Leslie Arthur Steele – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 166 Squadron

Sergeant Leslie Arthur Steele – Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 166 Squadron

Official Records

Leslie Arthur Steele

Leslie Arthur Steele
Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery
credit - findagrave 

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission provides limited information about Sergeant Leslie Arthur Steele, noting that he served with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 166 Squadron. He lost his life on 20 October 1943 and is buried at the Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery, Germany.

Family and Training

South Wales Daily Post 

The South Wales Daily Post reported in August 1943 that Leslie, the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. D. Steele, of 44 Mumbles Road, had been awarded his wings after completing his aircrew training in England.

Final Operation

RAF Kirmington

Leslie was killed during a bombing raid on Leipzig, having taken off from RAF Kirmington, Lincolnshire, where 166 Squadron was based at the time.

166 Squadron and the Leipzig Raid – 20^th October 1943

On the night of 20^th October 1943, No. 166 Squadron RAF, flying from RAF Kirmington, took part in a major Bomber Command raid against the German city of Leipzig. The city was a significant industrial and railway centre, home to factories producing machine tools, aircraft components, and vital transport links supporting the German war effort.

Handley Page Halifax

Flying Handley Page Halifax heavy bombers, 166 Squadron joined a deep-penetration mission into central Germany — one of the most dangerous types of operation carried out by Bomber Command. Crews faced the constant threat of radar-directed night fighters, intense searchlight activity, and heavy anti-aircraft fire. Weather conditions added further difficulty, with cloud and icing hampering navigation.

As the bomber stream approached Leipzig, German night-fighters successfully intercepted several aircraft, leading to heavy losses even before the target was reached. Despite these hazards, many aircraft pressed on and delivered their bombs over industrial districts and railway infrastructure.

It was during this operation that Sergeant Leslie Arthur Steele and his crew were lost. Their aircraft failed to return and is believed to have been brought down during the return leg of the mission.

Crew Lost with Sergeant Steele

Name	Rank	Burial Plot
Leslie Arthur Steele	Flight Engineer	Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery – Section 8, Row C, Graves 6–9
George Rodney Alexander Walkem	Air Bomber	Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery – Section 8, Plot C, Graves 6–9
Edward Frederick Barham	Wireless Operator	Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery – Collective grave
Graham Read	Rear Gunner	Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery – Collective grave
Donald Bartley	Pilot	Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery – Collective grave
James Ivan Wilson	Mid-Upper Gunner	Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery – Section 8, Row C, Graves 6–9
Cecil Arthur Maskell	Navigator	Berlin 1939–1945 War Cemetery – Section 8, Row C, Graves 6–9

Newspaper Reports

Herald of Wales

South Wales Daily Post

In October 1943, the Herald of Wales reported that he had been posted missing following the raid. A later article in the South Wales Daily Post, published in December 1943, confirmed that Sergeant Leslie Arthur Steele had been killed in action.