HMS Neptune - RNZNs largest loss of life

[ngatimozart]

Coming up on the 20th December is the 71st Anniversary of the sinking of the Light Cruiser HMS Neptune in an uncharted minefield off Tripoli. The ship sank with 764 officers and men missing believed KIA. and one survivor. Of the 764, 150 were RNZN Volunteer Reservists. The ship was on it's way to NZ to become part of the RNZN and become it's third cruiser alongside HMNZS Achilles and HMNZS Leander. The HMS Neptune Association website has quite a lot of info on it. From what I understand, this is a little known disaster. May they RIP.

For his home is his ship, and his country the sea. (Joseph Conrad)

[htbrst]

It pops up around this time - not just because of the sinking - but because a few weeks before she was sunk the NZ Broadcasting Service recorded a series of Christmas messages with the ships crew to be sent back home:

Here an example from last week:

www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/spectrum/audio/2540473/spectrum-for-16-december-2012

Young Aucklander Eddie Vazey died in World War Two. His family has just heard his voice for the first time since then. Twenty four year old Eddie was lost when HMS Neptune was sunk in the Mediterranean on December 19th, 1941. Only weeks before, The New Zealand Broadcasting Service Mobile Unit had visited Neptune to record Christmas messages from the kiwis aboard. Spectrum records the moment in 2012 when Eddie Vazey's niece and her three children hear his voice 71 years after his death.
Duration: 21′54″

RIP

[Dave Homewood]

I have met one of the survivng kiwi crew members of HMS Neptune. he was on the ship for a number of months and sought a posting to smaller boats, so was let off at a port with four or fiver others who took the same posting, only a couple of days before Neptune sailed into the minefiled.

[davidd]

Unfortunately the Radio NZ interviewer described the NEPTUNE as a frigate!!!!! Wonder how he arrived at that identification? Otherwise the programme itself was quite interesting, and natuarally very poignant - how many cases were there in WW1 or WW2 where a substantial ship such as a cruiser was sunk with loss of entire crew, with exception of just ONE survivor?
David D

[jonesy]

Dec 19, 2012 17:06:57 GMT 12 davidd said:

Unfortunately the Radio NZ interviewer described the NEPTUNE as a frigate!!!!! Wonder how he arrived at that identification?

From the non-nautical (myself included) this is the level of expertise in identifying military ships:
Guns/not too big=frigate (cos thats a popular term)
Big guns/really big=Battleship (well that was easy)
No guns/has planes= aircraft carrier
Sinks successfully and gets back up=submarine

Sorry, I know its probably blasphemous but thats as good as it gets!

[nuuumannn]

There is a fitting memorial wall to the victims of HMS Neptune at the RNZN museum at Torpedo Bay.



This model has one sailor standing on deck for every New Zealander who lost his life aboard the ship. The photo's a bit blurry, taken with a phone.

[ngatimozart]

Cool model, cool photo. Nice memorial.

[fay]

Hello Dave

I have just registered on this forum as I am trying to find information on someone I believe was aboard the HMS NEptune but possibly left before it sunk. CAn you tell me how I can get hold of that kind of information please.

Thanks Fay

[phil]

Hi Fay,

Was the person a NZ serviceman? If so you could request their service records:

www.nzdf.mil.nz/personnel-records/nzdf-archives/accessing-military-service-records.htm

You could also contact the Navy Museum:

[e-mail]

navymuseum.co.nz/

[fay]

Thanks Phil

I dont have his service number so not sure if I will be able to get his service records. I just sent an email to the [e-mail]. Wish me luck:)

[scrooge]

You could post his name and any other details (home town) here, which might also bring more info, possibly including his service number.

[phil]

Oct 20, 2013 6:38:28 GMT 12 fay said:

Thanks Phil

I dont have his service number so not sure if I will be able to get his service records. I just sent an email to the [e-mail]. Wish me luck:)

If you have enough other details, full name and DOB, then service number shouldn't be a must have.

[Dave Homewood]

If he was a Navy officer he won't have a service number, as they were never issued them. Only other ranks had them.

I am not sure if the same applies to Royal Marines officers?

[fay]

I am so grateful for all the advise. thank you. As i mentioned previously, I have so little information, it feels like I am grasping at straws. All that I know is his name is/was Henry Field. He was based in Simonstown round 1938/39. He was crew of HMS Neptune at some point.

[Ian Warren]

Ive only checked this site out and finding a lot off related history specific to the the Leander class cruisers, the HMNZS Leander and HMNZS Achilles, my Fathers brother severed on both ships, he was transferred from Achilles pre Battle of River Plate to Leander were he was killed in 1943, Chief Petty Officer N G Warren, I'm working on art work in memory to both my Dad and his brother my uncle Norman, simply work in progress.