CORVETTE MOA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 April 1943, Page 3

CORVETTE MOA

SUNK BY JAPANESE IN SOLOMONS FIVE MEMBERS OF CREW MISSING. SEVEN OTHERS SERIOUSLY WOUNDED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The loss by enemy action of H.M.N.Z.S. Moa (Lieutenant-Commander P. Phipps, D.5.C.,1, one of the two corvettes which recently sank a large Japanese submarine in the Solomon Islands, was announced by the Prime Minister. Mr Fraser, last night. Five members of the crew are reported missing, and seven seriously wounded. “I regret to announce that H.M. N.Z.S. Moa was lost during a heavy enemy air attack in the Solomons on Thursday, April 8,” said Mr Fraser. “The Moa was one of the two corvettes recently concerned in the sinking of a Japanese submarine. The other vessel was the Kiwi (Lieutenant-Com-mander G. Bridson, D.S.C.) The next-cf-kin of casualties in the Moa have been informed.” The Prime Minister said that a message had been received from the Commander, South Pacific Area, RearAdmiral Halsey, in which he expressed his deep feelings at the loss of the vessel, and added that her superb performance on a most difficult task had inspired all those with whom the Moa's company had come in contact. While deeply regretting the loss of life. Admiral Halsey said he could not praise her crew too highly and felt that she must be a source of great pride to New Zealand. The casualties were: — Missing. Crawford, Hugh D.. Acting Leading Stoker. Mrs K. A. Crawford, 24 Symonds St.. Onehunga (w) Moffat, John C. 0.. Acting Leading Stoker. Mrs M. E. Martin, care W. 11. Knight. Waipapa (m) Buckeridge, Edward J., Stoker. Mrs R. Buckeridge. Gilmour St., Waihi (m) Bailey, Kenneth, Able Seaman, Mrs E. A. Bailey, 59 Empire Rd., Epsom (m) Duncan, Colin, Telegraphist. Mrs J. V. Duncan, 54 Gillies Ave., Epsom (w) Seriously Wounded. Miller, William A., Able Seaman. Mrs N. E. Miller, 5 Rewhiti Ave.. Takapuna (w) Thomas, Arthur F., Ordinary Signalman. Mrs I. I. Pitkethely, Harris Rd., Mount Wellington, Ellerslie (aunt) Cochrane, Arthur F. J.. Assistant. Cook, Mrs L. M. Cochrane, Broadway, Reefton (m) Harnett, Wallace. Stoker. Mr B. D. McK. Harnett, Campbell’s Bay, Auckland (f) Rugg, William S. N. Stoker. Mrs Lilian Rugg, 88 Burnley St.. North Richmond, Melbourne (m) Anstis, George E„ Chief Mechanician. Mrs W. J. M. Anstis, 42 Evan Crescent, Giffnock, Glasgow (w) Baxter, John, Acting Leading Stoker. Mrs D. E. Baxter, Normandale Rd., Clubmoor, Liverpool (w) The Moa was built at the yards of Henry Robb, Ltd., Great Britain, which have supplied a number of ships for the New Zealand trade, and was brought to New Zealand by Lieuten-ant-Commander Connolly. The Moa was one of the two New Zealand corvettes which last January fought a night action at close range with a large Japanese submarine off Guadalcanal Island and completely destroyed it with all but one of its large company. Both corvettes shelled the submarine and one of them rammed it three times in an action lasting two hours and a half. There was only one casualty in the New Zealand ships. The submarine was more than twice the length and three times the tonnage of the corvettes. It had a considerably higher speed, its main gun fifed shells of much more than twice the weight of its opponents, and it was heavily armed with torpedoes. Moreover, the submarine was carrying a landing party of soldiers, who put up a hot fire with rifles and machineguns during the action.