The Waikato River Gunboats

The Waikato River Gunboats; New Zealand's First Navy

Grant Middlemass 2014 Self published 111pp ISBN 9778-0-474-27800-7

Blurb

New Zealand's First Navy. The story of the gunboats used during the British invasion of the Waikato.

Her Majesty's Waikato River Gunboat Flotilla. New Zealand's First Navy, helped to mould Waikato history. Although they are mentioned in passing by most historians there is little detail of the ships or the pivotal role they played in the Waikato land war.

The Waikato War of 1863-64 was the most important of the many campaigns fought. With it, the Colonial government aimed to destroy the power of the Maori King whose policy it was to stop Maori selling land to the government. Governor George Grey, who returned in 1861, (as second term Governor), claimed the Waikato tribes had hostile intentions, including plans to invade Auckland. These claims were part of an orchestrated litany of lies aimed at convincing the British Government of the threat that the New Zealand settler colony faced from the local tribes. Today, the Waikato campaign is now seen for what it was - a well-contrived and deliberate land grab. While Grey spoke of peace and reconciliation, he prepared for war. by the time it was clear that Maori were not going to attack Auckland, London had already sent 3000 additional troops to New Zealand. Between 1861 and 1863, at Grey's direction, a force was assembled and developed. The Waikato River was the key, as it provided a road to the interior of the Waikato. Eight purpose built armoured iron river gunboats were deployed as a naval force and transport service to move the 12,000+ troops and supplies into the interior past the Maori fortifications...

This is the story of that conflict, and the river gunboats that played such an integral part of the campaign