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Notable events involving Leander include:

4 Jun 1940
At 1640 hours (zone -2), HMS Liverpool (Capt. P.A. Read, RN, flying the flag of Rear-Admiral A.J.L. Murray, DSO, OBE, RN) arrived at Port Sudan. Here Rear-Admiral Murray transferred his flag to HMNZS Leander (Capt. H.E. Horan, RN).

HMS Liverpool then departed Port Sudan for Alexandria at 2140 hours. She was to join the Mediterranean Fleet. (1)

27 Feb 1941
HMNZS Leander (Capt. R.H. Bevan, RN) sank the Italian armed merchant cruiser Ramb I (3667 GRT, Lt.Cdr. Bonezzi) west of the Maldives Islands in position 01°00'N, 68°30'E after a short gun duel. 103 men were captured.

23 Mar 1941
HMNZS Leander (Capt. R.H. Bevan, RN) intercepts and captures the Vichy-French merchant Charles L.D. (5267 GRT) in the Indian Ocean between Mauritius and Madagascar.

20 Jun 1941
HMS Naiad (Capt. M.H.A. Kelsey, DSC, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral E.L.S. King, CB, MVO, RN) and HMNZS Leander (Capt. R.H. Bevan, RN) and several destroyers [identity currently unknown to us] departed Haifa around 1945/20 for a patrol off the coast of Syria. The cruisers were back at Haifa by 0900/21. (2)

22 Jun 1941
The light cruisers HMS Naiad (Capt. M.H.A. Kelsey, DSC, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral E.L.S. King, CB, MVO, RN) and HMNZS Leander (Capt. R.H. Bevan, RN) and the destroyers HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN), HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, DSO, DSC, RN) and HMAS Nizam (Lt.Cdr. M.J. Clark, RAN) departed Haifa around 1915 hours for a patrol off the Syrian coast. (2)

23 Jun 1941
While on patrol off Syria, HMS Naiad (Capt. M.H.A. Kelsey, DSC, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral E.L.S. King, CB, MVO, RN) and HMNZS Leander (Capt. R.H. Bevan, RN), HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN), HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, DSO, DSC, RN) and HMAS Nizam (Lt.Cdr. M.J. Clark, RAN) encountered two Vichy French destroyers at 0150 hours (actually on the Guépard was present) and engaged 'them'.

The Guépard was damaged by British gunfire but managed to escape to Beirut after an action which lasted barely 15 minutes.

The British ships, of which none had sustained any damage, returned to Haifa around 0645 hours. (2)

25 Jun 1941
HMNZS Leander (Capt. R.H. Bevan, RN), HMS Decoy (Lt.Cdr. J.M. Alliston, RN), HMS Havock (Lt. G.R.G. Watkins, RN) and HMAS Nizam (Lt.Cdr. M.J. Clark, RAN) departed Haifa late in the evening for a sweep to the north of Beirut.

At dawn the following morning (26th), the ships bombarded the Damur area. (3)

22 Jul 1941
Around 2100 hours, the Mediterranean Fleet, made up of the battleships HMS Queen Elizabeth (Capt. C.B. Barry, DSO, RN), HMS Valiant (Capt. C.E. Morgan, DSO, RN), light cruisers HMS Naiad (Capt. M.H.A. Kelsey, DSC, RN, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral E.L.S. King, CB, MVO, RN), HMS Phoebe (Capt. G. Grantham, RN), HMS Neptune (Capt. R.C. O'Conor, RN), fast minelayers HMS Abdiel (Capt. E. Peydell-Bouverie, MVO, RN), HMS Latona (Capt. S.L. Bateson, RN) and the destroyers HMS Griffin (Cdr. J. Lee-Barber, DSO, RN), HMS Hasty (Lt.Cdr. L.R.K. Tyrwhitt, DSC, RN), HMS Havock (Lt. G.R.G. Watkins, RN), HMS Jackal (Lt.Cdr. R.McC.P. Jonas, DSC, RN), HMS Kimberley (Cdr. J.S.M. Richardson, DSO, RN), HMS Kipling (Cdr. A. St. Clair-Ford, RN) and HMAS Nizam (Lt.Cdr. M.J. Clark, RAN) departed Alexandria to proceed to a position to the west of Crete.

Earlier that day the light cruisers HMS Ajax (Capt. E.D.B. McCarthy, DSO, RN), HMNZS Leander (Capt. R.H. Bevan, RN) and the destroyers HMS Jervis (Capt. P.J. Mack, DSO, RN), HMS Jaguar (Lt.Cdr. J.F.W. Hine, RN), HMS Kandahar (Cdr. W.G.A. Robson, DSO, RN) and HMS Kingston (Lt.Cdr. P. Somerville, DSO, DSC, RN) had departed Haifa to rendez-vous with the fleet at 0600/23.

At daylight on 23 July the AA cruiser HMS Carlisle (A/Cdr. W. Pope, RN) also joined the fleet.

After dark on 23 July the fleet turned eastwards. HMS Neptune, HMS Abdiel and HMS Kimberley were then detached with orders to proceed to Port Said where they arrived on 24 July.

On the 24th HMNZS Leander was also detached with orders to proceed to Port Said where she arrived on 25 July.

Also on the 24th HMS Latona, HMS Jervis, HMS Jaguar and HMS Kandahar were detached to proceed towards Alexandria for escort duty.

The bulk of the fleet returned to Alexandria on 25 July. (3)

13 Jul 1943
During the Battle of Kula Gulf, HMNZS Leander (Capt. C.A.L. Mansergh, DSC, RN) is torpedoed by Japanese warships. Leander is severely damaged with an engine room, a boiler room and a 4-inch gun destroyed. After making temporary repairs Leander proceeded to Boston, USA for major restoration and a refit.