The Navy in New Zealand’s History 1769 – 2024

Overview:

This presentation illustrates the story of the Royal Navy, the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy in peace and war. It narrates the Navy’s history from Cook’s arrival in 1769, through the Treaty of Waitangi in 1840, the Land Wars of the 1860’s, the establishment of Devonport Naval base.

The presentation concentrates on the role of New Zealanders serving under the White Ensign in both World Wars. It also covers the RNZN in the Korean War and more recent operations including the modernization of the fleet and its culture in recent decades.

Presenter – Desmond Woods OAM

Desmond Woods served for more than four decades in the RNZN, the RN the British Army and the RAN as an education officer teaching naval and military history to junior officers.  From 2003 – 2010 he was the Course Officer for the Strategic Studies Course at the RANC.

He was the Military Support Officer to the Defence Community Organization in Canberra for two years before joining the staff of the RAN’s International Fleet Review in 2013.  This was followed by a year as Staff officer Centenary of Anzac (Navy) before joining CN’s personal staff as his Research Officer.  After time as a Heritage Research Officer at the RAN’s Seapower Centre in Canberra he became the Navy’s Bereavement Liaison Office.

He is a councilor of the Australian Naval Institute and the Australian Institute for International Affairs (ACT) a member of the United Services Institute (ACT) and is an author and a regular contributor to Australian and international naval historical journals.

Details

Date and Time:         11:00am, Wednesday 12^th August 2026 (Sydney time)

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