Hi There folks,
It occured to me (after prompting by PJ) that I should
really post what info I have regarding the ship I am researching :-
"HMS Pioneer" This ship was designed in Auckland specially for the
river work involved in the Maori wars of 1863-4 she was built in
Sydney (Australia)for the New Zealand government by the Australian
Steam Navigation Company and was an Iron flat bottomed stern-wheel
paddle steamer of nearly 300 tons she was 140 ft long and a beam of
20 ft drawing only 3ft of water. In September of 1863 Midshipman
Foljambe, in "Curacao" outward bound to New Zealand, noted in his
journal while passing through Sydney: "There is a colonial gunboat
here, just built, she has one paddle-wheel at the stern and has two
iron shotproof cupolas, she is going to New Zealand soon and is to
carry two brass guns, she was trying her speed here yesterday. (at
this time she was called "Waikato" but was renamed Pioneer when
handed over to the Royal Navy for service on the river) Her twin 30
horsepower engines, and 12 ft diameter stern wheel gave her a speed
of 9 knots the cost of her build was 9,500 pounds, she served on the
river (Waikato)for the duration of the war, later when moored at the
river-mouth she broke away from her moorings and was washed out to
sea during a severe storm, a skeleton crew was despatched to bring
her back to moorings but ran aground on the reef where she sank,
some time later one of her cupolas was recovered and stood on the
river bank at Mercer, for some time the local police used it as a
lock-up, it now forms the base of a monument to the local soldiers
who served in WW1. And that folks is, it would appear all that
anyone knows about the ship "HMS Pioneer" if any one out there knows
anything more (that can be authenticated) I would be very grateful
to hear of it, or any plans that may exist somewhere !!!
All the best folks and good paddling.............Dai Powell
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