Locals found WWI mines washed ashore on Horowhenua beaches

A group of four naval men who exploded the German mine washed up on Hokio Beach, November 14, 1918. Photo / Horowhenua Historical Society Inc

Coinciding with Armistice Day remembrances this week, Levin primary school teacher Gerard Joyce has found interesting information about mines that washed ashore in Horowhenua during World War I. He shared what he had learnt with Horowhenua Chronicle in the hope it might unearth more information, or artefacts in private collection.

The First World War was truly a global war. For while the fighting on land was confined mainly to Europe, there were naval battles across the oceans of the world.

In fact, the war at sea even made it to the shores of New Zealand and amazingly, Levin!

During the Great War, the German Navy ranged across the oceans of the world. Submarines sunk Allied shipping, raiders bombed harbours, captured ships and caused chaos.

Naval officer in the crater which remained after the German mine was exploded, Hokio Beach, November 14, 1918.

Additionally, mines were laid to block shipping channels and sink Allied shipping. Several sea mines washed up on New Zealand beaches during and just after the First World War and even caused some causalities.

The mines were large, spherical objects filled with explosives. They had 'horns' that when crushed by a ship led to the detonation of the mine. German mines sunk many ships in the war including British battleship Audacious and the Titanic's sister ship Britannic.

It was these types of sea mines that made it to Levin.

The first mine was found near the end of the war, on October 1918. It washed up north of Hokio Beach near the Hyderabad wreck. It was discovered in the surf by Mr J Mudgway who was riding a motorcycle along the beach.

The mine was partially buried in sand. When discovered the locals were naturally curious and police eventually had to place a guard near the mine.

A naval adviser, Captain Hall Thomson, travelled from Wellington to inspect the mine. He was accompanied by a local police officer to the site. After inspection, they rigged a fuse to the mine and retired to a safe distance where the mine was detonated.

The Horowhenua Chronicle of October 17, 1918 describes the explosion as: "The explosion which followed was preceded by a sheet of black smoke which shot into the air to a great height together with tons of sand."

Naval officer in the crater which remained after the German mine was exploded, Hokio Beach, November 14, 1918.

The explosion had plenty of witnesses from Levin and the explosion itself could be heard and apparently felt in town. The blast naturally left a large hole in the ground.

The Horowhenua Chronicle of November 16, 1918 claims that a piece hit a gig (a horse carriage) and was recovered as a souvenir.

Interestingly, another German mine also washed up between Levin and Foxton, this time on January 27, 1919 (shortly after the end of the war).

This one has an even more hair-raising tale as again local Mr Albert Mudgway saw it off shore while motorcycle riding on the beach.

He then went into the water and with a rope he hauled the mine back into the shore himself! When the mine reached the shore, he tied the rope to his motorbike and brought the mine further up onto the beach.

Little other detail remains but it appears the mine was then destroyed on January 29, 1919 by an artillery unit from Wellington.

A group of four naval men who exploded the German mine washed up on Hokio Beach, November 14, 1918. Photo / Horowhenua Historical Society Inc

The explosion, apparently was heard in both Foxton and Levin. Mr Mudgway for his efforts, was according to the Manawatu Herald, awarded £5.

It does seem rather strange that the same person would find the two mines under similar circumstances – riding on the beach but the newspapers record the two events as separate and there are different details such as with the first mine, such as he does not bring it in from the water.

What was the origin of these mines? The newspapers claim that they are German, meaning that they had some reason to believe that this was their country of origin. (There were defensive minefields laid by the Allies, occasionally mines would float away from these to wash up on the shore).

If they were German, they could have come from the raider Wolf. The ship was a disguised raider that began life as the freighter Wachtfels. She had departed Germany in late 1916 with over 400 mines aboard in addition to torpedoes and guns.

The ship laid her first minefield off the coast of South Africa. Following this, she laid a minefield near Cape Farewell at the top of the South Island. These mines accounted for two ships, the SS Port Kembla and the SS Wimmera.

The ship then left New Zealand waters to continue a successful raiding career in which more mines were laid and ships sunk or captured. Wolf then returned safely to Germany by early 1918 and ultimately survived the war.

The mines were eventually accounted for, one possibly also washing up in Otaki too.

Similar incidents happened in other parts of New Zealand. For example, a mine washed up on the shore of New Plymouth during the Second World War. Also, during the Second World War, a German U-boat approached Napier.

In both of these instances there are displays to inform people of the history. These displays are often sought out by tourists and those interested in history both local and global.

Fairfield School teacher Gerard Joyce.

Perhaps Levin needs a similar plaque or display to inform the public about these fascinating incidents. There may be more information, photos or even pieces of the mine in private collections in Levin.