Fl/Lt Leslie Victor Walsh 150 Squadron

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Ludford101
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Fl/Lt Leslie Victor Walsh 150 Squadron

Post by Ludford101 »

619525 Flt Sgt Leslie Victor Walsh Commissioned Plt Off(p) RAFVR GD Branch (52309) 10 May 43 (Note he also comes up in the LG under 50309 which might be a typo, or OCR error?). 619525 Enlisted from Civilian after Mar 1938. MiD 14 Jun 45 (deceased).

Flight Lieutenant Walsh was killed in a road accident. Off duty, he was riding as a passenger in an ambulance when it overturned on Burton Road, Lincoln. (Source: Air Historical Branch).
The ambulance accident was reported in several contemporary newspapers. The accident took place at the junction of Yarborough Road and West Parade, Lincoln at around 9.10pm. Walsh was trapped under the overturned ambulance, which had crashed into the wall of St Martin's Parish Church. Cause of death was given as a fracture to the base of the skull.

The Lincolnshire Echo of 13 February reports that the driver, F/O Gerald Alexander Stuart, who had been charged with manslaughter, was acquitted at his trial. He was also found not guilty of dangerous driving, and discharged. Road conditions at the time of the accident were described as very bad, with ice and snow on the road surface - one local witness described the conditions as the most dangerous he had seen for 40 years.

The photo attached is of a local Brigg lad wearing Walsh's flying kit
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The two pictures came from the family of the lad wearing his flying kit. They have been framed up by a framers from Brigg... Harold Green of Bridge Street and have never been out of frames
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The portrait shows FL/Lt Walsh in a cornfield the other is of a MK IC Wellington ... DV952 which appears by the IP coding to have been attached to the BCIS which I am guessing was at Lindholme or Finningley at some point of the war.
I wonder if this was an aircraft that he flew Ops in or was an instructor on ... ?
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I guess the only way to really know is to pull his RAF service file
The final photo is his resting place in Brigg Cemetery.
Last edited by Ludford101 on Thu Jul 07, 2016 2:46 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Ludford101
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Re: Fl/Lt Leslie Victor Walsh 150 Squadron

Post by Ludford101 »

......
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Regards

Gary
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AlanW
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Re: Fl/Lt Leslie Victor Walsh 150 Squadron

Post by AlanW »

The difference in service numbers in the LG is that one is his enlisted number, and the shorter one is his commissioned officer number. At the time of his death, he was 150sqdn Gunnery Leader, and as far as i can ascertain by looking at crew lists, as Gunnery Leader he did not fly on any ops. Wellington DV952 was on strength with 12 OTU during 1942, so he may have been instructing there whilst on rest from ops.
There is no paralell in warfare, to such courage and determination in the face of danger, over so long a period. Such devotion, should never be forgotten.
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Re: Fl/Lt Leslie Victor Walsh 150 Squadron

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Many thanks Alan ;) ... I wondered what his connection to 150 Sdn was ... possible then he completed a tour of operations then was posted instructing before joining 150 .. such a tragic end to his life.
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Gary
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Re: Fl/Lt Leslie Victor Walsh 150 Squadron

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From a member of RAF Commands forum ...

A look through my as yet unfinished nominal index to 103 Sqn aircrew shows a Sgt.L.V.Walsh (no posting in details or service number given)flying as an air gunner in the K.H.Berry crew from 9-10/11/42 to 30-31/1/43 and then in the G.D.King crew from 4-5/5/43 to 11-12/6/43,a total of 28 completed sorties plus two where the aircraft failed to take off.The Australian nominal index of servicemen shows one L.V.Walsh who does not appear to be a suitable match. AIR78/164 part one has three L.V.Walshes,Leonard Vaughan 949591 page 944,Leslie Victor 619525 page 946 and Lorenzo Victor 654470 page 947.Can't speak for any possible RCAF or RNZAF candidates,but this might be your man.

So looks like he was flying from Elsham Wolds on his first tour ... would explain how he came to marry a local Brigg lass in 1942 .

Cheers

Gary
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Re: Fl/Lt Leslie Victor Walsh 150 Squadron

Post by AlanW »

He was very lucky, as the night after his last op with the King crew, they were lost. As for his Commission, i have him in LG 14th May 43
There is no paralell in warfare, to such courage and determination in the face of danger, over so long a period. Such devotion, should never be forgotten.
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