Leslie Thomas Manser
| Leslie Manser | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
11 May 1922 New Delhi, British India |
| Died | 31 May 1942 (aged 20) Bree, Belgium |
| Buried | Heverlee War Cemetery, Leuven |
| Allegiance |
 United Kingdom
|
| Service/branch |
 Royal Air Force (Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve) |
| Years of service | 1940-1942 |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |
_ribbon.png){kind=small} Victoria Cross
|
| Relations | John Neil Randle VC (brother-in-law) |
Leslie Thomas Manser VC (11 May 1922 – 31 May 1942) was a British bomber pilot and recipient of the Victoria Cross, which was awarded posthumously following an attack on the German city of Cologne.
Leslie Thomas Manser was born in New Delhi, India during his father's employment as an engineer with the Post and Telegraph Department and, when the family returned to Britain, they settled in Radlett, Hertfordshire. He was a pupil of Victoria Boys' School, Kurseong, Darjeeling and Aldenham School, Elstree, Hertfordshire.
He was accepted by the Royal Air Force in August 1940, and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in May 1941. After a navigational course and final operational training at 14 OTU, RAF Cottesmore, he was posted to No. 50 Squadron (which was operating the Handley Page Hampden) at RAF Swinderby, Lincolnshire on 27 August.
Two days after joining his squadron Manser experienced his first operation: as a second pilot, he took part in a bombing raid on Frankfurt. During the next two months he flew six more sorties against targets like Berlin, Hamburg and Karlsruhe before being posted to 25 OTU, Finningley on 7 November and a month later posted back to 14 OTU as an instructor.
Manser served briefly with No. 420 Squadron RCAF (Hampdens) from March–April 1942 when he rejoined 50 Squadron then operating from Skellingthorpe, and converting to the new Avro Manchester heavy bomber. He piloted one of the new aircraft during a leaflet drop over Paris, and flew a further five sorties during April and May. Manser was promoted to Flying Officer on 6 May.
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