The Airmen's Stories - Midshipman (FAA) P L Lennard

Paul Leonard (Levey) Lennard, from Eltham, South London was born on 21st November 1921, the son of Stephen Leonard Lennard (1892-1957) and Margaret Ellen Lennard (nee Riley 1894-1962).

His father was born as Stephen Richard Levey in Canning Town, London (then in Essex). He served in WW1 in the Kings Royal Rifle Corps and then the Royal Engineers.

He changed his own name by deed poll in 1939 and also the family surname to Lennard.

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PL Lennard entered the Air Branch of the Royal Navy on 20th January 1939. He did his elementary flying training at 14 EFTS Elmdon and moved on to No. 1 FTS Leuchars for No. 8 Course, which ran from 15th January to 22nd June 1940.

He then joined 771 squadron FAA.

On Wednesday 23rd August 1939 Swordfish L2777 from 771 Squadron FAA was aloft from Lee-on-Solent.

It was flying at about 6000 feet over the north coast of the Isle of Wight when a raft stowed under one of the wings came loose and wedged itself on the rudder. As a result the pilot could not steer the aircraft and was forced to make a landing on the foreshore near Player's Copse, Binstead, IoW.

The three people on board, one of which was Lennard, escaped without injury. The left wheel and undercarriage were torn off and a wing was damaged during the landing.

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Lennard was one of the Fleet Air Arm pilots attached to the RAF to replace the losses from France. His service began on 23rd June 1940 and two days later he arrived at 5 OTU Aston Down and, after converting to Hurricanes, he joined 501 Squadron at Croydon on 8th July.

He was posted away to 760 (FAA) Squadron on 20th July 1940 and then to 808 (FAA) Squadron on 20th August. He embarked with the squadron on HMS Ark Royal on 22nd October.

Above: although his initials do not match it is believed that this image shows Lennard as there was only one person of that name in the Navy List.

In April 1941 Lennard was at Worthy Down, then occupied by the FAA and known as HMS Kestrel.

He was killed there on 26th March 1942, aged 20. Fairey Albacore X9228 was aloft on an engine test when it crashed at Telegraph Hill, east of Winchester.

Also killed were two brothers, Alexander James Watt, age 28 years and Donald Malcolm Watt age 20, both from Southsea.

The two Watts brothers were civilians from the Royal Naval Aircraft Repair Yard (RNARY) Fleetlands and the aircraft was on a test flight from RAF Gosport en-route back to RNAS Worthy Down after work in the Yard.

Lennard was cremated at West Norwood Crematorium, Lambeth, London.