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Auction: 19003 - Orders, Decorations and Medals
Lot: 237

Family medals to brothers:

A good 'Western Front' casualty Pair and Memorial Plaque awarded to Lieutenant G. B. Leslie, No. 12 Squadron, Royal Air Force, late Royal Flying Corps, who was involved in numerous low-level strafing sorties piloting a B.E.2c in an attempt to check the German Spring Offensive and later support the Allied push on the Hindenburg line. Subject to a 'close call' from enemy ground fire, he later died in hospital just 2 weeks before the cessation of hostilities

British War and Victory Medals (Lieut. G. B. Leslie. R.A.F.), in original named boxes of issue to 'Lieut. G. B. Leslie., R.A.F.', with the recipient's bronze Memorial Plaque named to 'George Buchanan Leslie', in card envelope of transmittal, the boxes flattened, otherwise extremely fine

War Medal 1939-45, unnamed as issued, in O.H.M.S. box of transmission addressed to 'Mr W. H. Leslie, 65, Wingrove Gardens, Newcastle-on-Tyne, with medal entitlement slip noting further eligibility for Italy Star, very fine (4)

George Buchanan Leslie was born on 2 April 1899 at Newcastle, the son of William and Margaret Leslie of 91 Longley Street, Newcastle on Tyne. He enlisted into the Royal Flying Corps straight from school on 29 May 1917, being appointed Temporary 2nd Lieutenant on 29 September 1917. Sent to the Central Flying School at R.A.F. Upavon, Leslie was appointed Flying Officer on 26 February 1918 and posted to No. 12 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, on 25 March 1918. He arrived four days after the commencement of Operation Michael, British forces being pushed back distances of up to 40 miles on the Western Front, losing 1200 square miles of territory in the process. For the pilots of the R.F.C. the next few months would be a steep learning curve, as described by Temporary Major Sholto Douglas, Officer Commanding No. 84 Squadron:

'All our thought and training had gone into how to chase and destroy German fighters in the air. Now we were having to carry out very low-flying attacks with bombs and machine guns' (William Sholto Douglas, Years of Combat, refers).

Operating outside the parameters set by their training, experience and equipment, the young pilots were exceptionally vulnerable to enemy fire and accidents, as described in a handwritten letter dated 25 April 1918, from Lieutenant G. B. Leslie to his brother William - affectionately known as 'Bill' - a Private serving with the 1/1st West Riding Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.:

'We had a horrible accident here two days ago; when two chaps were taking off they stalled the machine and it struck the ground and burst into flames & both poor chaps were burned to death. Of course we were all in the dumps for half an hour afterwards, but after that, and having fortified ourselves with a lemon squash, we were alright.'

He went on to describe the Observers in No. 12 Squadron:

'Some of them are windy sods and need a bit of shaking. However the Observer who I normally take up is a very good sort and doesn't care a damn for anything, so he and I look over Hunland about 900 feet up and drop our bombs, fire our machine gun bullets & then beetle back often accompanied by archie.'

On 1 October 1918, Lieutenant G. B. Leslie wrote another letter to his brother, this time describing a close call:

'Dear old Bill,

Here we are again & still alive and kicking but oh Lord very busy. My Flight Commander is away on leave so I am Flight Commander for a fortnight, this isn't an easy job believe me. May the Lord forgive me for the number of Huns I have killed these last few days; I have done some execution believe me. And still the war goes on, but the blighters nearly had me yesterday. A machine gun bullet from the ground went through a strut two inches from my head and I only missed a Blighty one before that by a fraction of an inch. However it is all very exciting.'

On 23 October 1918, Leslie was admitted to the 20th General Hospital at Rouen. Aged 19, he died five days later on 28 October 1918, being buried at Etaples Military Cemetery in the Pas de Calais, France; sold with copied service record and research, together with the following original documentation:

(i)
Three handwritten letters from the recipient to his brother, giving a fascinating insight as to life with No. 12 Squadron on the Western Front, one with original envelope addressed to Pte. William Leslie, 'A' Company, 1/1st West Riding Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C.

(ii)
O.H.M.S. envelope of transmission for Medals, addressed to the recipient's father, together with award slip and small full-length photograph of the recipient.

William H. Leslie was born around 1892 and attested for the Royal Army Medical Corps on 22 October 1914. Initially serving aboard the hospital ships Aquitania and Panama, Leslie transferred to a hospital at Southampton on 24 February 1916 and was posted to another at Le Havre from 5 April 1916. He transferred to the Western Front in time for the Battle of the Somme, being advanced 5th rate to 4th rate in pay on 9 February 1917; sold with an impressive archive of original documentation, including:

(i)
Soldier's Pay Book for use on Active Service; A note book, inscribed to the inner cover 'Wm. H. Leslie, 66 Beaconsfield Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne', containing a large number of handwritten quotes from the bible and personal insights; a moving telegram to '393076 Pte. Leslie, R.A.M.C.', stating 'Jim Dying. Come at Once'; a condolence letter regarding the sad loss; photographs in military uniform and further family photographs and postcards; a cutting of heather, pressed and dried, 'from a loved one', placed within a small, annotated card; further letters and cards.




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Sold for
£380

Starting price
£170