page_title: Leonard Trent
section_title: Service with No. 487 Squadron
hierarchical_section_title: Leonard Trent / Second World War / Service with No. 487 Squadron
caption_attribution_description: English: New Zealand non-commissioned aircrew serving with the RAF in No. 487 Squadron RNZAF at Methwold in front of Lockheed Ventura EG-A in early 1943.
context_page_description: Group Captain Leonard Henry Trent, VC, DFC was a New Zealand aviator, senior Royal Air Force officer, and recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces.
  Born in Nelson, Trent obtained a short-term commission in the Royal Air Force in 1938 after receiving flight 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 Battles on photo-reconnaissance missions into Germany. After his squadron returned to England and converted to Bristol Blenheims, he flew several bombing missions during the Battle of France for which he was later awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Afterwards he spent several months on instructing duties before being posted to No. 487 Squadron in August 1942, which operated Lockheed Venturas. 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.
context_section_description: In August 1942, the RAF established a new bomber squadron, designated No. 487 (NZ) Squadron, based at Feltwell in Norfolk. An Article XV squadron, many of its flying personnel were New Zealanders, although other nationalities also served with the squadron. Trent, still hoping for a posting to No. 88 Squadron, was instead sent to No. 487 Squadron as one of its flight commanders. The squadron was to operate Lockheed Venturas; 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.
  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. 
  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 Me 109s and Focke-Wulf Fw 190s, 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 Me 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 Me 109 with the forward machine guns 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 7,000 feet (2,100 m) and became prisoners of war (POW). The remaining crew members, trapped in the aircraft, were unable to exit and were killed when it crashed.
caption: Non-commissioned officers of Trent's No. 487 Squadron, with a Ventura at RAF Methwold, early 1943
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