HMNZS Leander, Royal New Zealand Navy, during WW2

HMNZS 리앤더, 뉴질랜드 해군, 2차 세계대전


This is an excerpt from my grandad's recollections of wartime service aboard HMNZS Leander.

이 이야기는 할아버지의 HMNZS 리앤더 복무 시절 회고록에서 발췌한거야.


"In the course of our duties we were sent to Pearl Harbour (still a mess from the Japanese attack) and a dishwashing machine (I doubt if there was one in NZ at the time) was purchased from Canteen funds. It was put in the charge of Petty Officer Benseman, the Messdeck Petty Officer who was very proud of it. Some weeks later, when we had been torpedoed in the action at Kolombangara against the Japanese force labelled “The Tokyo Express”, and were desperately working to keep the ship afloat, he was heard to assure the 4-inch gun crews that all was well as the dishwashing machine was unharmed."

임무를 위해 우린 진주만으로 파견됐었지. (거긴 여전히 일본 공격으로 아수라장이었어) 그 곳에서 식당 기금으로 식기세척기를 하나 구입했어. (당시 뉴질랜드에는 식기세척기가 하나도 없었을거야) 새로 구입한 식기체석기는 식당 담당 하사관인, 벤스먼 하사관의 책임이었어. 그는 그걸 매우 자랑스러워했지.

몇주 뒤 우린 콜롬방가라 전투에서 도쿄 익스프레스라 불리는 일본군 상대로 싸우다가 어뢰를 맞았고, 어떻게든 배가 침몰하지 않도록 애쓰고 있었어.

그 와중에 벤스먼 하사관은 4인치 함포 승조원들한테 자기쪽은 멀쩡하고, 식기세척기도 다치지 않았다고 안심시켰다더군."