Emotional proposal following Navy deployment
A navy sailor has proposed to his girlfriend – who said yes – in an emotional reunion in Auckland following a lengthy overseas deployment.
HMNZS Te Mana and her crew of 170 docked at the Navy base in Devonport yesterday morning. The frigate left New Zealand for Canada more than three years ago to receive an extensive systems upgrade.
Due to the length of the trip, the ship was entitled to a ceremonial homecoming, involving live music from the navy band, gun salutes, banners and a haka, with about 700 friends and whānau in attendance.
The first thing petty officer Jacob Biddle (Tūhoe) did when he disembarked Te Mana was drop down onto one knee to ask his partner of three years, Takimoana Hawea, to marry him. The pair kissed and Hawea nodded ‘‘yes’’, before jumping into Biddle’s arms as his comrades cheered and whistled from the ship.
Biddle, a seaman ship combat specialist who was deployed for about a year, said the proposal had taken months of planning and some trickery to get Hawea’s ring size.
While in Canada, Biddle bought two silver rings, telling Hawea it was so they could have matching rings – and he could get her ring size without any suspicion. He then bought the engagement ring during a visit home in February and had it resized in Hawaii. He was ‘‘very nervous’’ leading up to the proposal, as the whole ship knew of his plan. However, he was very excited to settle down with Hawea after what he believed would be one of his last deployments with the navy.
‘‘I’m glad that my darling’s home now,’’ Hawea said, adding she ‘‘had no idea’’ the proposal was coming. ‘‘I was shaking. I loved it. It was perfect.’’
Te Mana’s commanding officer, Commander Mike Peebles, had been on the ship for three years. His wife, Brenda , and their daughters Amber, 10, and Milla, 8, had been counting down the days until his return, with Amber saying now he was home they would ‘‘hug him’’.