Canterbury's final voyage. The HMNZS Canterbury was built in the Clyde shipyards and launched in 1971. It seems likely to end up as a dive spot, but it's most famous moment was when the Labour Government of 1973 sent it to escort a flotilla of private vessels protesting French nuclear testing in the Pacific, an action which lead to the ending of open-air tests.

Crew who served then eventually recieved a Special Service Medal. The Mururoa veterans maintain photos from the time. The Canterbury and the Otago were sent because of a history of the French services dealing with protesters in a highly aggresive fashion - including ramming ships and assaulting crew. This reached its nadir in 1985, when French secret service agents sunk the Rainbow Warrior in Auckland harbour, killing one of its crew. Since then it's been involved with duties as diverse as rescuing turtles and nations.