Five: Flight Lieutenant W. H. P. Leray, Royal Air Force, who served in Coastal Command as a Wireless Operator and Air Gunner, prior to being commissioned and qualifying as a Typhoon pilot - his time in No. 269 Squadron witnessed a brace of engagements with Ju. 88s off Norway and several attacks on U-Boats off Iceland, in addition to participation in the hunt for the Bismarck

1939-45 Star; Atlantic Star; Defence and War Medals 1939-45; General Service 1918-62, 1 clasp, Malaya, E.II.R. (Flt. Lt. W. H. P. Leray, R.A.F.), generally good very fine (5) £350-400

William Harry Philip Leray, who commenced his training as a Wireless Operator and Air Gunner in August 1940, joined No. 269 Squadron at Wick, a Hudson unit, in January 1941, in which month he completed his first operational patrol. From March of the same year, the Squadron started to carry out sorties off Norway, Leray’s Flying Log Book recording run-ins with pairs of Ju. 88’s on the 3rd, and again on 30 April, the latter engagement resulting in damage to his Hudson’s port engine, while in May 269 acted as escort to H.M.S. Hood and participated in the search for the Bismarck on the 16th.

Then in July 1941, the Squadron moved to the Kaldadarnes, Iceland, where the runway was made from lava rock and the living conditions primitive. And from here the Squadron’s Hudsons commenced convoy escort and anti-submarine patrols in the same month, Leray’s Flying Log Book recording a U-Boat “kill” during the course of convoy HX. 136 on the 19th. In fact, the same operational record confirms four further encounters with U-Boats, namely a “damaged” on 29 August (‘Bombed U-Boat, circled large oil patch, most certainly damaged’), a “confirmed” on 11 September (’U-Boat hunt. Located and bombed with D.Cs - tail visible during attack. Since confirmed’), an inconclusive attack carried out on the 27th of the same month, and what would appear to be another “confirmed” during a sweep from Revkjavik to Wick on 18 December.

Having returned to the U.K. in early 1942, Leray was appointed an instructor at Silloth in April, in which capacity he served until transferring in a similar role to Squires Gate that September, in which period he flew in Ansons, Bothas and Hudsons. Then in May 1943, he gained a posting as a pupil pilot to Brough Grading School, from whence he was embarked for Canada to complete his training. Having then duly qualified for his “Wings” and been commissioned, he returned to the U.K. in early 1944, where he appears to have served as a flying instructor until being posted to an O.T.U. in Acklington in March 1945, at which latter establishment he gained experience in Typhoons before joining No. 189 Squadron shortly after the end of hostilities - and survived a forced-landing on Goswick Sands. Leray left the Royal Air Force shortly afterwards, but returned to the service in 1950 to resume his career, this time with appointments in ground duties, and it was in this capacity that he served in Singapore during the course of the Malayan emergency. He retired in 1958.

Sold with the recipient’s original R.A.F. Observer’s & Air Gunner’s Flying Log Book, covering the period August 1940 to May 1943, and R.C.A.F. Pilot’s Flying Log Book, covering the period July 1943 to October 1950, together with a good selection of 1939-45 vintage photographs (approx. 25), including air-to-air images and several portraits with his aircraft, and his commission warrant for the rank of Flight Lieutenant, dated 3 January 1950.