WW2 Royal Navy & New Zealand medals Moore HMS Leander Battle of Kolombangar

For sale - medals comprising 1939 - 45 Star, Africa Star, pacific Star, Defence and War medals 919139 - 45 all un named as issued; Royal navy Long service and Good conduct medal G. Swing mounted as worn with extensive research file and copy of service records.

Petty Officer John Francis Moore. Was born on 30/4/1908 in Hull, Yorkshire. He was working as a carter when he enlisted into the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class on 4/7/1924. Over the next 24 years he served in a variety of H.

Foreign warships bombarded the city including the Caradoc to defend foreign residents against rioting and looting. During WW2 he served primarily on the HMS Leander (Light cruiser) from 30/4/1935 - 8/4/1945 which served in the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy. She sank the Italian armed merchantman Ramb I near the Maldives on 27/2/1941, rescuing 113 of her crew receiving slight damage in return. On 23/3/1941, she captured the Vichy French merchant Charles L.

In the Indian Ocean between Mauritius and Madagascar. In June 1941, Leander was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet and was active against the Vichy French during the Syria-Lebanon Campaign. In the ensuing Battle of Kolombangara, the Jintsu was sunk and all three Allied cruisers were hit by torpedoes and disabled.

Leander was hit by a single torpedo just abaft'A' boiler room. 28 crew from the boiler room and the No. 1 4-inch gun mount immediately above were killed or posted missing. She was first repaired in Auckland, then proceeded to a full refit in Boston. HMS Achilles (Light cruiser) 9/4/1945 - 15/7/1946.

On 26/4/1945 she joined Task Force 57 as the British Pacific Fleet was designated, on 22 May. Operations undertaken at this time were mainly directed against Japanese bases on the Sakishima (Ryukyu) Islands. She participated in a bombardment of the Truk Islands in mid-June. Redesignated Task Force 37, it conducted air strikes against targets on mainland Japan.

For the cruisers and other escorts a major function was providing defence against kamikaze attacks on the fleet. He was posted to HMS Philomel N.

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