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{{short description|New Zealand ocean liner, troop ship}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}
{{Use British English|date=July 2017}}
{{refimprove|date=May 2015}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2015}}

{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= TSS Awatea 1936-1942.png
|Ship caption= ''Awatea'' in her civilian colours
}}
{{Infobox ship career
{{Infobox ship career
|Hide header=
|Hide header=
|Ship country={{nowrap|New Zealand/United Kingdom}}
|Ship country= [[New Zealand]]
|Ship flag={{shipboxflag|United Kingdom|naval}}
|Ship flag=
|Ship name=TSS Awatea
|Ship name= ''Awatea''
|Ship namesake= [[Māori language|Māori]] for "eye of the dawn"
|Ship owner= [[Union Company|Union Steam Ship Co of NZ]]
|Ship operator= *1936–39: [[File:Union steamship co flag.svg|border|20px]] Union SS Co of NZ
*1939–42: {{flagicon|United Kingdom|naval}} [[Royal Navy]]
|Ship registry= [[Wellington Harbour|Wellington]]
|Ship route= Wellington / [[Ports of Auckland|Auckland]] – [[Port Jackson|Sydney]]
|Ship ordered=1935
|Ship ordered=1935
|Ship yard number=707
|Ship yard number=707
|Ship builder=[[Vickers-Armstrong]]
|Ship builder=[[Vickers-Armstrongs]], [[Barrow-in-Furness|Barrow]]
|Ship laid down=25 February 1936
|Ship laid down= 1935
|Ship launched=July 1936
|Ship launched= 25 February 1936
|Ship commissioned=1937
|Ship completed= July 1936
|Ship maiden voyage= 5 August 1936
⚫
|Ship reclassified=1939, as [[troopship]] from [[express liner]] and received the name ''HMT Awatea''
|Ship identification= *UK [[official number]] 157650
*[[Maritime call sign|Call sign]] ZMBJ
*{{ICS|Zulu}}{{ICS|Mike}}{{ICS|Bravo}}{{ICS|Juliet}}
⚫
|Ship reclassified= 1939, as [[troopship]]
|Ship struck=
|Ship struck=
|Ship fate=Sunk after [[Operation Torch]], due to bomb and torpedo damage.
|Ship fate= Sunk by aircraft, November 1942
}}
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Hide header=
|Header caption=(as built)
|Header caption=
|Ship class=
|Ship type= [[Ocean liner]]
|Ship tonnage= {{GRT|13482}}, {{NRT|7929}}
|Ship displacement=
|Ship displacement=
|Ship length= *{{cvt|527.3|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam= {{cvt|74.2|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship draught= {{cvt|25|ft|6|in|1|abbr=on}}
|Ship depth= {{cvt|41.7|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship decks= 3
|Ship power= *4,608 [[Horsepower#Nominal horsepower|NHP]]
|Ship propulsion=*2 × [[Steam turbine#Marine propulsion|steam turbines]]
*2 × [[Propeller|screws]]
|Ship speed= {{convert|22|kn|km/h}}
|Ship capacity=
|Ship crew=
|Ship armament=
|Ship sensors= *wireless [[direction finding]]
*[[echo sounding]] device
*[[gyrocompass]]
|Ship notes=
}}
}}
|}
|}
[[File:TSS Awatea 1936-1942.png|alt=Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand (USSCo) Trans-Tasman Express Liner TSS Awatea 1936-1942|thumb|TSS Awatea 1936-1942]]
'''HMT Awatea''' was a [[United Kingdom|British]] [[troopship]] used in [[World War II]], that was actually a converted [[Ocean Liner]], TSS Awatea, built for the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand. She operated the trans-Tasman route between Sydney, Australia and Auckland, New Zealand.
Commandered by the Royal Navy in 1940, she was used to transport Canadian troops to [[Hong Kong]] on 27 October 1941, arriving there on 16 November. In November 1942, she was ordered to deliver the No. 6. Commando brigade to North Africa, but she had some problems. Later on that day, she was sunk by airplanes after putting up a heroic fight and delivered the last wave of specialized [[assault troops]] to the beach in [[Algeria]].


'''HMT ''Awatea''''' was a [[trans-Tasman]] [[Steamship|steam]] [[ocean liner]] built for the [[Union Company|Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand]] that was launched in 1936. From 1937 until 1939 she linked [[Wellington Harbour|Wellington]] and [[Ports of Auckland|Auckland]] in New Zealand with [[Port Jackson|Sydney]] in Australia.
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== Service as an Ocean Liner==
The ''TSS Awatea'' (translation "Eye of the Dawn") was a crack express [[Ocean Liner ]] operating between Australia and New Zealand from 1937 until 1940 when she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy for troop transport duties during World War Two.<ref name=Garrett155 />


In 1939 she was converted into a [[Royal Navy]] [[troopship]]. In 1941 she took Canadian troops [[C Force]] to [[Hong Kong]], 22 days before the [[Battle of Hong Kong]] broke out. In 1942 she took part in [[Operation Torch]], the [[Allies of World War II|Allied]] invasion of [[Vichy France|Vichy]] [[French North Africa]], where she was sunk by enemy aircraft.
== Service in World War II ==
⚫
One of the Awatea's first tasks was to transport members of the "C" Force, a force created by the [[Canada|Canadian]] government to protect its interests in [[Hong Kong]] against a possible Japanese invasion. The Awatea and [[HMCS Prince George]] picked up the troops in [[Vancouver, Canada|Vancouver]] on 27 October 1941, and dropped them off in Hong Kong on 16 November.<ref name=Wilford93>Wilford (2011), p. 93.</ref>


''Awatea'' is a [[Māori language|Māori]] word meaning "eye of the dawn".<ref>Waters (1951), p. 90</ref>
⚫
She was ordered to deliver the No. 6. Commando brigade to North Africa for [[Operation Torch]] on November 1942, to defeat the [[Vichy France|Vichy French forces]]. She completed her landing successfully, although the landing for the No. 6. Commando brigade had some major problems.<ref name=Seymour31>Seymour (2006), p. 31.</ref>


==Ocean liner==
The first problem was the inexperience of the crew at launching [[landing craft]],<ref name=Garrett155>Garrett (1980), p. 155</ref> which caused the landing to be two hours off schedule and the last wave of troops to arrive at 6:30 am, with most of the landing off target for as much as several miles. As she was departing, an unknown number of aircraft started an attack. They bombed and strafed her, but her crew fought against the aircraft with anything they could find. Two torpedoes hit her port side and a dud bomb hit her deck, and when it got into the fire started by the [[torpedo]]es, the dud bomb exploded and the whole ship caught on fire. Several near-misses blasted apart most of the accommodations for first-class passengers. At this point the crew abandoned the ship, which was later sunk by the same aircraft. The [[admiral]] of her [[Naval fleet|fleet]] said "she fought the battle of a battleship" as a tribute to her.<ref>Homework (2010)</ref>
[[File:Another page in the history of Tasman transport.jpg|thumb|right|Poster advertising ''Awatea'']]
[[Vickers-Armstrongs]] built ''Awatea'' at [[Barrow-in-Furness]] in [[England]], launching her on 25 February 1936 and completing her that July.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://shippingandshipbuilding.uk/view.php?year_built=&builder=&ref=205165&vessel=AWATEA |title=Awatea |work=Shipping and Shipbuilding |publisher=The Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust |accessdate=3 January 2021}}</ref> She had two [[Propeller|screws]] driven by six [[Steam turbine#Marine propulsion|steam turbines]] via [[Gear train|single reduction gearing]].<ref>{{cite book |url= https://plimsoll.southampton.gov.uk/shipdata/pdfs/37/37b0085.pdf |year=1937 |title=Lloyd's Register |chapter=Steamers and Motorships |volume=II |place=London |publisher=[[Lloyd's Register]] |accessdate=3 January 2021}}</ref> Their combined power of 4,608 [[Horsepower#Nominal horsepower|NHP]] gave her a service speed of {{convert|22|kn|km/h}}. On one trans-Tasman voyage she averaged {{convert|23.35|kn|km/h}} over a distance of {{convert|576|nmi|km}}.<ref name=Waters91>Waters (1951), p. 91</ref>


On 5 August 1936 ''Awatea'' left Britain on her maiden voyage to New Zealand, sailing via the [[Panama Canal]]. She began her trans-Tasman passenger service on 15 September 1936 when she left Wellington for Sydney.<ref name=Waters91/> On 22 August 1939 she was taken out of service in Sydney for her annual survey.<ref>Waters (1951), p. 92</ref> That December<ref>Waters (1951), p. 101</ref> she was requisitioned by the [[Royal Navy]] as a [[troopship]].<ref name=Garrett155/>
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== References ==


⚫
==Service in World War II==
⚫
=== Notes ===
⚫
One of the Awatea's first tasks was to transport members of the [[C Force]], a force created by the [[Government of Canada]] to protect its interests in [[Hong Kong]] against the threat of Japanese invasion. ''Awatea'' and {{HMCS|Prince Robert}} picked up the troops in [[Vancouver]] on 27 October 1941, and landed them in Hong Kong on 16 November, 22 days before the [[Battle of Hong Kong]] broke out.<ref name=Wilford93>Wilford (2011), p. 93.</ref>
{{notelist}}


⚫
She was ordered to deliver [[No. 6 Commando]] to North Africa for Operation Torch in November 1942, to defeat Vichy French forces. She completed her landing successfully, although the landing for No. 6. Commando had some major problems.<ref name=Seymour31>Seymour (2006), p. 31.</ref>
=== Citations ===
⚫
{{reflist}}


The first problem was the inexperience of the crew at launching [[landing craft]],<ref name=Garrett155>Garrett (1980), p. 155</ref> which caused the landing to be two hours late and the last wave of troops to arrive at 6:30 am, with most of the landing off target by up to several miles.
=== Bibliography ===
⚫
* {{cite book |last=Garrett |first=Richard |date=1980 |title=The Raiders |location=Newton Abbot, UK |publisher=David & Charles |isbn=0-7153-7835-X}}
⚫
* {{cite book |last=Seymour |first=William |date=2006 |title=British Special Forces: The Story of Britain's Undercover Soldiers |location=Barnsley, UK |publisher=Pen and Sword |isbn=1-4738-1283-6}}
⚫
* {{cite book |last=Wilford |first=Timothy |date=2011 |title=Canada's Road to the Pacific War: Intelligence, Strategy, and the Far East Crisis |location=Vancouver, CA |publisher=USB Press |isbn=0-7748-2124-8}}


As she was leaving on 11 November 1942, an unknown number of aircraft from [[Luftwaffe]] [[Kampfgeschwader 77]] attacked her. They bombed and strafed her, but her crew returned fire. Two [[torpedo]]es hit her port side, and a bomb hit her deck but did not explode. But the torpedoes started a fire, which reached and detonated the unexploded bomb. Several near-misses blasted apart most of her first-class accommodation. At this point the crew abandoned ship, which was later sunk by the same aircraft. The admiral of her fleet said "she fought the battle of a battleship" as a tribute to her.<ref>Homework (2010)</ref><ref>{{cite news |title= Awatea Sunk Near Algiers: Hit by Bombs and Torpedoes |newspaper= Press |location= Christchurch |date= 8 April 1943 |url= https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/CHP19430408.2.44|access-date= 6 September 2022}}</ref>
=== News sources ===

* {{cite news | title=The Loss of HMS Awatea | work=The Wings over New Zealand | date=2010 | accessdate=15 April 2015 | author=Homework, Dave}}
⚫
==Notes==
⚫
{{reflist}}


⚫
==References==
⚫
*{{cite book |last= Garrett |first= Richard |year= 1980 |title= The Raiders |location= Newton Abbot |publisher= [[David & Charles]] |isbn= 0-7153-7835-X}}
*{{cite news |last= Homework |first= Dave |year= 2010 |title= The Loss of HMS Awatea |work= The Wings over New Zealand |url= https://rnzaf.proboards.com/thread/14144/loss-hmt-awatea-november-1942}}
⚫
*{{cite book |last= Seymour |first= William |year= 2006 |title= British Special Forces: The Story of Britain's Undercover Soldiers |location= Barnsley |publisher= [[Pen & Sword]] |isbn= 1-4738-1283-6}}
*{{cite book |last= Waters |first= Sydney D |year= 1952 |title= Union Line A Short History of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand Limited 1875–1951 |location= Wellington |publisher= Union Steam Ship Company}}
⚫
*{{cite book |last= Wilford |first= Timothy |date=2011 |title= Canada's Road to the Pacific War: Intelligence, Strategy, and the Far East Crisis |location= Vancouver |publisher= USB Press |isbn =978-0-7748-2124-7}}


==External links==
*[http://ssmaritime.com/Awatea.htm Union Steam Ship Company TSS Awatea].


{{DEFAULTSORT:Awatea, TSS}}
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[[Category:Ships of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:1936 ships]]
[[Category:Ocean liners]]
[[Category:Passenger ships of New Zealand]]
[[Category:Maritime incidents in November 1942]]
[[Category:Ships built in Barrow-in-Furness]]
[[Category:Ships of the Union Steam Ship Company]]
[[Category:Steamships of New Zealand]]
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[[Category:Troop ships of the Royal Navy]]
[[Category:World War II merchant ships of New Zealand]]
[[Category:World War II shipwrecks in the Mediterranean Sea]]
[[Category:Ships sunk by German aircraft]]

Latest revision as of 11:33, 29 May 2024

Awatea in her civilian colours
History
New Zealand
NameAwatea
NamesakeMāori for "eye of the dawn"
OwnerUnion Steam Ship Co of NZ
Operator
  • 1936–39: Union SS Co of NZ
  • 1939–42: United Kingdom Royal Navy
Port of registryWellington
RouteWellington / Auckland – Sydney
Ordered1935
BuilderVickers-Armstrongs, Barrow
Yard number707
Laid down1935
Launched25 February 1936
CompletedJuly 1936
Maiden voyage5 August 1936
Reclassified1939, as troopship
Identification
FateSunk by aircraft, November 1942
General characteristics
TypeOcean liner
Tonnage13,482 GRT, 7,929 NRT
Length527.3 ft (160.7 m)
Beam74.2 ft (22.6 m)
Draught25 ft 6 in (7.8 m)
Depth41.7 ft (12.7 m)
Decks3
Installed power4,608 NHP
Propulsion
Speed22 knots (41 km/h)
Sensors and
processing systems

HMT Awatea was a trans-Tasman steam ocean liner built for the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand that was launched in 1936. From 1937 until 1939 she linked Wellington and Auckland in New Zealand with Sydney in Australia.

In 1939 she was converted into a Royal Navy troopship. In 1941 she took Canadian troops C Force to Hong Kong, 22 days before the Battle of Hong Kong broke out. In 1942 she took part in Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of Vichy French North Africa, where she was sunk by enemy aircraft.

Awatea is a Māori word meaning "eye of the dawn".[1]

Ocean liner

[edit]
Poster advertising Awatea

Vickers-Armstrongs built Awatea at Barrow-in-Furness in England, launching her on 25 February 1936 and completing her that July.[2] She had two screws driven by six steam turbines via single reduction gearing.[3] Their combined power of 4,608 NHP gave her a service speed of 22 knots (41 km/h). On one trans-Tasman voyage she averaged 23.35 knots (43.24 km/h) over a distance of 576 nautical miles (1,067 km).[4]

On 5 August 1936 Awatea left Britain on her maiden voyage to New Zealand, sailing via the Panama Canal. She began her trans-Tasman passenger service on 15 September 1936 when she left Wellington for Sydney.[4] On 22 August 1939 she was taken out of service in Sydney for her annual survey.[5] That December[6] she was requisitioned by the Royal Navy as a troopship.[7]

Service in World War II

[edit]

One of the Awatea's first tasks was to transport members of the C Force, a force created by the Government of Canada to protect its interests in Hong Kong against the threat of Japanese invasion. Awatea and HMCS Prince Robert picked up the troops in Vancouver on 27 October 1941, and landed them in Hong Kong on 16 November, 22 days before the Battle of Hong Kong broke out.[8]

She was ordered to deliver No. 6 Commando to North Africa for Operation Torch in November 1942, to defeat Vichy French forces. She completed her landing successfully, although the landing for No. 6. Commando had some major problems.[9]

The first problem was the inexperience of the crew at launching landing craft,[7] which caused the landing to be two hours late and the last wave of troops to arrive at 6:30 am, with most of the landing off target by up to several miles.

As she was leaving on 11 November 1942, an unknown number of aircraft from Luftwaffe Kampfgeschwader 77 attacked her. They bombed and strafed her, but her crew returned fire. Two torpedoes hit her port side, and a bomb hit her deck but did not explode. But the torpedoes started a fire, which reached and detonated the unexploded bomb. Several near-misses blasted apart most of her first-class accommodation. At this point the crew abandoned ship, which was later sunk by the same aircraft. The admiral of her fleet said "she fought the battle of a battleship" as a tribute to her.[10][11]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Waters (1951), p. 90
  2. ^ "Awatea". Shipping and Shipbuilding. The Shipping and Shipbuilding Research Trust. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  3. ^ "Steamers and Motorships". Lloyd's Register (PDF). Vol. II. London: Lloyd's Register. 1937. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  4. ^ a b Waters (1951), p. 91
  5. ^ Waters (1951), p. 92
  6. ^ Waters (1951), p. 101
  7. ^ a b Garrett (1980), p. 155
  8. ^ Wilford (2011), p. 93.
  9. ^ Seymour (2006), p. 31.
  10. ^ Homework (2010)
  11. ^ "Awatea Sunk Near Algiers: Hit by Bombs and Torpedoes". Press. Christchurch. 8 April 1943. Retrieved 6 September 2022.

References

[edit]
  • Garrett, Richard (1980). The Raiders. Newton Abbot: David & Charles. ISBN 0-7153-7835-X.
  • Homework, Dave (2010). "The Loss of HMS Awatea". The Wings over New Zealand.
  • Seymour, William (2006). British Special Forces: The Story of Britain's Undercover Soldiers. Barnsley: Pen & Sword. ISBN 1-4738-1283-6.
  • Waters, Sydney D (1952). Union Line A Short History of the Union Steam Ship Company of New Zealand Limited 1875–1951. Wellington: Union Steam Ship Company.
  • Wilford, Timothy (2011). Canada's Road to the Pacific War: Intelligence, Strategy, and the Far East Crisis. Vancouver: USB Press. ISBN 978-0-7748-2124-7.
[edit]
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