Leslie Feldon Finch

A Corporal with the Royal Air Force, Leslie died on 9th of June 1940 at the age of 20. 

Leslie was born at Lowestoft on 16 December 1919, a son of Edward John and Emma Feldon Finch. he was baptised at Saint John's Church, Lowestoft, on 23 January 1920. His family lived at the Lloyd's Bank building where Leslie's father was the caretaker. In 1939 Leslie's widowed mother, and his sister, lived at 41 Bevan Street, Lowestoft. 

Leslie served with 802 Squadron. This squadron was part of the Naval Air Service and was based on the aircraft carrier H.M.S. Glorious. The Glorious took part in the defence of Norway and, on 8 June 1940, was attacked by the battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau and sank. The Royal Navy were not aware of the loss of the ship and so no effort was made to rescue survivors until 10 June: 1,207 men lost their lives in the loss of the Glorious.  

He was serving with No 802 Sqn FAA and was lost in the sinking of HMS Glorious.  He is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. CREDIT:Malcolm Barrass