Clem Tinney

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Biography

NZ2121 Able Seaman Clemence (Clem) William Tinney - Royal New Zealand Navy

Clemence (Clem) William Tinney was born in Waverley, South Taranaki on 17th September 1924 the son of Florence Lily Smith (nee Pilling) and Percy Henry Tinney.

Clem’s grandfather William Tinney was from 1906 till his death Captain Tinney the harbourmaster and pilot to the Patea Harbour Board.[i]

Both Clem’s father Percy Henry and Uncle Norman Tinney had served in WW1. 33083 Lance Corporal Percy Henry Tinney was wounded in October 1917 while serving with the Wellington Infantry Regiment when he had been blown into a shell hole and partially buried. Suffering shell shock Lance Corporal Tinney was sent back to New Zealand and discharged in April 1918 as no longer fit for active service.[ii] Percy after leaving the army is listed as a farmer, then running the Patea Railway Refreshment Rooms before moving to Days Bay, Wellington to run a grocery shop. The Tinney family from Day's Bay moved to Gonville, Wanganui where Clem’s parents purchased a grocery business. Clem went to primary school in Gonville area before Wanganui Technical School.

On the outbreak of World War Two, Clem was too young, at fifteen to join the 2nd New Zealand Expeditionary Force (2nd NZEF) but with his parents permission was eligible to sign on as a ‘Boy’ to a permanent position with the Royal New Zealand Navy. Prior to acceptance Clem moved to New Market, Auckland where he worked at the Colonial Ammunition Company. On 25 October 1941, aged 16, Clemence William Tinney signed on with the Royal New Zealand Navy until his 18th birthday[iii]. Clem reported to the naval training establishment HMNZS Philomel as NZ2121 Boy 2nd Class Tinney. Basic training was carried out at HMNZS Philomel and HMNZS Tamaki where NZ2121 Boy 2nd Class Tinney was promoted on 26th April 1941 to Boy 1st Class. On 14th May 1941 Boy 1st Class Tinney was posted to HMS Achilles. HMS Achilles was engaged in convoy escort duty in the Tasman Sea and South Pacific Ocean. Following the entry of Japan into World War Two HMS Achilles was involved in convoy duties to support the movement of USA units in the South Pacific.

NZ2121 Ordinary Seaman

On Boy 1st Class Tinney’s 18th birthday, 17th September 1942 he resigned on with the RNZN for an additional 12 years and was given the rank of Ordinary Seaman (O/S) Tinney. In September 1942 His Majesty’s Ship (HMS) Achilles was transferred to New Zealand and was recommissioned as His Majesty’s New Zealand Ship (HMNZS) Achilles[iv]. ​

HMNZS Achilles

On 5th January 1943 HMNZS Achilles was operating with US Task Force 67 off Guadalcanal, Solomon Island when she was attacked by four Japanese aircraft. One bomb hit and blew the top of one of the ships turrets killing 13 sailors. HMNZS Achilles was withdrawn from active service and sent for repairs but because of the damage arrangements were made to move the ship to Portsmouth where the repairs and a upgrades could be completed. While in Portsmouth O/S Tinney, on 6th June 1943, was promoted to Able Bodies A/B Seaman. The work on HMNZS Achilles was delayed because of a June 1943 dockyard explosion, so members of the Achilles, among them A/B Tinney were drafted in September 1943 to the commissioning of HMNZS Gambia, prior to crew from the damaged HMNZS Leander arriving to crew the Gambia.

As the Achilles had not been repaired the Admiralty looked to use experienced NZ seamen to crew various British warships. A/B Tinney was posted to the UK training establishment HMS Drake and then with the potential invasion of Occupied Europe to HMS Tattoo on 7th May 1944[v]. HMS Tattoo was part of a minesweeping force that looked to keep the invasion channels clear leading up to the D-Day landings then in the push by the Allies from Normandy until suitable ports could be captured. HMS Tatto was possible stationed off Gold Beach during the landings and was subject to a number of attacks by German fighters and bombers. Three attacks, which all failed, led Clem to recall later ‘he was so frustrated he threw potatoes at the bombers.’ [vi] In November 1944 A/B Tinney was made a Temporary Leading Seaman on HMS Tattoo. T/Leading Seaman Tinney also reflected on the peacefulness at times ‘with a calm sparkling English Channel and clear blue skies but watching German flying bombs (V1 Doodlebugs) crossing from German held territories to hit England[vii]. HMS Tattoo

HMS Tattoo also was also part of the flotilla which late in the war escorted the King of Denmark to Copenhagen then up to sweep for mines in the Norwegian Fjords before ending the war sweeping for mines off the English coast[viii]. Temporary Leading Seaman Tinney remained with HMS Tattoo until November 1945 when he was moved back from England to New Zealand reporting to HMNZS Philomel in December 1945.

With peacetime Temp Leading Seaman’s period of engagement was amended to 6 years and on 7th November 1947 NZ2121 Able Seaman Clemence William Tinney’s period of engagement was completed and he was discharged from the Royal New Zealand Navy.

The 23 year old returned to civilian life and like many ex-servicemen ‘found it hard to settle down’[ix] trying his hand at a number of jobs before getting a job with Downers. Clem married Lebon, while in New Plymouth, the couple later moved to Porirua where 60 Sievers Grove, Porirua East became home. Clem continued to work for Downers, then Domtrac before retiring. Clem later ran PEP Gangs with one project completing all the stone walls around Pukerua Bay Railway Station.

Clem was well known in Porirua and was given the knick name ‘The Admiral’ by his comrades in the Porirua RSA.

Clem ‘crossed the bar’ on 27th August 1995 and his ashes were scattered at sea.

Notes Thank you to Clem and Lebon’s daughters to access to photos, unpublished letters and oral history. Clem’s uncle and father both served in the NZEF 33083 Lance Corporal Percy Henry Tinney, 11th Company, 3rd Battalion, Wellington Infantry Regiment 22887 Lance Corporal Norman Tinney, 14th Company, 2nd Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment

References NZ BDM Paperspast Online Archway Archives New Zealand Military Files NZ Defence Archives Wikipedia HMNZS Achilles National Museum of the Royal New Zealand Navy Ancestry.com Oral History – Tinney family

Photos Ordinary Seaman Tinney: Tinney family NZHMS Achilles: Wikipedia HMS Tattoo: WMThomson – Flicker 'The Admiral' : Tinney family 'The Admiral' - Clem Tinney

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Sources

No sources. The events of Clemence's life were either witnessed by Phil Richardson or Phil plans to add sources here later.

Footnotes

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Phil Richardson for starting this profile.

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