NAVUA HMNZT 44

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aukepalmhof
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NAVUA HMNZT 44

Post by aukepalmhof » Thu Oct 22, 2015 7:29 pm

Though Niue’s population was small, they volunteered for service for the First World War in the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces as soon as word of the war reached their shores in September 1914. Initially New Zealand rejected their offer, but it was reconsidered when the numbers of the Māori Contingent were severely affected during the Gallipoli campaign. In October 1915 150 men left Niue for Auckland, where they trained at Narrow Neck Camp before departing for the Western Front.
Sadly, despite the best of intentions, the Niuean contribution encountered many difficulties, including struggling with the standard issue footwear, the cold climate and a lack of immunity to European diseases. By the end of May 1916, 80 per cent of the men had been hospitalised, and so they were withdrawn from the Western Front and transferred to the New Zealand convalescent hospital in Hornchurch, England. They returned to Auckland for further medical care before being sent home by late 1916. Even with all the hardships they faced, they still volunteered for duty once more, but the offer was declined.
The story of Niue’s involvement in the First World War is told in this special eight-stamp issue.

20c - Life in Niue pre-war
In the village of Alofi in 1900 the influence of the London Missionary Society is clear with the women in mission dresses, the white washed houses and the neatly arranged village.
30c - Narrow Neck camp, Auckland
The Niueans spent four months training at Narrow Neck camp on the North Shore. Footwear was a real problem for the men who were used to going bare footed on the coral.
$1.00 - Departing for war, Auckland
The third Māori Reinforcements board the troopship for Egypt, February 1916.
05 Feb (The 3rd Maori Contingent sail from New Zealand on board HMNZT44 Navua. Included are 50 men from the Cook Islands along with 153 Niueans, 15 Fijians, Gilbert and Ellis Islanders (now Kiribati), Tahitians and Western Samoans)

$1.20 - New Zealand Pioneer Battalion
In Egypt, in February 1916, the Niueans became part of the newly formed New Zealand Pioneer Battalion. The crossed pick and axe on the battalion's badge symbolise the labouring work undertaken by the Pioneers.
$1.40 - Armentières, France
When the New Zealand Expeditionary Force was moved to France in April 1916 the Niueans helped build trenches near Armentières.
$1.70 - Hornchurch, England
The New Zealand convalescent hospital in the village of Hornchurch became home to the Niuean men when high illness rates forced their withdrawal from France.
$2.00 - Recovering in Auckland
Following the long voyage back to New Zealand, the Niueans had more rest and medical care in Auckland.
$4.00 - Memorial, Niue
The marble plaque recording the names of Niueans who died while enlisted was gifted by New Zealand to Niue in 1920 and still stands on the Alofi green.
https://stamps.nzpost.co.nz/niue/2015/a ... -world-war

By searching around I found that the troops of Niue embarked on the New Zealand troopship HMNZT 44 NAVUA on 05 February 1916 at the Queens Quay in Auckland. The $1 stamp gives the embarking of the troops. Not much of the NAVUA is seen only part of a side of the ship. It looks that the port side of the ship is shown.
Built as a passenger-cargo vessel under yard No 255 by David J. Dunlop & Co at the Inch Yard near Glasgow for the Union SS Co of New Zealand Ltd., Dunedin New Zealand.
27 May 1904 launched as the NAVUA, named after the Navua River in Fiji.
Tonnage 2,930 gross, dim. 91.4(bpp) x 12.9 x 7.86m.
Two triple expansion steam engines 251 hhp., manufactured by the shipsbuilder, twin shafts, speed 12.5 knots.
Passenger accommodation for 71 saloon and 32 second class passengers.
Ventilated holds to carry fruit from the Pacific islands.
September 1904 completed, under British flag with homeport Dunedin.

She was special built for the service between New Zealand and Fiji.
Maiden voyage from Glasgow was under command of Captain .J. Newton.
After arrival Auckland she came in the service from Auckland to Fiji, Samoa, Tonga and Rarotonga with some voyages ending in Melbourne and Sydney.
1907 Registered under New Zealand flag.
11 August 1908 the NAVUA grounded on a reef of Rarotonga, but was soon refloated., seven days later she grounded again off Mauhi Island, being refloated without damage both times.
August 1914 requisitioned by the New Zealand Government and refitted in a troopship.
She made five trooping voyages during the war to Egypt and the U.K.
After World War I was she handed back to owners and placed in the Pacific service between New Zealand and California.
08 January 1919 she made her first sailing from Wellington for San Francisco. After her return in Auckland she was put again in the island service. September 1919 transferred to the Auckland to Tahiti service till 1922.
1922 The NAVUA was transferred to the coastal service of New Zealand till 31 December 1924, then laid up at Port Chalmers.
Early 1927 transferred to the Khedivial Mail SS & Graving Dock Co. Ltd, London and renamed RODA.
She was then used from Alexandria, Egypt to ports in the eastern Mediterranean.
September1932 Sold to Pol C. Gallia, Alexandria and broken up in Egypt in 1933.

Niue 2015 $1 sg?, scott?
Source: http://www.miramarshipindex.org.nz Passenger Ships of Australia & New Zealand by Peter Plowman. Union Fleet by Ian Farquhar. http://www.flotilla-australia.com/hmnzt.htm#33 Various other web-sites.
Attachments
2015 Niue.jpg
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