Gornall, Leonard John
Personal Information
Rank | F/O |
Forename(s) | Leonard John |
Surname | Gornall |
Gender | M |
Age | 23 |
Decorations | DFC |
Date of Death | 27-02-1945 |
Next of Kin | Son of Charles and Sarah Elizabeth Gornall, of Birkenhead, Cheshire. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Short Stirling IV |
Serial Number | LK272 |
Markings | NF-P |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | United Kingdom |
Burial/Memorial Place | Runnymede Memorial |
Grave Reference | Panel 267. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 171 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | 52164 |
Service | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
Group | 3 |
Squadron | 138 (Special Duties) |
Squadron Motto | For freedom |
Trade | Flight Engineer |
Country of Origin | United Kingdom |
Other Memorials
Location | Village Green, Tempsford, Bedfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Stone Memorial with inscribed Marble Tablets |
Memorial Text | In honour of the men and women of Special Duties Sqns stationed at RAF Tempsford |
Location | "The Barn" Gibraltar Farm, Tempsford, Bedfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Plaque & Framed Scroll |
Memorial Text | To commemorate the men and women of different nationalities who flew from RAF Tempsford to aid resistance forces in occupied Europe |
Location | St. Peter's Church, Tempsford, Bedfordshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone Tablet, Wooden Boards, Brass Plaques & RoH |
Memorial Text | Remembering all those who flew from RAF Tempsford including those of the Royal Australian Air Force |
Miscellaneous Information
He had previously evaded captured after surviving a crash in France on 7 February1944 during an SOE operation with No. 138 Squadron. It was his 48th operation. He was repatriated to UK on 5 May 1944 via Spain and Gibraltar. File WO 208/3319/1900 refers - see https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14084061 |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/957/4 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/957/3 |
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.
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 26-02-1945 |
End Date | 27-02-1945 |
Takeoff Station | Tempsford |
Day/Night Raid | Night (100% moon) |
Operation | Special Operations Executive- Operations Crupper 37, for Norway with four agents aboard |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by flak over the North Sea |