LEST WE FORGET
Second Lieutenant Leslie Charles FOCKEN
From Australia serving in the Royal Flying Corps
Service No: 121 (Australian Army)
Born: Middle Park VIC, August 1893
Enlisted in the Army: 17 August 1914
Unit: 15th Squadron, Royal Flying Corps (Based at Lealvilliers, France)
Died: Air Operations, France, 26 October 1916, Aged 23 Years
Buried: Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps, Somme, France
CWGC Additional Information: (Served as Fawkner). Son of Elizabeth Edwards Focken, of 187 Page Street, Middle Park, Melbourne, Australia, and the late Charles F. Focken. Served in Gallipoli with 5th Bn. Australian Infantry
Remembered: Commemorative Roll, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 16 June 1916, Second Lieutenant Focken resigned from the Australian Army and accepted a Commission in the British Army.
While on artillery observation patrol on 26 October 1916, Second Lieutenant Focken, flying BE2c aircraft 4205, was shot through the head. His aircraft crashed between the lines and the wreck was shelled.
References:
Australian War Memorial Commemorative Roll On-Line Records
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record B2455, FOCKEN L C
National Archives UK RAF Casualty Book AIR 1/967 page 83 (shown under FAWKNER LC), 91183