Leslie Tom Hall, better known as Tom, or “Nobby” during wartime, served in the Royal New Zealand Navy in WWII, after being called up at the age of 18.
Tom spent his time on the following ships: Tui, one of four sister ships in the floatilla; The Fairmile, which was in vogue at the time; USS Telemanca for a fortnight for marine training; HMS Philomel where he trained as a Quartermaster; HMS Northumberland; HMS Devonshire, a heavy cruiser; and aircraft carrier HMS Collosus. These ships took him from Guadacanal, Solomon Islands, to England, Australia and various countries in between. Tom has a profile at the Navy Museum in Devonport, Auckland, if you would like to learn more.
This month Tom proudly celebrated his 90th birthday with a big bash! Should we also mention that he has had his driver’s license renewed for two more years, thanks to his excellent eyesight!
