Leslie Clive Bennett                          Updated: 11 JAN 2012

Airman: a053001.htm Surname: Bennett Init: L C Rank: WCdr Service: RAF Sqdn: 21

P_link: p011.htm Plane: BLE R3732 Operation: Not DK / G Crash_site: The North Sea

Crash_d: d090740 Buried_d: b290940 C_link: c053.htm At_Next: Lønstrup

Den 9. juli 1940 kl. 12.31 mistede BLE R3732 radiokontakt til et andet fly, der også havde angrebet Sola flyveplads (her) ved Stavanger i Norge. Flyvehistorisk Tidsskrift skriver:

"Seks Blenheims fra 21 BS og seks fra 57 BS lettede kl 08.00. Lidt over kl. 11.00 angreb flyene Sola flyveplads ved Stavanger og blev mødt af kraftig flak. Umiddelbart efter
angrebet blev formationen angrebet af Me110 og Bf109. Fire Blenheims fra 21 BS og to fra
57 BS blev skudt ned over Skagerrak.
Det lykkedes den 34-årige W/C Leslie Clive Bennett at undslippe med sit fly trods
betydelige skader. Kl. 11.45 var W/ C Bennett i radiokontakt med et andet fly, og han
kunne berette, at hans skader var så omfattende, at han ikke kunne nå tilbage til England,
og at han ville forsøge en nødlanding på havet. Kinloss vedligeholdt radioforbindelsen med W/C Bennett indtil kl. 12.31. Trods intensiv eftersøgning lykkedes det aldrig at finde spor
efter flyet og dets besætning. Liget af W/C Bennett blev fundet på Lønstrup strand den
28. september 1940, og umiddelbart efter blev han begravet  på Lønstrup kirkegård."
(FT 89-32-4)

"Flyveren drev i land som lig ved Lønstrup strand (omkring her) den 28. september 1940.
Ligsynet blev foretaget af de tyske militærmyndigheder i Hjørring, som derefter gennem politimesteren i Hjørring gav tilladelse til at begravelsen kunne finde sted.
Begravelseshøjtideligheden indledtes med et præludie over "God Save the King", hvorefter sognepræst J. F. Lind Thomsen holdt begravelsestalen.
Fulgt af et halvt hundrede Lønstrup-borgere og den tyske kommandant i Hjørring,
Hauptmann Zimmermann, bar Lønstrup redningsbådmandskab kisten til graven, hvor sognepræsten foretog jordpåkastelsen. Efter en kort tale af den tyske kommandant skød
21 tyske soldater æressalut over graven." (FAF)

Wing Commander Leslie Clive Bennett, 34 år, var søn af Frederick H. og
Gertrude Bennett; gift med Joan Bennett, of Chichester, Sussex. Født i New Zealand. (Kilde: CWGC)
1 flyver fra BLE R3732 blev begravet i Lønstrup. 2 flyvere har ingen kendt grav.3 flyvere.

On 9 July 1940 at 12.31 hours BLE R3732 lost radio contact to another plane that had also attacked Sola Airfield (here) at Stavanger in Norway.
(Danish) Aviation Historical Review writes:

"6 Blenheims from 21 Squadron and 6 from 57 Squadron took off at 08.00 hours. Shortly after 11.00 the planes attacked Sola Airfield (here) at Stavanger and were met
with heavy flak. During the attack the formation was attacked by Me110s and Bf109s. 4 Blenheims from 21 Squadron and 2 from 57 Squadron were shot down over the Skagerrak. W/C Leslie Clive Bennett, 34, managed to escape with his plane in spite of considerable damage. At 11.45 hours Bennett had radio contact to another
plane. He reported that the damage was so extensive that he would not be able to make it back to England and that he would try to ditch at sea. Kinloss kept radio
contact with W/C Bennett till 12.31 hours. No trace of the plane and its crew has ever been found in spite of intensive search. On 28 September 1940 the body of
W/C Bennett was found washed ashore at Lønstrup and he was buried shortly after in Lønstrup Churchyard." (FT 89-32-4)

"The body of this airman was washed ashore at Lønstrup (about here) on 28 September 1940. The inspection of the body was carried out by the German Military
Authorities in Hjørring, which then via the Chief Constable in Hjørring permitted the funeral to take place.
The funeral ceremony began with a prelude over "God Save the King" and then Vicar J. F. Lind delivered the funeral speech.
The crew of Lønstrup's lifeboat bore the coffin to the grave followed by about 50 residents of Lønstrup and the German Commander in Hjørring, Hauptmann Zimmermann.
The Vicar officiated at the graveside ceremony. After a short speech by the German Commander 21 German soldiers fired a salute of honour over the grave." (FAF)

Wing Commander Leslie Clive Bennett, 34, was the son of Frederick H. and Gertrude Bennett, and the husband of Joan Bennett, of Chichester, Sussex.
Native of New Zealand. (Source: CWGC)

1 airman from BLE R3732 was buried in Lønstrup. 2 airmen have no known grave.

See Bomber Command No. 21 Squadron and No. 21 Squadron RAF in Wikipedia. Also The Blenheim Society.
This Blenheim took off from RAF Lossiemouth - see the present RAF Lossiemouth - RAF Station homepage. Lost Bombers has this. 3 airmen.