Ensconced in the captain’s chair on the bridge of HMNZS Canterbury, navy veteran Keith Williamson peppered the ship’s commander with questions, rapid-fire.
Did the vessel have guns? Yes.
Did a local pilot steer the ship into port? Yes, but only as a courtesy.
What was the purpose of the design of this ship? HMNZS Canterbury is a multi-role vessel that supports logistics over the shore, either by chopper, landing craft, or rigid inflatable boat.
The vessel’s boxy design is a sore point for Williamson. It is vastly different in appearance from the sleek, sloop-like navy warship HMS Stork, which he served on during World War II.
“It looks ridiculous. The ships I sailed on looked like ships, but this is a strange animal, I think.”
Now 104 years old, the spritely former lieutenant is considered New Zealand’s oldest navy veteran, with tours of duty in the Atlantic Ocean and as a commanding officer of landing craft ferrying troops between Sicily and the Italian mainland.
“What amuses me is I didn’t do anything exceptional in my navy career. I was very ordinary but, because I’m 104, that seems to make me a bit different,” Williamson told Seven Sharp.
Enlisting
Born in Otago in 1920, Williamson secured a teaching degree before enlisting, a profession he would return to when the war ended.
“I happened to read an advertisement in the paper about a scheme called Scheme B,” Williamson recollected. “If you had an education qualification, you could qualify to go forward with a view to becoming an officer, and naturally, that appealed to my pride.”
He served under acclaimed Navy Captain Frederic “Johnny” Walker on Stork.
“He had an exceptional record of killing 13 U-boats,” Williamson explained. “If you know anything about the extent of the Atlantic, to hunt down and sink 13 was an amazing record.”
Williamson said it was his job to serve Captain Walker cups of tea, a simple task he enjoyed, and they often conversed about the weather.
On board the Canterbury, he was keen to know whether Commanding Officer Bronwyn Heslop also had a person providing refreshments. “Yes, I do,” she responded. “I’m very blessed; I have a fabulous steward.”
Heslop joined the Navy 35 years ago, working through the ranks.
When Williamson enquired about her experiences as a female in the navy, Heslop said there had been some tough times but “things have changed now”.
Following a tour of the bridge and the commanding officer’s cabin, Williamson met with the ship’s duty officer at the entrance to the armoury and was shown an automatic weapon.
On the flight deck, Helsop presented the centenarian with a naval cap and, in return, Williamson gifted his prized edition of a Captain Walker biography, now destined for the ship’s library.
Despite his unwillingness to be in the spotlight, Williamson enjoyed his time aboard the Canterbury and disembarked with a final salute.
“A great day, much better than expected,” he said.
