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Allied Warships

HMNZS Leander (75)

Light cruiser of the Leander class

NavyThe Royal New Zealand Navy
TypeLight cruiser
ClassLeander 
Pennant75 
Built byDevonport Dockyard (Plymouth, U.K.) : Vickers Armstrong (Newcastle-on-Tyne, U.K.) 
Ordered 
Laid down1 Aug, 1928 
Launched13 Jul, 1929 
Commissioned23 Jul, 1931 
End service8 May, 1944 
Loss position
 
HistoryThe Royal Navy light-cruiser HMS Leander was loaned to the New Zealand Division from 30 April 1937 until 8 May 1944. At this time she was repairing and refitting at Boston in the USA. HMS Leander returned to service on 27 August 1945.

Decommissioned by the Royal Navy in February 1948.
Sold to be broken up for scrap on 15 December 1949.
Scrapped at Blyth on 15 January 1950.

Commanding Officers:
Capt. James William Rivett-Carnac, DSC, RN
14 November 1936 - 1 January 1940

Capt. Henry Edward Horan, DSC, RN
1 January 1940 – 28 November 1940

Capt. Robert Hesketh Bevan, RN
28 November 1940 – February 1943

Capt. Cecil Aubrey Lawson Mansergh, DSC, RN
February 1943 – February 1944

A/Cdr. L.P. Brindley, RN
February 1944 – December 1944

Cdr. Harold Brittan Clifford Gill, DSO, RN
December 1944 – 24 February 1945

Capt. Robert Jocelyn Oliver Otway-Ruthven, DSO, RN
24 February 1945 – still in command in October 1945 according to the Navy List 

Career notesReturned to the Royal Navy as HMS Leander

Noteable events involving Leander include:

27 Feb, 1941
HMNZS Leander (Capt. R.H. Bevan, RN) sinks the Italian armed merchant cruiser Ramb I (3667 GRT, Lt.Cdr. Bonezzi) west of the Maledive Islands in position 01º00'N, 68º30'E after a short gun duell. 103 men were captured. (see map)

23 Mar, 1941
HMNZS Leander (Capt. R.H. Bevan, RN) intercepts and captures the Vichy-French merchant Charles L.D. (5267 GRT) in the Indian Ocean between Mauritius and Madagascar.

13 Jul, 1943
During the Battle of Kula Gulf, HMNZS Leander (Capt. C.A.L. Mansergh, DSC, RN) is torpedoed by Japanese warships. Leander is severely damaged with an engine room, a boiler room and a 4-inch gun destroyed. After making temporary repairs Leander proceeded to Boston, USA for major restoration and a refit.


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