Nelson pilot's VC for bravery in doomed bombing raid on display

A Victoria Cross awarded to Nelson-born Squadron Leader (and later Group Captain) Leonard Henry Trent VC DFC (RAF 36146) is on public display for the first time.

It’s the only VC in the RNZAF Museum of New Zealand collection at Wigram, Christchurch. The precious medal, which will be on display until May 9, was donated to the museum along with Trent’s nine other medals by his family after his death in 1986.

A quiet and unassuming man, Trent disliked the fuss that the award caused and remained uncomfortable with the publicity and his renown as a war hero, always stressing the vital contribution of his aircrew and making a point of quietly visiting the families of those who gave their lives.

It was on the morning of Monday May 3, 1943, that the 12 Lockheed Ventura crews of 487 (New Zealand) Squadron were briefed for the raid codenamed Ramrod 16 that they were to undertake later than afternoon on Papawerweg power station on the northern outskirts of Amsterdam.

READ MORE:
* From fighter pilot to cold war warrior and farmer
* Battle of Britain church service in Taranaki to remember 'The Few'
* British historian seeks family of Kiwi airman killed in WWII aircraft crash

It is recorded that 28-year old Trent told his commanding officer that he and his crew were going to reach the target no matter what.

Fighter protection for the 12 light bombers was to be provided by three squadrons of Spitfire Mark Vs flying as close support with another two squadrons of Spitfire Mark IXs flying as top cover.

The plan involved maintaining an element of surprise, crossing the North Sea at 100 feet to keep beneath German radar until they were 10 minutes from the Dutch coast when they were to climb to 10,000 feet and race to their targets.

The 12 Venturas took off from RAF Methwold at 16.43 hours in sunshine, with Squadron Leader Leonard Trent flying AJ209 EG-V on his 24th sortie, leading the first six bombers in a tight box formation.

The plan may have been feasible, but everything conspired against the bombers that day. The Spitfires flying as top cover took off too early and climbed too soon. With not enough fuel to wait for the bombers they had to be recalled, but the Germans had been alerted and immediately took action.

Unbeknown to the RAF, the Nazi governor of Holland had chosen to make a formal visit to Haarlem that day and was being provided with fighter cover. To complete the demise of the bombers, an elite group of Germany’s most experienced fighter pilots were gathering with their fighters at Schiphol Airport for a conference.

By the time the Venturas were approaching the Dutch coast, no less than 69 Focke Wulfe Fw190 and Messerschmitt Me109 fighters had been scrambled. While the Fw190s of 11./JG1 dealt with the escort, the Me109s of 2./JG27 went for the bombers.

In the first four minutes six Venturas were brought down. Another two badly damaged managed to turn around, but the four remaining bombers led by Trent continued through fierce anti-aircraft fire towards their target. As one Messerschmitt passed in front of him, he opened fire at point blank with his nose mounted machine guns and shot the fighter down.

Approaching the target Trent saw his wingman shot down. The other two Venturas were also brought down and crashed in the Oostzaan district, north of Amsterdam.

Trent doggedly pressed on towards the target and flying at 7000 feet released his bombs. But just as he turned for home his aircraft was hit, went into a spin and broke up.

Trent and his navigator Vivian Phillips were both thrown clear and parachuted to the ground, but the other two crew failed to escape and perished in the crash. The bombs dropped by Trent's Ventura did not score direct hits but succeeded in causing some blast damage.

Leonard Trent and Vivian Phillips were both captured and sent to Stalag Luft III in German-occupied Poland. Trent later became one of the 76 escapees from Stalag Luft III who were made famous in the film "The Great Escape”.

Fifty of the men who escaped - including three New Zealanders - were executed by the Gestapo on the personal orders of Hitler who was furious. Luckily, Trent was not chosen to die.

Little was known about the mission until May 1945, when Trent and other POWs were returned home from Germany. His report was corroborated with those of captured Germans and he was awarded the Victoria Cross by the King George VI at Buckingham Palace on April 12, 1946.

Len Trent was born in Nelson in 1915, the same year his first cousin (and later Squadron Leader) Ian Gordon Richmond DFC was born in Takaka, where Len spent much of his boyhood. Both Len and Ian attended Nelson Boys, another of their room mates there being renowned Battle of Britain Spitfire pilot Mick Shand from Masterton.

The young men took advantage of a scheme where they could learn to fly with the RNZAF then enter the RAF on short-term commissions. After being selected, Trent underwent his basic training at the Tairei Aero Club before entering the RNZAF at Wigram. Awarded his wings on May 12, 1938, he sailed off to join the RAF a month later.

It was amazing that the three Nelson Old Boys who had all roomed together in their school days - Trent, Richmond and Shand - would later all be reunited in captivity in 1943 at Stalag Luft III at Stalag Luft III POW Camp at Sagan in German occupied Poland in 1943.

Richmond’s Stirling Bomber had been shot down over Germany in 1942, while Shand’s Spitfire was downed over the Netherlands in 1943, the same year as Trent’s bomber went down over Amsterdam.

In the Great Escape, Trent and Shand came out of the escape tunnel together at the same time, their intention to travel together and reach Switzerland. Sprung by a German guard, Shand managed to stay on the run for four days before being recaptured, but Trent was captured immediately and returned to the POW camp.

Trent was the nephew of Gunner Roy Edward Everett of Takaka - who served with the New Zealand Field Artillery NZEF from 1915 to 1919 – receiving his Military Medal (MM) for bravery at Passchendaele on October 12, 1917.

Trent still has relatives living in the Takaka Valley, a nephew (Len Jnr) who lives at Clifton being the son of Len’s younger brother, Austin Trent (who passed away last year), and a niece Gabrielle Kervella, who lives at East Takaka.

Gabrielle is the daughter of Len and Austin’s sister, Iredale Trent, who was married to Flying Officer William J.L. Lauchlan : RNZAF (NZ391361) 3 Squadron. This brave airman was killed on active service on October 16, 1942 in Vanuatu when Gabrielle was only two months old.

Her step-father was later Major General Sandy Thomas from Riwaka - also a highly decorated soldier. There is no shortage of gallantry in this family.