BRAVERY OVER AMSTERDAM

Press, Volume LXXXII, Issue 24814, 2 March 1946, Page 6

BRAVERY OVER AMSTERDAM

V.C. WINNER’S EATER EXPLOITS

FORMER OLD BOY OF NELSON COLLEGE

• The Prpss ” Specif Service .NELSON, March 1. “Of cpqrse I arp thrilled and prqqd, but especially for the boy and his wife,” said Squadron Leader Trent’s mother op receiving a telegram frqm the Minister of Defeppe (the Hop. F, Jones) informing her of ’tfie award. ‘■Len has npvqr been one to gay muefi about himself, but I understand U was a flight dyer Amsterdam that led to the decoration- He was always fopd of fiia old home town an “ h* B school and used to look on anything Ite had done aa reflecting credit on them. "After a period Of uncertainly, he has taken a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force and i? at pre? sent stationed at Syerstqp, Newmar«?t“ on-Trent. He. has been dreadfully homesick at times, judging by some of the many letters I nave received from him, and I do hope now that he may be able to come out and see us to? gether with his wife and daughter. Len’s career is now likely to be perm? anently bound up with flyipg. That Wgs what fie has wanted to do since his college days. Len has always beep particularly fond of sport. “What stands opt in my mpmory is why he was selected as one qf a do?en from a field of 2000 to take on a flying career in the day? when aviation was not what it is to-day. When he passed out pf his training with the rank of pilot officer his instructor sent him a note saying that he' had the best pair of hands and the best flying brain of any pupil who had Passed through the instructor’s hands.* 7 Did you have any inkling that another decoration was in tjie offing? * a reporter asked. "No,” answered Mrs Trent, "except daughter has beep op holiday at Ohakea lately and has been talking to some pf the m?p whd new with J^ ll * said that, if some further recognition was not made of all he had done, there must be something wrong."

. Minister's Message The Minister’s telegram saicj: '‘Jt p’eajure to inform you that His Majesty the King has been graciously pleased to approve of the award of the Victoria Cross to your son, Squadron Leader Leonard Henry Trent, D.F.C., for outstanding gallantry and leadership in ajr operations, The Crime Minister desires to convey to you on behalf of the Government his warmest congratulations on thjs great honour conferred on your son?’ Squadron Leader Trent’s sister u Mrs Iredale Lauehlan, whose husband °n active service with the R.N.Z.A.F. m the Pacific. A younger brother, A.C.2 Austin Trent, has just.beep demobilised from Qhakea. and has an inclination towards taking up farming. At one time he and his brother were thinking of teaming up together after the War. Austa Trent was m Golden Bay-at the time the news of his brother’s Victoria Cross was received, and up till last evening he had not heard, Squadron Leader Trent’s father. Mr L. Noel Trent, was at his dentist’s chair as usual yesterday, though intermiptions were rather more numerous than usual

Reunion in Prison Camp Among the boarders at College House, Nelson College.’in 1932 were three mates in one dormitory—L. H, Trent: his cousin, 1. G. Richmond (Takaka);. and M.M. Shend (Wellipa. ton). Later all three joined the Air Force, gained the rank of Squadron Leader, and were aw'arded the D.F.C. When Squadron Leader Trent became a prisoner of war in May, 1943, he was taken to Stalag Luft 3 where the first iTiend he met was his cousin, Squadron Leader Richmond. Squadron Leader Sfiand was also a prisoner of war in the same camp, and it was not long before all three were occupying the same hpt. It was a coincidence that the three college boys of 1932 should again find themselves together in such circum? stances 11 years later. When the Allies broke through in Western Germany, Squadron Lender Trept among many of the prisoners in the forced march. The German guards abandoned them, and Squadron Leader Trent was flown to England.

Squadron Leader Trent is a member of the famous paterpillar Club for making a parachute descent on active service. On that occasion, he hurt hjs back, and whep captured he was kept in a frozen cell for 48 hours before being interrogated- His health apparently did not suffer any adverse effects. While in Stalag Luft 3, at Sagan, half-way between • Berlin and Breslau, he took part in one of the biggest escape attempts of the war on March 3, 1944. Ip s ballot for places among the 80 men who a, ere to escape through a tunnel, he drew the seventy-ninth marble, and he was actually in the tunnel' and about to go up through the trap-door when the escape was discovered. It was after this bresk from camp that 50 Royal Air Force officers Were shot. ARMY V.C. WINNER TO ENTER CHURCH (P.A.) WELLINGTON, March 1. Mr Keith Elliott, of Mangamajre, Wairarapa, a New Zealand winper of the Victoria Cross, is likely to become a priest of the Church of England. He will begin studies for Holy Orders this year. ,