• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Naval Historical Society of Australia

Preserving Australia's Naval History

  • Events
  • Account
  • Members Area
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact us
  • Show Search
  • 0 items
Hide Search
Menu
  • Home
  • Research
    • Where to start
      • Research – We can help!
      • Self help
      • Naval Service Records
      • Library
      • Related Maritime websites
    • Resources
      • Articles
      • Videos
      • On This Day
      • Podcasts
      • Australian Military Ship Losses
      • RAN events on a  Google Earth Map
      • RAN Vessels – Where are they now?
      • Related Maritime websites
    • Other
      • Newsletters: Call The Hands
      • Occasional Papers and Historical Booklets
      • Books
      • HMAS Shropshire
      • Book reviews
    • Close
  • Naval Heritage Sites
    • World Heritage Listings
      • Cockatoo Island
    • National Heritage Listings
      • HMAS Sydney II and the HSK Kormoran Shipwreck Sites
      • HMVS Cerberus
    • Commonwealth Heritage Listings
      • Garden Island NSW
      • HMAS Watson
      • HMAS Penguin
      • Spectacle Island Explosives Complex NSW
      • Chowder Bay Naval Facilities
      • Beecroft Peninsula NSW
      • Admiralty House, Garden and Fortifications
      • HMAS Cerberus
      • Naval Offices QLD
      • Garden Island WA
      • Royal Australian Naval College ACT
      • Royal Australian Naval Transmitting Station ACT
    • NSW Heritage Listings
      • HMAS Rushcutter
    • Close
  • Naval Art
  • Tours & Cruises
    • Navy in Sydney Harbour Cruise, East
    • Navy in Sydney Harbour Cruise, West
    • Anniversary Cruise: Sydney under Japanese Attack
    • Tour Bookings
    • Close
  • About us
    • About Us
      • What we do
      • Our People
      • Office Bearers
      • Become a volunteer
      • Our Goals and Strategy
    • Organisation
      • Victoria Chapter
      • WA Chapter
      • ACT Chapter
    • Close
  • Membership
  • Shop
  • Become a volunteer
  • Donate
You are here: Home / Article topics / Publications / Naval Historical Review / The Battle of Kolombangara

The Battle of Kolombangara

Smith, Peter Leslie, Actg. Ldg Stoker · Mar 21, 1983 · Print This Page

Author
Smith, Peter Leslie, Actg. Ldg Stoker
Subjects
Poetry
Tags
HMNZS Leander, Kolombangara
RAN Ships
None noted.
Publication
March 1983 edition of the Naval Historical Review (all rights reserved)

In darkness and quiet of the morning,
As the squadron steamed steadily north
The admiral signalled a warning,
That Jap warships were–sallying forth.

We knew not their size nor their number
Their speed or their object that night,
But ours was to send them down under
So we steamed to the north and to fight.

One o’clock. and “stand to” is sounded,
And the speed is increased to our best
All’s tense – scarce a whisper is heard
Till we open our fire with the rest.

Action! full hot is the pace
Guns ablaze and shells scream through the night
Each man is closed up at his place
To fight for his cause and the right.

“Leander” was pouring out shell
Her hull rocked and reeled with the blast
A round us the “Yanks” gave them hell
For they knew how to shoot and shoot fast.

The Jap guns were flashing and roaring
And some of the shells landed near,
But our broadsides we see to be scoring
We’re making them pay and pay dear.

At the height of this furious show
A terrific explosion is heard
She shudders and reels neath the blow
And seems to go dead. Scarce a word

As we help with the dead and the dying
And feel our way round in the dark.
We know by the way she’s now lying
That a “tin fish ” has made us its mark.

No words I can find or can borrow
Can tell of the thoughts in our mind
Our grief at the bloodshed, our sorrow
For messmates cannot be defined.

We’re crippled-fight, steam we’re unable­
A fine sitting shot for the Jap­
But the “Yanks” – or those that are able
Haul in and get on with the scrap.

Now the days of “Zeander” were over
Were it not for the boys down below
Who wouldn’t admit they were beaten
And said “we will get her to go”:

They swore and they cursed – they were weary
They prayed as they coaxed her along
But they all stuck it out and were cheery
And even spared breath for a song.

Dawn found us still limping to southward
The victors, but we’d paid a price.
Jap bases were close on our starboard
They’ll surely be here in a trice.

With eyes that were strained and were swollen
The lookouts kept scanning the sky
And the sight of our own fighter squadron
Was a sight to gladden each eye.

Twenty-eight of us paid for this glory
For them all we offer a prayer
Their names will live on in our story
Their dear ones are safe in God’s care

Their sweethearts, their wives and their mothers
We’ll care for as though they’re our own
To their menfolk – their fathers and brothers
We promise to see this job done.
 

Naval Historical Review, Poetry HMNZS Leander, Kolombangara

Primary Sidebar

SUBSCRIBE

Sign up for our monthly e-newsletter.

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.

Categories

Latest Podcasts

  • The Fall of Singapore
  • HMAS Armidale
  • Napoleon, the Royal Navy and Me
  • The Case of the Unknown Sailor
  • Night of the midget subs — Sydney under attack

Links to other podcasts

Australian Naval History Podcasts
This podcast series examines Australia’s Naval history, featuring a variety of naval history experts from the Naval Studies Group and elsewhere.
Produced by the Naval Studies Group in conjunction with the Submarine Institute of Australia, the Australian Naval Institute, Naval Historical Society and the RAN Seapower Centre

Life on the Line Podcasts
Life on the Line tracks down Australian war veterans and records their stories.
These recordings can be accessed through Apple iTunes or for Android users, Stitcher.

Video Links

  • Australian War Memorial YouTube channel
  • Royal Australian Navy YouTube Channel
  • Research – We can help!
  • Naval Heritage Sites
  • Explore Naval Art
  • Dockyard Heritage Tour
  • About us
  • Shop
  • Events
  • Members Area
  • Volunteer
  • Donate
  • Contact us

Follow us

  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • Members Area
  • Privacy Policy

Naval Historical Society of Australia Inc. Copyright © 2025