navy during World War II for the intention for use as a minesweeper, later being converted into a fishing trawler.
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}}
Operational history
File:HMNZS Tawhai's launch.jpg. ]]
Tawhai was the last of four composite minesweepers to be built for the RNZN, the others being Hinau, Manuka, and Rimu. Tawhai was originally built for use as an LL Magnetic minesweeper, but by mid 1943, it was clear Tawhai was not needed as another LL minesweeper, so was to be completed as a conventional minesweeper.{{Cite book |last=McDougall |first=R.J. |title=New Zealand Naval vessels |publisher=GP Books, Informing New Zealanders |year=1989 |isbn=0-477-01399-6}} At the 28 September 1943 Navy Office conference, use of the Tawhai as a servicing vessel was considered but was declined. Tawhai would be 'work suspended' at the date of delivery when 95% complete and was declared surplus to the War Assets Realisation board in October 1944 for disposal. In 1946, she would be purchased by the UNRRA to rebuild the decimated Chinese fishing industry. {{Cite web |date=10 September 1946 |title=Trawlers for China |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/GISH19460910.2.41?end_date=31-12-1989&items_per_page=10&page=8&phrase=2&query=+tawhai+&snippet=true&sort_by=byDA&start_date=01-01-1945 |access-date=2023-12-10 |website=paperspast.natlib.govt.nz}} She was last seen with the Awatere and Pahau fishing at Formosa (now Taiwan).