The Gunnery Branch of the RNZN
“If you Desire Peace, Prepare for War”
By Jim Stenton
As all upstanding former Gunnery Branch officers and ratings of any Commonwealth Navy will tell you, 4 December is the date for the celebration of St Barbara, the Patron Saint of Gunners everywhere. We hope you remember to celebrate this special occasion!
The RNZN Gunnery Branch has existed since the RNZN birthday on 1 October 1941, until it was renamed the Seaman Combat Specialist branch in 2005. The last RNZN Gunnery Class of seven ratings completed their “Weapon Controlman 2nd Class” Course August 2004. Training for the various Courses has taken place in Australia, the United Kingdom and of course, at the RNZN Gunnery School, at TAMAKI and in PHILOMEL.
There have been many outstanding examples of the professionalism of all ratings in the Gunnery Branch over those 64 years, characterised by a strong esprit de corps. Over the years there have been various changes that the Gunners of the times have undergone, including: rating name changes (QAs, GAs, GLs, FCs, WPs, SGs, for example) and different guns and weapon systems.
- 6” guns on ACHILLES & LEANDER
- 5.25” guns on BLACK PRINCE, BELLONA & ROYALIST along with Pom-poms, Oerlikons or 40/60 Bofors.
- 4” guns on the Loch-class frigates
- 4.5” guns and Seacat missiles on our Type 12 and Leander-class frigates.
Fire control systems became increasingly complex: ROYALIST, OTAGO and TARANAKI all had the FP5 fire control system; WAIKATO & CANTERBURY introduced the MRS3 Mod 1 and Mod 3; the Seacat was controlled by GWS 22. In the 1980s our Navy (and Dockyard) installed the R76 system in WELLINGTON and CANTERBURY.
As Gunners, we were responsible for the Navy’s small arms, from the re-barreled .22 rifles, the post war era of Lanchesters, Stirlings & Brownings; then the SLRs (NATO standard FN 7.62mm) and today the 5.56mm Steyrs.
Those old weapons and systems have now been superceded by the weaponry of our current frigates, TE KAHA and TE MANA. But there remains the “Gunnery” pride in every Gunner, well aware that the rest of their ships’ company were only there so as to get the Gunners to where they were needed to carry out the primary task of the ship—that is, using the guns for their intended purpose!
Of course, there has also been the odd mistake:
- BLACK PRINCE landing 5.25” shells into the main street of an Australian town
- A number of RNZAF DC3 target tugs being narrowly missed by 4.5” AA practice shells, and
- various other minor indiscretions…
But these were only challenges to the Gunners to ensure that those situations did not happen again!
Time moves on, so we plan a reunion of all Gunners, past and present, to be held at the Devonport Naval Base over Easter Weekend, 2010. If you were or are still a Gunner, you are invited to attend this very special occasion and to meet up with past shipmates for this very special occasion.
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