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Sergeant Leslie Tongue was serving as
Flight Engineer on board Halifax Mk.III LW164 coded QB-C during an operation to
Stuttgart
on the night January
28/29, 1945.
The aircraft began its takeoff roll from Skipton-on-Swale at
1921hrs but swing off the runway and exploded. All aboard were
killed except for the Rear Gunner, F/O Tremblay, who was
thrown clear by the blast.
The crew consisted of:
|
Name |
Service |
Trade |
Hometown |
Age |
|
W/C Edwin Williams - AFC |
RCAF |
Pilot |
Halifax, Nova Scotia |
28 |
|
Sgt Leslie Tongue |
RAFVR |
Flight Engineer |
Willesden, Middlesex |
26 |
|
W/O2 Robert Nicolls |
RCAF |
Navigator |
Toronto, Ontario |
28 |
|
F/Sgt Russell Chatfield |
RCAF |
Bomb Aimer |
Toronto, Ontario |
32 |
|
W/O2 Gordon Doyle |
RCAF |
W/Op/AG |
Toronto, Ontario |
23 |
|
F/O Wallace Fleming |
RCAF |
Air Gunner |
Winnipeg, Manitoba |
30 |
|
F/O J.E.H.B.Tremblay - Injured |
RCAF |
Air Gunner |
- |
- |
 |
 |
| Leslie
with parents |
Leslie
with wife, Ethel |
Sergeant Leslie Tongue was
the son of Mr. and Mrs. Charles Tongue of Sheffield and
younger brother of Miriam and Clarence (Cal), He was married
to Ethel Margaret Tongue of Willesden, Middlesex.
 |
|
Leslie
in identified training photo. 3rd row up from bottom, 3rd from
left |
This was the last Halifax III to be
lost by 424 squadron before they converted to Lancasters, it
had completed 67 operational sorties prior to the crash.
Leslie and his six crew
members rest in Harrogate (Stonefall) Cemetery.
The pilot and
two gunners were on their second tour of operations when the
accident took place.
Photos
courtesy of
Leslie
Tongue (nephew),
research by Linda Ibrom.
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