Fernandez de Leon, Mario Alfred Died
Personal Information
| Rank | P/O |
| Forename(s) | Mario Alfred |
| Surname | Fernandez de Leon |
| Gender | M |
| Age | 27 |
| Date of Death | 25-05-1944 |
| Next of Kin | Son of Dr. Jose Fernandez de Leon of Republic of Guatamala and Amelia Escobar de Fernandez de Leon of Oakland, California. Brother of Joseph R. Fernandez de Leon of San Mateo, California and Mrs. Marie Louise Nordick of Oakland, California. |
Aircraft Information
| Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax III |
| Serial Number | LW124 |
| Markings | AL-N |
Memorial Information
| Burial/Memorial Country | Netherlands |
| Burial/Memorial Place | Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery |
| Grave Reference | 5. G. 12. |
IBCC Memorial Information
| Phase | 2 |
| Panel Number | 163 |
Enlistment Information
| Service Number | J/86015 |
| Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
| Group | 6 |
| Squadron | 429 (Bison) |
| Squadron Motto | Fortunae nihil (Nothing to chance) |
| Trade | Pilot |
| Country of Origin | Guatemala |
Other Memorials
| Location | Roman Rd, Leeming, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Brass plaque set into a stone plinth into which is carved with the Canadian maple leaf and the Yorkshire rose. |
| Memorial Text | This memorial is dedicated to those men and women who served at RAF Leeming during World War II, including those from the Royal Canadian Air Force Squadrons, whose members came from all parts of the Commonwealth from 1942 to 1945; 405 Vancouver, 408 Goose, 419 Moose, 427 Lion, 429 Bison. Also, to the many Civilians who supported them during their term of duty in North Yorkshire. We remember too the RAF Squadrons who preceded the Canadians from 1940 - 1942; 7 - 10 - 35 -77 - 102 - 219. To those who paid the supreme sacrifice, we will remember them. Dedicated June 19, 1993 |
| Location | Allerton Park Castle, Allerton, North Yorkshire |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Memorial Type | Inscribed Metal Plaque |
| Memorial Text | Memorial Garden dedicated to the 4272 personnel of 6 (RCAF) Gp based at Allerton Castle who gave the ultimate sacrifice during WWII to preserve our freedom |
Miscellaneous Information
| Born 12 December 1917 |
| Commissioned 23 March 1944. He enjoyed tennis, swimming, handball and his employment was that of an interpreter. He spoke English and Spanish. |
The National Archives
| Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1853/10 |
| Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1853/10 |
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 |
|---|---|
| Christie R F (P/O) | Died |
| Jackson K H (P/O) | Died |
| Stewart W M (P/O) | Died |
Last Operation Information
| Start Date | 24-05-1944 |
| End Date | 25-05-1944 |
| Takeoff Station | Leeming |
| Day/Night Raid | Night (9% moon) |
| Operation | Aachen- to attack two railway yards. 442 aircraft, 25 Lost (5.7%). Because this raid was on German railway infrastructure rather than French of Belgian, the bomber force was considerably larger. The inevitable result was that the bombing was not as concentrated, with many bombs falling in Aachen itself. 207 people were killed, 121 seriously injured and 14800 bombed out of their homes. Nevertheless, much damage was caused to the railway yards, particularly those to the east of the town. The local report states that 288 bombs were duds, this being approximately 10% of the total dropped for the night. |
| Reason for Aircraft Loss | Hit by flak in the Tilburg area |