IN ACTION

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21203, 28 August 1940, Page 4

IN ACTION

H.M.S, LEANDER INCIDENT LAST MONTH HEAVY AERIAL BOMBARDMENT SUCCESS IN FIRST OPERATION Including in its crew a number of Waikato ratings, H.M.S. Leander, of the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, achieved success in its first major naval operation of the war, last month when it was ‘‘somewhere East of Suez.” The cruiser put an end to an Italian submarine and during an intense aerial bombardment brought down two Italian bomber planes, without suffering any casualties.

Little has been heard of the Leander since the outbreak of war. The first news of her operations east of the Suez Canal has reached New Zealand in letters written by Dominion ratings, and several Waikato parents have news of the first major engagement. The men speak of the magnificent way in which the captain handled the cruiser, and it seems apparent that the Leander has added another creditable chapter to the Dominion’s naval tradition, opened in December with the magnificent achievement of H.M.S. Achilles in the Battle of the River Plate against the German pocket battleship Admiral Graf Spee. The Leander’s first big action occurred some time last month. After leaving New Zealand, the cruiser reached an unnamed port just before Italy’s declaration of war against the Allies,* according to letters written by Waikato ratings. Once in the war zone, all watches on board kept their lifebelts handy and air raid warnings were sounded twice a day. Italy’s Entry Into War British naval patrols “East of Suez” became very active once Italy was in the war. The first good news received by the Leander was that the British trawler “Moonshine” had captured an Italian submarine. When the trawler brought her prize to port the Leander was in the same harbour and the New Zealand ratings gave the little vessel a tremendous welcome. Soon news came through that a British destroyer had located an Italian submarine and forced it to beach itself. While the destroyer kept watch upon, its prey, the Leander was despatched, along with two additional destroyers, to put an end to the Italian submarine. While steaming to the scene of action the Leander anti-aircraft guns went into action against an Italian bomber, which, according to several of the letters, hurried away without giving fight. Leander’s Six-inch Guns When the squadron under the Leander reached the beached submarine the Italian craft was still apparently seaworthy. The two destroyers used their small guns against the enemy, who returned shot for shot. To make sure that the submarine would be beyond repair, the Leander brought her six-inch guns into action and finished off the enemy. Then the British squadron turned to hurry out of enemy territory. “Then all of a sudden hell was let loose from the sky—lti (Italian) bombers,” wrote one Waikato rating in the Leander. “One of the destroyers received the first run of bombs. We thought the little craft was gone We couldn’t see her for explosions and water spouts all round her, but when the splashes stopped there she was without a scratch, steaming at full speed and dodging like a hare from the hounds.’

After that episode the Leander was subjected to intense bombardment for a period of two hours. The Italian bombers tried in vain to sink the New Zealand cruiser. It was almost incredible to think that the cruiser could emerge from the bombardment without a single casualty. The antiaircraft guns of the warship were engaged ceaselessly against the enemy bombers, two of which were shot down. Little Damage to the Leander The Leander churned the sea as the stokers below worked to increase the speed, and the commander controlled the cruiser magnificently as she dodged in and out of the line of bombs. All on board remained cool, and the ship came out of the action with only a scratch on the paintwork and a hole in the funnel. “The bombs were too close to be comfortable,” stated one letter. “At times the explosions shook the old ship like a terrier shaking a rat. The destroyers* crews thought the Leander’s day had come. When they signalled: “How many casualties?” we replied: “None—how are you?” “All 0.K.,” came the reply. In another letter received in the Waikato a rating speaks in jest of how the Leander out-matched the Achilles in its first action.