Leslie Dawson

Leslie Dawson was born in the air-minded Borough of Southgate in North London. An active member of No 85 (Southgate) Squadron Air Training Corps, he first flew from Hendon, now home to the RAF Museum. A family move to Bournemouth in Dorset precluded over thirty years as a private pilot, glider and motor gliding instructor, with chief flying instructor status. He was also commissioned within the RAFVR(T).

The success of his book Wings Over Dorset, a 100 year aviation history of the county, secured a series of radio and television interviews begun by the BBC in Southampton and at Broadcasting House, London, together with location filming by TVSW.

He subsequently met and prepared a biography of Battle of Britain fighter pilot Bob Doe, published by the pilot’s family. He was also featured in the documentary Cleared for Take-Off filmed at Bournemouth Airport by BBC 2 for TV South, and Training For Life, an RAF pre-service documentary filmed at Old Sarum for Network TV, where he performed some of the flying sequences and assisted with the direction and scripting.

Having met retired senior flying boat captains living about Poole for Wings Over Dorset, his Fabulous Flying Boats - A History of the World’s Passenger Flying Boats typically chronicles the success of the flying boat services in vivid detail. Both from the crew and passenger perspectives

Other interests.

Leslie was awarded a Fellowship of the National Association of Estate Agents while working in the luxury residential property market of Canford Cliffs and Sandbanks. He also compiled and presented his own Easy Listening programme for John Piper and Two Counties Radio, having enjoyed several years as a vocalist with, among others, the New Dorset Dance Orchestra.