Tarpley, Leslie Alfred
Personal Information
Rank | P/O |
Forename(s) | Leslie Alfred |
Surname | Tarpley |
Gender | M |
Age | 31 |
Decorations | |
Date of Death | 29-07-1944 |
Next of Kin | Son of Alfred Tarpley and Helen Tarpley (née Tagwood) of Toronto, Ontario. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Handley Page Halifax VII |
Serial Number | LW202 |
Markings | OW-P |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Germany |
Burial/Memorial Place | Hamburg Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 10A. E. 7. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 250 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | J/88729 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 426 (Thunderbird) |
Trade | Air Gunner |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Adjacent to Village Hall, Dishforth, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with Inscribed Metal Plaque & Maple Tree |
Memorial Text | In memory of the Canadian aircrew of 425 and 426 Sqns RCAF who served at RAF Dishforth, 1942-1945 |
Location | Outside Village Hall, Linton on Ouse, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Memorial Stone with inscribed Slate Tablet |
Memorial Text | In memory of Canadian personnel who served at RAF Linton on Ouse during WW2, including 408 and 426 Sqns RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
Leslie was born in Toronto, York County, on 23 September 1912. His father was born in Lindsay, Ontario and had worked as a painter, his mother born in Windsor, England. Both parents were deceased by the time of Leslie's enlistment. Leslie had two brothers, Reginald George of Willowdale, Ontario (his his next-of-kin), and Joseph P. who was a rifleman in the Canadian Army (Brockville Rifles ) overseas. He attended Richale Public School 1918-1926 (High School Entrance) and Richmond Hill High School 1926-1928. He took part in softball. Leslie worked as an Office boy 1928-1933 and then left to become a Printer’s Apprentice 1933-1941 and stayed until enlisting. |
He enlisted on 12 June 1941 and after training embarked from New York on 3 August 1943. He arrived at 3 PRC 12 August 1943 then went on to 23 OTU 24 August 1943, 61 Base 30 November 1943 and 426 Squadron 23 March 1944. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1842/14 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1842/13 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 28-07-1944 |
End Date | 29-07-1944 |
Takeoff Station | Linton-on-Ouse |
Day/Night Raid | Night (56% moon) |
Operation | Hamburg. 307 aircraft. German night-fighters appeared on the return leg leading to 22 losses (7.2%). This was the first raid on Hamburg for a year and was not well concentrated. The Germans were unable to determine the aiming point from the bombing results. Most of the bombs fell on areas devastated during 1943. |
Reason for Loss | Shot down by an combination of flak and a night-fighter and crashed at Lasbek, south of Bad Oldesloe, Germany |