Rae, Leslie Elmer
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Leslie Elmer |
Surname | Rae |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 16-03-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of Elmer Clarke Rae and Olive Margaret Rae (née Roadhouse), of Grande Prairie, Alberta. Husband of Marie Olive May Rae (née Hamelin). Date of marriage 28 April 1943 in Hamilton, Ontario. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Avro Lancaster I |
Serial Number | RF188 |
Markings | PH-U |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Durnbach War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 11. F. 25. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 1 |
Panel Number | 88 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/95546 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 1 |
Squadron | 12 |
Trade | Navigator |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Wickenby Airfield, Wickenby, Lincolnshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Memorial with Sculpture of Icarus & Information Board |
Memorial Text | Royal Air Force Wickenby No1 Group Bomber Command 1942-1945 In memory of one thousand and eighty men of 12 & 626 Squadrons who gave their lives on operations from this airfieldin the offensive against Germany and the liberation of occupied Europe Per ardu |
Miscellaneous Information
Leslie wa born on 30 May 1921 at Grande Prairie, Alberta. His father was born in Wawanesa, Manitoba and had worked as a machinist and his mother had been born in Pembina, North Dakota, USA. His father died in 1935. Leslie had two brothers, Harold Oliver and Albert Thomas. Albert was in the Royal Canadian Navy and Harold was in the RCAF, serving overseas. Sadly, Harold lost his life whilst serving as a pilot in England with No. 9 Squadron. The schools he attended were Coronation Public, Oyster Bay Public and Chemainus Superior between 1927-1935, then, Chemainus Superior School 1935- 1937 for part Junior Matric. The sports Leslie enjoyed were swimming, hiking, skiing and his hobby was reading. He worked as a warehouseman and cutter at MacKay Smith, Blair & Co. Ltd, a clothing factory in Vancouver 1937-1941, where he was apprenticed to a tailor. |
Leslie had enlisted on 26 September 1941 and after training embarked from Halifax for the U.K. on 16 June 1944. After arrival at 3 PRC on 25 June, he went to 9(0)AFU 25 July 1944, 10 OTU 29 August 1944, 71 Base 24 November 1944 and was at 12 Squadron on 7 February 1945. He was to lose his life a little over two months afterwards. |
His brother J/85912 P/O Harold Oliver Rae also lost his life the year before on 25 June 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/169/6 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/169/5 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 16-03-1945 |
End Date | 17-03-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Wickenby |
Day/Night Raid | Night (12% moon) |
Operation | Nuremburg |
Reason for Loss | Crashed at Ottenhoose, near Hersbruck in Bavaria |