Leonard Trent VC, circa 1939–1943. The Nelson-born airman was awarded the VC for his actions during a bombing raid on Amsterdam in May 1943. Shot down on the return flight, he was taken prisoner. Trent was one of 76 Allied POWs who made it out of Stalag Luft III during the ‘Great Escape’ in March 1944. Trent escaped death by surrendering at once outside the camp; the Gestapo executed 50 prisoners who were recaptured later. He was liberated by British forces in May 1945.
- Read biography of Leonard Trent (DNZB)
- See Leonard Trent VC memorial
This image Appears In 2 Articles:
Royal New Zealand Air Force
New Zealand and the Victoria Cross
Keywords
RELATED TO LEONARD TRENT VC
Events
-
30 April 1917
William Sanders wins New Zealand's only naval VC
-
24 May 1943
Turning point in Battle of the Atlantic
-
15 October 1942
NZ coastwatchers executed by the Japanese
-
17 August 1942
Attack on the Nino Bixio
-
7 June 1940
Fighter ace Edgar ‘Cobber’ Kain killed
-
1 May 1955
RNZAF's first combat strike since Second World War
-
28 April 1941
Jack Hinton wins the Victoria Cross
-
24 April 1941
Sinking of the Hellas
-
2 October 1941
NZ pilot saves Scottish village
-
19 December 1941
HMS Neptune lost in Mediterranean minefield
-
13 December 1939
Battle of the River Plate
-
19 August 1944
Kiwi pilot's sacrifice saves French village
-
27 November 1940
Liner sunk by German raiders off East Cape
-
20 May 1941
German paratroops assault Crete
-
11 November 1942
Troopship Awatea goes down fighting
-
14 May 1941
NZ minesweeper sunk off Bream Head
-
15 March 1944
NZ forces capture Castle Hill at Cassino
-
26 April 1943
NZ ship torpedoed in Tasman
-
23 February 1940
100,000 welcome home HMS Achilles crew
-
28 January 1901
Hardham wins VC in South Africa
-
9 May 1945
NZ celebrates Victory in Europe
-
12 June 1942
First US troops arrive in Auckland
-
8 December 1941
New Zealand declares war on Japan
-
19 June 1940
Niagara sunk by German mines off Northland
-
15 August 1945
The war is over! VJ Day
-
16 August 1944
CORSO formed
-
20 August 1940
Turakina sunk by German raider in Tasman
-
3 September 1939
New Zealand declares war on Germany
-
5 September 1939
PM declares NZ's support for Britain
-
27 October 1943
NZ troops make first opposed landing since Gallipoli
-
2 November 1942
NZ Division helps Allies break through at El Alamein
-
22 November 1939
Freyberg takes command of NZ Expeditionary Force
-
7 March 1941
NZ troops arrive in Greece
-
19 March 1946
Main body of Jayforce lands in Japan
-
11 February 1864
Charles Heaphy earns VC
-
3 April 1943
'Battle of Manners Street'
-
10 March 1869
New Zealand Cross created
-
29 March 1942
Nazi sabotage hoax
-
11 May 1945
Upham presented with VC
-
16 January 1941
Women's Auxiliary Air Force founded
-
21 January 1944
NZ and Australia sign the Canberra Pact
-
25 February 1943
49 killed in Featherston POW incident
-
17 December 1944
Major Major, mascot of 19 Battalion, dies of sickness
Biographies
-
William Sanders
-
Howard Kippenberger
-
Michael Herrick
-
Wilfrid Clouston
-
Alan Deere
-
Samuel Frickleton
-
Charles Heaphy
-
Charles Upham
-
Kitty Kain
-
Bernard Freyberg
-
Geoffrey Cox
-
Michael Joseph Savage
-
Peter Fraser
Articles
-
Royal New Zealand Air Force
-
The Royal New Zealand Navy
-
HMNZS Leander
-
The Second World War at home
-
Royal NZ Navy's Bird-class ships
-
New Zealand and the Victoria Cross
-
Battle of the River Plate
-
Military mascots
-
Māori and the Second World War
-
Second World War - overview
-
War in the Pacific
-
The Merchant Navy
-
The North African Campaign
-
Prisoners of War
-
VE and VJ days
-
D-Day
-
The Italian Campaign
-
US Forces in New Zealand
-
The Battle for Crete
Community contributions