all four crew. 19 December: New Zealand suffers its worst naval loss when 150 New Zealanders on board are killed after the ship strikes mines and sinks off the coast of Libya. German surface raiders operated in New Zealand waters in 1940 and 1941, sinking four ships. Arts and literature See 1941 in art, 1941 in literature, :Category:1941 books Music See: 1941 in music Radio See: Public broadcasting in New Zealand Film See: :Category:1941 film awards, 1941 in film, List of New Zealand feature films, Cinema of New Zealand, :Category:1941 films Sport Most sporting events were on hold due to the war. Chess The 50th National Chess Championship was held in Timaru, and was won by P. Allerhand of Wellington. Horse racing Harness racing New Zealand Trotting Cup – Josedale Grattan Auckland Trotting Cup – Uenuku Lawn bowls The national outdoor lawn bowls championships are held in Christchurch. Men's singles champion – C. Spearman (Christchurch RSA Bowling Club) Men's pair champions – H.S. Maslin, M.J. Squire (skip) (Hawera Bowling Club) Men's fours champions – C.H. Elsom, D.H. Joseph, A. Williamson, P. Munn (skip) (Canterbury Bowling Club) Rugby union :Category:Rugby union in New Zealand, :Category:All Blacks Ranfurly Shield Rugby league New Zealand national rugby league team Soccer Chatham Cup competition not held Provincial league champions: Auckland: Comrade Canterbury: Western Hawke's Bay: Napier HSOB Nelson: No competition Otago: Mosgiel South Canterbury: No competition Southland: No competition Waikato: No competition Wanganui: No competition Wellington: Seatoun Births 5 January: Bob Cunis, cricketer (died 2008). 3 February: Gary Bartlett, cricketer. 11 February: Alan "A. K." Grant, writer, humourist. (died 2000) 12 February: Ross Morgan, cricketer. 12 February: Bruno Lawrence, actor. (died 1995) 26 February: Keith Thomson, cricketer. 8 April: Roderick Deane, economist, public sector reformer, and businessman. 7 May: Grahame Bilby, cricketer. 17 June: Claire Stewart, politician. (died 2020) 5 July: Lynley Dodd, children's author. 20 July: Pita Sharples, academic and politician. 17 August: Owen Marshall, writer (Owen Marshall Jones). 12 September: Doug Kidd, politician. 17 September: Tilly Hirst, netball player (died 2021). 29 October: Bryan Yuile, cricketer. 7 November: Jim Sutton, politician. 12 November: Jenny McLeod, composer and musician. 24 November: Bob Harvey, mayor of Waitakere City. Chin Wing Ho (Peter Chin), mayor of Dunedin. Gary Day, actor. Malcolm Douglas, politician. Allan Hawkey, cartoonist. (in England): Bernard Holman, artist. (died 1988) Ian Mune, actor and director. Ian Peters, politician. :Category:1941 births Deaths 2 May: