Commissioned cruisers of the Royal New Zealand Navy from its formation on 1 October 1941 to the present:
| Name | Type | Class | Dates | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HMNZS Achilles (70) | Cruiser | 1941–1946 | in the New Zealand Division 1936–1941 | ||
| HMNZS Leander | Cruiser | 1941–1948 | in the New Zealand Division 1937–1941 | ||
| HMNZS Monowai (F59) | Armed merchant cruiser | n/a | 1940–1943 | Liner fitted with guns. Surplus in 1943 and converted to landing ship | |
| HMNZS Gambia (C48) | Cruiser | 1943–1946 | Passed to RNZN as Leander and Achilles were out of action after being damaged in Pacific. | ||
| HMNZS Bellona (63) | Cruiser | Bellona subgroup | 1946–1956 | ||
| HMNZS Black Prince (81) | Cruiser | Bellona subgroup | 1946–1961 | Second World War light cruiser loaned from Royal Navy. In reserve 1947-1953. In reserve from 1953. Used as accommodation and source of parts for | |
| HMNZS Royalist (C89) | Cruiser | Bellona subgroup | 1956–1966 | Second World War light cruiser purchased from Royal Navy after reconstruction |
was a light cruiser which served with the Royal Navy during World War II. Early in 1941 the New Zealand Government responded to an Admiralty request for sailors to man an additional cruiser. Neptune was selected and was expected to leave the United Kingdom for New Zealand in May. However, because of the loss of cruisers during the Crete campaign Neptune was instead attached to Admiral Cunningham's Force K, based on Malta. On 19 December 1941 she was sunk by mines. Only one crewman survived.[1]
150 of those lost were New Zealanders, 80 of them had served in the Naval Reserve before the outbreak of war. The loss of Neptune was the greatest single tragedy New Zealand Naval Forces have experienced.