Hebenton, Leslie Arthur

Killed in Action 1944-02-20

Birth Date: 1924-January-29

Born:

Son of Arthur and Margaret Hebenton, of Calgary, Alberta.

Home: Calgary, Alberta

Enlistment:

Enlistment Date: Unknown

Service

RCAF

Unit

422 Sqn- Squadron
This Arm Shall Do It

Base

Rank

Pilot Officer

Position

Pilot Officer

Service Numbers

J/88403
Prev: R/194486

Home
Google MapCalgary, Alberta
First Burial
Google MapChurch Of Ireland Churchyard, Lrvinestown, County Fermanagh, Ireland.
422 Flying Yachtsmen Squadron (This Arm Shall Do it). Sunderland aircraft W 6028 struck an obstruction while low-flying then crashed at RAF Station, St Angelo, Ireland. Pilot Officer Hebenton was the only casualty. Addendum: R.A.F. Sgt. Reginald W. Bodsworth was also killed. At 12:50 pm on Sunday, 20th February, 1994 - the exact time of the crash in 1944 - about 50 people gathered on the hillside in a slightly drizzling rain for the unveiling and dedication of the memorial to the two airmen who lost their lives in the service of their country. The silver memorial plate has been erected on the wall of one of the buildings on Mr. Lunny's farmyard close to where the stricken, burning plane came to rest. Mr. Irving joined the RAF in 1943, was posted as a flight engineer, and was a crew member of the ill-fated aircraft. Mr. Irving explained what happened. On Sunday morning 20th of February, 1944 the Sunderland took off on a training affiliation with twin engined Beaufighters from St Angelo airfield. "We were using camera-guns," Mr. Irving explained. "We were taking evasion action in a mock battle, maneuvering to avoid the Beaufighter." Each aircraft was acting the role of "target" for the other during the training exercise in low-level flying. The pilot of the heavy Sunderland was trying to gain some extra speed by putting the seaplane into a dive as they were approaching Trory. "He hit a tree first and banged into the power cables." said Mr. Irving. "This set the aircraft on fire. I remember us hitting the laneway. Debris was flying everywhere. The field was covered by bits and pieces of the engines. We ended up against a tree. The hull was blazing. The ammunition was exploding all the time. Out of the crew of ten, two lost their lives. The others escaped with injuries, largely through the brave action of a local farmer, Mr. William Lunny, who ran with a hatchet, chopped a hole in the fuselage of the burning aircraft and helped the crew out. Detail provided by K.C. Ingram, Oakville, Ontario.

Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Library and Archives Canada Service Files (may not exist)

Sunderland W6028

Pilot Officer Hebenton, Leslie Arthur (RCAF)
Air Gunner
Killed in Action
1944-February-20
Church Of Ireland Churchyard, Irvinestown, County Fermanagh, UK

Short Sunderland

Source: Harold A Skaarup Web Page (DND Photo)
Short Sunderland, coded Z, 15 Apr 1943
60fa8696a2e8150215c354be_Short-Sunderland--coded-Z--14-Apr-1943--DND.jpg image not found

The Short S.25 Sunderland was a British flying boat patrol bomber, developed and constructed by Short Brothers for the Royal Air Force (RAF). The aircraft took its service name from the town (latterly, city) and port of Sunderland in North East England.

Developed in parallel with the civilian S.23 Empire flying boat, the flagship of Imperial Airways, the Sunderland was developed specifically to conform to the requirements of British Air Ministry Specification R.2/33 for a long-range patrol/reconnaissance flying boat to serve with the Royal Air Force (RAF). As designed, it served as a successor to the earlier Short Sarafand flying boat. Sharing several similarities with the S.23, it featured a more advanced aerodynamic hull and was outfitted with various offensive and defensive armaments, including machine gun turrets, bombs, aerial mines, and depth charges. The Sunderland was powered by four Bristol Pegasus XVIII radial engines and was outfitted with various detection equipment to aid combat operations, including the Leigh searchlight, the ASV Mark II and ASV Mark III radar units, and an astrodome.

The Sunderland was one of the most powerful and widely used flying boats throughout the Second World War. In addition to the RAF, the type was operated by other Allied military air wings, including the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), South African Air Force (SAAF), Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF), French Navy, Norwegian Air Force, and the Portuguese Navy. During the conflict, the type was heavily involved in Allied efforts to counter the threat posed by German U-boats in the Battle of the Atlantic.Wikipedia

Wikipedia Wikipedia Short Sunderland

General Harold A Skaarup Web Page

YouTube YouTube Short Sunderland (1940-1949)

422 Sqn This Arm Shall Do It ("Flying Yachtsmen")

History of the Squadron during World War II (Aircraft: Lerwick I, Catalina IB, III, VB, Sunderland III, Liberator VI, VIII)

No. 422 (General Reconnaissance) Squadron was the 19th RCAF squadron formed overseas in WWII. It was the 5th Coastal squadron, and was formed at Lough Erne, Fermanagh, Northern Ireland Kestrel Publications on April 2, 1942. It flew Consolidated Catalina and Short Sunderland flying boats on convoy support and anti-submarine patrols over the North Atlantic shipping routes. When hostilities ended in Europe, the squadron was re-designated a Transport (T) unit and was converting to Consolidated Liberator aircraft when hostilities terminated in the Far East. The squadron was then disbanded at Bassingbourn, Cambridgeshire, England Kestrel Publications on September 3, 1945.

In the course of its operations, the squadron flew 1116 operational sorties for the loss of 9 aircraft and 70 aircrew, of whom 11 were killed, 31 presumed dead, 6 injured and 22 rescued. The squadron is credited with 1 U-boat (U-625), sunk by the crew of Sunderland EK591 from St. Angelo. Ireland on 10 March 1940. The captain, WO2 W.F. Morton, was on his first operation. Awards to squadron members were 1 OBE, 1 MBE, 6 DFCs,1 BEM, 1 Air Medal (USA) and 22 MiD. Battle Honours were: Atlantic 1942-45, English Channel and North Sea 1944-45, Normandy 1944, Biscay 1944-45, Arctic 1942.

Maps for Movements of 422 Squadron 1942-45

General Sinking of U-625

General 422 Squadron in the Battle of the Atlantic (RCAF Museum)

422 Squadron History Summary 1942-45

History of the Squadron Post-WWII (Aircraft: Sabre Mk. 2, 4, 5, 6, Starfighter, Huey, Kiowa)

The squadron was re-formed as a Fighter unit at Uplands (Ottawa), Ontario Kestrel Publications on 1 January 1953 with Canadair Sabre aircraft, and joined No. 4 (Fighter) Wing at Baden-Soellingen, Germany Kestrel Publications in August. Its nickname was changed to "Tomahawk". Selected as one of eight Sabre units in No. 1 Air Division Europe to be re-equipped with CF-104 Starfighter aircraft for a nuclear strike role, it was deactivated on 15 April 1963 and reactivated as Strike Attack on 15 July. On 1 February 1968 the squadron was integrated into the Canadian Armed Forces. The squadron was deactivated in July, 1970. The squadron was reactivated as 422 Tactical Helicopter Squadron in January 1971, and remained a helicopter squadron until it was finally disbanded in August 1980.