battle-of-the-river-plate-commemorative-booklet

Battle of the river plate ◊ 39Battle experiences are traumatic and onboard ships are naval chaplains, officerswithout rank, who care for the spiritualneeds of the ship’s company and pray overthe dead.They live through the same circumstances yet extend comfortand support. Unlike all other officers in the service, the navalchaplain has no rank as his parishners may range from Admiralto Seaman Boy. We do not have a record of the chaplain whoserved in ACHILLES at the Battle of the River Plate. ChaplainGordon Melville McKenzie was the chaplain who served inAchilles from June 1940. In January 1941 he was posted toHMS TAMAKI, the training establishment on Moutihi Island. Helater became Bishop of Wellington. Among the Navy Museum’scollection items from naval chaplaincy is Chaplain Robson’scommunion set, complete with communion wafers.In 1926 thefirst chapel wasestablished onthe Naval Basein the SeamanBoys’ classroom.When the basewas significantlyupgraded inthe mid 1930’s,Chaplain G.T.Robson requesteda better chapelthan the small schoolroom he was using.St Christopher’s Chapel was completed in1943, finally meeting the Chaplain’s request.The first service was held in May 1943 anddedicated on 20 June 1943 and named forthe former patron saint of sailors.Various stained glass windows have beenincorporated into the chapel, for instanceHMNZS TAMAKI and TASMAN. When it wasoriginally built it was divided into a chapel anda gymnasium. This has subsequently beenconverted into a seminar room and doublesthe seating space if there is large service tobe held in the chapel.Above: Achilles Point in Auckland and the St ChristopherChapel window at entrance.The chapel is also home to a number of historicitems which are on display in and around thechapel, all of which have links with ACHILLES.These include:HONOURS BOARD: HMS ACHILLES’ Battle Honours Board.Plaque: Remember HMS ACHILLES. The first men of theNZ Division RN to be Killed in Action. Battle of the River Plate13th December 1939.SANCTuary Memorial Window WW2: The centralstained glass window in the Chapel Sanctuary depicts thenames of all the New Zealand ships which suffered lossesin WW2 including ACHILLES in the top left. The surround isfrom the steering wheel of HMS Philomel.BATTLE Ensign: ACHILLES’ Battle Ensign was housed inthe Chapel for many years but is now housed within the NavyMuseum collection for safe keeping.Chapel ENTRANCE: The stained glass window on the rightof the covered entrance way depicts St Christopher andbelow it has the ACHILLES’ ships badge with the words“In all time of danger be their defence.”ACHILLES Road: The road on the naval base which leadspast the front of the Chapel is called ACHILLES Roadhonouring ACHILLES’ Ships’ companies.TREES WITH PLAQUES: Trees planted at the front of theChapel with commemorative plaques have two associatedwith ACHILLES. One tree is “In Memory of all River PlateVeterans 1939” and the other tree is “In memory of all whosailed in HMNZS ACHILLES” Lest we forget.CANDLESTICKS AND CROSS: Presented by ChaplainRobson who served on board ACHILLES.