HMNZS Philomel

HMNZS "Philomel" is the main administrative naval baseof the Royal New Zealand Navy. Originally a training base on board the cruiser it takes its name from, it is part of the Devonport Naval Base in North Shore City, Auckland, New Zealand.

History

The naval base had its origin in 1921 when the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy was first formed. The old cruiser HMS "Philomel", with her engines and armament removed was moored at the Admiralty reservation, Devonport Dockyard, Auckland, and re-commissioned as a naval training base. HMS "Philomel" has been desribed as the "Cradle of the Navy". [Waters, Sydney David (1956) "The Royal New Zealand Navy: Official History of World War II", [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-a8.html Appendix VIII : Record of HMNZS Philomel] ]

In October 1941, on the creation of the Royal New Zealand Navy, HMS "Philomel" was recommissioned as the training base HMNZS "Philomel". Because of wartime demands for increased training many of her training functions were transferred, along with the ship's main mast, to a new base HMNZS "Tamaki" situated at Motuihi Island. [Waters, Sydney David (1956) "The Royal New Zealand Navy: Official History of World War II", [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-c26.html#n422 Page 422 ref HMNZS Tamaki] ]

Over the years "Philomel" sprouted many creative additions on her decks in an effort to provide more space for her operations. These physical extensions then spilled over to the use of onshore buildings.

In January 1947 the boat "Philomel" was finally decommissioned and HMNZS "Philomel" became a land establishment. In 2000, HMNZS Tamaki was decommissioned with its functions absorbed again by HMNZS "Philomel".

Current

Today "Philomel" is a sprawling land establishment located at Devonport.

It is the home of Naval Support Services. This incorporates a navy museum, a navy band and a fleet gymnasium. Support Services are also responsible for the logistics and organisation of Naval personnel, and for visits to the base by foreign ships. Its Naval Community Office provides support for families of naval personnel, and its Te Taua Moana Marae is the cultural home for all naval personnel, regardless of iwi or upbringing. [ [http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-base/default.htm Official Navy website] ] It incorporates the naval college "Tamaki", formerly HMNZS "Tamaki", which coordinates training within the naval base from new entry or officer training to damage control and command schools that everyone must attend at stages of their career. There are also schools for naval specialisations such as marine engineering, Officer of the Watch, hydrography and communications. [ [http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-base/rnzn-college/default.htm RNZN College] ]

ee also

* Naval bases of the Royal New Zealand Navy

References and notes

* Walters, Sydney David (1956) "The Royal New Zealand Navy: Official History of World War II", Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington [http://www.nzetc.org/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2Navy-a8.html Appendix VIII : Record of HMNZS Philomel]
* McDougall, R J (1989) "New Zealand Naval Vessels," Pages 11-13, 157-158, Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780477013994
* Other, A.N. [http://www.navyhistory.org.au/hmnzs-philomel/ HMNZS Philomel: The cradle of the Royal New Zealand Navy] , article in "Naval Historical Review", March 1983.

External links

* [http://www.navy.mil.nz/visit-the-base/default.htm Official Navy website] HMNZS PHILOMEL
* [http://www.navymuseum.mil.nz/history/time/49-2000/training/hmnzs-philomel.htm NZ Navy Museum] HMNZS PHILOMEL