Just a Boy...

[JDCAVE]

He was just a boy! 20 years old. His identification photograph shows he had a case of acne.

Pilot Officer Finley Ralph Leet; J/94850. He is recorded as Sergeant (R219073) in the Battle Order for 5-March-1945 Chemnitz.

https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remem...20Ralph%20Leet

His Pilot, F/O Reitlo did his 2nd dickie with dad, Duisburg, 21-February-1945. F/O C.L. Reitlo of 419 Squadron on his 6th sortie and his crew crashed near Drayton-Parslow Buckinghamshire, killing all members of the crew. There was no conclusive evidence as to the cause of the accident however suspicion was raised that the pilot lost control of the aircraft upon entering cloud and either encountered icing conditions or poor instrument flying. The Court concluded that the pilot was not strapped in at the time of impact and that may have been contributory.

Jim

[PeteS]

I was surprised when I saw a 16 year old RCAF rear gunner killed while serving with a squadron in the UK, not only were these lads young Jim, but they also looked very very young. Some of the lads pictured in the Album on my website were just that, lads. So brave and such a terrible loss in so many cases.
cheers PeteS
https://630squadron.wordpress.com/

[bvs]

Tom Dobney would take some beating for age though,he was captaining Whitleys on ops still below the age of 16.

Thomas Dobney applied to join the RAF in 1941, aged just 14, after a dare from a school friend. He flew a Tiger Moth of No 2 Elementary Flying School near Gloucester six days after his 15th birthday. He went solo after 12 flying hours.

After being sent to Canada to complete flying training, he gained his pilot’s wings whist still only 15 years old. He returned to Britain and was posted as a sergeant pilot to a squadron flying twin-engined Whitley bombers.

After completing at least 20 missions over Germany, his secret was discovered when his father, who was estranged from his mother and out of touch with Tom, identified his son among a group of airmen talking to King George VI on a visit to bomber bases in East Anglia. Mr Dobney then rang the Air Ministry to ask why his 15 year-old son was in an RAF uniform shaking hands with the King.

Tom was discharged from the RAF with a letter which explained “The reasons are solely that you are below the minimum age.” But it promised that he would be entitled to wear his pilot’s wings if he ever rejoined at a later date.

The youngster then went to work in a Coventry aero engine factory but, as soon as he turned 16, he joined in quick succession the Fleet Air Arm and the Air Transport Auxiliary. In 1943 he was at last allowed to join the RAF legally

[JDCAVE]

Unbelievable!

Jim

[CZ_RAF]

Hi all, thank you for this interesting theme.
I came across a similar case a while ago - a CC Liberator pilot who earned his wings at 18, started his operational tour at 19 and became captain at 20.
I was expecting this was something quite unusual but now I can see it was not so.

Thx

Pavel