Leonard Taplin
| Leonard Thomas Eaton Taplin | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | "Tap", "Taps" |
| Born | 16 December 1895 Unley, Adelaide, Australia |
| Died | 8 July 1961 |
| Allegiance | Britain |
| Service/branch | Engineers; aviation |
| Years of service | 1915–1919 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | No. 1 Squadron AFC, No. 4 Squadron AFC |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
| Other work | Pilot with Australia's first scheduled airline service, West Australian Airways |
Lieutenant Leonard Thomas Eaton Taplin (16 December 1895–8 July 1961) qualified as a flying ace during World War I. During his service in Palestine, he helped pioneer the use of aerial photography for cartography. He then transferred to the Western Front and was credited with 12 official aerial victories. Postwar, he was an aviation pioneer in Australia, and a leading citizen in his adopted hometown.
Taplin was born on 16 December 1895, his father was C. E. Taplin, an architect. On 8 May 1907, while living in Malvern, the ten-year-old Taplin broke his arm playing leap frog at school. In an early example of his courage, he first walked home, then a half mile to the doctor's, where he submitted to having the compound fractures of the bones in his arm set without anesthetic.
Taplin attended Prince Alfred College. After graduation, he took a job as assistant to his elder brother, who was engineer in charge of the Electrical Supply Company in Parramatta. He then joined the Australian Imperial Force as an engineer on 12 June 1915 so he could serve in World War I. On his enlistment form, he gave his birthplace as Adelaide and his occupation as electrical engineer. He also stated he was a natural born British subject. He listed his father, Charles Eaton Taplin, as next of kin, but also added Mrs. D. Taplin of Charing Cross, London as a second next of kin.
After training in England, Taplin served nine months in France as a sapper. He applied for transfer to the Australian Flying Corps. On 8 November 1916, he was accepted for transfer. After pilot's training, he was assigned to 1 Squadron AFC in the Middle East as a Royal Aircraft Factory BE.2 pilot. He had not been in B Flight of the unit too long when he was in a crash near Khan Yunis. On 8 November 1917, while flying BE.2 serial number 4312 on a bombing sortie against Junction Station, Taplin wrecked the plane. His observer perished in the wreck, and Taplin was seriously injured.
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