{{short description|New Zealand aviator and VC recipient}} {{good article}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2017}} {{Infobox military person |name= Leonard Henry Trent |image= File:Squadron Leader Trent, 1946.jpg |image_size= |alt= |caption= Portrait of Leonard Trent, 1946, by [[William Dring]] |nickname= |birth_date= {{Birth date|1915|04|14|df=yes}} |birth_place= [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]], New Zealand |death_date= {{Death date and age|1986|05|19|1915|04|14|df=yes}} |death_place= [[Takapuna]], New Zealand |burial_place= [[Fremantle Cemetery]], [[Western Australia]] |allegiance= United Kingdom<br />New Zealand |branch= [[Royal Air Force]]<br />(1938–1945; 1948–1965)<br />[[Royal New Zealand Air Force]]<br />(1946–1947) |service_years= 1938–1965 |rank= [[Group Captain]] |service_number= |unit= [[No. 487 Squadron RNZAF|No. 487 (NZ) Squadron]] |commands= [[No. 214 Squadron RAF|No. 214 Squadron]] (1956–1958)<br />[[RAF Wittering]] (1960–1962) |battles= {{tree list}} * [[Second World War]] ** [[Phoney War]] ** [[Battle of France]] ** [[Operation Ramrod 16]] * [[Suez Crisis]] {{tree list/end}} |awards= [[Victoria Cross]]<br />[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] |relations= |other_work= }} [[Group Captain]] '''Leonard Henry Trent''', {{post-nominals|country=NZL|size=100%|sep=,|VC|DFC}} (14 April 1915 – 19 May 1986) was a New Zealand aviator, senior [[Royal Air Force]] officer, and recipient of the [[Victoria Cross]] (VC), the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and [[Commonwealth of Nations|Commonwealth]] forces.
Born in [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]], Trent obtained a short-term [[Officer (armed forces)|commission]] in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in 1938 after receiving flying training in New Zealand. After travelling to England, he was posted to [[No. 15 Squadron RAF]] and was sent to France shortly after the outbreak of the Second World War, flying [[Fairey Battle]]s on [[Aerial reconnaissance|photo-reconnaissance]] missions into [[Nazi Germany|Germany]]. After his squadron returned to England and converted to [[Bristol Blenheim IV|Bristol Blenheim]]s, he flew several bombing missions during the [[Battle of France]] for which he was later awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] (DFC). Afterwards he spent several months on instructing duties before being posted to [[No. 487 Squadron RNZAF|No. 487 (NZ) Squadron]] in August 1942, which operated [[Lockheed Ventura]]s. He was shot down over [[Amsterdam]] while on a bombing mission, codenamed [[Operation Ramrod 16]], on 3 May 1943, becoming a [[prisoner of war]].
After the war, he was awarded the VC for his actions during Ramrod 16. He continued to serve with the RAF and was commander of [[No. 214 Squadron RAF|No. 214 Squadron]] during the [[Suez Crisis]]. He retired in June 1965 and lived in Australia, and then New Zealand, in his later years. He died in 1986, aged 71.
==Early life== Leonard Henry Trent was born in [[Nelson, New Zealand|Nelson]], New Zealand, on 14 April 1915, the son of Leonard Trent, a dentist, and his wife Irene {{nee|Everett}}.<ref name="Hayward 1">{{DNZB|title=Trent, Leonard Henry|first= Joel|last= Hayward|id=5t20|access-date=8 January 2011}}</ref> In April 1919 the family relocated to [[Tākaka]], along the shore of [[Golden Bay / Mohua|Golden Bay]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=21}} Three years later, his father paid for Trent to take a short flight in a [[de Havilland DH.60 Moth|Gipsy Moth]] piloted by [[Malcolm C. McGregor]], a [[fighter ace]] of the [[First World War]], and subsequently Trent became interested in flying.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=22–23}} He was educated at [[Nelson College]], boarding at the school from 1928.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=24}} Not particularly academically inclined he became increasingly interested in golf and in his final year at school, in 1934, won the Nelson Golf Club Senior Championship.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=25}}
Trent had intended to go to university to study dentistry,{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=25}} but the family could not afford to pay for his studies and he instead took up a position as a clerk in the administrative office of an [[abattoir]] in [[Hastings, New Zealand|Hastings]]. He gave up the work after a year and returned to Nelson to assist his father in his dental practice.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=26}} After a time he moved to [[Wellington, New Zealand|Wellington]] taking up office work again. He was soon earning enough money that he could afford to go to night school and study aero engineering and maintenance.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=26}}
==Early service career== In early 1937, in response to an advertisement in a newspaper, Trent applied for a short-term [[Officer (armed forces)|commission]] in the [[Royal Air Force]] (RAF).{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=27}} He passed a selection interview and subsequent medical test and in August was accepted for flying training. Induction training was with the [[Royal New Zealand Air Force]] (RNZAF) and was held at [[Taieri Aerodrome|Taieri]], near [[Dunedin]],{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=28–29}} where he flew [[Gipsy Moth]]s and [[Miles Magister]]s.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=27}} Trent then undertook flight training at the RNZAF's [[Wigram|Wigram Air Base]] in [[Christchurch]],{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=28–29}} flying [[Avro 626]] and [[Vickers Vildebeest]] aircraft.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=28–29}} He gained his [[Aircrew brevet|wings]] on 12 May 1938 and a month later he sailed for Britain to join the RAF.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=36–37}} He was granted a short-service commission of five years in the rank of [[pilot officer]] on 23 August 1938.<ref>{{London Gazette|publication_link=London Gazette |issue=34548 |date=6 September 1938 |page=5678 |supp=}}</ref>
Posted to [[No. 15 Squadron RAF]], which operated [[Fairey Battle]]s out of [[RAF Abingdon|Abingdon]] in [[Berkshire]], Trent spent the next few months learning bombing and reconnaissance flying techniques.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=38}} In February 1939, he spent three months at [[Hamble-le-Rice|Hamble]], near [[Southampton]], attending a navigation course. Here he met Ursula Woolhouse, while playing golf at the local club in his downtime.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=41}}
==Second World War== In early September 1939, following the outbreak of the [[Second World War]], No. 15 Squadron flew to France as part of the [[RAF Advanced Air Striking Force]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=43}} Stationed at [[Vraux]], the squadron was to fly high-level [[Aerial reconnaissance|photo-reconnaissance]] missions over enemy territory, collecting information on [[Nazi Germany|German]] airfields, factories and major infrastructure. Trent flew his first mission into Germany on 24 September 1939, No. 15 Squadron's first operational sortie of the war.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=44–45}} This period of the war was known as the [[Phoney War]], and much the squadron's flying revolved around training and practice bombing missions. The squadron was sent back to England in early December to convert to the [[Bristol Blenheim IV]], a [[light bomber]], operating from [[RAF Wyton|Wyton]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=48}}
Initial conversion work was on the [[Bristol Blenheim I]] and during this time Trent had to make an emergency landing, having become lost in overcast conditions while on a flight to Scotland.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=52–53}} In March 1940, he was promoted to [[flying officer]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34822 |date=2 April 1940 |page=1916 |supp=|nolink=y}}</ref> The squadron returned to operations when the Germans [[Battle of France|invaded France]] and the [[Low Countries]] on 10 May 1940.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=54}} That day he flew one of three aircraft that bombed German forces at an aerodrome near [[Rotterdam]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=55}} Further missions followed, including a bombing raid on bridges over the [[Albert Canal]] that saw six of the twelve participating aircraft destroyed.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=56–59}} On another mission, his aircraft suffered damage from [[flak]] and an attacking [[Messerschmitt Bf 109]] fighter and he put down at an airfield on the way back to his base for repairs. However, advancing Germans threatened the airfield and as night fell, he and his crew had to fly to England as they could not navigate back to their base in France.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=63–64}} On 23 May, casualties in the squadron saw Trent take command of one of its [[Flight (military unit)|flights]] in conjunction with a promotion to acting [[flight lieutenant]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=68}} He led several bombing sorties while [[Operation Dynamo]], the evacuation of the [[British Expeditionary Force (World War II)|British Expeditionary Force]] from [[Dunkirk]], was in effect and by mid-June had flown 14 sorties. Exhausted, he was sent on leave.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=69–70}}
On his return to duty, Trent was posted to [[No. 17 Operational Training Unit RAF|No. 17 Operational Training Unit]], stationed at [[RAF Upwood|Upwood]], as an instructor.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=71}} He taught trainees formation flying and made navigational flights in [[Avro Anson]]s.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=72}} He also had the opportunity to fly other aircraft; these included the [[Vickers Wellington|Wellington bomber]]. In the meantime, his relationship with Ursula Woolhouse continued to grow and on 7 August 1940 the couple were married at [[Holborn]], London.<ref name="Hayward 1"/> The previous month he had been awarded the [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)|Distinguished Flying Cross]] for his outstanding performance during the Battle of France.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=34892 |date=9 July 1940 |page=4177 |supp=|nolink=y}}</ref>
In March 1941, his flight lieutenant rank was made substantive<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35119 |date=28 March 1941 |page=1811 |supp=|nolink=y}}</ref> and six months later Trent received a new posting at the Operational Training Squadron at [[RAF Warboys|Warboys]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=75–76}} He helped assess the [[Douglas A-20 Havoc|Douglas Boston]] bomber for service in the RAF; on his first flight in the aircraft, it suffered an engine fire forcing an immediate return to his base.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=76–78}} Trent returned to operational duty in March 1942 and, promoted to temporary [[squadron leader]] on 1 June,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=35618 |date=3 July 1942 |page=2925 |supp=|nolink=y}}</ref> was assigned to Headquarters, [[No. 2 Group RAF]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=79}} He found the duty dull and began to seek a position at [[No. 88 Squadron RAF|No. 88 Squadron]] where a friend of his was the squadron leader.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=80–81}}
===Service with No. 487 Squadron=== [[File:Trent Grindell Turnbull IWM HU 81283.jpg|thumb|right|Squadron Leader Trent (left) with Wing Commander G. J. "Chopper" Grindell (centre) and Squadron Leader T. Turnbull (right) in 1943]] In August 1942, the RAF established a new bomber squadron, designated [[No. 487 Squadron RNZAF|No. 487 (NZ) Squadron]], based at [[RAF Feltwell|Feltwell]] in [[Norfolk]]. An [[Article XV squadrons|Article XV squadron]], many of its flying personnel were New Zealanders, although other nationalities also served with the squadron.{{sfn|Thompson|1953|pp=210–217}} Trent, still hoping for a posting to No. 88 Squadron, was instead sent to No. 487 Squadron as one of its [[flight commander]]s.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=83–84}} The squadron was to operate [[Lockheed Ventura]]s; these were unpopular aircraft, being relatively slow and demanding to fly, with an inadequate defensive armament. Although the senior officers in the squadron were experienced flying personnel, many crew members were novices and needed extensive practice in [[formation flying]] before reaching an acceptable standard for operational duties. The squadron flew its first mission in December, a raid on a factory at [[Eindhoven]] in the [[Netherlands]]. Over the next several months, the squadron flew raids to targets in France and the Low Countries.{{sfn|Harper|Richardson|2007|p=288}}
On 3 May 1943 the squadron flew a bombing mission, codenamed [[Operation Ramrod 16]], on a power station in [[Amsterdam]]. The mission was intended to be as a diversion for another raid being carried out almost simultaneously on a power station at [[Ijmuiden]]. "Ramrod" was a term designating a daylight bombing mission, with a fighter escort, that targeted a specific objective. The twelve participating Venturas, led by Trent, were to cross the Dutch coast at sea level, escorted by six squadrons of [[Supermarine Spitfires]]. Two more squadrons of Spitfires were to provide top cover for the Venturas over the target, with all of the aircraft keeping to sea level as they approached the Dutch coast so as to avoid showing up on German radar, before climbing to reach bombing height. However, the Spitfires flying top cover mistimed their departure from England, arriving early and failing to keep low enough when reaching the Dutch coast. This alerted the German defences.{{sfn|Thompson|1956|pp=143–147}}{{sfn|Harper|Richardson|2007|pp=288–290}} [[Image:487 Squadron RNZAF NCOs RAF Methold early 1943.JPG|thumb|right|Non-commissioned officers of Trent's No. 487 Squadron, with a Ventura at RAF Methwold, early 1943]] One Ventura had returned to England with a malfunction and as the eleven remaining aircraft of No. 487 Squadron approached Amsterdam, they and their escorts were set upon by Bf 109s and [[Focke-Wulf Fw 190]]s, 70 aircraft in all. The top cover, arriving well before the Venturas, had already been recalled having run low on fuel. The Fw 190s dealt with the escorting Spitfires while the Bf 109s targeted the bombers. Under constant attack by the German fighters, No. 487 Squadron continued on to its target, with only five aircraft making it to Amsterdam to commence their bombing run. Only Trent successfully completed his run, and in doing so shot down one Bf 109 with the forward [[machine gun]]s of his Ventura. Immediately afterwards, his own aircraft was hit and put into a spin. As the Ventura broke up, Trent and his [[navigator]] were thrown clear at {{convert|7000|ft|m|adj=off}} and became [[prisoners of war]] (POW). The remaining crew members, trapped in the aircraft, were unable to exit and were killed when it crashed.{{sfn|Thompson|1956|pp=143–147}}{{sfn|Harper|Richardson|2007|pp=288–290}}
===Stalag Luft III=== Trent was sent to [[Stalag Luft III]],<ref name="Hayward 1"/> a POW camp well to the southeast of Berlin, in what is now [[Żagań]], in Poland.{{sfn|Carroll|2004|p=58}} He soon became involved in the various escape attempts mounted by the POWs, helping conceal the sand extracted from tunnels that were under construction.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=133–134}}
He took part in the [[Stalag Luft III escape|"Great Escape"]] of 24 March 1944. On exiting the tunnel, he had planned with another POW, Mike Shand, to head to Switzerland via [[Czechoslovakia]] and Austria.{{sfn|Carroll|2004|p=167}} He was the 79th POW to pass through the escape tunnel, just behind Shand. However, as he was exiting the tunnel, a German guard thwarted his escape and Trent was recaptured almost immediately{{sfn|Carroll|2004|pp=178–179}} and placed in solitary confinement.{{sfn|Carroll|2004|p=181}} The majority of the successful escapees were eventually recaptured, the Germans executing 50 of them.{{sfn|Carroll|2004|p=211}} By January 1945, the [[Soviet Armed Forces|Soviet forces]] were advancing into Germany and the POWs at Stalag Luft III were force marched away to the west to a camp near [[Bremen]]. They were moved again in April but were [[Stalag Luft III#Liberation in 1945|liberated]] by the British on 2 May 1945.{{sfn|Carroll|2004|pp=234–237}}
Trent returned to England on 7 May{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=193}} and went on leave for two months before reporting back for duty with the RAF. Preferring active flying to instructional duties, he requested a post at [[RAF Transport Command|Transport Command]]. He qualified as a [[Douglas C-47 Skytrain|Douglas Dakota]] pilot and then spent a few months at [[RAF Syerston|Syerston]], a [[paratrooper]] training school.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=196–197}} In late 1945, Trent transferred back to RNZAF service.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=37345 |date=9 November 1945 |page=5523 |supp=y|nolink=y}}</ref> He wanted to pursue a career in the military and felt that the RNZAF offered better remuneration and promotion opportunities than the RAF.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=201}}
==Victoria Cross== On his return to duty, Trent had provided a written debrief on the Ramrod 16 raid.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=196}} After considering Trent's statements on the Ramrod 16 raid and other evidence collected by the Air Ministry, the commander of No. 2 Group, [[Air Vice-Marshal]] [[Basil Embry]], recommended him for the [[Victoria Cross]] (VC).{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=199}} Instituted in 1856, the VC was the highest gallantry award that could be bestowed on military personnel of the [[British Commonwealth]].{{sfn|O'Shea|2000|pp=558–559}} Having been informally advised that he was to be a recipient of the VC earlier that day, Trent's award was publicly announced on 1 March 1946.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=199}} The citation for Trent's VC was published in the ''[[London Gazette]]'' and read: {{poemquote|On 3 May 1943, Squadron Leader Trent was detailed to lead a formation of Ventura aircraft in a daylight attack on the power station at Amsterdam. This operation was intended to encourage the Dutch workmen in their resistance to enemy pressure and the target was known to be heavily defended. The importance of bombing it, regardless of enemy fighters or anti-aircraft fire, was strongly impressed on the aircrews taking part in the operation. Before taking off Squadron Leader Trent told the deputy leader that he was going over the target whatever happened. All went well until the eleven Venturas and their fighter escort were nearing the Dutch Coast. Then one bomber was hit and had to turn back. Suddenly large numbers of enemy fighters appeared. Our escorting fighters were hotly engaged and lost touch with the bombing force. The Venturas closed up for mutual protection and commenced their run up to the target. Unfortunately the fighters detailed to support them over the target had reached the area too early and had been recalled. Soon the bombers were attacked. They were at the mercy of fifteen to twenty Messerschmitts which dived on them incessantly. Within four minutes six Venturas were destroyed. Squadron Leader Trent continued on his course with the remaining three aircraft, and in a short time two more Venturas went down in flames. Heedless of the murderous attacks and of the heavy anti-aircraft fire which was now encountered, Squadron Leader Trent completed an accurate bombing run, and even shot down a Messerschmitt at point blank range. Dropping his bombs in the target area he turned away. The aircraft following him was shot down on reaching the target. Immediately afterwards his own aircraft was hit and went into a spin and broke up. Squadron Leader Trent and his navigator were thrown clear and became prisoners of war. The two other members of the crew perished. On this, his twenty-fourth sortie, Squadron Leader Trent showed outstanding leadership. Such was the trust placed in this gallant officer that the other pilots followed him unwaveringly. His cool unflinching courage and devotion to duty in the face of overwhelming odds rank with the fine examples of these virtues.|''The London Gazette'', No. 37486, 26 February 1946<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=37486|page=1179|date=1 March 1946|supp=y|nolink=y}}</ref>}}
Trent, with his wife present, received the VC from [[King George VI]] in an investiture ceremony at [[Buckingham Palace]] on 26 March 1946.<ref>{{cite news |title=Receives V.C. from King |url=https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NA19460327.2.104 |access-date=13 February 2020 |work=Northern Advocate |date=27 March 1946}}</ref>
==Post-war service career== In late 1946, Trent and his family travelled by sea to [[Auckland]] in New Zealand for a period of extended leave before commencing service with the RNZAF. As a VC recipient, he attended a number of civic functions around the country and had his portrait painted by [[Archibald Nicoll]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=199–200}} Once his leave had finished, his initial work for the RNZAF was as part of a committee to select fliers for service with the RAF, which was seeking to augment its ranks with experienced personnel. The RAF was also increasing rates of remuneration for its personnel and when it offered Trent a permanent commission, he accepted. He returned to England with his family, which now included a son, in late 1947{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=201–203}} and resumed his career in the RAF with the substantive rank of flight lieutenant.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38175 |date=9 January 1948 |page=257 |supp=y|nolink=y}}</ref>
Trent was posted to [[RAF Bircham Newton|Bircham Newton]], a Transport Command station, as an instructor to help prepare students to fly Dakotas. In September 1948,{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=203}} having been promoted to the substantive rank of squadron leader earlier in the year,<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=38344 |date=2 July 1948 |page=3895 |supp=y|nolink=y}}</ref> he was sent to [[RAF Dishforth|Dishforth]] which trained pilots to fly the [[Avro York]] transport.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=203}} He flew several operations during the [[Berlin airlift]] but soon began to suffer from [[ankylosing spondylitis]] which required specialist treatment for a few months before he could return to duty.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=205–206}}
Now posted to [[RAF Flying Training Command|Flying Training Command]], in August 1950 Trent undertook refresher and leadership courses before going on to [[Central Flying School]] early the following year.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=206}} Trent returned to Feltwell, where he had been based while at No. 487 Squadron, in March 1951. He was chief instructor at [[No. 3 Flying Training School RAF|No. 3 Flying Training School]], teaching students to fly the [[North American T-6 Texan|Harvard trainer]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=208}} In October 1952, he was appointed squadron commander of [[No. 4 Squadron RAF|No. 4 Squadron]], which was based at [[Little Rissington]] and operated [[de Havilland Vampire]]s.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=209}} The following year, he was awarded the [[Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal]],<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nzlii.org/nz/other/nz_gazette/1953/37.pdf |title=Coronation Medal |work=Supplement to the New Zealand Gazette |issue=37 |date=3 July 1953 |pages=1021–1035 |access-date=20 March 2022}}</ref> promoted to [[Wing commander (rank)|wing commander]]<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=39900 |date=26 June 1953 |page=3607 |supp=y|nolink=y}}</ref> and posted to [[RAF Oakington|Oakington]] where he instructed on [[Gloster Meteor]]s.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=212}} While there, he had to bail out of a Meteor which had gone into an unrecoverable spin.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=216–217}} Not long afterwards, in early 1954, with the flight school having re-equipped with Vampires, Trent had to again bail out when he lost control of his aircraft.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=220}} [[File:Vickers Valiant BK.1 XD816 214 Sqn ABIN 150668 edited-2.jpg|thumb|left|A Vickers Valiant of No. 214 Squadron]] In early 1956, after attending a six-month course at No. 6 Flying College Course at [[Manby]], Trent was appointed commander of [[No. 214 Squadron RAF|No. 214 Squadron]], which was the first unit to be equipped with the new [[Vickers Valiant]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=222–224}} Later that year, in October, his squadron was dispatched to [[Crown Colony of Malta|Malta]] due to the outbreak of the [[Suez Crisis]]{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=233}} and flew a number of missions into Egypt. The squadron returned to England at the end of year when tensions eased.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=234–234}} In March 1958, he flew a Valiant to New Zealand as part of the celebrations for the twenty-first anniversary of the founding of the RNZAF.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=239}} The next month, he took up a post as Wing Commander Training at [[No. 3 Group RAF|No. 3 Group]] Headquarters at [[RAF Mildenhall|Mildenhall]]{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=243}} and was promoted to the rank of [[group captain]] on 1 July 1959.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=41753 |date=26 June 1959 |page=4227 |supp=y|nolink=y}}</ref>{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=245}}
Trent was appointed station commander at [[RAF Wittering]] in April 1960.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=246}} He still occasionally flew Valiants, including taking one on a goodwill tour to the United States. He then served as an [[air attaché]], representing Bomber Command at the British Embassy in [[Washington, D.C.]] from mid-1962,<ref name="Hayward 1"/>{{sfn|Sanders|1983|pp=251–252}} and on 12 June the same year, he was appointed an [[air aide-de-camp]] to [[Elizabeth II|the Queen]].<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=42701 |date=8 June 1962 |page=4723 |supp=y|nolink=y}}</ref> As the Queen never visited Washington, D.C. during his tenure there, he was never called upon to serve in this role.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=251}} After three years, his service in the United States ended and he retired from the RAF on 23 June 1965.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=43705 |date=2 July 1965 |page=6424 |supp=y|nolink=y}}</ref>{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=256}}
==Later life== Following his retirement in 1965, Trent moved his family to [[Western Australia]].{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=256}} With his wife, he later returned to New Zealand to live at [[Matheson Bay]], north of Auckland.{{sfn|Sanders|1983|p=256}} He died on 19 May 1986 at [[North Shore Hospital]], survived by his wife and two children.<ref name="Hayward 1"/> He was cremated and his ashes were taken to Western Australia, where they were interred at [[Fremantle Cemetery]] alongside those of his daughter, Judith, and his wife, Ursula.<ref>{{cite web |title=Summary of Record Information: Leonard Trent |url=http://www2.mcb.wa.gov.au/NameSearch/details.php?id=FO00031521 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200203010110/https://www2.mcb.wa.gov.au/NameSearch/details.php?id=FO00031521 |archive-date=3 February 2020 |access-date=3 February 2020 |website=Metropolitan Cemeteries Board |publisher=Government of Western Australia}}</ref><ref name=cenotaph>{{cite web |title=Online Cenotaph: Leonard Henry Trent |url=https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C131843 |website=Online Cenotaph |publisher=Auckland Museum |access-date=3 February 2020}}</ref>
Trent's medals, including the VC, are held by the [[Air Force Museum of New Zealand]] at Wigram in Christchurch.<ref name=vconline>{{cite web |url=http://www.vconline.org.uk/leonard-h-trent-vc/4588360262 |title=Leonard Henry Trent VC, DFC |website=The Comprehensive Guide to the Victoria Cross & George Cross |access-date=9 January 2020}}</ref> There is a memorial to Trent at the [[Nelson Airport (New Zealand)|airport]] in Nelson, his home town,<ref>{{cite web |title=Leonard Trent VC Memorial |url=https://nzhistory.govt.nz/media/photo/leonard-trent-vc-memorial |website=NZ History |publisher=Ministry for Culture and Heritage |access-date=13 February 2020}}</ref> and there is also a plaque honouring him in [[Queens Gardens, Dunedin|Queens Gardens]] in [[Dunedin, New Zealand|Dunedin]].<ref name=cenotaph/>
==Notes== {{Reflist}}
==References== *{{cite book|last=Carroll|first=Tim|year=2004|title=The Great Escapers: The Full Story of the Second World War's Most Remarkable Mass Escape|publisher=Mainstream Publishing|location=Edinburgh, Great Britain|isbn=1-84018-795-6}} *{{cite book|last1=Harper|first1=Glyn|authorlink=Glyn Harper|last2=Richardson|first2=Colin|title=In the Face of the Enemy: The Complete History of the Victoria Cross and New Zealand|year=2007|publisher=HarperCollins|location=Auckland, New Zealand|isbn=978-1-86950-650-6}} * {{cite book|editor-last=McGibbon|editor-first=Ian|author-last=O'Shea|editor-link=Ian McGibbon|author-first=Phillip|chapter=Victoria Cross|pages=558–561|title=The Oxford Companion to New Zealand Military History|year=2000|publisher=Oxford University Press|location=Auckland, New Zealand|isbn=0-19-558376-0}} *{{cite book |last=Sanders |first=James |year=1983|title=Venturer Courageous: Group Captain Leonard Trent V.C., D.F.C |publisher=Hutchinson |location=Auckland, New Zealand |isbn=0-09-154600-1}} *{{cite book|last=Thompson|first=H. L.|year=1953|title=New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force|volume=I|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-1RAF.html|series=[[Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45]]|publisher=War History Branch|location=Wellington, New Zealand|oclc=270919916}} *{{cite book|last=Thompson|first=H. L.|year=1956|title=New Zealanders with the Royal Air Force|volume=II|url=http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/tei-WH2-2RAF.html|series=Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45|publisher=War History Branch|location=Wellington, New Zealand|oclc=271476032}}
==Further reading== * {{cite book |title=For Valour: The Air VCs |first=Chaz |last=Bowyer |publisher=Grub Street |location=London |year=1992 |isbn=978-0-94881-757-1}}
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