BALL, Leonard William
| Service Number: | 916429 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve |
| Born: | 1915, place not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Frankfurt, Germany, 20 December 1943 |
| Cemetery: |
Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany I A 8 |
| Memorials: | International Bomber Command Centre Memorial |
Biography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Albert Walter and Bertha Ball. Husband of Yvonne Marie Ball, of Brisbane, Queensland
Handley Page Halifax II JD123 MH-S
Frankfurt. 650 aircraft, 41 losses (6.3%). The German controllers were able to accurately plot the route as soon as the main force left the English coast and were therefore able to deploy night-fighters at many points along its route. A diversionary raid on Mannheim failed to draw off many fighters until the main raid was over. The target was mainly cloud covered whereas the forecast had predicted clear conditions. Marking did not, therefore, go to plan. The Germans used both decoy fires and also decoy target indicator. By a twist of good fortune, considerable creepback resulted in the bombing coming back over the city. Many public and municipal buildings were hit including many schools. 23000 people were bombed out of their homes.