Ti Point
Warkworth
14th February 1992
The Curator
Naval Museum
HMNZS PHILOMEL
Devonport, AUCKLAND

Dear Sir

The enclosed wine bottle neck was presented to me by a friendly rigger, Leading or Charge Hand I think, at THORNEYCROFTS shipyards at Woolston, Southampton, about the time HMNZS OTAGO first commissioned there, possibly after the commissioning party! He souvenired it quite legitimately I believe, at the launching, where he had been responsible for rigging the cradle for breaking the ceremonial bottle. He gave it to me, the Communications Officer, because he said, he had been a Leading Signalman during World War II.

I have no reason to doubt that it is the remains of the bottle used and remember, having been at the launching, that New Zealand wine was used. The Te kauwhata Horticultural Station imprint on the seal is as you see readable in spite of a tear which was there when I got it. Local Champagne was rather rare at the time! I expect the wine is mentioned in news reports of the launching.

Yours faithfully
R.G. Franklin [formerly Lieutenant Commander RNZN]
Thanks to Brian Burford of the Navy Museum for photographing the artifact and letter at very short notice when we became aware of its presence.