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Cenotaph record

Leslie Joseph McDonald

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Photograph of Pilot Officer Leslie Joseph McDonald in uniform, c.Second World War. Image kindly provided by Ian Carswell (September 2021).

Photograph of Pilot Officer Leslie Joseph McDonald in uniform, c.Second World War. Image kindly prov …

Copyright undetermined - untraced rights owner AWMM

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Leslie Joseph AWMM
  • Surname
    McDonald AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    WWII 79513 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi
  • Hapū
  • Waka
  • Rohe
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    31 March 1917 AWMM Levin, Manawatu-Wanganui AWMM
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
  • Address before enlistment
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    • WW2 K. and L. McDonald AWMM
    • WW2 Mother: Mrs. K McDonald, 29 Kano Street, Karori, Wellington AWMM
    • WW2 Parents: Mr. & Mrs. L. T. A. McDonald of Wellington AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Single/WWII AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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  • Military training
  • Branch Trade Proficiency
    Pilot/Military RNZAF Biographies (R17845613)
  • Enlistment
    WW2 Wool buyer's clerk/Civilian AWMM
  • Occupation before enlistment
  • Age on enlistment

Embarkations

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Accidental Death, Cause of Death AWMM
    Killed in an aircraft accident when the aircraft caught fire AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Leslie McDonald was the son of Leslie Thomas Allan McDonald and Mary Margaret Kathleen McDonald, of Karori, Wellington, New Zealand.

    Flew for 531 hours and on 28 Operations.

    Leslie got his wings on March 9th 1939 at Wigram. Sailed on the Akaroa on March 23rd 1940. The day he lost his life he was 2nd Pilot in a Halifax I L9487 of 35 Sqn RAF (Linton-on- Ouse Yorkshire 4 Group). L9487 suffered a wing fire causing it to crash. The cause was a unsecured fuel cap on the port side after refueling. Leslie is buried at Dishforth.

    Attended Levin District High School (Source: RNZAF Biographies (R17845613)) AWMM
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Death

About death

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  • Death
    13 January 1941 AWMM
    Age 23 AWMM
    Yorkshire, England AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Accidental Death AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Dishforth Cemetery, Yorkshire, England AWMM Grave 8. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name

Roll of Honour

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press. AWMM
      Vol. 1, p. 107; Vol.3, p. 330. AWMM
    • RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939 - 1945 (Bound Volumes) - Ma - McW. Archives New Zealand (R17845613) - Former archives reference: AIR118 AWMM
    • Please note that the 12 volumes of the "RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Biographies of Deceased Personnel 1939-1945" held at Archives NZ (formerly known as AIR118) should be used in conjunction with Errol Martyn's "For Your Tomorrow". FYT reflects detailed examination of all of the AIR118 bios which contain many inaccuracies and omissions. AWMM
    • List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - List of Personnel Killed or Missing in Various Theatres, 1940 - 1945. [(New Zealanders Attached to R.A.F. [Royal Air Force]) (Officers), (Europe) - Airmen]. Archives New Zealand (R17845744) AWMM

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