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Archive Report: Allied Forces

Compiled from official National Archive and Service sources, contemporary press reports, personal logbooks, diaries and correspondence, reference books, other sources, and interviews.
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43 crest
17th February 1944 43 Squadron Spitfire IX MA576 P/O. Williams

Operation: Patrol

Date: 17th February 1944 (Thursday)

Unit: No. 43 Squadron (motto: Gloria finis - 'Glory is the end'). 324 Wing.

Type: Spitfire IX

Serial: MA576

Code: FT-?

Base: Lago, Italy

Location: Tyrrhenian Sea

Pilot: P/O. Leslie Williams NZ/415808 RNZAF Age 21. Missing - believed killed

REASON FOR LOSS:

Taking off at 15:40 hrs with 3 others on a patrol over Anzio beach head. Some 25 minutes later started to chase 20 enemy fighters which had jest dropped their bombs.

They caught and engaged some of them 3 km west of Lake Albamo. The section leader later reported that he had seen MA576 flying fairly slowly and at a very low height. The young New Zealand pilot was never seen again.

Burial details:

P/O. Leslie Williams. Malta Memorial. Panel 17, Column 1. Born on the 30th October 1922 at Timaru. Worked as a clerk for the Post and Telecommunication department at Walkan prior to enlisting at Leven on the 19th October 1941Rrained with 3 FTS and 25FTS being awarded his pilots bade on the 09th March 1942 and promoted to sergeant on the 24th April 1942. Embarked for England on the 24th May 1942. Seriously injured in an accident (no details) on the 17th August 1942 and hospitalised until the 04th September 1942. Trained with 57 Operational Raining Unit. Embarked for Gibraltar on the 19th February 1943. Broke his leg falling from a truck on the on the 30th May 1943. Awarded his commission on the 21st October 1943. On the 10th February 1944 joined 43 squadron. Son of Edwin John and Jane Edith Williams(née Lemmon), of Waimate, Canterbury, New Zealand. Half brother of 28 year old, Edwin John Williams NZ/39298 killed on the 28th December 1941 flying Wellington II W5561 with 405 squadron. Leslie had a total of 478 flying hours logged and on his 07th operational sortie.

Researched and dedicated to the relatives of this pilot with thanks to Jenifer Lemaire and to the extensive research by Errol Martyn and his publications: “For Your Tomorrow Vols. 1-3”, Auckland Library Heritage Collection, AWMM, other sources as quoted below:

KTY 23-04-2021

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Acknowledgements
Sources used by us in compiling Archive Reports include: Bill Chorley - 'Bomber Command Losses Vols. 1-9, plus ongoing revisions', Dr. Theo E.W. Boiten and Mr. Roderick J. Mackenzie - 'Nightfighter War Diaries Vols. 1 and 2', Martin Middlebrook and Chris Everitt - 'Bomber Command War Diaries', Commonwealth War Graves Commission, Tom Kracker - Kracker Luftwaffe Archives, Michel Beckers, Major Fred Paradie (RCAF) and Captain François Dutil (RCAF) - Paradie Archive (on this site), Jean Schadskaje, Major Jack O'Connor USAF (Retd.), Robert Gretzyngier, Wojtek Matusiak, Waldemar Wójcik and Józef Zieliński - 'Ku Czci Połeglyçh Lotnikow 1939-1945', Andrew Mielnik: Archiwum - Polish Air Force Archive (on this site), Anna Krzystek, Tadeusz Krzystek - 'Polskie Siły Powietrzne w Wielkiej Brytanii', Franek Grabowski, Polish graves: https://niebieskaeskadra.pl/, PoW Museum Żagań, Norman L.R. Franks 'Fighter Command Losses', Stan D. Bishop, John A. Hey MBE, Gerrie Franken and Maco Cillessen - Losses of the US 8th and 9th Air Forces, Vols 1-6, Dr. Theo E.W. Boiton - Nachtjagd Combat Archives, Vols 1-13. Aircrew Remembered Databases and our own archives. We are grateful for the support and encouragement of CWGC, UK Imperial War Museum, Australian War Memorial, Australian National Archives, New Zealand National Archives, UK National Archives and Fold3 and countless dedicated friends and researchers across the world.
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