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Witch Hill memorial

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The war memorial on Witch Hill, at the top of Rapaki Track on the Port hills above Christchurch.

Plaques on the front of the memorial

Plaque on the rear of the memorial.

Bryan Bates 2009

Herekino war memorial

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Herekino war memorial.

Information from Ross Beddows:

Herekino is about 25km southwest of Kaitaia following the Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd. The memorial is adjacent to the Herekino War Memorial Hall just prior to the Diggers Valley junction with the Kaitaia-Awaroa Rd. The Herekino Domain is on the other side of the memorial.

Belmont railway viaduct

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The towering Belmont railway viaduct, which bridged a deep gully at Paparangi, northeast of Johnsonville, Wellington, was built

Robert Scott memorial boulder

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Memorial to Robert Falcon Scott in the Queenstown Gardens.

Neill Atkinson, 2009

Threat of Japanese imperialism cartoon

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

A cartoon produced by E.F. Hiscocks in 1904 depicting the perceived 'brown' threat of Japanese imperialism to Australia and New Zealand.

Japan's victory over Russia in the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-05 had significant strategic implications for the Pacific region. The destruction of the Russian battlefleet saw the balance of power shift in the Pacific as Japan emerged as a major military power. New Zealand and Australia, anxious about Japanese expansion, were increasingly worried about the threat posed by the size and mobility of the Japanese fleet.

The Battle of the River Plate film poster

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

A poster advertising the 1956 film The Battle of the River Plate, in which HMS Achilles (then serving in the Indian Navy as INS Delhi) played itself.

Image reproduced from http://www.freeclassicimages.com

Royal New Zealand Navy memorial

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The Royal New Zealand Navy memorial at Devonport, Auckland.

Arthur Hunt and Robert Batt

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Seaman Boy Arthur Hunt (right) with Achilles shipmate Robert Batt pictured on their return to New Zealand, February 1940.

Hunt, who was 16 years old at the time of the battle, later recalled the tension of going into action aboard Achilles:

The Achilles attacks the Graf Spee

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Edward S. Annison, The "Achilles" opening the attack on the "Graf Spee", 1939. This artwork is part of the National Collection of War Art held at Archives New Zealand.

HMS Achilles in the Battle of the River Plate

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Frank Norton, HMS "Achilles" in the Battle of the River Plate, 1940. This artwork is part of the National Collection of War Art held at Archives New Zealand. The artist has taken some liberties with the scene, as here the New Zealand flag flies on the foremast (instead of the mainmast, further aft) and land appears on the horizon; in fact the battle took place 240 nautical miles (445 km) from Uruguay's eastern coast.

River Plate battle diagrams book

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Booklet showing detailed battle diagrams from the Battle of the River Plate. Click on image to open up the interactive booklet.

Battle of the River Plate map

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Coffins from the Graf Spee

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Coffins containing the bodies of the 36 crewmen killed aboard the Admiral Graf Spee are unloaded at Montevideo Harbour, before being buried with full military honours at the city's German cemetery. The funeral was attended by a large crowd, including members of the local German community and the formerly captive British merchant officers who had been released by Captain Langsdorff on his arrival in the neutral port.

Image courtesy Albert Martin

Albert Martin and crewmates

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Albert Martin and some of his Achilles crewmates pictured with the Mayor of Hamilton following their triumphant return to New Zealand in February 1940.

Back Row (L to R): Harry Gould, Max Dorset, Roy Magnell, Max Larsen, Vaughan Varney, Buck Taylor, Athol Sweeney, Albert Martin, Jack Bongard.

Front Row (L to R): Bill McKenzie, Eddie Buckley, Rex Larsen, Harold Caro (Mayor of Hamilton), Petty Officer Telegraphist Bywater-Lutman, Petty Officer Writer Bywater-Lutman.

Image courtesy Albert Martin

Route of the Admiral Graf Spee, August-December 1939

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Albert Martin

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Seaman Boy Albert Martin pictured following the Battle of the River Plate, December 1939.

Image courtesy Albert Martin

Washing clothes on HMS Philomel

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Recruits from the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy washing clothes aboard the depot ship HMS Philomel at Devonport, Auckland, in the late 1930s.

Image courtesy Albert Martin

BBC news report on Battle of River Plate

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Graf Spee in Montevideo Harbour

Salvaged gun from Graf Spee

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

This 150 mm (5.9-inch) gun recovered from the German warship Admiral Graf Spee is today trained on the River Plate in Uruguay, the scene of the ship's demise in December 1939. The maximum range of this gun, part of the Graf Spee's secondary armament, was 22 km.

Bob Harvey describes welcome home for Achilles

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Scene from the welcome home parade for the Achilles crew in Auckland in 1940. See full image and reference.

Bob Harvey, Able Seaman on HMS Achilles, describes the welcome home the crew received on 23 February 1940.

On board Achilles during Battle of the River Plate

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The director control tower of the Achilles showing the shrapnel damage described by Bob Harvey. See full image and reference

Bob Harvey, Able Seaman on HMS Achilles, describes the scene during the Battle of the River Plate. The interview is from 1997 and the interviewer is Jim Sullivan.

Movement of Achilles prior to Battle of the River Plate

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

HMS Achilles

Bob Harvey, Able Seaman on HMS Achilles, describes the movements of the ship in the days before the Battle of the River Plate. The interview is from 1997 and the interviewer is Jim Sullivan.

Captain Parry on bridge of the Achilles

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

HMS Achilles' Captain W.E. Parry dresses his leg wounds following the Battle of the River Plate. Behind him is the navigating officer, Lieutenant G.C. Cowburn.

Lieutenant RE Washbourn

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Lieutenant R.E. Washbourn, who was wounded when shell splinters tore into HMS Achilles' director control tower, takes the chance to eat some breakfast following the main engagement.

Washbourn later gave a dramatic account of the blow suffered by Achilles:

HMS Ramillies congratulates the Achilles

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

HMS Ramillies in Wellington Harbour in January 1940, flying a banner congratulating Achilles on its role in the Battle of the River Plate. The battleship was in New Zealand to escort the big troop ships carrying the First Echelon of the Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force to the Middle East.

Rear-Admiral Harwood and Captain Parry

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Rear-Admiral Sir Henry Harwood (right) with Captain Edward Parry on board the Achilles.

After the battle Harwood congratulated the officers and crew of Achilles on their performance in battle, writing that:

I cannot speak too highly of the conduct of the officers and ship's company of H.M.S. "Achilles." They carried out their duties under hot fire with complete unconcern, and I fully concur with Captain Parry's remarks that New Zealand has every reason to be proud of her seamen during their baptism of fire.

Damage to Graf Spee

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The Graf Spee burns

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The German 'pocket battleship' Admiral Graf Spee burns fiercely after being scuttled by its captain and crew in the shallow waters of the River Plate estuary, about 5 miles (8 km) outside Montevideo.

Admiral Graf Spee

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The Admiral Graf Spee photographed in Montevideo Harbour following the Battle of the River Plate. A shell-hole is visible below the forward guns.

Remembering dead bodies on HMS Achilles

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Albert Martin in 2006.

Here he describes dead bodies being moved on board the HMS Achilles during the Battle of the River Plate.

Damage to director control tower plating

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

Some of damage to the armour-plating of HMS Achilles' director control tower, in which four crewmen were killed.

Image from Achilles at the River Plate, by S.D. Waters
War History Branch, Department of Internal Affairs, Wellington 1948
Further information on this image may be obtained through the New Zealand Electronic Text Centre website.

Shrapnel damage to director control tower

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The director control tower of the Achilles, in which four ratings were killed and two seriously wounded by splinters when one of the Admiral Graf Spee's shells fell close to the cruiser.

Achilles crew march through Auckland

Thu, 01 Jan 1970 12:00:00 +1200

The officers and crew of HMS Achilles march through Auckland on 23 February 1940. A crowd of 100,000 people turned out to welcome home the heroes of the Battle of River Plate.