HMS New Zealand was one of the Royal Navy’s three Indefatigable-class battlecruisers, commissioned in 1912 as a gift from the Dominion of New Zealand to the British Empire. Representing Admiral Jackie Fisher's vision of a fast, heavily armed, and lightly armored warship, New Zealand played a significant role in the Royal Navy's operations during World War I. This video delves into her participation in the most significant naval engagement of the Great War—the Battle of Jutland.
Before the war, New Zealand embarked on a global goodwill tour, visiting her namesake country, where she was gifted a Maori piu-piu skirt and greenstone tiki, believed to bring good luck in battle. These items became symbols of the ship’s remarkable fortune during the war. Commanded by Captain John Green, who donned the Maori garb during battles, New Zealand earned a reputation for escaping major damage in combat.
At Jutland, New Zealand formed part of Admiral David Beatty’s Battlecruiser Fleet, engaging the German High Seas Fleet in a massive clash involving 250 ships and over 100,000 sailors. She initially sailed alongside her sister ship Indefatigable as part of the 2nd Battlecruiser Squadron. The battle began with intense long-range gunnery, and New Zealand opened fire on the German Moltke. Despite the chaotic and deadly "run to the south," where British ships struggled with fire coordination and suffered catastrophic losses, New Zealand emerged unscathed.
Tragically, her squadron-mate Indefatigable was destroyed early in the battle by German shellfire, leaving New Zealand as the sole survivor of her squadron. Throughout the engagement, she continued to fire on German ships, displaying remarkable accuracy. The ship’s luck held, as she avoided serious damage even after coming under heavy fire. Sailors attributed their safety to the Maori talismans and the piu-piu skirt worn by Captain Green.
The battle shifted dramatically when Beatty’s forces turned north to rendezvous with Admiral Jellicoe's Grand Fleet. New Zealand continued to engage the German battlecruisers, contributing to the "death ride" of Admiral Hipper’s ships. By the end of the night, New Zealand had survived the largest naval battle of the war without any casualties—a testament to her crew’s skill and, perhaps, her superstitious charms.
After Jutland, New Zealand resumed her role in the Royal Navy and survived the war. She was eventually decommissioned and scrapped in the 1920s under the terms of naval disarmament treaties. Despite her ultimate fate, New Zealand’s story stands as a symbol of resilience and the strange mix of tradition, superstition, and professionalism that defined the Royal Navy in World War I.
Intro 0:00
Background 0:49
Before Jutland 9:13
Jutland 12:19
Conclusion 27:44
Sources/Other Reading:
IWM Voices of Jutland: https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/voices...
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https://www.amazon.com/German-Battlec...
https://www.iwm.org.uk/history/what-w...
https://www.amazon.com/British-Battle...
https://www.jutland1916.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Naval-Route-Ab...
Video Information:
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