Ships and Harbours Photos

Small point but, HMNZS Royalist C89 was CRUISER of British Improved Dido Class of Light Cruiser and should be placed in Cruiser Album, fantastic web site. Best regards, Ken

Editor: change made, thanks Ken

Added by Ken Watson on 10 March 2007.

Was a member of the crew on that cruise. The main armament is in fact 5.25 inch not 4.5 as stated in the photo.

Added by Charles Conroy on 26 March 2007.

Absolutely correct Charles, 5.25s on all ships of the class. A typo, thanks for noticing. Hope you had a good visit to Canada.

Added by Ken Watson on 26 March 2007.

Sorry Royalist C89 was a modified Bellona Class, Dido's had three 5.25 turrets forward and two aft

Added by Tug on 29 July 2007.

Hi Tug: This pic is getting lots of comments, great stuff! According to H.T.Lenton, BritishWarships, 1962: Two Dido groups were built, as you correctly note all (First Group Didos) ships were fitted with 3 X 5.25 twins for'd, (Second Group Didos) were fitted with 2 X 5.25 twins for'd); he goes on to note that of the five ships in the (Second Group) Spartan was war loss, Bellona was scrapped, Black Prince to RNZN 1946, Royalist to RNZN 1955 and Diadem to Pakistan as Babur in 1956. This is the first I have heard of a Bellona Class! Could be a later local classification viz.unofficial? Maybe our dear viewers can add more. Best wishes, Ken.

Added by Ken Watson on 29 July 2007.

Lots of typos about this photo.. Royalist visited Victoria B.C. in 1962 and not 1964

Added by Ian Buckingham on 15 March 2008.

ii was onboard when this pic was taken talk abt a blast fm the past live in ast nw and recovery of sydney jogged the memory, was there ani conection btween the ships look a bit like sisters... jon harris ex lrd zmwp

Added by Jon Kynneresly Harris on 08 April 2008.

Well now Ian, I think your off by a couple of years, the chaps onboard and the photographer don't agree. Cheers, Ken

Added by Ken Watson on 08 April 2008.

At the risk of starting a range war, It was 1962. check when the seattle
worlds fair was on.. 1962 Marilyn monroe dies when we were there, august 1962.. I was out of pussers in june 1964.. sorry folks..unless royalist went back in 1964.. this photo was taken in 1962..
Ian Buckingham.

Added by Iaan Buckingham on 08 April 2008.

We must allow for inflation, but sorry Tug Royalist only had 2 turrets forward, not 3
Ian Buckingham


Added by Ian Buckingham on 08 April 2008.

Re the visit by HMNZS Royalist (C89 - ZMWP) to Esquimalt, Vancouver, Seattle, San Fransisco, Los Angeles (Long Beach) the year definitely was NOT 1964, because I was there and was discharged 1963....It was the same year that Seattle held the World's Fair. Esquimalt was a fabulous place for a run ashore. The local Canadian Navy Commander was exhorting local inhabitants to make sure they showed us a good time in reciprocation of Auckland giving visiting Canadian ships a good time..

the times Auckland gave Canadian ships visiting. Was the only place I have hear matelots say "Thank God I am duty tomorrow, and can have a rest"

Added by MIchael Commons (NZ14918) Signals Dept on 09 April 2008.

Tug, You are partly correct. Bellona and Blackprince were modified didos as they had only two 5.25 turrets forward not three. The Royalist was a modified modified dido. cheers charles.

Added by Charles Conroy on 09 April 2008.

Add to my last, it definitely was 1962 as the then current Miss NZ Maureen kingi was in San Fransisco and met the ship .

Added by Charles Conroy on 09 April 2008.

the flagwaver is correct we were there while the worlds fair was on in seattle i distinctly rember the horrifying ride to the top onthe lift attatched to the outside of the tower . they did have 3 turrets fwd and i believe aft also but two were removed during the mods . cheers jon

Added by Jon Kynneresly Harris on 14 April 2008.

Just to confirm. I was in Royalist from January 1963 to November 1964. The closest she got to Canada in that time was Pearl Harbor. She didn't get to BC after that either - she had one more Far East deployment before breaking down catastrophically in the Coral Sea on the way home.
I was in HMNZS Lachlan when we steamed north with emergency supplies. By the time we got there heroic efforts by Royalist's engine room staff (assisted by some volunteer weapons people) had got her under way again.
When we had a RAS, somebody made a blue with the "left hand down a bit" and we were so close together that we were passing stuff by hand across to our mates on the gun-deck above the ERA's mess aft.
Even proceeding on drastically reduced power from one unit she left Lachlan struggling to keep up and proceeded home to a big welcome and an ignominious end.

Added by Alan Henderson on 27 April 2008.

yr comments are correct but that happened after she came back fm the show the flag cruise to north america i believe the oriana stopped and transferred fresh fuit to the old girl b4 she got underway again not surprised old lachlan couldnt keep up with her we achieved abt 38 knots in bul up after her refit cheers jon

Added by Jon Kynneresly Harris on 30 April 2008.

I was in Royalist 1962 to 1965 whent to peal harbour and to the far east a few time was in the royal guard for the Queen at Waitangi given a sliver hook for this also spent five years on the Rotoiti from 1957 to 1962 then went on Royalist.

Added by Peter Hamilton on 20 August 2008.

Right on Jon. I was in the after engine room for the 38 knot full power trial you're referring to.
Snuck up onto the quarterdeck for a sticky beak at the rooster-tail - looked like a reversed Huka Falls. 60, 000 SHP in a 5, 000 ton ship certainly gives it a boost.

Added by Alan Henderson on 20 August 2008.

Hi who remembers the first far east commission. Good ship Good Crew.When the 5.25,s fired all the lights went out.also we did a 37 knot speed trial and shook 'all' out of us

Added by Barrie Mead on 22 January 2010.

Royalist was a modified Type II Dido class. There were two types of Didos - Type I which originally had three turrets up forrard and funnels raked back and Type II which had the funnels straight up and down. Royalist broke down in 1965 in the Coral Sea of "salt water condensiritis". The tug Carlock came out from Queensland to tow us away from the Reef. Then Lachlan came out to take over the tow. Dido story can be viewed at nznavy.bravehost.com/Dido.html (Cut and paste)

Added by Jim Dell on 22 March 2010.

I was in Royalist on the Canada/USA cruise. It was 1962. I was a trainee bunting and was in the same watch as Ian Buckingham and Charlie Conroy. We were there for the City of Victoria Centennial and some of us took part in the parade past the Empress hotel during this event.


Added by Ken Smith on 23 October 2010.

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