1940s: Hauraki Gulf Marine Mines
May 22, 2019
By AHNZ
Continuing the long tradition of the navy wasting expensive resources…the old marine mine chain at Army Bay, Whangaparaoa.
New Zealand’s first mines were strung in 1885 from North Head (along from Devonport on Auckland’s North Shore) to Bastion Point. That was in 1886 for the big Russian scare.
The chains in this picture were used to string defensive mines between Whangaparoa and Tiritiri Matangi island during WW2. According to a website about the island* there was also mining between the island and Rakino Island forming a defensive web for Auckland. After all, successful conquerors of the past such as the Naga Puhi and William Hobson had all gained their foothold by first mastering Auckland Harbour!
As far as I know the only mines laid around New Zealand to have actually taken down targets were offensive mines, not defensive mines. Ref. Earlier post about SMS Wolf, Imperial German Navy.
—
* ref. tiritirimatangi.org.nz
Image ref. Derelict NZ; Facebook 2018
Like Comment Share
