| Allan T Jones represented the 16th Minesweeper Squadron attended a memorial and plaque dedication service in New Zealand for the RNZN Minesweepers. |
| Here are the photographs and account of his trip. |
For as long as there has been a Navy, Australia and New
Zealand have shared together many conflicts and peaceful
exercises joining together in a bond that is unique and unlike
any other in the world and so it was in the Indonesian
Confrontation, the forgotten passage of time that both of our
governments hoped our presence would go
unnoticed due to the sensitive nature of our
relationship with Indonesia, luck was on the governments
side, with the increase of the tension in Vietnam happening
so close to home away from the front pages, even today few
people know of our deep involvement and it must have been
harder
for the New Zealand Navy, for the first time in history
ships commissioned into the RNZN, manned in the most part
by RNZN personnel never went anywhere near New
Zealand!, in addition one of their sweepers fired the last shot
in anger for a New Zealand Ship up until the present time.
From the time of their service during the confrontation they
worked closely with ships of the 16th MSS and it was
wonderful to have some of their crews attend our dedication
in Canberra in March, when I decided that I would go to New
Zealand to attend their dedication service in July I was happy
to be able to represent the 16th MSS.
From the moment I arrived in Auckland I was made to feel
very welcome and was invited to participate in the formal
service on Sunday by sharing the reading of the Scripture
Lessons with the RNZN Chief of Navy: Rear Admiral David
Ledson ONZM.
A huge amount of planning had gone into the whole event
with the dinner on Saturday being attended by many
Veterans from the sweeper days, His Excellency, The
Malaysian Commissioner who presented the PJM to some of
the Veterans,( I did notice that the case the Kiwi's got their
medal in was bigger than ours! ),I had the opportunity to
make a speech and expressed the hope to them that their
dedication service gave them the same feeling of closure that
many of our Veterans felt after
our service in Canberra.
On behalf of the Mayor of Ipswich, Cr Paul Pisasale, who is a
great supporter of our Naval Sub-Section, I
presented to Admiral Ledson the book HMAS Ipswich,
standing with us was the Malaysian High Commissioner, who,
with every Veteran there received an Ipswich Heritage Pin, (
My friends know how I hate the media! ), Gerry signed and
gave me a copy of his book "A Kiwi on our funnel" for our
Mayor.
After the service on Sunday I was taken in tow by Gavin and
his wife Pat along with their son who is a Lt in the RNZN for a
cooks tour of the Naval Base and to some of the highlights of
Auckland, a very hectic two days but a time that I am glad I
was able to do and proud to have represented the 16th MSS.
Allan T Jones
Zealand have shared together many conflicts and peaceful
exercises joining together in a bond that is unique and unlike
any other in the world and so it was in the Indonesian
Confrontation, the forgotten passage of time that both of our
governments hoped our presence would go
unnoticed due to the sensitive nature of our
relationship with Indonesia, luck was on the governments
side, with the increase of the tension in Vietnam happening
so close to home away from the front pages, even today few
people know of our deep involvement and it must have been
harder
for the New Zealand Navy, for the first time in history
ships commissioned into the RNZN, manned in the most part
by RNZN personnel never went anywhere near New
Zealand!, in addition one of their sweepers fired the last shot
in anger for a New Zealand Ship up until the present time.
From the time of their service during the confrontation they
worked closely with ships of the 16th MSS and it was
wonderful to have some of their crews attend our dedication
in Canberra in March, when I decided that I would go to New
Zealand to attend their dedication service in July I was happy
to be able to represent the 16th MSS.
From the moment I arrived in Auckland I was made to feel
very welcome and was invited to participate in the formal
service on Sunday by sharing the reading of the Scripture
Lessons with the RNZN Chief of Navy: Rear Admiral David
Ledson ONZM.
A huge amount of planning had gone into the whole event
with the dinner on Saturday being attended by many
Veterans from the sweeper days, His Excellency, The
Malaysian Commissioner who presented the PJM to some of
the Veterans,( I did notice that the case the Kiwi's got their
medal in was bigger than ours! ),I had the opportunity to
make a speech and expressed the hope to them that their
dedication service gave them the same feeling of closure that
many of our Veterans felt after
our service in Canberra.
On behalf of the Mayor of Ipswich, Cr Paul Pisasale, who is a
great supporter of our Naval Sub-Section, I
presented to Admiral Ledson the book HMAS Ipswich,
standing with us was the Malaysian High Commissioner, who,
with every Veteran there received an Ipswich Heritage Pin, (
My friends know how I hate the media! ), Gerry signed and
gave me a copy of his book "A Kiwi on our funnel" for our
Mayor.
After the service on Sunday I was taken in tow by Gavin and
his wife Pat along with their son who is a Lt in the RNZN for a
cooks tour of the Naval Base and to some of the highlights of
Auckland, a very hectic two days but a time that I am glad I
was able to do and proud to have represented the 16th MSS.
Allan T Jones
| RANZ- Dedication - New Zealand - HMNZS Philomel |
| Royal Australian Navy - 16th Minesweeping Squadron |
| Principal Naval Chaplain Wayne Toleafoa, Lindsay Roberts (Santon coxswain), Bill Newell (Hickleton REM), Gerry Wright (reunion coordinator), Geoff Kelly (Mull of Kintyre technician) |
| Quaterdeck, new entry school. |
| Base chapel building (left) and conference centre (right) |
| Chaplain Wayne Toleafoa and Gerry Wright |
| Canterbury - paid off and awaiting disposal. Last RNZN steam ship. |
| Original anchor from cruiser Philomel (c.1890) |
| HMNZS Tamaki bell (ex-new entry training establishment) |
| HMNZS Philomel Landing |
| All Photographs and main body text courtesy of Allan T Jones (c) and must not be reused without express permission. With thanks to Gerry Wright for help with name tags! |
| Above& Right - Leander class propellor - Canterbury, Waikato, Wellington, Southland. Outside Engineering school. |
| New entry school parade ground - GI's still exist!!!!! |
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| Our Pages |
| Allan Jones' address |
Allan Jones and Navy Friend