Gilbert Leslie (Les) DOWLING DFC

DOWLING, Gilbert Leslie

Service Number: 412500
Enlisted: 19 July 1941
Last Rank: Flying Officer
Last Unit: No. 76 Squadron (RAF)
Born: Lithgow, New South Wales, 14 May 1921
Home Town: Lithgow, Lithgow, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Not yet discovered
Died: Circumstances of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Not yet discovered
Memorials: Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial
Show Relationships

World War 2 Service

19 Jul 1941: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 412500, Aircrew Training Units
19 Jul 1941: Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 412500
1 Jul 1944: Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer, 412500, No. 76 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45
12 Sep 1944: Honoured Distinguished Flying Cross, Air War NW Europe 1939-45, Warrant officer pilot Gilbert Leslie Dowling 76 Squadron RAF piloting his aircraft on the The Gelsenkirchen-Nordstern mission. For pressing home his attack with a second run over the target and successfully negotiating an intense Anti Aircraft barrage.
13 Feb 1946: Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Flying Officer, 412500, Posted No. 51 Squadron (RAF) at discharge

My Father's crew - Pauline Gashinski (nee Tindale)

My father (John Tindale) is no longer alive, but fellow crew member and life long friend, Fred Renshaw has been able to provide me with some of the details of crews members and events that took place, as well as the photos shown below. My father was one of an original group of five who started flying Wellingtons at Enfield in February 1944. This group initially included, Pilot Alan Dale, Navigator John Tindale, Bomb-aimer Bud (Isaac) Sewell, Rear-gunner Geoff Bailey, and Wireless operator/Air gunner Fred Renshaw . With the exception of the pilot, this group managed to stay together for the duration of the training and until the end of their tour of duty.

By the beginning of April 1944 the crew had a new pilot, an Australian by the name of Les Dowling. Les, a member of the Royal Australian Air Force, was already a seasoned veteran and had been hanging around the mess looking for a new crew. On his previous tour, Les's plane had taken enemy fire while on a raid over France. His plane aflames, he had ordered his crew to jump, while he alone stayed with the plane until he crash landed somewhere behind enemy lines. Les somehow managed to make his way across the Pyrenees to Spain and from there he found his way to England. Les had no intention of ever ending up in a crashing plane again, and somehow he managed to keep that promise to himself and his crew.

"Meanwhile, the squadron was playing its role in attacks on beleagured enemy garrisons. Gun emplacements and strong points at Le Havre received a caning, two major raids being flown on the 10th leaving the defenders shocked and confused. Just before the middle of September, two attacks on synthetic oil installations at Gelsenkirchen were launched. Well over a year had passed since the squadron last visited this prime target, then one of the many objectives in the first Battle of the Ruhr. The first raid was aimed at a plant in the Buer district, commencing in the early afternoon of the 12th. A strong barrage of flak rose to buffet the mainforce pouring across the town between 17,000 and 18,000 feet. Nearly every squadron bomber was hit, though none broke station. Warrant Officer Les Dowling RAAF, however, decided to make a second run as Sergeant Geoff Bailey, one of his air-gunners, will now explain. "At the last moment cloud obscured the Aiming Point and the bomb-aimer did not press the release button. Then the cloud drifted clear, so the skipper plumbed for another go. By the time we started our second run we were practically on our own and the flak gave us a renewed hammering. Talk about sweating cobs, I was glad to see the back of Gelsenkirchen that day".

Read more...
Showing 1 of 1 story