An Irish war historian is calling on Tamborine Mountain residents to help locate the family of Flight Sergeant Leslie Woods, an RAAF airman who died during a World War II training mission in Northern Ireland.
Glenda Rodgers McCormick, from the small town of Bushmills, has spent years researching wartime crashes in her local area.
She is now seeking biographical details and photographs of Sgt Woods to include in a permanent memorial at Portballintrae, a fishing village where his aircraft came down in 1943.
The Vickers Wellington bomber, which crashed on 28 November 1943, was on a bombing training exercise when it went down near the coast.
Six men were killed in the incident – four were never recovered, while two bodies, including Sgt Woods’, were found washed ashore.
He is buried in a churchyard in nearby Limavady.
Glenda has submitted a proposal to the local council to erect a memorial honouring the six-man crew.
She hopes the tribute will mirror previous memorials she has coordinated, which have included official dedications and the attendance of relatives from overseas.
“I feel it is necessary to remember those young men from so far away who gave their lives for us,” she said.
Glenda first became interested in WWII history after discovering family links to the conflict.
In 2008, she coordinated a memorial for another Australian serviceman, Vernon Pither, and successfully contacted his family through outreach to local newspapers.
Through historical records, she discovered that Sgt Woods was from the Tamborine Mountain area.
She is now appealing to the community to assist in finding his relatives or anyone with knowledge of his life in Australia.
“My hope is to gather a small biography of each man – what school they attended, hobbies, anything. I’d love a photo too,” she said.
The Portballintrae memorial will include an official unveiling and dedication ceremony involving the RAF Band, once final planning permission is approved.
Anyone with information about Sgt Woods or his family is encouraged to contact Glenda via email at glendarodgers@btinternet.com.
