HMNZS Arbutus (K 403) was a modified Flower class corvette

Flower class corvette

The Flower-class corvette was a class of 267 corvettes used during World War II, specifically with the Allied navies as anti-submarine convoy escorts during the Battle of the Atlantic...

 of the Royal New Zealand Navy

Royal New Zealand Navy

The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...

 (RNZN). Built for the Royal Navy

Royal Navy

The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...

 as HMS Arbutus, the corvette was transferred to the RNZN on completion in 1944, and operated during the final years of World War II

World War II

World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...

. In April 1947, Arbutus was one of the units involved in a mutiny

1947 Royal New Zealand Navy mutinies

During April 1947, the Royal New Zealand Navy was affected by a series of peaceful mutinies amongst the sailors and non-commissioned officers of four ships and two shore bases...

 over poor pay and working conditions.

Arbutus was decommissioned in 1948 and broken for scrap in 1951.

Construction

The corvette was built for the Royal Navy by George Brown and Company of Greenock

Greenock

Greenock is a town and administrative centre in the Inverclyde council area in United Kingdom, and a former burgh within the historic county of Renfrewshire, located in the west central Lowlands of Scotland...

, Scotland. She was laid down on 3 May 1943, and launched on 26 January 1944. Before completion, she was transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy

Royal New Zealand Navy

The Royal New Zealand Navy is the maritime arm of the New Zealand Defence Force...

, and commissioned on 5 July 1944.

Post-war

In early February, Arbutus was deployed on a two-month show the flag cruise around the Pacific Islands. The deployment had seen several incidents, the first of which occurred while the ship was docked in Tahiti; sailors who were meant to be guarding the ship became drunk, after which a crowd of Tahitians attempted to board the ship and remove equipment. On departure, the corvette sailed into a heavy storm, which lasted for several days. Waves breaking over the bow rendered the bridge unusable, and many aboard—including the ship's cat

Ship's cat

The ship's cat has been a common sight on many trading, exploration, and naval ships, and is a phenomenon that goes back to ancient times. Cats have been carried on ships for a number of reasons, the most important being to catch mice and rats. These rodents, when aboard, could cause considerable...

, for the first and only time in its life—were seasick. Water contamination of the fuel oil taken on in Tahiti damaged the propulsion machinery, further adding to the problems. When Arbutus finally limped into port at the end of March, the ship's company were informed that they would only remain at HMNZS Philomel

HMNZS Philomel

HMNZS Philomel is the main administrative naval baseof the Royal New Zealand Navy. Originally a training base on board the cruiser it takes its name from, it is part of the Devonport Naval Base in North Shore City, Auckland, New Zealand.-History:...

 long enough to take on aviation fuel and supplies to be delivered to the Cook Islands

Cook Islands

The Cook Islands is a self-governing parliamentary democracy in the South Pacific Ocean in free association with New Zealand...

.

Mutiny

At the time of Arbutus return to Philomel, there were problems affecting sailors across the RNZN. The main cause of unhappiness was a pay review due to be released in the next few days; the review was a year late, and sailors leared that they would still be underpaid in comparison to Army and Air Force equivalents, and that the government had backed down on its promise to backdate the pay to the original due date of the review. In addition, attempts to improve the working and living conditions aboard RNZN ships through lower-deck committees had proven to be ineffective.

On the morning of 1 April, 100 sailors at Philomel refused duty at morning parade; they were later joined by personnel from HMNZS Black Prince

HMS Black Prince (81)

HMS Black Prince was a Dido-class light cruiser of the Royal Navy, of the Bellona subgroup. The cruiser was commissioned in 1943, and served during World War II on the Arctic convoys, during the Normandy landings, and as part of the British Pacific Fleet. In 1946, the cruiser was loaned to the...

 which was undergoing refits at the base. The ship's company of Arbutus had been confined to the ship in preparation for their imminent departure, but at 14:00, representatives of the mutineers walked up to the dock next to the corvette and began discussions with those aboard. All the sailors aboard Arbutus joined the mutiny, bringing the numbers up to 200. That afternoon, the mutineers marched off the base. Although the government agreed to make the new pay rates retrospective, the mutineers intended to remain off base until the rest of their demands were met. This did not eventuate; on 3 April, the sailors were ordered to return to work and accept punkshment or be discharged

Military discharge

A military discharge is given when a member of the armed forces is released from their obligation to serve.-United States:Discharge or separation should not be confused with retirement; career U.S...

. Of the 200, only 23 men returned to the base, they, along with 18 British loan personnel were used to man Arbutus and get her underway for the Cook Islands that afternoon. In their haste to separate the loyalists from further mutinous influences, the ship was not properly provisioned, and all aboard were forced to eat canned pilchards for the entire voyage.

Fate

Arbutus was paid off in 1948, and returned to the Royal Navy. She was broken up for scrap in June 1951 at Dunston, Tyne and Wear

Dunston, Tyne and Wear

Dunston was originally an independent village on the south bank of the River Tyne. It has now been absorbed into the Metropolitan Borough of Gateshead in the English county of Tyne and Wear...

.