Leslie Thomas Manser VC

In a few days we will observe national remembrance. 72 years ago Flying Officer Leslie Manser and the crew of Avro Manchester D-Dog took off from RAF Skellingthorpe (now the Birchwood estate in Lincoln) on the famous 1000 Bomber raid on Cologne. Hit by flak and losing height, Manser ordered his crew to bale out. Refusing a parachute he stayed at the controls to give them time to escape. Shortly afterwards the plane crashed near Genk in Belgium. For his actions he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

This piece of photo art is based on my photo of the last remaining area of runway from RAF Skellingthorpe which is now at the centre of a nature park.

Leslie Manser VC was only 20 years old

Lest we forget..........