Leonard Bartlett, born in Muswell Hill, Middlesex on 20 June 1916, joined the RAFVR in May 1939, as an Airman u/t Pilot. He worked in a London wholesale meat market as a buyer and salesman.
Called up just before the declaration of war, he completed his training and went to 7 OTU, Hawarden on 1 July 1940. After converting to Hurricanes, he joined No 17 Squadron at Debden on 15 July.
On 21 August Bartlett (known as “Red” or “Bart” in the RAF) shared in the destruction of a Ju 88, on 5 September he shared a He 111 and on the 19th he shared a Ju 88.
On 28 October he damaged a Do 17, on 8 November he destroyed a Ju 87 and probably a second and on the 11th he shot down a Ju 87 and probably another. On 17 March 1941 Bartlett was shot down over Chiddingly, Sussex, north west of Hailsham, in Hurricane Z 2704. He was wounded and took to his parachute.
Commissioned in July 1941, Bartlett was posted to No 137 Squadron in February 1942. On 6 July he damaged a Ju 88.
In September 1942 he was given command of No 253 Squadron at Hibaldstow. The squadron went to North Africa in November. Bartlett destroyed a Ju 88 on 10 January 1943. The squadron moved to Monte Corvino, Italy in October. Bartlett was posted away in January 1944 and he was awarded the DSO on 3 March.
Bartlett was appointed military commander of the island of Vis, in the Adriatic, where an airfield had been constructed. He was given the US Legion of Merit for organising the rescue of USAAF crews who had ditched in the Adriatic Sea.In 1945 Bartlett became Personal Staff Officer to the AOC Middle East. In 1965 he was one of the still-serving Battle of Britain veterans who took part in Sir Winston Churchill’s funeral procession. He retired from the RAF on June 20 1966 as a Group Captain.
In 2005 he was quoted as saying about the Battle of Britain: “We were young and didn’t really think about what we were doing. I don’t think any of us really understood the importance of the battle at the time.”
He died in Australia on 11 February 2017, aged 100.
