| Leslie Thomas Manser | |
|---|---|
| Born | 11 May 1922 New Delhi, British India |
| Died | 31 May 1942 (aged 20) Bree, Belgium |
| Buried at | Heverlee War Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service/branch | Royal Air Force |
| Rank | Flying Officer |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Victoria Cross |
| Relations | John Neil Randle VC (brother-in-law) |
Leslie Thomas Manser VC (11 May 1922 – 31 May 1942) was a British recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
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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 England, they settled in Radlett, Hertfordshire. He was a student of Victoria Boys' School, Kurseong, Darjeeling and Aldenham School, Elstree, Hertfordshire. He was accepted by the Royal Air Force in August 1940, and Manser was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in May 1941. After a navigational course and final operational training at 14 OTU, Cottesmore, he was posted to No. 50 Squadron (Hampdens) at 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, Finningly on 7 November and a month later posted back to 14 OTU as an instructor.
Manser served briefly with No. 420 RCAF Squadron (Hampdens) from March-April 1942 when he rejoined 50 Squadron then operating from Skellingthorpe, and converting to the new Avro Manchester 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.
He was 20 years old when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC.
On 30 May 1942 over Germany, Flying Officer Manser was captain and first pilot of an Avro Manchester bomber (serial L7301/'D' -Dog) which took part in the first 1,000 bomber raid of the war; the raid being against the city of Cologne.
He bombed the target successfully from 7,000 feet, but his aircraft was hit repeatedly,in an effort to escape he took violent evasive action, which reduced his altitude to 1,000 feet. By this time the rear gunner was wounded, the front cabin full of smoke and the port engine overheating. The port engine then burst into flames and took some time to extinguish, reducing airspeed to a dangerously low level. The crew made preparations to abandon the aircraft, by then barely controllable and a crash inevitable. The aircraft was by now over Belgium and Manser ordered the crew to bale out, but refused the offer of a parachute for himself. He remained at the controls and sacrificed himself in order to save his crew. As the crew parachuted down they saw the bomber crash in flames into a dyke at Bree, 21 km North east of Genk in Belgium.
P/O R.J.Barnes was taken PoW, but Sgt L.H.Baveystock, P/O R.M.Horsley, Sgt S.E.King, Sgt A.McF Mills and Sgt B.W.Naylor all evaded capture and made their way back to the UK. The testimonies of the five evaders were instrumental in the posthumous award of the VC
Manser was the brother-in-law of Captain John Neil Randle, VC.
On part of the old RAF Skellingthorpe airfield where Manser flew his last sortie from a new Primary School was built. It was opened in 1981 and named The Leslie Manser Primary School after Flying Officer Leslie Manser.[1]
On 31 June 2004 a Memorial to F/Off. Leslie Manser VC., RAFVR. 50 Squadron - Royal Air Force was unveiled in natural domain the "Zig", Stamprooierbroek near Molenbeersel, Kinrooi in the north-east of Belgium.
His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum, London.