bentley priory - Spink

September 6, 2012 - LONDON
Remarks by Station Commander: ‘The outstanding initiative
and resourcefulness displayed by Sergeant Dowdell on the
night of the 20th-21st October, 1943, is worthy of the
highest praise, especially when the adverse weather
conditions and stiff enemy opposition which prevailed
throughout the flight are taken into account. Sergeant
Dowdell has proved himself to be a skilful and conscientious
Navigator throughout his tour and it is considered that the
many successes achieved by his crew have been made possible
largely by the accuracy of this N.C.O.’s work coupled with
his coolness and courage when harassed by enemy ground
and night fighter defences. The Squadron Commander’s
recommendation for the immediate award of the
Distinguished Flying Medal is strongly endorsed.’
Flight Lieutenant Leslie Charles Andrew Dowdell,
D.F.M., born Torvil, Maidstone, Kent, 21.7.1922; served
during the Second World War in the Royal Air Force with
No. 100 Squadron (Lancasters), based at Waltham,
Lincolnshire; took part in the raid on Leipzig, 20.10.1943,
the 25th sortie of his tour: ‘All except one of a Lancaster
squadron had returned from the raid on Leipzig on October
20th. The station ground staff were “waiting up” for the
missing bomber when a Lancaster of another squadron, out
of petrol, asked permission to land. Just then a glow appeared
in the sky. It was the missing bomber- Lancaster B2- on fire.
It had been on fire for four hours. That was the end to a
remarkable sortie in which Lancaster B2 was in trouble
almost from the take-off. While still over base the “intercom”
went dead and the crew had to fall back on an
emergency system. Over Germany the Lancaster ran into
icing cloud and severe electrical storms. One engine seized
and caught fire. The pilot feathered the propeller and used
the emergency extinguisher, but the flames, where the oil and
glycol were burning, went on. The flames lit up the fuselage
and tailplane and made the bomber an easy mark for fighters
and anti-aircraft guns, but the pilot pressed on towards the
target. The electrical storms upset the navigator’s watch, and
he went badly off course and lost time. The Lancaster lost
Flight Lieutenant L.C.A. Dowdell
height, but still she pressed on towards Leipzig. They were
twenty minutes late for the attack, but still managed to drop
their biggest bomb and a large number of incendiaries on the
target. A searchlight cone held her. She escaped and reached
the Dutch coast. The fire still burned. Finally she made it
back to her home base.’ (account in the Daily Express,
annotated by the recipient, refers).
Dowdell was Commissioned Pilot Officer, Royal Air Force
Volunteer Reserve, 10.12.1943; promoted Flying Officer,
10.6.1944; and was invested with his D.F.M., 28.11.1944;
finally being promoted Flight Lieutenant, 10.12.1945. After
the War he became a lecturer in electrical engineering at
Maidstone Boys’ Technical College, retiring in 1985. He
died in Maidstone, 12.12.2011.
Flight Lieutenant L.C.A. Dowdell (second from right) with the crew of the Lancaster B2
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