HMNZS Santon (M1178)

HMNZS "Santon" (M1178) was a Ton" class minesweeper of the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). She was commissioned in 1965 and decommissioned in 1966. She was named after a small village in Humberside.

New Zealand career

Anti-infiltration patrols

Early in 1965 Indonesia was employing a policy of confrontation against Malaysia. New Zealand agreed to assist Malaysia by deploying two Royal Navy minesweepers then in reserve at Singapore. These were commissioned into the RNZN on 10 April 1965 and joined the Royal Navy's 11th Minesweeping squadron (also Ton class), taking part part in anti-infiltration patrols in Malaysian waters.

In her first year "Santon", together with her sister ship "Hickleton", carried out 200 patrols, with 20 incidents involving intruding Indonesians, often taking as prisoners those aboard intercepting small craft.

In April 1966 "Santon" assisted in the rescue of the crew of the wrecked Panamanian freighter"Carina".

By the time the Indonesian confrontation policy ended in August 1966 "Santon" had steamed 67,400 miles. Following the withdrawal of Commonwealth ships from the anti-infiltration patrols, the RNZN crew took her back to England, where she paid off in reserve at Portsmouth. The ship was subsequently sold to Argentina and renamed "Chubat" (M3).

ee also

*Minesweepers of the Royal New Zealand Navy

References

* McDougall, R J (1989) "New Zealand Naval Vessels." Page 83-84. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9780477013994
* Wright, Gerry (2006) "A Kiwi on our Funnel : The story of HMNZ ships Hickleton and Stanton", Zenith Print and Design. ISBN 0473108224