Category Archives: Frigates – Leander Class

Twenty years on, an old frigate is now a living reef – HMNZS Wellington

Deborah Morris – November 8, 2025 Below the waters of Houghton Bay is a warship – its forward guns intact, anchors in place, helipad empty. It is the HMNZS Wellington and it’s now a living reef. The day it was scuttled – November 13, 2005 – stopped Wellington in its tracks. In the single biggestContinue reading “Twenty years on, an old frigate is now a living reef – HMNZS Wellington”

HMNZS Wellington (F69)

HMNZS Wellington was a Leander-class frigate of the Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN). Originally commissioned in 1969 for the Royal Navy as HMS Bacchante, she joined the RNZN in 1982. She was decommissioned in 1999 and sunk in 2005. Refit On arrival in New Zealand, Wellington was decommissioned and entered an extended refit which ended in 1986. The limited modernization proved difficult and tookContinue reading “HMNZS Wellington (F69)”

HMNZS Southland (F104) Leander Class – Ex HMS Dido (more photos on blog – https://rnznnews.com/ )

HMNZS Southland ex HMS DidoHMS Dido was a Royal Navy (RN) Leander-class frigate. Entering service in 1961, Dido was involved in the Indonesia-Malaysia confrontation, served with NATO’s Standing Naval Force Atlantic on several occasions, and was one of the frigates used for the filming of the drama series Warship.Following a defence review at the startContinue reading “HMNZS Southland (F104) Leander Class – Ex HMS Dido (more photos on blog – https://rnznnews.com/ )”

Frigates – Leander Class – HMNZS Canterbury (F421) – Many images

HMNZS Canterbury (F421) was one of two broad beam Leander-class frigates operated by the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) from 1971 to 2005. She was built in Scotland and launched in 1970. Commissioned in 1971, Canterbury saw operational service in much of Australasia and other regions like the Persian Gulf. She undertook operations such asContinue reading “Frigates – Leander Class – HMNZS Canterbury (F421) – Many images”