Friday, July 19, 2013

NZ navy ship 'Laburnum' in Castlecliff, near Wanganui, 1920s


HMS Laburnum was a Royal Navy Acacia class sloop built by Charles Connell and Company, Scotstoun. She was laid down February 1915, launched 10 June 1915 and completed in August 1915. The Acacia class Fleet Sweeping Sloops were adapted for escort work, minesweeping and as decoy warships.

She was in the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy from 11 March 1922 to 11 February 1935, where she exercised with cruisers, toured New Zealand ports, took part in ceremonial occasions, and went on annual Pacific Island cruises. This was in conjunction with her sister ship Veronica which was similar, but with small differences as they came from different commercial shipyards.

She left Auckland on 1 February 1935 for Singapore, where she was paid off to become a drill and training ship for the Straits Settlement Naval Volunteer Reserve.

As drill ship, Laburnum was equipped with independent wireless equipment, and housed a number of naval offices with the engines removed shortly after her arrival in Singapore in order to augment her accommodation.

She was scuttled on 15 February 1942 during the fall of Singapore. The wreck was raised about 1946, and sunk off East Lagoon, Singapore as part of an existing breakwater of old hulks, and finally removed and scrapped about 1967.

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