Command Role for Former Thames High Student

The newest Commanding Officer of the Royal New Zealand Navy’s HMNZS Canterbury says his 35-year Navy career started with an inspiring recruiter who visited his high school in Thames.

Commander Wayne Andrew uttered “I have the ship” at a Change of Command ceremony at Devonport Naval Base on Thursday, receiving the ship’s symbol of command – a greenstone mere – from outgoing Commanding Officer Commander Bronwyn Heslop.

Canterbury is a Landing Ship Logistics multi-role vessel. Its primary mission is to deploy personnel, vehicles and cargo using conventional port infrastructure or directly ship-to-shore using landing craft, boats or helicopter airlift.

Born in Thames, Commander Andrew joined the Navy straight from Thames High School as a “fresh-faced 18-year-old” midshipman in February 1990.

“I hadn’t really thought about it as a career,” he says. “The sea had always been of interest as my grandparents were lighthouse keepers, with my mum growing up in places like Cuvier Island, and my father had been pottering us around in small boats for as long as I can remember. My uncle was also a member of the Royal New Zealand Navy Volunteer Reserve.”

Long-time Defence recruiter Warrant Officer Reece Golding – the father of current Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Garin Golding – came to Thames High School to deliver a Navy presentation.

“I thought, that sounds really interesting. I caught up with him afterwards for some more questions.”

He was contacted a week later to attend a pre-selection board in Tauranga, and he progressed from there to Auckland for a final selection board.

“Within five weeks of that initial conversation, I had been accepted. My mum and dad drove me up to Devonport Naval Base to start training only three months after that first conversation.”

Both Commander Andrew and Commander Heslop are classmates from the 1990 intake, which was the first officer intake to accept women for sea going roles in the Navy.

This is Commander Andrew’s first Commanding Officer role, and his first posting to Canterbury. He was involved in the ship’s introduction to service in 2007 as the Fleet Warfare Officer for the Maritime Operations Evaluation Team.

He has served in all four Leander-class frigates (Waikato, Wellington, Canterbury, Southland), Monowai, Endeavour, Resolution and as Executive Officer in both Inshore Survey Craft (Tarapunga and Takapu). He has served in Anzac frigates Te Mana and Te Kaha, the latter as Executive Officer.

His most recent posting was New Zealand’s Naval Adviser in London and Defence Attaché for Germany and the Netherlands.

Last year, while in London, he had indicated he remained keen to take up a ship command. It was just before Christmas when he got the call.

“They said ‘we need you back in New Zealand in three weeks to start your Command course’.”

It was a very exciting opportunity, he said.

“I’m pretty humbled to be selected to lead a mission-focused and inclusive bunch of people,” he said. “Bron has developed an excellent ethos on board and people are serious about working there. Every time Canterbury leaves the ‘wall’, it’s doing something operational.”