Billen, Leslie John

Date of birth:: 1922 (Epsom, Surrey, England, the United Kingdom)
Date of death:: September 21st, 1944 (Megen, Oss municipality, North Brabant province, the Netherlands)
Buried on:: Dutch War Graves Protestant Cemetery Horssen
Service number:: 1378767
Nationality:: British

Biography

Leslie John Billen was born in 1922, when his birth registration took place in the time bracket of July – September. His exact birthdate is unknown, however, he was from Epsom, Surrey, England, the United Kingdom. Leslie was the son of Mr. and Mrs. H.C. Billen. There is no information regarding his youth and it is also unknown when Leslie joined the Royal Air Force. Research shows that in 1941, he married Joan E. Woolger, in Surrey, England.

When Leslie held the rank of Sergeant, he served from 5th October 1942 until 27th January 1943, as air bomber at No. 142 Squadron. He flew in a Vickers Wellington bomber aircraft, with number BK280. On the 13th of November 1942 this aircraft, with Leslie onboard, crashed by accident, near Davidson Moor, Aerodrome in Cornwall. Like the rest of the five-men crew, Leslie got injured, although it is unknown what injuries he suffered. When in late January 1943, No. 142 Squadron was moved to the Mediterranean Sea area, Leslie stayed in England and was stationed at No. 166 Squadron. This unit was stationed in Kirmington, North Lincolnshire, and was an operational night bomber squadron that flew with Vickers Wellington III and X bomber aircraft until September 1943. The unit then switched to Avro Lancaster I and III bomber aircraft. The conversion training for the crews took only a couple of weeks.

When Leslie was assigned to No. 190 Squadron is unknown, as is the date of his promotion to Warrant Officer. The squadron was initially formed as a Flying Boat Squadron in Coastal Command, but was disbanded on January 1st, 1944. As of 5th January it was reformed into an Airborne Forces Squadron and in March of the same year, the unit took part in largescale glider exercises. The squadron flew Stirling IV bombers. As of late March 1944, the unit was stationed at Fairford, Gloucestershire County, and commenced droppings of Special Operations Executive (SOE) agents. Until operation Market Garden the squadron also conducted para-droppings and glider-towing operations.

From 17th until 23rd September 1944 the unit conducted 98 sorties to support operation Market Garden. The squadron suffered heavy losses where twelve aircraft didn’t return to Fairford. Of the ten Stirlings that launched from Fairford on the 21st September 1944, only three returned. Amongst the seven downed aircraft was Stirling IV, with number LJ 823, the plane in which Warrant Officer Leslie John Billen that day was acting as additional air bomber. The Stirling was conducting a supply mission to Arnhem and was hit in the tail near the gun turret by anti-aircraft artillery fire, while flying above the assigned drop zone. Then it was attacked by three German fighter aircraft.

The order to bail-out was given, but reportedly the aircraft was already flying too low. The navigator, Flight Sergeant Ross, jumped and landed safely, like the two air dispatchers, Poole and Woodley. They, managed to evade the Germans and eventually returned Allied territory. Flight Sergeants, Cairns (air bomber) and Skewes (wireless operator and air gunner) jumped too, however they were killed reportedly because their parachutes didn’t open, due to the too low altitude. The pilot, Flying Officer Farren, managed to conduct a emergency landing near the Diedense Uiterdijk in Megen, Oss municipality, but he was launched through the windshield on impact, sustained severe back injury and was hospitalized. Later he was taken prisoner of war by the Germans. Also air gunner, Flight Sergeant Brown, and aircraft mechanic, Flight Sergeant Stone, were injured and taken captive as prisoners of war. After the emergency landing the aircraft burnt out and was destroyed.

Leslie John Billen was the third crewmember who didn’t survive the crash. An eyewitness-report stated that – while he was descending with his parachute – he was killed when the German fighter planes returned and strafed the crewmembers who bailed out with their chutes. He crashed near Aspert, a hamlet in Horssen, near the Wetering canal. Warrant Officer Leslie John Billen died and was 22 years old.
He is buried at the Protestant Graveyard in Horssen, Druten municipality, Gelderland province, the Netherlands.

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