Feb 2, 2011

The Janie Seddon. Motueka

Anyone visiting Motueka in the Golden Bay at the top of the South Island of New Zealand will see this hulk. It's been well photographed. The Janie Seddon was built for the NZ government in 1901 and spent most of her life in Wellington. In 1949 she was sold to Talleys Fisheries for use as a trawler. The small shot below was taken from the Internet and shows her in somewhat better shape from days gone bye.
But a more interesting aspect of her history is that she was reported to have fired the first shot of the second world war as this extract from the Klee Family geology shows

"An extract from The New Zealand Permanent Force by W.L. Ruffell records that the Janie Seddon fired the first shot in World War II ! It is currently uncertain as to whether George Klee was the master on this occasion.
Several days before war was actually declared the RNZA manned the coastal defences. The Examination Vessels at the four main ports, previously manned by the General Duties Branch, NZ Permanent Force, were taken over by the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve. When at 0945 hrs 3 September 1939 (2145 hrs 2 Sep GMT), the liner City of Delhi did not stop when ordered by the Port Examination Vessel Janie Seddon, the Fort Dorset Examination Battery fired a warning shot across her bows. It had the desired effect; spectators were astounded that so large a ship could 'heave to' so quickly. This shot was claimed by the RNZA to be the first of the war fired by British forces. The Captain of the City of Delhi subsequently paid for his lapse. In addition to being heavily fined he was ordered to pay for the complete 4-in round expended which in 1939 cost £40 ($80)."

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