TAIROA

BUILT BY ARMSTRONG WHITWORTH IN 1920 IN NEWCASTLE SHE WAS THE SISTER SHIP TO ' MAIMOA '.SHE WAS SUNK IN 1939 BY THE ' ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE ' WHILST IN TNE ATLANTIC. HER SISTER SHIP ' MAIMOA ' WAS TO BE SUNK THE FOLLOWING YEAR BY THE GERMAN RAIDER 'PINGUIN' IN THE INDIAN OCEAN.

ADMIRAL GRAF SPEE

DURING HER SHORT CAREER  IN 1939 SHE SANK NINE MERCHANT VESSELS ( AFRICA SHELL,TAIROA,DORIC STAR,STREONSHALH,TREVANION,HUNTSMAN,ASHLEA,NEWTON BEACH, AND THE CLEMENT ) SHE SCUTTLED HERSELF OF MONTEVIDEO AFTER SHE CAME BACK OUT TO SEA AFTER OUTSTAYING HER PERMITTED TIME IN PORT, WHERE SHE HAD BEEN FORCED TO TAKE SHELTER AFTER A BATTLE ( THE BATTLE OF THE RIVER PLATE ) BETWEEN HERSELF AND THE BRITISH WARSHIPS HMS EXETER, HMS AJAX AND THE NEW ZEALAND ACHILLES, IN WHICH SHE WAS DAMAGED. HER CAPATAIN, HANS LANGSDORFF COMMITTED SUISIDE A FEW DAYS LATER.