The NZ Division, of the Royal Navy. – H.M.S. Laburnum – JCs Royal New Zealand Navy Ships and New Zealand Defence, Also other World Defence Updates

Visit to Great Barrier Island of HMS Laburnum 1922
LABURNUM IN PORT.

ARRIVAL FROM ENGLAND. A FINE WEATHER PASSAGE. The war-sloop Laburnum, which has come out to New Zealand from England for service in these waters, arrived yesterday afternoon from Port Fitzroy, on the Great Barrier Island, where she made a stay of about five days for general cleaning-tip purposes before steaming into Auckland. She is a sister ship to H.M.S. Veronica, and is now at the Sheerlegs wharf, near the Calliope Dock. The Laburnum left Devonport, England, on November 24 last and had a fine weather passage all the way to New Zealand, taking the Mediterranean route, through the Suez Canal and the Red Sea, across the Indian Ocean and through Torres Strait, to the North of the Australian Continent. A stop was made at a number of ports en route, including Gibraltar, Malta, Port Said, Aden, Colombo, Singapore, Batavia, Thursday Island, Noumea and Port Fitzroy, Christmas being spent at Aden. On arrival yesterday Commander G. Shetston reported the arrival of the s Laburnum to Commodore A. G. Hotham, of HMS Chatham, and later met Commander F. H. L. Lewin, of H.M.S. Veronica. This morning he visited H.M.S. 1 Philomel. The following are the ship”s officers:—Commander G. Sherston, Lieutenant J. S. Raynes. Lieutenant R. B. Gibb, Lieutenant J. L. Isacke, Surgeon-Lieutenant- Commander J. A. Watson, Gunner W. H. Lake and Commissioned Engineer E. I Brown. The officers and men all come from Great Britain with the exception of Surgeon Lieutenant-Commander Watson, who is a native of Wellington. Two of the crew were met by relatives on arrival. Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 65, 18 March 1922, Page 6
H.M. sloop Laburnum, which has been fitted out for duty in New Zealand waters, arrived at the Great Barrier Island on Saturday and is undergoing a general cleaning after her voyage from England. She will leave Port Fitzroy towards the end of the week for Auckland, and is expected to arrive here on Friday. Her displacement is 1250 tons and her length 255 feet, and she has engines capable of developing a speed of 17 knots. Her officers include:—Lieut. John S. Raynes, Lieutenant Roger B. Gibb, Acting-Lieutenant John L. isacke; surgeon, Lieutenant-Commander I. A. Watson-, gunner, William H. Lake; warrant engineer, Elias Brown.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 61, 14 March 1922, Page 4