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COMMANDER CLIVE HOLMES RNZN

HMNZS RESOLUTION - COMMANDING OFFICER

Commander Clive Holmes joined the RNZN in 1979 after attending Lincoln High School in Christchurch.

As a midshipman under training, the first year, spent ashore at the Officer's Training School, was followed by a year at sea on the training ship HMNZS TARANAKI. His next posting was to HMNZS WAIKATO for 14 months where, as a sub lieutenant, he was awarded his Bridge Watchkeeping Certificate; the professional qualification required by all seaman officers in the RNZN.

Postings to HMNZ Ships TARANAKI and OTAGO as a Watchkeeping Officer were followed by an appointment to HMNZS PUKAKI, a Lake Class Patrol Craft, as Executive Officer in 1983. In 1984 a brief period was spent as Executive Officer HMNZS HAWEA, whilst in refit, before being posted ashore as a New Entry Divisional Officer at the training establishment HMNZS TAMAKI.

Clive Holmes left the RNZN in 1985 after embarking on a career in Auckland's commercial sector; however, the chance of specialising as a hydrographic surveyor drew him back into regular service in May 1986 when he joined HMNZS MONOWAI as a Watchkeeping Officer.

In 1987 Clive Holmes attended the six month Royal Australian Navy (RAN) Basic Hydrographic Surveyor Officer's Course at HMAS PENGUIN in Sydney where he gained the International Hydrographic (IHO) Category B qualification. A subsequent posting back to HMNZS MONOWAI was followed by command of HMNZS TAKAPU, an Inshore Survey Craft, in 1988.

Following directly on from this command, in 1989 Clive Holmes attended the Royal Navy Hydrographic Long Course at HMS DRAKE in Plymouth, England, where he gained the IHO Category A qualification. On return to New Zealand he was posted to HMNZS MONOWAI as Survey Operations Officer in May 1990.

After completing surveys off New Plymouth, the Auckland Islands, Bay of Islands, Cook Islands and the Kermadec Islands, Clive Holmes returned to HMAS PENGUIN in Sydney to attend the six month RAN Staff Course in 1993. This was followed by an appointment ashore for two years as the Assistant Hydrographer (Navy) at the RNZN Hydrographic Office.

In August 1995 Clive Holmes took up the appointment as Senior Officer Inshore Survey Craft and Officer in Command of HMNZS TARAPUNGA. As the Charge Surveyor, surveys were completed in the Bay of Plenty, Breaksea, Dusky and Milford Sounds in Fjordland, and Pelorus Sound in Marlborough.

After joining HMNZS RESOLUTION as Officer in Command in August 1997, Clive Holmes was appointed as Commanding Officer in January 1998 and promoted to Commander in July. Since then RESOLUTION has been fitted with an Atlas MD2-30 Multibeam Echo Sounder and brought into operational service recently completing a five month southern survey near Stewart Island for Land Information New Zealand.

Article courtesy of the Royal New Zealand Navy