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SAILOR OF THE YEAR REFLECTIONS ON WHAKAARI/ WHITE ISLAND HYDROGRAPHERS IN ANTARCTICA
MISSION TO TOKELAU
Contents 04 Sailor of the Year
24 New Base Commander
06 Humanitarian mission to Tokelau
28 Assistance in Fiji
12 Ceremonial port visit
30 History of the tot
14 Reflections on Whakaari/White Island
33 NZDF women’s rugby
20 Hydrographers in Antarctica
“ Being able to make a meaningful contribution to the people of Tokelau was awesome and seeing so many junior members of the NZDF all come together for a shared purpose was outstanding.” ~ Lieutenant Commander Jonathan Bannister, Executive Officer HMNZS CANTERBURY
06 Navy Today is the official magazine of the Royal New Zealand Navy. Established to inform, inspire and entertain serving and former members of the RNZN, their families, friends and the wider Navy Community. Published by: Defence Public Affairs HQ NZ Defence Force Wellington, New Zealand
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Editor: Andrew Bonallack Email: navytoday@nzdf.mil.nz Design and Layout: Defence Public Affairs
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Front and back cover: A Navy loadmaster with the ultimate view out both sides of his SH-2G(I) helicopter during Operation Calypso. Photographer: CPL Rachel Pugh
Yours Aye Chief of the Navy
In a year like no other, I am extremely proud of what our Navy has achieved over 2020. Without doubt the majority of the last 12 months has been dominated by the impact of COVID-19; however, in this issue I want to reflect on some of this year’s highlights.
“ I thank you for your professionalism, your flexibility, your endurance and your sacrifices in a year that has demanded we be courageous in our commitment to serve.”
HMNZS AOTEAROA’s arrival and commissioning has been a major milestone for our Navy and I know Captain Simon Rooke, MNZM, RNZN, and her Ship’s Company look forward to showing her to the country next year. The first of our upgraded frigates, HMNZS TE KAHA, is on her way back from Canada and will soon start the process of testing and trialling her new systems, and integrating her contemporary combat capability into the fleet. HMNZS CANTERBURY has delivered on a challenging mix of exercises and operations this year, and continues to demonstrate her value as a highly versatile regional asset. HMNZS MANAWANUI has worked tirelessly to build her operational capability, representing us on the international stage at RIMPAC 2020. HMNZS WELLINGTON represented us at Waitangi, following on from her exemplary service at White Island and in a high seas rescue in December 2019. And both HMNZS HAWEA and OTAGO have served the nation in various roles and functions inshore and internationally. HMNZS MATATAUA conducted a range of activities throughout the year, improving and releasing littoral warfare capability. A high point was a recent survey in Antarctica in support of future redevelopments of Scott Base. And of course, the team at No. 6 SQN have continued to provide outstanding support to our Ships during a range of operations including Operation CALYPSO, ENDURANCE and KAUWAE.
However, let us not forget that many of you have been involved in the Operation PROTECT deployment, helping to staff the Managed Isolation and Quarantine Facilities, Regional Coordination Centres and supporting Customs monitoring New Zealand’s port borders. This work has affected our programmes and our training, but our duty is clear. We, you, have helped keep New Zealanders safe. Your deployment has been instrumental in defending New Zealand against a massive threat to our way of life. Certainly, the graduating classes of BCT and JOCT 20/01 will likely long remember the five extra weeks of lockdown. I know you all demonstrate our Navy’s values in executing this unusual duty. I thank you for your professionalism, your flexibility, your endurance and your sacrifices in a year that has demanded we be courageous in our commitment to serve. Please take time with your families this Christmas, recharge, and be ready to bring that commitment to 2021. Kia a koutou katoa, Meri Kirihimete, me ngā mihi mō te Tau Hou. Yours Aye, He heramana ahau
Rear Admiral David Proctor Chief of Navy
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SAILOR OF THE YEAR
LLSS Peter Siulai Leading Logistics Supply Specialist
It was a surprise to even make the top three nominees for Sailor of the Year 2020, says Leading Logistics Supply Specialist Peter Siulai. Then last month, at the Junior Rates’ Whakaaro, he was announced as the winner. “That was a massive shock,” he says. “I’m still taking it in.” His citation, signed by the Chief of Navy, describes him as a sailor of professionalism, skills, enthusiasm, dedication and resilience – an epitome of the values expected of the modern sailor in the Navy. LLSS Siulai, 27, is an Australian-born Samoan whose parents moved to New Lynn, Auckland, along with his two sisters and a brother. He attended Kelston Boys’ High School where he was part of the services academy programme. He then went to an Advance Training Centre in Albany to do a military prep course for half a
year, and later went on to work as an exterior plasterer. “I originally wanted to be a police officer, but they weren’t recruiting teenagers fresh out of high school, so the police advised me to get some life experience with the Defence Force. The services academy was quite army-oriented, and it was quite cool, but the director of the academy at the time was ex-Navy. The Navy sounded more like me – the travelling, definitely, and I could still be in Auckland, close to my family.” He attended BCT 13/02. “It was similar to the academy, but a lot more fast-paced in everything, not just the physical side. I thought I was pretty fit when I joined, but I got a pretty big wake-up call. And there’s some things you can’t prepare for, and you take them as they come.” There were quiet moments during training when he reflected on his reasons for staying. “I wanted a stable career. And I was going to be the first in the family to join the military. Also I didn’t want the embarrassment of going home early, and living with the ‘what-ifs’.” Logistics Supply Specialist – formally Stores Accountant – was a trade he wanted, but he started as a chef first. “My recruiter told me there was an opening in BCT 13/02 as a chef and I went for it. I changed in six months to the LSS trade. It’s a really family-oriented kind of branch. You get exposed to a lot of deployment
planning from both ship and shore perspectives and you learn some of the ins and outs of most trades because you’re ordering spares and working quite closely with them. And everyone wants to be friends with people in logistics branch.” He’s been to sea on HMNZ Ships HAWEA and TE MANA, mainly the latter. He formally took the Sailor of the Year role from Leading Seaman Combat Specialist Sione Latu on 1 December. LSCS Latu has given him an insight into the role, which involves being a voice and driving initiatives for junior sailors as well as a VIP escort at events. Sailors of the Year are given an overseas study tour, although that will have to be postponed until COVID-19 is contained. “I’m told, there’s no real job description. The year for me as SOTY is based on how I want to run it.” Today, LLSS Siulai is the Logistics Supply Specialist Instructor at the Support Training Group. He likes the sense of purpose the Navy has given him in his life. “There’s a feeling of belonging, of getting into the uniform each day and being proud to wear it. Then there’s the camaraderie, the people you meet and the bonds you make, across the Defence Force.” But his family is a big driver for him, and contributing his share of “putting food on the table”, he says. “For my family, Sunday is about church and a big lunch with friends and loved ones around. Everything I’ve done so far, I’ve done for my family.”
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Humanitarian mission to Tokelau A complex infrastructure delivery to atolls without wharves or runways has been a resounding success for a tri-service team operating from HMNZS CANTERBURY, showcasing the concept of South Pacific cooperation in a COVID world. Andrew Bonallack reports. It’s been the best New Zealand Defence Force operation he’s been on, says HMNZS CANTERBURY’s Executive Officer, Lieutenant Commander Jonathan Bannister. In November HMNZS CANTERBURY, with Army and Air Force support, carried out one of the most complex Defence Force operations of the year, delivering water tanks and tonnes of infrastructure to the three main atolls of Tokelau, all while observing COVID-19 procedures. The water tanks were destined for schools and hospitals, while the infrastructure – solar panels – were for Tokelau’s renewable solar energy system on the atolls of Atafu, Nukunonu and Fakaofo. CANTERBURY is used to being the ship that gets people and equipment to difficult places, but Tokelau, situated about 600 nautical miles from the equator, has no wharf facilities for CANTERBURY to dock against, and no runway. Even the ship’s landing craft would struggle in the shallow
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reefs. How do you get 48 water tanks, 15,000 litres each, and around 150 tonnes of materials, from cargo deck to flight deck, from ship to shore, while at the same time having no physical contact with the Tokelau people? It had to be done by air. CANTERBURY embarked one Seasprite SH-2G(I) and two NH90 helicopters for the job, but there’s a lot of work to be done before a water tank or crate is positioned on the flight deck for a lift. In the case of the water tanks, the sea became a transition platform, says Assistant Supply Officer Lieutenant Brett Fitzgerald. “Fifteen tanks were stored in the cradled Landing Craft, where it was easy to use the ship’s cranes to get them to the flight deck. But with the 33 tanks stored in the cargo deck, we launched a RHIB, tied a line from the RHIB to a water tank and we pushed the tank off the stern ramp into the water. The RHIB could tow the tank to where the ship’s port and starboard crane could lift them to the flight deck.”
In some instances, the RHIB towed tanks to the shore when the flying window for the helicopters had ended but the programme needed to continue. Smaller items could be winched from the cargo deck directly to the flight deck via a hatch, and made up into bundles on deck. In all, the helicopters undertook 103 underslung loads from ship to shore. “The Ship’s Amphibious Load Team (SALT) worked their magic,” says LT Fitzgerald. “The day team moved cargo from the hangar to the flight deck during the day. Sergeant Geoffrey Troughton and his night team were like Santa’s elves, working hard to shift the cargo at night while the ship slept. We would wake up to find next day’s cargo laid out neatly on the flight deck and hangar ready to go, like Christmas presents under the tree on Christmas Day!” On shore, an Army specialist movement team from 5 Movements Company acted as the forward
HUMANITARIAN MISSION TO TOKELAU
THE TASKS • Deliver solar power infrastructure to Tokelau to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels. • Provide significant increase in water storage capacity for Tokelau. • Deliver new generator to Atafu atoll. • Test CANTERBURY’s operating procedures in a COVID-19 environment. • HMNZS MATATAUA to conduct surveys of the Faka’ofo villiage and Fenua Fala channels, the Nukunonu channel, the Atafu channel as well as a survey of a potential airfield on Nukunonu. • No. 230 Squadron team to provide image and geospatial analysis, identification of safe landing zones, and survey of surf zones in and around the coral reefs for passage of sea boats. • Deliver equipment and personnel to the Kermadec Islands for scientific and maintenance tasks.
THE STATISTICS
236
Soldiers, Sailors, and Airmen, plus personnel from MFAT, Vector Power Smart and GNS Science
64
Flying hours made up of
41 hrs NH90
23 hrs Seasprite
212 loads moved internally and
103 62.5 5,317nm
underslung loads hours at sea
distance steamed
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deployed element, going ashore each day to run the landing zones and liaise with the local population – from a safe distance. Loads were sanitised by a local team before being distributed. LTCDR Bannister says a particularly vital delivery was a new generator to Atafu atoll. “Their previous generator exploded a few months back and literally blew up the generator house. The tiny atoll had been running on an emergency backup ever since and locals were desperate for a replacement to ensure the lights and power remained on at the local school and hospital.” Much of the work was carried out in 35-plus degree heat, with personnel having to wear protective clothing, gloves, long sleeves and helmets.
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He says Operation Calypso demonstrates that, with a robust plan and system in place, the NZDF can operate in a COVID-19 environment in a safe and effective manner with minimal loss of capability. “It was a seamless demonstration of an integrated Defence Force, with all Task Group force elements combining to deliver a joint effect. But it was far more than the delivery of stores. Despite a lack of interpersonal contact due to COVID, the Task Group personnel were able to build a real connection with the people of Tokelau, and ultimately the NZDF and Government of NZ reputation in the region has been greatly enhanced.
“From a personal perspective, Operation Calypso has been without a doubt the best NZDF operation I have been involved in. Seeing the ship operate as effectively and efficiently as it did was amazing. It’s what I joined the Navy for. We spend months alongside in maintenance followed by intensive training, but I personally live for the real world operations. Being able to make a meaningful contribution to the people of the Tokelau was awesome and seeing so many junior members of the NZDF all come together for a shared purpose was outstanding.” The lessons learned would be invaluable if CANTERBURY is called to a Humanitarian and Disaster Relief mission in the Pacific, he says.
HUMANITARIAN MISSION TO TOKELAU
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“ When I flick a light switch or have a glass of water in Tokelau, I will think of the work completed by the NZDF that made it possible.” ~ Ross Ardern “We learnt some great lessons from Operation Calypso. We’ll build on them to ensure the Defence Force is ready to respond to support our Pacific neighbours if needed.” Administrator of Tokelau Ross Ardern says the operation had reminded everyone of the NZDF’s enormous capability. “HMNZS CANTERBURY was able to deliver key components for the Tokelau Renewable Energy Project and the Tokelau Water Resilience Project that would have taken many months to deliver by conventional methods,” he says.
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HUMANITARIAN MISSION TO TOKELAU
Donated Goods Part of Airlift Toys, books and sports equipment donated from Wairarapa’s Chanel College added a personal touch to the delivery to Tokelau. Susie Walker, Assistant Director of Religious Studies and the school’s Literacy Lead, says the school filled their foyer with old resources and equipment after a clean-out. “There were masses of English text books and editions of the School Journal. A whole heap of PE gear, like cricket bats and balls. They were still really good, too good to throw out, but we couldn’t use them anymore. So we thought getting them to the Pacific Islands would be ideal. And lo and behold, HMNZS CANTERBURY was going to Tokelau.” Mrs Walker’s husband is Commander Martin Walker, CANTERBURY’s Commanding Officer.
5 Movements Company Army personnel unloading the donated goods. Susie Walker and Deputy Principal Chanel College Nigel Bailey, with the donated goods in the college foyer.
The Deputy Principal delivered the donated goods to RNZAF Base Ohakea, where they were loaded up as part of an equipment delivery to Devonport Naval Base in Auckland. Mrs Walker says these good works are part of the school’s special character. “We are a Catholic school and our special character is service to others, reaching out to communities and seeing how we can help them.” Commander Walker says he and his junior officers helped repack the goods into three lots for the three schools on Fakaofo, Nukunonu and Atafu atolls. Owing to the lack of contact and COVID-19 separations, Commander Walker has not had word on the schools’ reaction, but he is sure they will be delighted.
FAREWELL Two dolphins make it look easy as they effortlessly stay ahead of CANTERBURY's bulbous bow, a fitting farewell from Tokelau. In fact, six dolphins turned up for CANTERBURY's departure, with photographer CPL Rachel Pugh claiming the moment for the photo of the day.
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MANAWANUI CELEBRATES AT HER HOME PORT Gisborne has embraced ‘their’ ship, enthusiastically welcoming her crew to Poverty Bay last month for the ship’s first ever ceremonial home port visit. Although based in Auckand, Royal New Zealand Navy vessels are affiliated to towns and cities based on historical or traditional links. MANAWANUI follows the tradition of its predecessors, hydrographic vessels HMNZS RESOLUTION and HMNZS MONOWAI, in being aligned with Gisborne. As part of the formalities of a home port visit, the ship receives the “Freedom of the City” in a charter between MANAWANUI and the City of Gisborne. The Charter grants the
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Ship’s Company the right to march through the streets with colours flying, drums beating and bayonets fixed. Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, MANAWANUI’s ship’s sponsor, toured the ship and helped the Chief of Navy promote the Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Andy Mahoney, to the rank of Commander. Commander Mahoney says the visit, over four days, had been months in the making, having been previously postponed due to COVID-19 restrictions. “The powhiri on arrival was very special. I was humbled by the welcome and the opportunity to speak at the powhiri where I talked about bringing the precious taonga, our symbol of command, created by [Gisborne artist] Sir Derek Lardelli, ‘home’ for the first time.” The Royal New Zealand Navy Band, local cadets and a platoon of Navy veterans supported MANAWANUI’s Ship’s Company on the march through the streets on Friday 28 November.
CEREMONIAL PORT VISIT
“ The receipt of a charter to a city is a long-standing naval tradition and one that we are incredibly honoured to receive from the Gisborne District Council.” ~ CDR Andy Mahoney
“It was a huge honour to parade through the streets with drums beating and bayonets fixed. The receipt of a charter to a city is a long-standing naval tradition and one that we are incredibly honoured to receive from the Gisborne District Council. Our crew come from all over New Zealand, but we can now proudly call Gisborne home.” On Saturday the ship held a public open day, with around 1,300 locals attending. The ship held an official evening reception for the Prime Minister, Navy senior leadership and Government Ministers. “The PM enjoyed the chance to interact with her Ship’s Company and we managed to surprise those working ‘back of house’ when she visited the galley.” CDR Mahoney and the mayor, Rehette Stoltz, are already planning the next visit. “We’re looking at ways we can mutually support each other going forward, including engagement opportunities with local schools and organisations.”
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Whakaari/ White Island – one year on HMNZS WELLINGTON Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Tim Hall talks about one of the toughest missions of his career. 14 | Navy Today #250
I was at home on leave when I first heard. The ship had got back on Friday from five weeks away conducting support to Ministry for Primary Industries Fisheries Officers all around the country, and the ship was preparing to enter a low-period over the summer. I wasn’t needed on board so I took a day off on the Monday. It was nearly the end of the working day and I was playing with my kids when the phone rang. I think I felt the same as everyone else at first – surprised and shocked that something so tragic had happened, and thinking about the poor people who were there and their families. Then I realised I was the duty ship, and that given the island’s location offshore, we were likely to be needed.
Conditions at sea varied over the week. There was a fairly consistent 1–2m swell, and it definitely got choppy on the windier days. Most of the Navy people were not bothered by the sea conditions at all. But, we had more than 100 different people on and off the ship over the course of the week and some of them had not really spent any time at sea before. They would probably tell you it was really rough. The thing that stands out to me is that it was so complex, and the situation was intense. There was pressure to get the victims’ bodies returned to their families, both from the public and from the team working on the operation. But the first rule of search and recovery is ‘Do not let yourself become a casualty’ so a plan to get people on to the island, do the job,
and get them back again, through this absolutely hostile environment – acidic volcanic gases, ash, mud, and the constant threat of eruption, made it incredibly complex. Another unique aspect was that while it was a land mission, it was delivered from sea, with helicopters from Police, Navy, and Air Force in support. On board the ship we had Mortuary Affairs and Medical staff from Army, Police leadership as well as Disaster Victim Identification teams, and even wellbeing and spiritual support in the form of an NZDF Chaplain and an Organisational Psychologist. It’s pretty hard to describe how it felt to be so close to Whakaari/White Island, knowing what had just taken place. It definitely affected us all in different ways. Some were quite
REFLECTIONS ON WHAKAARI/WHITE ISLAND
detached, just focussed on doing their jobs so the ship could run as well as it needed to. Others were clearly struggling with the reality of being so close to what had occurred – not a fear reaction, but in a spiritual and emotional way. I found that I was busy most of the time, but whenever I had time to think about what had happened and what we were there to do, my heart would skip a beat and my glasses would get steamy for a couple of minutes. But then something else would happen and I’d have to focus again. I definitely saw that Whakaari can be eerie, frightening, solemn, and actually, an absolutely beautiful place. On a bright sunny day, it has brilliant earthy tones surrounding the stark white steam and smoke coming from the crater, framed by blue sea and blue sky.
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Bottom left: HMNZS WELLINGTON's bridge team focus on their tasks. Bottom right: LTCDR Tim Hall talks with Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern.
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The Bay of Plenty Harbourmaster placed a five-nautical-mile Exclusion Zone around the island and it was our job to enforce that. My second-incommand and I were even deputised into the Harbourmaster's office so that we could enact the local by-laws. Really though, everyone who we called on the radio to remind them of the exclusion zone already knew and was not only compliant, but really genuinely appreciative of our being there. We had some heart-warming conversations with local boaties, thanking us for what we were doing. I think the training I drew on the most was flexibility and communication. There was a lot of information coming into the ship and the plan for the day would often change a few times during the day. I needed to make sure the whole ship understood what was happening and why, so that we could effect the plan as best we could. Flexibility is an inherent quality of sea power, and we definitely understood that during this operation. There were two main assets that the ship utilised to contribute to the operation – the RHIBs and the helicopter. The Flight team (C-Flight, from No. 6 Squadron RNZAF) were absolute professionals in everything they did and I hold them in very high regard. We used the aircraft every day, and it was absolutely crucial to have that capability available to the mission. We also performed over a month’s worth of RHIB missions in that week – 59 in total. To ensure those things (RHIBs and helicopters) function well is a whole-ship function, from the
REFLECTIONS ON WHAKAARI/WHITE ISLAND
engineers who keep them running, the logisticians who manage the correct spare parts on board and can find them when they are needed, the chefs who make sure the team can take enough food and water for the day with them, and finally the bridge watchkeepers who manoeuvre the ship, to allow the seamanship teams to safely launch and recover. Everyone was great to work with. Sometimes you get the sense that the different organisations have different collective opinions but as soon as you talk to a person, especially face-to-face, you are able to get past any misconceptions or lost-in-translation issues and get to the heart of the people, which is always in the right place. I still have some pretty strong feelings about the operation, actually. I don’t feel anxious about it any more, but it was a high-stress two weeks at sea. I still talk about the impact it had on the well-being of some of our people. Hands-down it was one of the most amazing periods of my career. Everyone involved wanted to do everything they could to help, it was a huge team effort, and I felt immensely proud to work with so many amazing people, and immensely privileged to lead them.
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Our People 1. ALSS Anita Berry (centre) stands with Defence Ferns as they prepare to take on NZ Police. 2. LTCDR Andy Mahoney, Commanding Officer of HMNZS MANAWANUI, with Gisborne artist Sir Derek Lardelli. 3. CPOSCS Ngahiwi Walker plays the guitar during a Te Whare Tangata Waananga event at Te Taua Moana Marae.
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4. From left, Chief of Defence Force AM Kevin Short with World War II veterans LT Neil Harton, RNZNVR, tail gunner Jack Marshall, DFC, RNZAF, and Deputy Chief of Navy CDRE Melissa Ross during an afternoon tea at HMNZS PEGASUS in Christchurch. 5. A Ship Sponsors’ evening at Devonport Naval Base. 6. BCT 20/02 trainees OMUS Micah Russell (left) and OSTD Cadie McQueen, get cracking with their Achilles Division teammates as part of a Work Up week at Tamaki Leadership Centre. 7. HMNZS OTAGO OSCS Jesse Grimes (centre) from Rotorua, was promoted to the rank of Able Rate. His rank slides were changed by ASCS Kaharau Mendes (left) and ASCS Joshua McGoverne (right). 8. LTCDR Mark Te Kani, Her Excellency Tui Dewes, NZ High Commissioner to the Cook Islands, and Derek Fox, President of Aotearoa Society Cook Islands, during an Armistice Day service on 11 November. 9. A combined promotion ceremony for service couple CDR Fiona Evans and WGCDR Rhys Evans, with their children Sam and Grace, at Defence House in Wellington. 10. HMNZS CANTERBURY officers relax with a game of Uckers in the wardroom. From left, SLT Erin Ward, SLT Dylan McLaughlin, MID Christopher Smith, MID Campbell Maitland. 11. Medal recipients for the RNZN Long Service and Good Conduct Medals, and 1st Clasps. From left, CPOCSS Patu Te Reo (1st clasp); WOMT(P) Trevor Inglis (1st clasp); CPOMUS Jonathan Franklin, (Chief of Navy RADM David Proctor – attending), POMT(L) Craig Julian, LT Evan Kaska (NZ Armed Forces Award), POYDS Sheena Tepania and CPOMED Toni Lusty.
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Getting to the depths of Antarctica A team of Royal New Zealand Navy hydrographers are in Antarctica as part of a feasibility survey for the complete rebuild of New Zealand’s Scott Base.
It’s the first time on the Southern Continent for Able Hydrographic Systems Operator Morgan Clark, who joined the Navy three years ago because it was a job with variety and you got to travel. She’s part of a Military Hydrographic Group of six from HMNZS MATATAUA who are conducting a pre-survey of the sea below the sea ice in front of Scott Base, at the Pram Point area of Ross Island. The Scott Base Redevelopment, a multi-million-dollar project, will see the existing base replaced with three interconnected buildings, replacing the 12 separate buildings constructed in the 1980s. It is likely the new buildings will be pre-constructed in New Zealand and shipped to Antarctica in modular sections. The hydrographic data, combined with previous work by Antarctica New Zealand, will confirm charted data and determine if it’s possible to bring a ship in to Scott Base. To train for the three to four-week mission, the first of its kind for MATATAUA, the team practised on a frozen Lake Alta in Queenstown. They then had to isolate for two weeks in a Christchurch hotel before flying down. The work involves using a single beam echo sounder, lowered through holes in the sea ice, set out at five-metre
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intervals and plotted by GPS. The depth data gathered will provide information on the feasibility of ships being able to get to the location to offload the construction materials. AHSO Clark, 27, arrived with her team on 30 October. “Our day starts with a safety brief, then getting geared up to go outside. We generally split into smaller teams when we are out on the ice, having some people digging holes in specifically marked locations in the snow to get to the ice, some people drilling holes through the ice and some people measuring the depth of water. We rotate in and out of these teams throughout the day.” While digging and drilling on the sea ice has its own challenges, she hadn’t realised how dramatic the environment can be. “Obviously, I knew it would be cold but it’s hard to imagine what it’s like being in temperatures as low as
MATATAUA ON ICE
The team have had additional challenges with the ice itself. “We expected the sea ice to be around 1.5 metres to 2.5 metres thick, but we have found it goes down for seven metres in some places.” In those instances the echo sounder, attached to a fixed length, couldn’t reach the sea ice, and the team resorted to oldfashioned lead line measurements.
-33°C until you have experienced it. Another thing that surprised me was how quickly the weather can change, I have seen it go from a nice sunny day at -12°C to a windy and snowy -22°C in the space of ten minutes while I was out in it.” The necessary layers can be a hindrance. “I don’t have much dexterity with three layers of gloves. Because it’s so cold we lose a lot of moisture in our breath, and it tends to accumulate in anything covering your face, including my goggles. It immediately freezes, making it hard to see. It’s a bit of a learning curve, getting used to all the different layers of clothing, what they do and how many layers to wear in different conditions, and it took me a few days to figure out what works for me.”
She says she expected living in Antarctica would be like living on a ship. “In a lot of ways it is, with the communal living aspect. The people here are great, they run a lot of events here to keep everyone entertained like movie nights, group outings along the walking tracks, and dress-up parties.” Her Antarctic trip is one more adventure in a role with lots of variety. “Each day in the Navy is different from the last. I love getting out on the water surveying; in my role we spend a lot of time on the water in small vessels. I have had opportunities to travel around New Zealand by sea, and Australia and Antarctica by air, and have meet some really awesome people along the way. Antarctica is an incredible place. During the first lockdown I took up photography, and I have had a lot of fun taking photos of the scenery here.”
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Moving to front of house Able Steward Andre’a Falchi
Able Steward Andre’a Falchi, HMNZS CANTERBURY, is a former chef but says it is more “out there” being a steward on a ship.
A steward’s primary role is in the officer’s wardroom at sea and ashore, providing a range of hospitality services from junior officers in the Navy up to Heads of State and members of the Royal Family. Table service and VIP support could be for 10 people, or a steward could be involved in an event for 500. “Menus are done, tables are laid. It’s everything you might see in a fivestar restaurant. We also look after officer’s cabins, and see that they get everything they need. “What I like about it is that you are more front of house. You meet people, talk to people. Chefing is a great skill, but it’s very hard work and you are behind closed doors. You don’t get to appreciate things so much. It’s great for me to be out, see people enjoying the food.” ASTD Falchi is also part of Fire Party 2, with for’ard Damage Control duties if an emergency is sounded.
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He says the Navy was very helpful with his proposal to change trade. “But you have to show initiative. You get some people that want to trade change, because they just want to get out of it. I said, I do like my trade, and I finished my chef’s task book first. But I know my skills are better suited to this trade. So they gave me a new task book to complete, and then I went on a course. It was a bit of a challenge, but I’m loving it.” The Navy provided “amazing support” as he tackled depression and a curious medical issue – Irlen Syndrome. “It’s when light enters your eyes, but it isn’t processed properly. Words can get jumbled when you read them. I have these special glasses that keep everything straight. All my years, in civvy street, no-one had picked up that I had it.”
“ Menus are done, tables are laid. It’s everything you might see in a fivestar restaurant.”
The pathway to success Lieutenant Alex Barnett
In a flexible Navy, the career path of a motivated officer can take some interesting directions towards success, even with a break in the middle.
Lieutenant Alex Barnett, 26, from Feilding, joined the Navy in 2012 straight out of Nga Tawa Diocesan School, a girls’ boarding school in the Rangitikei. Between then and now, she has changed her trade from warfare to supply officer, left for full-time study and returned, worked in real estate and ‘flipped’ two properties. At 17 years old, university was the natural next step, but that didn’t appeal to LT Barnett. “When you come from a farm, in a land-locked region, the Navy doesn’t really come up. They didn’t recruit at our school either. But there was this one Sports Prefect who joined the Navy a few years before me. She’s Air Force now. I emailed her and she said, join! Right at the end of my 7th form, I got on the selection board – without a clue what I was doing really.” On successful completion of her warfare training (and achieving dux of her Officer of the Watch Basic course) and a few ship postings later, she switched from Warfare to Supply Officer. “GLX (warfare) is a great trade, and I learnt loads. However I felt my people-focused personality was more aligned to Supply.” She left the Navy in 2017 and went to Massey University, staying as a Naval reservist, to study for a Bachelor of
Business, majoring in financial planning and advice. Her parents needed her for the family company, a fast-paced real estate operation. “I worked for my mum and dad and studied. I also worked one day a week at New Zealand Defence College (NZDC) in Hokowhitu to maintain my NZDF connections and keep my experience relevant. Nearing the end of my degree my boss at NZDC asked if I would consider coming back full time.” She bought and sold two properties in Feilding over three years, renovating and selling them to build up equity each time. She’s now on her third project, a more complicated subdivision. She says she missed the culture of the Navy. “I had grown up a bit, ticked off a few personal and family goals and now there’s so much I want to put into the Defence Force, and so much I want to get out of it. The people and the environment in the Defence Force was what drew me back – I needed some perspective to realise that. My little brother, who is an Air Force Flight Lieutenant posted to Headquarters Joint Forces, was also a constant reminder of the pretty amazing work the Defence Force does.”
But working in the private sector has been awesome, she says. “I worked on the opening of two new branch locations for the company, attended business conferences overseas and learnt how a small, profit-driven business works. That time removed, being around civilians, a different group of friends, has been a blast.” Following her Defence College role, LT Barnett has posted to Devonport, to return to the supply trade full time at the Supply Chain Group. “If nothing else, in the past three and a half years I’ve learnt how to fit a lot into each day. Every opportunity that’s come up I’ve thought, why not – sleep when you’re dead.” She says leaving for a period has a lot of benefits. “Sometimes after joining young you need a bit of space, scratch the itch, try something new, to get some clarity. Worse is to sit there and not change anything. The Defence Force is great because you can leave on good terms and the opportunities are there to come back with the right attitude and new skills. Perhaps I have done it in a ‘weird’ way, but I’m really excited to be back.”
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New Base Commander It was 1982 when 16-year-old Phil Wheadon, decked out in his father’s suit, turned up at a Royal Navy recruiting office in Lincoln to take the Navy’s aptitude test. The Falklands War was underway and lined up outside the office were a collection of lads, punks among them, fired up with patriotism and ready to do their bit against the ‘Argies’. He joined the line, but a careers officer, spotting him in the ill-fitting suit, guessed he had an appointment and brought him in. Fast-forward 38 years to last month, when Commander Phil Wheadon became the Commanding Officer of HMNZS PHILOMEL, taking over from Commander Ange Holland in a ceremony hosted at the Navy Museum. He describes those moments in the eighties as a “quite surreal” time. “The Falklands War was a particularly informative part of history for me. I was transfixed by what was going on, although I had always been interested in the military – I had been in Air Cadets as a kid.” As the recruiting officer set him up for the aptitude test, a Royal Marines sergeant was employing a quick-fire method to handle the off-the-street hopefuls who thought they’d be snapped up by a grateful military and on their way to Goose Green. “Next! In you come! Do 10 pull-ups! If you can’t do it, go away until you can!” In the background, a television was playing, and CDR Wheadon remembers
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hearing reportage of HMS SHEFFIELD being hit by an Exocet missile. As it happens, he failed the test, but determined to join, he went back to school and got the grades he needed to join as an engineering artificer apprentice a year later. After 10 years, serving in HM Ships INVINCIBLE, NOTTINGHAM, BIRMINGHAM and ILLUSTRIOUS, he left the Royal Navy in 1993 as a Chief Petty Officer Marine Engineer Artificer to undertake tertiary study. “The Cold War had finished a year or two previously, and there were massive defence cuts. I had started to get interested in higher education, so I volunteered for redundancy and took a decent wedge of money which helped with university. I definitely needed it; at the time I had a wife, a child and a mortgage. After university, the Navy got in touch and asked if I would like to come back.” He returned as a Lieutenant in the Engineer (Training Branch) and worked at the Royal Navy’s marine engineering school, HMS SULTAN, then on training systems for projects involving the Royal Navy’s Type 45 destroyer. He moved with his wife Jennifer and children Rebecca and Sam to New Zealand in 2004. “I had gotten friendly with some New Zealanders after teaching them on various courses. Career prospects weren’t brilliant at the time, and I had a bit of wanderlust. I saw an advertisement in
Navy News and sent a CV off. A recruiter in New Zealand called and said, we’re quite interested.” The New Zealand life has gone well, he says. As well as a number of shore postings, CDR Wheadon has served as Deputy Marine Engineer Officer in HMNZ Ships TE KAHA and CANTERBURY, and later Engineer Officer in CANTERBURY in 2014. His children are grown and his son, Sub Lieutenant Sam Wheadon, is an assistant Marine Engineer Officer in HMNZS OTAGO. His wife works for the Defence Force as a civilian. He moves into the Base Commander role from Fleet Engineer Current Operations, having been promoted to Commander in 2018. “It was a bit of a surprise, becoming Commanding Officer PHILOMEL. You aspire to command roles but engineers tend not to get them. I was ready to get out of engineering for a bit, and I’m very proud to be selected for this role. It’s an incredible opportunity.” The scope of the job is enormous, he says. “It’s an incredibly diverse job, with a huge range of areas you are responsible for. It could quite easily be overwhelming if you didn’t have a great team with you – and I do have a great team, who have been really helpful in managing this transition. I know my predecessor ran a really tight ship, and I hope I can live up to what she’s produced.”
NEW BASE COMMANDER
CHANGE OF COMMAND FOR HMNZS OTAGO Lieutenant Commander Tim Hall (right) accepts HMNZS OTAGO’s symbol of command, a hoe (paddle) from departing Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Ben Martin on 18 November, with Commodore Mat Williams, Maritime Component Commander, overseeing the transition. LTCDR Hall is also Commanding Officer of OTAGO’s sister ship HMNZS WELLINGTON, which is currently undergoing a maintenance period.
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The ‘Lynchpin’ at HMS SULTAN
“ Sometimes it is better to change 100 different things by 1% rather than changing one thing by 100%.”
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That’s good advice to a Quality Assurance and training engineer in a country coping with 20,000 daily cases of COVID-19. Lieutenant Prasad Chavan, a marine engineer officer, has been based at the Royal Navy’s Defence School of Maritime Engineering (DSMarE), HMS SULTAN, since May 2019. It’s a location most RNZN engineer officers – including LT Chavan - find themselves at for their Systems Engineering Management Course (SEMC), but he’s returned on secondment as the Defence Training Manager (DTM) (Auxiliaries). It’s a unique two-year Royal Navy exchange position available to RNZN marine engineers.
“My responsibilities are in two areas. Firstly, I’m responsible in providing assurance that all the auxiliary equipment such as the chilled water plants, reverse osmosis plants, high pressure air compressors and so on are available and safe to operate for training purposes. Secondly, I’m in charge of developing new training material and ensuring that the existing training material is fit for purpose. I’m also occasionally involved in delivering instruction as I have taught various subjects from environmental compliance to ship stability to all ranks from Leading Hand to Commander.”
WORKING IN THE UK
“It is a fine balance as the last thing you want to do is overload people with unmanageable good ideas in the time of anxiety and uncertainty. I made sure that the changes I was pursuing were relatively simple but at the same time manageable and value-adding.”
Another headache was that a lot of the equipment at DSMarE was not separated by two metres. The school shut down for a month, to adjust the positioning of the equipment and install Perspex screens. He personally hasn’t got sick, but members of his staff have. “The medical risk is quite high compared to New Zealand. Overall, the situation is very fluid and unpredictable, which requires good contingencies to be in place.” He describes the COVID-19 challenges for the school as unprecedented. “UK Government guidance required people with certain underlying medical conditions – diabetes, weak immune system, people over 70 – to shield themselves in their homes to keep them safe from the infection. This meant that at one stage, five of my trainers were shielding at home and could not come on site to deliver training. With no remote training delivery capability, the section lost a significant number of its staff whose training load had to be picked up by the others.” Social distancing at the DSMarE was the biggest challenge. “Classrooms that used to take 20 people were now only suitable for 10, and there’s only a handful of venues that can handle 20-plus students with two-metre social distancing. The entire timetable had to be re-done with classes split up.” Inevitably, smaller classes and repeating courses meant longer hours for instructors.
LT Chavan's efforts in establishing work routines and contingencies has earned him a Captain’s Meritorious Award. The Commanding Officer of HMS SULTAN, Captain John Voyce RN, described LT Chavan as the “lynchpin” during the COVID-19 pandemic, a staff member who took the lead to ensure his colleagues could access training material remotely, while stepping in fill training gaps and absorb workloads.
LT Chavan says he misses New Zealand, and all the fun aspects of being overseas – travel, events, meeting new people – have had to be put on hold for the moment. “I’m looking forward to resuming travel once the situation is under control. There are also countless opportunities to attend courses, conferences and industry visits for ongoing professional development. We got the opportunity to attend the Queen’s Garden Party at Buckingham Palace, which was the highlight of my downtime so far.” He was sad not to have been able to attend the funeral of Petty Officer Barry (Baz) Waerea recently, a man who had a big impact on both his career and on him personally. “Therefore, although I’m halfway across the world I make a more concerted effort to keep in touch with my friends and colleagues back home.”
“The COVID situation certainly forced all of us to think outside the box in many aspects and all I did was to pursue the most promising ideas vigorously to make them a reality,” says LT Chavan. “It is a fine balance, as the last thing you want to do is overload people with unmanageable good ideas in the time of anxiety and uncertainty. I made sure that the changes I was pursuing were relatively simple but at the same time manageable and value-adding.”
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Our experts are your experts Two Navy sailors “ My role is to instruct are part of a a basic hydrography 15-member combined course to a group New Zealand of eight surveyors Defence Force and in the Fiji Navy Ministry of Defence Surveying branch. training team in Fiji. Warrant Officer Physical Training Instructor Chris Attrill and Chief Petty Officer Hydrographic Survey Technician Thomas Chell are in a Mutual Assistance Training Team (MATT) in Suva for around seven weeks, plus two weeks’ isolation in Fiji on arrival and in New Zealand on return. CPOHST Chell, normally based with HMNZS MATATAUA, coordinates exercises and operations for the hydrographers. When asked if he would like to instruct the Fijian Navy, he said yes pretty quickly.
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A lot of the course is to build on their experience of using the equipment and survey programmes and tools that they have, as well as helping them create operating procedures.”
ASSISTANCE IN FIJI
It’s his first time working with Fijians, who are very practically-minded and like to learn hands-on. “They are an extremely friendly group of people. All of the course members have been really eager to learn and have been easy to get along with and find common ground – they love their rugby and volleyball. Because they have been so happy to learn and understand concepts, it has made working with them and the surveying branch a really good working environment.” WOPTI Attrill, currently the head of trade for Navy Physical Training Instructors, is basing his role in Fiji on his previous posting as a leadership instructor with the Navy’s Leadership Development Group. “It was a role that provided significant personal development opportunities, so I saw the Fiji MATT as a means of giving back to an organisation that has given me so much.”
He says the personnel in the workshops are very expressive in written answers and very detailed with their note-taking but tend to be shy verbally expressing their experiences. He went to Fiji when he was posted to HMNZS CANTERBURY during the ship’s humanitarian deployment to Fiji following Cyclone Winston in 2016, but interaction then was minimal. “The experience I have had with the Fiji MATT has been amazing. The Fijians have been very engaging and genuine in their responses. They seem to operate in a very fluid environment, with short notice programme changes being the norm.”
From left: CPOHST Thomas Chell and Fijian Navy personnel conduct a Rapid Environmental Assessment (REA) practical for a beach landing on Nukulau, a small island off Suva. Fiji Navy sailors receive instruction in leadership essentials. Fijian Navy personnel work on a tide gauge beside patrol boat RFNS LEVUKA.
The pair have been working in 30-degree temperatures, with heavy rain and high humidity. “The Fijian Military tend to start their days a lot earlier than back at home, so by midafternoon when the heat and humidity is at its peak we’ve normally wrapped up the day’s training.”
He is working with their Leadership Development programme, facilitating workshops on leadership theory. “This will underpin their leadership level transition courses once the Republic of Fiji Military Forces have introduced their own unique leadership framework.”
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TOTS AND SPLICE THE MAINBRACE Source: Navy Museum
Last month’s ‘Splice the Mainbrace’ event prompts Navy Today to explore the history of the rum issue in the Royal New Zealand Navy. Defence Headquarters, Wellington, doesn’t have the native timber panelling, the portraits and plaques, the silver platters and the polished brass that comes with the older buildings at Devonport Naval Base. So the gleaming copper urns and measuring cups, positioned on trestle tables on Level 1, look anachronistic in a public service building less than a year old. Even more so is the nearby line of bottles of quality rum, Lambs and Pusser’s British Navy Rum from the United Kingdom.
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Members of HMNZS WAKEFIELD – naval staff in Wellington – line up for their ‘tot’. The rum is first poured into a small copper flagon, then poured again – absolutely to the brim – into a copper cup equating to ½ a gill, 1/8 of a pint, around 71ml. The overflow falls into a large copper urn and the waiting sailor, witnessing the pour and satisfied with the full measure, holds out a plastic cup to receive the liquor. Most of the WAKEFIELD Mess are officers or senior rates and are entitled to have the tot neat, while the small number of junior rates have theirs mixed with one part water, as per regulations. The libation is courtesy of a declared ‘Splice the Mainbrace’, ordered by the Governor General Dame Patsy Reddy to celebrate the arrival of HMNZS AOTEAROA, the Navy’s latest vessel. The tradition is the only surviving aspect of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s long history of a daily rum issue – one of the longest in the Commonwealth, as it happens.
According to the Navy Museum, the daily issue of the rum ration was a Royal Navy tradition, considered a compensation for poor food and arduous conditions. It carried into the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, which became the Royal New Zealand Navy in 1941. Every day before lunch, sailors on ships who were of legal drinking age would line up to receive their tot, supervised by the Duty Petty Officer and the Officer of the Day. It was not compulsory, says Warrant Officer Wayne Dyke, Warrant Officer of the Navy. “There were other options, like drawing lemon bitters instead of the tot, or you could take the five cents daily payment in lieu of your rum issue entitlement.” The rum tot was not issued at shore establishments such as HMNZS PHILOMEL. “The ‘rum mug’ was never cleaned and was provided by the sailor, and any manner of mug was used. Two buckets were used, one contained the rum, the other the water and ice.”
OUR HISTORY
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later consumption or as currency for bartering for parts and assistance, or for purchasing ‘rabbits’ – gifts and presents. “It was often used as payment to get rabbit jobs done or urgent repairs completed by the dockyard staff,” says WOCWS Dyke. “Foreign navies would frequently swap items for rum or alcohol.” But the RNZN’s affair with rum came to a close. By 1989 more sailors were receiving an allowance than taking their rum issue. Ironically, WOCWS Dyke’s one and only drawing of the tot, on 28 February 1990, was the last one in RNZN’s history.
The mixing of water with the rum for junior rates was in deference to their young age and to the potency of the rum. Junior rates had to drink their rum and water mix on the spot. The more ‘salty’ older sailors and officers were assumed to be hardier, and senior rates also had the advantage of being able to take their tot back to their messes. “The ‘mess men’ or a designated mess member would collect the tot for senior rates. It tended to be given to the mess in large bottles and over time the senior rates would get a bottle each.” Most other navies were ‘dry’, which meant the rum in a New Zealand ship
had a ‘street value’, says WOCWS Dyke. The Royal Navy discontinued the issue of rum after 31 July 1970 (known as ‘Black Tot Day’), the Americans in 1862. The Royal Australian Navy never had a rum ration. HMNZS GAMBIA veteran Ken Gordon, recounting his war stories in Navy Today September, says it was known New Zealand ships had rum on board and Americans would do anything for it. There is a famous WWII story of HMNZS MOA’s crew persuading the US Navy to unofficially fit a 20mm oerlikon gun to her deck for two bottles of gin – a move that would prove vital later in the war. What typically happened was the tots were accumulated and stored for
Chief of Naval Staff, Rear Admiral Somerford Teagle ended the practice, noting the antiquated concept of rum as compensation for hardship really didn’t apply to the Navy of today. “Strong spirit is simply not appropriate in a high technology service which places increasing emphasis on individual responsibility.” The tradition of “Splice the Mainbrace” would remain, as would the authority of Commanding Officers to approve a special spirit issue following exceptionally arduous duty. The expression is believed to originate from work done to the main brace, one of the stoutest lines in the rigging on a sailing ship. If the main brace had parted, the work of splicing it was difficult and arduous, meriting an extra rum ration for those who carried out the work.
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Honorary Captains By Douglas Pauling
My introduction to the Royal New Zealand Navy happened in 1983 when I started Air Affairs NZ Limited, a private company, to provide the Navy with weapons training and calibration services. Now known as AAL, it is owned and operated by two senior ex-RNZN officers. The company continues to provide services and equipment to the RNZN, which remains one of the company’s key customers after more than 30 years. Many exciting and positive changes have happened during my long association with the RNZN. It was in the nineties when rapid change began. Many well-trained officers and ratings were coming through the ranks with a passion for the Navy and great ideas. The introduction of the Anzac frigates meant new command and control systems, new weapons, new training facilities and a host of other capabilities together with a strengthening of private sector and government partnerships.
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I was offered the appointment to serve as an Honorary Captain by Rear Admiral Peter McHaffie in 2002. I accepted without hesitation. This has allowed me to enjoy a wonderfully inclusive association with our Navy. On occasions the honorarium has allowed me to act as an ambassador for things Navy and to speak with some knowledge. There are some nice benefits to being an Honorary Captain – invitations to significant naval parades and occasional participation in sea days. For my 65th birthday, Rear Admiral Tony Parr arranged for me to visit the Auckland Islands as a guest of Commanding Officer Lieutenant Commander Simon Griffiths in HMNZS WELLINGTON. Under the watchful eye of his team, I kept out of trouble and had a most memorable naval experience. One of the biggest changes I have witnessed in the Navy over the last 30 years is with personnel and the inclusion of all Naval people into the Naval whānau. The move to embrace all personnel, ratings, officers, and civilians in the strategic development of the Navy is exceptional. Women have a major presence in the executive of the RNZN. It started slowly in
1986 when the Chief of Navy was authorised to offer ‘temporary seagoing postings’, in ‘non-combatant ships’ to women. Then in 1996, Melissa Ross broke new ground as one of the first women to serve on an RNZN warship on an operational mission. Indicative of these changes, she is now a Commodore and the current Deputy Chief of Navy. In 2017, Commander Lisa Hunn made history becoming the first female commanding officer of an RNZN frigate. Despite having a small budget, the RNZN has become a professional and well equipped Navy with a clearly defined role, prepared and adapting for what is hoped will be a durable period of peace. Private sector partnerships are working well for the Navy. However, we must continue to make sure the Navy’s strategic partners are there not just for the dollars. Partnerships must ensure that benefits flow both ways. It’s a twoway street. The corporate sector does not have all the answers, and I would venture to suggest that there are many things they can learn from the Navy and Naval personnel.
Defence Ferns unstoppable
The newly-named Defence Ferns launched their 2020/21 season with a devastating win against the New Zealand Police last month. The New Zealand Defence Force’s Women’s rugby team dished out an 80-0 win at The Trusts Arena, Waitakere, Auckland on 14 November, a curtain-raiser for a day celebrating Wahine Toa. Samoa vs Tonga later took to the field for a World Cup qualifier, capped off by the Black Ferns against the NZ Barbarians as the main event. During a year in which many activities have been cancelled, including sport, with the focus on protecting our force and everyone in New Zealand, the team had come together only days before the match. Some players had come from recent deployment working in managed isolation facilities, one other had recently been in managed isolation
after returning from deployment overseas, while others had come off ships and camps and bases around the country. Clementine Varea scored their first try in three minutes. Navy players ALSS Anita Berry, ACH Caroline Sio, LCWS Hayley McKay, LYDS Meriana Hokianga and ENS Kate Williams made strong runs and hard work up front, while AWTR Taiwa Tamaki and ACSS Phoenix Littin showed their pace out wide.
“Varea was unstoppable,” says ACH Tamea Te Rauna, “scoring a hattrick prior to half time. In the second half, special mention goes to Sio who managed to steal the ball while defending a line out, then achieved a phenomenal offload to Berry. Berry showed her pace and scored a runaway try in the left-hand corner.”
Top: ALSS Anita Berry goes high in the lineout. Above: ACH Tamea Te Rauna looks for support.
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“ NZDF Rugby worked closely with New Zealand Rugby to put together an event to celebrate Wahine Toa who are helping keep people safe women from the NZDF and NZ Police.” ~ SQNLDR Joe Tasker
It is only the second 15-a-side match played by the NZDF women – the first was a memorable 41–0 win over Australian Defence Force last year. This means that after two games the team has scored 121 points and conceded zero. In a move endorsed by New Zealand Rugby, the team were announced as the ‘Defence Ferns’ for the first time. The match was the first for the NZDF women in their build-up to the inaugural women’s International Defence Rugby Championship (IDRC) next year. The IDRC will be played in conjunction with the women’s Rugby World Cup (RWC) 2021, which is being hosted by New Zealand Rugby. Defence Ferns team manager Squadron Leader Joe Tasker says it has been a year no-one will forget. “Many activities have been cancelled, including sport. NZDF Rugby worked closely with New Zealand Rugby to put together an event to celebrate Wahine Toa who are helping keep people safe – women from the NZDF and NZ Police.” As a team-building exercise prior to the game, the Defence Ferns supported ‘Sunday Blessings’ in the Auckland CBD, helping to feed a large group of unhomed persons. “Giving back and working together aims to develop teamwork and empower our women to lead by example. It was a humbling rewarding experience for all involved.”
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Clockwise from top: Navy’s Clementine Varea crosses over the line. LCWS Hayley McKay feeds to the back line. LYDS Meriana Hokianga on the move. ACH Tamea Te Rauna clears the ball. AWTR Taiwa Tamaki finds some space.
CAPES
Introducing CAPES Clothing and Personal Equipment System
NZDF will be introducing a new Clothing and Personal Equipment System (CAPES) in early 2021, changing the way NZDF manages clothing and personal issue items on a day-to-day basis. It will digitise and standardise the current mix of systems and manual processes.
Personnel from Devonport, Ohakea and Burnham have been taking part in piloting and testing the system, ahead of the pan-NZDF rollout. Participants identified some features that needed additional work, but overall gave lots of positive feedback on the new system. CAPES will help to ensure you’ve got the right kit at the right time, for your role and function. It will also improve the reuse of Part Worn Serviceable (PWS) clothing across NZDF. The clothing and personal equipment you’re entitled to (Scales of Entitlement) will be automated and linked to your HR data – based on your Service, Trade, Rank and Gender. Each Service person will have a Personal Holding Record which will be automatically updated when you receive or return an item of clothing.
Work is now underway to plan the rollout of the system across each Service. You’ll have an opportunity during rollout to check your initial Personal Holding Record and get this updated, and to return any clothing you no longer need. If you have spare time over the holidays it might be a good opportunity to check the items you have buried in the back of the wardrobe or garage! Keep an eye out for posters coming out in your local area, about what you need to do. For more detailed information you can check out the CAPES ILP page.
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