Hatcher, Leslie Died

Back

Personal Information

Rank S/L
Forename(s) Leslie
Surname Hatcher
Gender M
Age 26
Decorations DFC, AFM
Date of Death 22-12-1944
Next of Kin Son of Maj. Henry Hatcher, Formerly Royal Field Artillery, and Margaret Mary Hatcher.
HATCHER L

Aircraft Information

Aircraft Avro Lancaster III
Serial Number PB533
Markings OL-

Memorial Information

Burial/Memorial Country United Kingdom
Burial/Memorial Place Woolwich Cemetery
Grave Reference Sec. F. Grave 702.
Ribbon Stone 0792 (Block 9, Column 18, Row 3)

IBCC Memorial Information

Map
Directions to panel 46
HATCHER L

Location

Row -
Panel 46
Column -
Line -

Directions From the Chadwick Centre, take the central path towards The Spire.

Phase 1
Panel Number 46

Enlistment Information

Service Number 129148
Service Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Group 5
Squadron 83
Squadron Motto Strike to defend
Trade Pilot
Country of Origin United Kingdom

Other Memorials

Location International Bomber Command Centre, Canwick Avenue, Lincoln LN4 2HQ
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed stone tablet
Memorial Text S/L Leslie Hatcher DFM AFM Pilot 83 Sqn
Location RAF Wyton, Cambridgeshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Memorial Stone & Inscribed Metal Plaque
Memorial Text Commemorating 83 Sqn Lancaster, one of the Pathfinder Sqn's operating from RAF Wyton 1942 - 1945
Location St. Michaels's Church, Coningsby, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Wooden Plaque & 83 Sqn Badge
Memorial Text This Chapel was furnished by members and friends of 83 Pathfinder Sqn and is dedicated to the memory of those airmen who lost their lives on flying operations from RAF Coningsby in WWII
Location In front of the mess esplanade, Mailly-le-Camp, 10 - Aube Prefecture
Country France
Memorial Type Stone memorial sculpture, inscribed marble tablets and inscribed metal plaque
Memorial Text En souvenir des heros de la RAF. Qui ont participe au bombardment du camp de Mailly. Unites de la RAF engagees dans le raid sur Mailly-le-Camp, la nuit du 3 au 4 May 1944. N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617- 619-625-626-627-637
Translation "In memory of the RAF heroes who took part in the bombing of Mailly Camp. RAF units engaged in the raid on Mailly-le-Camp, the night of 3-4 May 1944. Squadrons that took part: N° 9-12-44-49-50-57 61-83-97-100-101 Special Duties Flight-103-105-106-166- 169-192-207-460 (RAAF)-463 (RAAF)-467 (RAAF)-550-576-617-619-625-626-627-637"
Location Lincoln County Hospital Chapel, Lincoln, Lincolnshire
Country United Kingdom
Memorial Type Inscribed Metal Plaque
Memorial Text In memory of Officers, NCO's & Other Ranks of 5 (Bomber) Group RAF who gave their lives Sept 1939 - May 1945

Miscellaneous Information

Born in Woolwich in 1918. Educated at Royal Masonic School, Hertfordshire. Enlisted 1939, commissioned 1942. Attained rank of Squadron Leader in 1944.
AFM Citation (London Gazette, 1st January 1943): This airman pilot has been a conversion instructor on Wellington aircraft for the past 15 months, during which he has completed 500 hours instructional flying which includes 200 hours night flying. Flight Sergeant Hatcher has shown outstanding keenness, patience, cheerfulness, energy and devotion to duty and has at all times set an excellent example to pupils and instructors alike.
DFC Citation (London Gazette 8th December 1944): Squadron Leader Hatcher has taken part in a large number of operational sorties. As captain of aircraft he has trained his crew to a high standard of efficiency. In August 1944, he was detailed for an attack on Konigsberg. Both the anti-aircraft and searchlight defenses were very heavy and it was necessary for Squadron Leader Hatcher to fly at a low level to identify the target. This difficult task he accomplished with great courage and determination. He is an excellent flight commander, whose consistent courage and devotion to duty have set a fine example to his flight.

The National Archives

Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/688/24
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/688/24

Fellow Servicemen

Please note that this list gives all the losses aboard the quoted aircraft and occasionally these may have occurred on an earlier date when the aircraft was not itself lost. Please check the dates of death carefully.

Name Outcome
Bell F J (W/O) Died
Booker A J (F/L) Died
Goodman R F (W/O) Died
Marron E (P/O) Died
Naldrett H J (F/S) Died
Summerscales C (F/L) Died

Last Operation Information

Start Date 21-12-1944
End Date 22-12-1944
Takeoff Station Coningsby
Day/Night Raid Night (43% moon)
Operation Politz
Reason for Aircraft Loss Diverted to Metheringham but visibility was just as poor as Coningsby. Crashed at 0246.
Start new losses database search Back
 
 
 
 

Please Wait

Casualty Pack

IBCC is delighted to introduce a unique facility to link the Losses Database to the relevant RAF Casualty Pack on the National Archives website. This project is the result of on-going collaboration between IBCC, the MOD Records Office and National Archives, Kew. This document describes what Casualty Packs are, when they were created, the process of making them available to the public and then goes on to describe the process by which you can view the contents of the packs. Casualty Packs (CPs) were created by the RAF whenever there was serious injury or loss of life associated with operational activity within the RAF. This includes operational flying losses, enemy action due to air raids, road accidents either on station or even off-station if they involved RAF vehicles. Deaths due to natural causes in service or accidents that did not involve RAF vehicles did not generally give rise to a CP.

CPs were originally given a unique reference number by the RAF. Each begins with the letter ‘P’ and is followed by six digits, then an oblique (forward slash) and the finally the year in which the incident took place- for example P396154/42.

The CPs are in the process of being made available to the general public as they are passed from the MOD Records Office, Portsmouth to National Archives, Kew. This process requires some rework to the files which is very time consuming, so the process of making them all available to National Archives will take several years. They are being made available in increasing date order.

Once CPs arrive at National Archives they are assigned a unique AIR81 number, so each CP has both a P-number and an AIR81 number. Both are searchable on the National Archives website under ‘Search the catalogue’ and both are included on the IBCC website.

The AIR81 reference on the IBCC website is a link to the file on the National Archives website. When you click on it, the relevant page will open in a new tab on your browser.

There is currently no plan to digitise AIR81 files, partly because they are fragile and partly because the information they contain can at times be sensitive, even harrowing, since they may contain exhumation reports and even photographs of corpses. Family members wishing to read the AIR81 files relating to their ancestors are advised to exercise caution and be guided by National Archives warnings where appropriate.

There are two means for accessing AIR81 files- to attend in person or to order a copy by post.

To attend in person, the attendee should first create a Reader’s Ticket. This can be done online by following this link: https://secure.nationalarchives.gov.uk/login/yourdetails. Then click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and click Order in Advance. Enter your Reader’s Ticket number and state the date on which you intend to visit. National Archives will have the file ready for you when you arrive, saving you time. When you visit Kew, you must quote the Reader’s Ticket number and take along two forms of ID- one bearing your signature and one bearing your address. When you view the files, you are permitted to take photographs of each page, should you wish.

Alternatively, if you wish to order a copy by post, please be aware that there is a charge for this service based on the number of pages in the file. Click on the AIR81 reference on the IBCC website and then click Request a Copy. There is an £8.40 charge for National Archives staff to access the file and give you a quotation for the copying service. The process takes around 24 days to complete and can be expensive.

IBCC wishes to thank the staff at the MOD Records Office and National Archives for their engagement and assistance in making this facility available to our website users.