| Admitted to: Prestbridge Military Hospital. RAF Hospital Rauceby (21/06/41). No.2 ACD, RAF Hoylake (27/11/41). |
Date of Injury: 21/06/1941 |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| D.O.B/Age when admitted: June 27th 1915 (27) |
Cause of Incident: Crashed in a Manchester on night flying test flight - engines cut out. |
||
| Transferred to QVH: 02/07/1942 |
Injuries: Fractured back and left arm. Loss of skin. |
||
| No. of Operations at East Grinstead: 2 |
IDENTITY CARD
This is to certify that the patient mentioned below and whose description is stated hereon is the authorised holder of this Identity card.
| Forename: Leslie |
Surname: Syrett |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Service No: 745165 |
Nationality: British |
||
| Awards/Honours: AFC |
Patient Unit: No.25 OTU. |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Profession: Pilot |
Patient Rank: WO |
||
| Death: 05/08/1997 |
Age at Death: 82yrs |
||
|---|---|---|---|
| Dr Rank: |
Dr Unit: |
||
Syrett joined the RAF Volunteer Reserve in February 1939, and was called up almost immediately after war was declared in September. After pilots training, he was sent to RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire, to test fly Manchesters, the forerunner of the Lancaster bomber.
While doing circuits to test a newly repaired plane, both engines cut out and Syrett crash landed from 150ft. He was pulled out of the plane still conscious, having broken his back, neck, shoulder, elbow and fingers, and with damage to his internal organs.
He returned to limited flying duties after treatment, and was appointed Commanding Officer of RAF Skaebrae in the Orkneys towards the end of the war.
ACD - Airman's Convalescent Depot
OTU - Operational Training Unit
We've been looking through our collections, and discovered this 1972 photograph from the East Grinstead Observer, o…