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Les-Sutton

A veteran interview with

Les Sutton

Les Sutton served as a dispatch rider with the RAF Regiment 2713 (Rifle) Squadron.

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About Les Sutton

Leslie Sutton recounts his experiences as a member of the Royal Air Force (RAF) Regiment during the Second World War. Initially joining the RAF in 1939, Les soon found himself part of the newly formed RAF Regiment in 1942.

Les details his training, including exercises with American forces, and the regiment’s purpose: to secure landing strips in France following the D-Day invasion. He vividly recalls the D-Day landings, his role in preparing these crucial airstrips, and the subsequent advance through Europe into Holland, Belgium, and Germany.

Beyond the battlefield, Les reflects on the personal impact of the war, including the loss of his eldest brother. He also shares his experiences after the war, particularly his involvement with the Nuremberg trials and his commitment to sharing his wartime experiences with future generations through lectures.

Les’s narrative offers a compelling blend of wartime recollections and poignant reflections on memory, loss, and the enduring importance of historical understanding.

Credits

Interviewed by:
Brig. C Elderton
Reviewed by:
Atiyyah Afzal
Transcribed by:
Nina Kumari

Transcripts:
Please note that transcripts and closed captions in the video player are automatically generated by Vimeo.

If you would like a version of the transcript that has been transcribed manually by Nina Kumari, please complete this form or email info@legasee.org.uk.

Copyright:
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Home | Veterans | Les Sutton

A veteran interview with

Les Sutton

Les-Sutton

Les Sutton served as a dispatch rider with the RAF Regiment 2713 (Rifle) Squadron.

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Cite this interview:

MLA Style:
Sutton, Les. A Veteran Interview with Les Sutton. Interview by Brig. C Elderton. Legasee, n.d. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/les-sutton/. Accessed 15 Jan. 2026.
APA Style:
Sutton, L. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Les Sutton [Interview by Brig. C Elderton]. Legasee. Retrieved January 15, 2026, from https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/les-sutton/
Chicago Style:
Sutton, Les. n.d.. A Veteran Interview with Les Sutton. Interview by Brig. C Elderton. Legasee. Accessed January 15, 2026. https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/les-sutton/
Harvard Style:
Sutton, L. (n.d.). A Veteran Interview with Les Sutton. [Interviewed by Brig. C Elderton]. Legasee. Available at https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/les-sutton/ (Accessed: 15 January 2026)
Vancouver Style:
Sutton, L. A Veteran Interview with Les Sutton [Internet]. Interview by B. Elderton. Legasee; n.d. [cited 2026 Jan 15]. Available from: https://www.legasee.org.uk/veteran/les-sutton/
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Alec Chambers served as a Flight Engineer during the Berlin Airlift with Flight Refueling Limited, becoming involved through Sir Alan Cobham, who provided tanker services for refueling aircraft over Berlin. Before the airlift, he participated in North Atlantic trials using modified Lancaster bombers for refueling missions. Chambers operated specialized equipment such as sinker weights and line-throwing guns to ensure safe fuel transfer between tankers and receiving aircraft, managing hydraulic systems and securing lines during operations. Originally from Shrivenham, Berkshire, Chambers volunteered for aircrew in World War II but initially served as an Engine Fitter. He was called up in January 1944 and trained as a Flight Engineer. After the war, he continued in-flight refueling with Cobham's organization, which transitioned to Tarrant Rushton to support the Berlin Airlift. While stationed in Wunstorf near Hannover, he described the chaotic post-war environment and his routine of checking aircraft readiness and coordinating refueling operations. Chambers noted the challenges of flying Lancasters with heavy fuel loads, adapting them for airlift despite their bombing design, and shared experiences of turbulence and landing difficulties due to shifting fuel weight. His account highlights the logistical challenges of air refueling during this critical period in history. 
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An exceptional RAF veteran who flew over 150 sorties as a Navigator during the Berlin Airlift and a founding member of the British Berlin Airlift Association

Laurence Kennedy volunteered to join the RAF in 1943 after turning 18 years old. He trained in Newquay and following this was posted to South Africa for a year. Whilst there, he celebrated VE day (Victory in Europe day) in Cape Town, May 1945. Laurence continued his training and joined Transport Command. After a bout of sickness, he was sent to Fassburg, Germany, where he joined up with a squadron and was sent to assist in the Berlin Airlift. Most of the cargo being flown in was coal and flour, with aircrafts being packed full, Laurence remembers. Sometimes, they would have the important task of flying children out of Berlin to reduce the numbers in the city. This is when the importance of the airlift  sank in for Laurence. He talks about how sorry he felt for the children being taken away from their homes and families. During the airlift Laurence flew 168 sorties and was housed in several bases throughout Germany, including: Wunsdorf, Fassburg, and Lubeck. He met his wife at Lubeck, she was stationed there serving with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force. Whilst stationed in Fassburg, he remembers there being lots of pubs and inns, and that he enjoyed life there. Laurence recalls bringing coffee from back home and trading it with locals for Deutsche marks. In his downtime, Laurence visited Hamburg and remembers being shocked at the state of the city, describing it as horrific and he couldn’t see how anyone could survive living there during the war. What Laurence and his fellow servicemen and women did during this time is incredible, all of them led us out of a very uncertain time. This interview was filmed by the late Andrew Emslie.
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