A selection of Action photographs appear below,
kindly donated by Peter Bennett.
Introduction
In 1943, both of the New Zealand Navy's two cruisers, ACHILLES and LEANDER were damaged in the Solomon Islands campaign, this being compounded by an explosion onboard ACHILLES in June of that year, while in dockyard hands. Following discussions with the Admiralty, it was decided that New Zealand would commission a near new cruiser of the Fiji Class which was then undergoing refit. Accordingly, the men standing by to recommission ACHILLES were drafted to commission HMNZS GAMBIA while the crew of LEANDER travelled to Britain and recommissioned ACHILLES.
GAMBIA had been laid down in 1939, in the yard of Swan Hunter & Wignam Richardson at Wallsend on Tyne and was first commissioned in February of 1942. after service with the Eastern Fleet, which included the assault on Madagascar, the ship returned to Britain for refit and modernisation. This work included the removal of the two aircraft and the upgrading of radar and communications for anti-aircraft duties.
War Service
On 22nd September 1943 HMNZS GAMBIA was commissioned for service with the Royal New Zealand Navy, under Captain N.J.W. William-Powlett DSC, RN. However, the formal transfer did not take place until 8 May 1944, the date that LEANDER reverted to the Royal Navy.
In the Atlantic
After working-up at Scapa Flow GAMBIA was employed in the Atlantic on anti-blockade runner duties until the end of 1943. At the end of January1944 the ship sailed to join the Eastern Fleet, joining the 4th Cruiser Squadron at Trincomalee, Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) on 19th February. GAMBIA then participated in further operations against blockade runners, this time in the Indian Ocean, until late March.
With the Eastern Fleet
At this time the Eastern Fleet was being built-up in preparation for operations against the Japanese. The first of these in which GAMBIA participated was carrier raid on Sabang in April 1944, which was followed by a similar raid on Surabaya in May. Other operations of this kind were conducted by the Fleet, in co-operation with the United States Navy forces over the next few months.
After a short refit in September GAMBIA was at Trincomalee on 6th October, when HMNZS ACHILLES arrived to join the Eastern Fleet. Ten days later, having embarked a number of passengers, GAMBIA sailed for Australia and New Zealand, arriving in Wellington on 4th November. At the end of that month the Eastern Fleet was re-designated the British Pacific Fleet.
With the British Pacific Fleet
GAMBIA had a five week refit at Auckland in December and following some New Zealand port visits, was joined by part of the Fleet, including the flagship, HMS HOWE and HMNZS ACHILLES, at Auckland at the beginning of February 1945. After exercises in the Hauraki Gulf the ships left for Sydney and then proceeded on to the advance base at Manus Island.
Following exercises out of Manus GAMBIA was again involved in operations at the end of March. At this time the task of the British Pacific Fleet was to attack Japanese installations and facilities on the Sakishima group of islands, thereby preventing aircraft from there joining in the defence of Okinawa. GAMBIA was a part of the anti-aircraft screen around the carriers.
During these operations the Fleet was attacked by kamikazes for the first time. On 31 March one of the destroyers, HMS ULSTER was disabled by a near miss and on the 1st of April GAMBIA was ordered to take it in tow. Three days later, having achieved an average towing speed of 8 knots the ships arrived at Leyte Gulf in the Philippines. This tow, of 760 miles, was the longest of its type at the time and throughout there was danger of attack from Japanese submarines.
GAMBIA then rejoined the Fleet, which was still conducting operations against the Sakishima group. Air attacks on the force were frequent and on 13th April GAMBIA accidentally shot down a United States Hellcat fighter with the port pom pom during one of these attacks. Operations continued until the 20th, when the Fleet proceeded to Leyte Gulf for rest.
Task force 57, as the British Pacific Fleet was designated, sailed again on the 1st of May to resume operations against the Sakishima group. Operations this time included a bombardment of the Nobara airstrip by GAMBIA and HMS SWIFTSURE, during which GAMBIA fired 230 rounds of 6 inch. The strikes against Sakishima continued until the the 25th when the Fleet again went to Leyte Gulf for rest. GAMBIA was detached on the 30th to proceed to Sydney for refit, arriving there on 5th June.
GAMBIA sailed to rejoin the Fleet on 28th June, which by this time was operating off Japan, and had been redesignated Task Force 37. Again the main task of the ship was screening the carriers, which were conducting strikes against mainland Japan. The last bombardment of Japan took place on 9th August, with GAMBIA firing on the steel works at Kamaisha, on Honshu Island. On the way back to the Task Force the bombarding group was attacked by Japanese aircraft, one of which was shot down by GAMBIA.
On 15th August the ceasefire was announced and during the time the signal was being received a Japanese aircraft attacked the force, being shot down by a US Navy Corsair, pieces of the aircraft falling on GAMBIA. The ship also engaged the aircraft, and together with the rounds fired in the bombardment, GAMBIA had the distinction of firing the last shots of the Second World War.
A platoon of Royal Marines and a platoon of seamen landed under the command of Lieutenant Commander G.R.Davis-Goff, DSC, RNZN., on 20th August and took the surrender of the Japanese Naval Base at Yokosuka. Some ships of the British Pacific Fleet anchored in Tokyo bay on 31st August and on 2nd September 1945, the Japanese signed the instrument of surrender onboard USS MISSOURI. GAMBIA represented the Royal New Zealand Navy at this historic occasion.
GAMBIA assisted in the evacuation of released Prisoners of War from Wakayama to Tokyo in mid September as well undertaking other more mundane duties. The ship sailed from Japan on 11th October, arriving in Auckland on the 30th. After a six week refit GAMBIA remained at Auckland, non-operational, until February 1946.
Final Days
The ship was recommissioned with a steaming party on 8th February and sailed for Sydney on the 12th. At Sydney many of the New Zealanders onboard were drafted off and the ship's company made up from British Ratings being returned to the United Kingdom. With about 1,000 men onboard GAMBIA sailed from Sydney, via Melbourne, where a large quantity of gold bullion was embarked, for England, by way of the Suez Canal. On 27th March the ship arrived at Spithhead and after a refit GAMBIA was paid off from the Royal New Zealand Navy on 1st July 1946.
Subsequently GAMBIA completed other commissions with the Royal Navy before finally decommissioning in 1960. The ship left Portsmouth under tow on 2nd December 1968 to be broken up.
RNZN Museum 1995. Fact Sheet No. 4 (from where the above text was taken)
HMNZS Gambia and Achilles
I was privileged to meet up with Jack S Harker on my trip to New Zealand, who graciously signed his book, HMNZS Gambia, the factual story of Gambias' life during WW2 while in the hands of the RNZN.
Bill Hartland receives signed copy of
his book, at Jack's Home in Auckland
April 3rd 2006
The above picture was taken in Takapuna, in the Book.Mark Shop, and I am grateful to the Owner for allowing me to take this picture.
It can be seen at Parkway Arcade, 46-54 Hurstmere Road, Takapuna.
Email: BOOK.MARK@xtra.co.nz
This page was last updated: January 27, 2012
I am delighted to have received the newspaper article below of a former Royal Marine Musician, who having completed his training in the Isle of Man in 1942, was drafted to join HMS Furious in the Atlantic. As can be seen from the article below, George MacLeod volunteered to join the Navy and was drafted to HMNZS Gambia, in which he served until 1946. My sincere thanks to George who at the time of this entry is 85 years old, so my very grateful thanks to you George for taking the trouble to write to me. Bill Hartland, Editor www.hmsgambia.com
Music is
'March of the Anzacs'
