LEST WE FORGET
Flying Officer Leslie Walter WATERS
Service No: 403828
Born: Parkes NSW, 6 June 1922
Enlisted in the RAAF: 3 March 1941
Unit: No. 279 Squadron (RAF), Detachment RAF Station St Eval, Cornwall
Died: Aircraft Accident: (No. 279 Squadron Hudson aircraft V8987), Cornwall, 8 September 1942, Aged 20 Years
Buried: St Columb Major Cemetery, Cornwall
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Benjamin and Edith Jane Anne Waters, of Albert, New South Wales, Australia
Roll of Honour: Albert NSW
Remembered: Panel 132, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
Owing to bad weather on 8 September 1942, Hudson V8987 struck the top of a hill and crashed one mile east of the airfield St Eval, Cornwall, at 1745 hours. All on board were killed.
The crew members of V8987 were:
Sergeant Henry Thomas Farrer (400973) (Pilot)
Flight Sergeant John Dow Granger (R/92186) (RCAF) (Navigator)
Flying Officer John James Holloman (403741) (Wireless Air Gunner)
Flying Officer Leslie Walter Waters (403828) (Wireless Air Gunner)
A report into the Flying Accident stated: “bad weather conditions developed during an operational night patrol and instructions were given to Sergeant Farrer by Flying Control to proceed to Chivenor where landing conditions were better. These instructions were acknowledged but the Pilot announced his intentions to land at St Eval and in doing so the aircraft struck the top of a hill in the vicinity.” The RAF Station Commander at St Eval stated: “I was present in Flying Control while this aircraft was in difficulty. Instructions were given to the Pilot of the aircraft to proceed to Chivenor where landing conditions were better. Those instructions were acknowledged by the Captain but he announced his intention of landing at St Eval and crashed while doing so and before further information could be obtained. To the best of my knowledge and the available evidence the engines and the aircraft were serviceable.”
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, 163/63/174