LEST WE FORGET
Sergeant Leslie Colin RHOADES
Service No: 404045
Born: Brisbane QLD, 21 May 1914
Enlisted in the RAAF: 26 April 1940
Unit: No. 55 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 55 Squadron Blenheim aircraft V6228), off the Libyan Coast, 20 October 1941, Aged 27 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Reginald and Kathleen Rhoades, of South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Column 246, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 129, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 20 October 1941 Blenheim V6228 was detailed to carry out a high level formation bombing attack on Gambut drome. The formation was led by Second Lieutenant Haarhoff and Sergeant Askew in ‘V’ formation and took off at 0525 GMT. A formation of five aircraft from No. 113 Squadron RAF also participated in the attack. The run up to the target was from 40 miles out to sea, height 15,000 feet, and the bombs were dropped at 0714Z. Squadron Leader Blackmore turned to the right and headed out to sea in a gradual dive. The formation was then attacked from astern by four ME109 aircraft. V6228 was hit in the port engine by cannon shell and machine gun bullets just forward of the gun turret. The aircraft lost speed and height and as he went down he waved on Haarhoff and Askew. V6228 was seen to land on water about 40 miles north of Gambut with two ME109s circling overhead at 2/300 feet. Nothing further was seen of the aircraft or crew. It was later recorded that the missing crew members had lost their lives at sea.
The crew members of V6228 were:
Squadron Leader Herbert George Percy Blackmore (40880) (RAF) (Pilot)
Sergeant William Dudley Linter Cole (401433) (RNZAF) (Observer)
Sergeant Leslie Colin Rhoades (404045) (Wireless Operator Air Gunner)
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/156/89