Leslie Hood
Leslie Hood joined the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy as a Stoker 2nd Class on August 25, 1923 with the service number NZD 572. He served mainly in the cruisers Chatham, Dunedin, Achilles and Gambia, as well as undertaking advanced training in the United Kingdom. He saw extensive service afloat during the Second World War including at the Battle of the River Plate in Achilles, for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal. Hood took part in operations off Japan in Gambia before he was discharged on September 25, 1945 as a Chief Petty Officer Mechanic.
He joined the Royal New Zealand Volunteer Naval Reserve on January 8, 1952, as a Temporary Sub-Lieutenant and was discharged on June 28, 1960 with the rank of Temporary Lieutenant.
For his service he was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal 1938-1949, 1939-1945 Star, Atlantic Star, Pacific Star (Burma Clasp), War Medal, New Zealand War Service Medal, and the Royal Naval Long Service and Good Conduct Medal 1937-1948.