F/O Gornall DFC Leonard John (Len) ✝

Beskrivelse

RAF 138 Flight Engeneeer Cornwallis crew.

"‘Flying Officer Leonard John Gornall (52164)’ ‘RAF 138 Squadron’ ‘This officer has completed a large number of sorties. He is an extremely keen and enthusiastic flight engineer and has at all times displayed the greatest determination. He has imparted much of his technical knowledge to other members of his Squadron with good results’

On the night of the 27th February 1945 Len was part of the crew of Stirling LK272, taking part in operation ‘Crupper 37’. On board that night was Acting Flight Lieutenant Cornwallis (Pilot), Pilot Officer Pepworth (Navigator), Warrant Officer Tovey (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner), Flying Officer Stanton (Air Bomber), Flight Sergeant Hagerty (Air Gunner) and Sergeant Cory (Air Gunner). In addition, they were carrying four Norwegian agents who were to be dropped behind enemy lines. The Stirling left Tempsford at 19.39hrs. Another Stirling witnessed the last moments of LK272, as it approached the Norwegian coast it was hit by flak and crashed into the freezing coastal waters. In the unlikely event that any of the crew had survived the crash, there was no possibility they could have survived long in the freezing arctic waters. Len, and the rest of the crew, have no known grave. However, he is remembered on the walls of the RAF Memorial at Runnymede. He would not be the last member of the Godmanchester crew whose name would be honoured on those plaques. For decades, his great friend, Donald Jeffs, wondered what had become of his old drinking pal, of the man whose Birkenhead home he visited on leave from time to time, the man who he flew alongside on many a raid and with whom he shared numerous pints at The Golden Lion in St Ives, or the Pike & Eel in Needingworth. And he wondered why Len never got in touch.

A couple of years ago, I came across Donald’s son, Philip, and with a common interest in Stirling’s from the same Squadron we swopped some information. It was during one such string of correspondence that Philip mentioned how Donald often thought often of what became of Len, and of course I informed him of the circumstances of Lens death. Philip waited until the time was right to pass the news onto his father, at least now Donald knew why the call never came. Donald was to hold his own special place in the RAF Bomber Command history, but his story is not for me to tell, I could not possibly do it justice. My recommendation would be to purchase a copy of Philip Jeffs book ‘The MacRoberts Reply Story’ published by Story Starter. Donald’s tale is one of incredible resilience in the face of overwhelming odds."

Hendelser til personen

Galleri

PreviousNext