Kopara's Return

[Dave Homewood]

Here's a great story of a New Zealand merchant ship that joined the US Navy and serve in the Pacific in WWII, from the Evening Post, 16th of June 1945.


KOPARA'S RETURN

SERVICE IN PACIFIC

After two and a half years' service in the Pacific the Richardson Company's vessel Kopara has been returned to its owners. The Kopara is one of the newest ships in the New Zealand coastal Service, being built in 1938 by Henry Robb and Co., of Leith. Her speed and her capacity for fast loading and discharging suited her so admirably for war service that the Americans built several ships on the same lines.

This was not the first time that the Kopara had seen action with the Americans, for her first taste of war came early in 1942 when she was posted to Guadalcanal to serve as a munitions carrier for the U.S. marines, who had just made their first landing. The Kopara, in company with other ships, arrived at Guadalcanal one morning in the middle of a heavy air raid. They were escorted by five destroyers and a combat transport, and that force offered splendid protection during their stay there. The Japanese at that time had an overwhelming air superiority and regularly at 11 o'clock each morning they would come over on bombing missions. The first loss suffered by the ships was an American destroyer which was attacked by Japanese aircraft while standing directly across the Kopara's bows. There was a heavy loss of life on the destroyer, but although the Kopara received several near-misses there was no loss of life, and only superficial damage to the ship.

On the fourth night the vessels slipped out of Guadalcanal under escort and headed back to the New Hebrides. The Japs had laid a blockade round the island, but they were unmolested. Just out of Santos a formidable task force appeared on the horizon and it was feared that it was a Japanese squadron. To their intense relief it turned out to be an American squadron in V formation, led by destroyers, followed by light and heavy Cruisers, with two aircraft-carriers completing the formation. The task force passed on each side of the smaller force, a picturesque and inspiring sight.

The Kopara was only four days at Guadalcanal, but during that period they were on the alert or under fire all the time. She returned via the Hebrides and New Caledonia to Auckland, where her fuel tanks were repaired? The damage caused to the fuel tanks was the result of concussion of bombs exploding near her hull, and was quickly repaired.

The Kopara did not stay long in New Zealand, for it was shortly after this that the U.S. navy took her over. The Americans transformed the little craft, arming her heavily and manning her at three times her normal complement.

She was returned to her company in January of this year, and in the saloon was installed a plaque in commemoration of her service with the U.S. navy. Captain F. S. Bates is her master and the first officer Mr. Gunn. Only three of the men who made the original trip to the Solomons are now with the Kopara—the chief engineer, Mr., T. A, Kelly, the second engineer, Mr. Auger, and the chief steward, Mr. C. Cray.

[Dave Homewood]

And here is her Wikipedia page

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Kopara_(AK-62)

[Dave Homewood]

A semi-related article here from the Evening Post dated 21st of June 1945

WAR JOB FINISHED

N.Z. SHIPS TO BE SOLD

P.A. AUCKLAND, This Day.
Several small New Zealand coastal vessels which left Auckland in September, 1942, for a war role in General MacArthur's South-west Pacific Command, have completed their task and are lying at the fish wharf at Blackwater Bay, Sydney, to await sale by auction.

They include the Northern Steamship Co.'s former little steamer Bellbird. which was converted into a salvage repair ship at a cost of £33.000, and G H. George and Co.'s auxiliary schooners Miena and Will Watch. They will later be joined by the Northern Co.'s auxiliary Tuhoe.

These craft were requisitioned by the New Zealand Government and placed at the disposal of the Small Ships Section of the United States army. The lieutenant of the Small Ships Section said in Sydney on Monday that the former New Zealand vessels would be handed to the Royal Australian Navy and be auctioned by the Commonwealth Disposals Commission, the money raised to be given to the New Zealand Trade Commissioner in Sydney. He said that the small craft had done a great job, often under fire, in New Guinea and other waters.

The vessels are expected to be sought by traders from the Pacific Islands, whose craft have been depleted by the war. The boats now in Sydney left Auckland for Australia in one of the strangest convoys the Tasman has seen. They were then manned by New Zealanders, but few are still with them.

[pjw4118]

Interesting history Dave and something " new " for the Guadacanal story.

[Dave Homewood]

Yes it was really interesting to find that Kiwis and a New Zealand ship were right there at the very beginning of the Guadalcanal campaign. I'd always thought No. 3 (GR) Squadron were the first New Zealanders into there much later in November 1942.

[Dave Homewood]

Here are some more NZ merchant ships playing a role in a naval sense. Very interesting!

BRITISH PHANTOM FLEET

USED TO HOAX THE ENEMY

Rec. 11.15 a.m. LONDON, August 5.

For nearly two years the British Navy used a phantom fleet of wooden warships with dummy guns to hoax enemy reconnaissance aircraft and bombers. They were merchantmen fitted with elaborate superstructures of plywood and canvas painted to transform them into replicas of battleships and aircraft-carriers, and they were used as bait for U-boats and as decoys to draw away bomber attacks from ships in Scapa Flow.

A dummy fleet was also used in the Firth of Forth when the Fleet was away or to dilute the scale of attacks against the Fleet when in port. They kept the enemy guessing on the strategic disposition of capital ships.

The steamship Pakeha became the battleship Revenge, the Waimana became the Resolution, and the Mamari was the aircraft-carrier Hermes. Mr. Churchill, as First Lord of the Admiralty, ordered the new dummy ships, which were known as tenders, at the outbreak of war. The Pakeha and the Waimana have now been turned over to their owners again and are running as merchantmen.