TSS WAHINE 1913-1951 And TEV WAHINE 1966-1968:

Everyone in New Zealand should have heard of the tragic 1968 Wreck of the WAHINE ferry after striking Barrets Reef in Wellington Harbor.

51 lives were lost while abandoning the drifting, sinking ship - operating as a roll-on, roll-off car-passenger ferry between Lyttleton (Christchurch) and Wellington.

Strange to tell, but this fine, large still very new ship - on 10th April 1968 - struck the reef while travelling 'full astern' backwards after being knocked off course by the wild sea conditions.

Link to a full history:

http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/wahine.htm

1966-68 TEV WAHINE on a much better day.- At That Time She was The Biggest,
 Newest Modern 'Roll on - Roll off' Ferry in The World.

A very short working life of only two years for TEV WAHINE (wahine is the Maori word meaning woman or wife) - but the previous TSS Wahine worked long and hard through both World Wars and met her end when carrying New Zealand troops to the Korean War.

  TSS Wahine was launched in 1912 from Dennys shipyard, Dumfries Scotland - while the second WAHINE was also Scots built in 1966 - at Govan.

TSS Wahine. 1913-1951

The early TSS Wahine was also built as a ferry to run Lyttleton to Wellington but she saw war service as a mine-layer, and troop carrier in both wars - working as fleet messenger for 8 months at the Gallipoli campaign - where she astounded observers at Malta by regularly reversing at speed through crowded harbors using her bow rudder to avoid the other shipping.

Link to detailed history:
http://www.nzmaritime.co.nz/wahine1.htm

- Sad to say but after 38 years hard work - this earlier Wahine also ran onto a reef - shortly after leaving Darwin Australia on August 15 1951 loaded with New Zealand troops and 25 pounder

artillery guns for the Korean War - she ran onto a reef called Masela Island in the Arafura Sea east of Timor. - TSS Wahine was a total loss - but all on board were rescued.

It would be my guess regarding naval tradition and superstition ... but I doubt that any senior administrator will hurry to again choose WAHINE as the name for a future New Zealand vessel.

Subsequent to both ships foundering .. extensive salvage was conducted. TEV WAHINE broke-up in Wellington Harbor and was removed - but TSS Wahine remained stuck high & dry off Timor.

Wreck of TSS Wahine 1951.

Marty K.
P.S. - I'd like to post more about the 1950's "Korean War" (UN 'Police Action') - but it's so involved and swung back'n'forth so much .. with so many different nations involved - Do your own research 😏. - Terrible things & massive casualties were conducted by both sides.