Leslie was born in July 1921 in Hackney, London to Sidney (Maurice) and Sarah nee Gilbert and he had two older brothers Lionel and Henry and a sister Jeanette who died when she was five. Their father Maurice ran a tobacconist shop and died in 1931 at Hackney Hospital and is buried at Adath Yisroel Cemetery in Enfield.

Leslie’s cousin Cyril Anekstein, born to his mother’s sister Dora, was also killed on 31 August 1943 serving in 7 Squadron. Anekstein, Cyril | The Jews of the RAF. His uncle Bert Gilbert was killed in 1940 serving in the Royal Fusiliers.

Leslie enlisted in 1940 and married Evelyn Hosford in Jan 1942 in Hackney three months before he was killed.

Leslie was the pilot of Wellington X3716 which departed from RAF Honington at 23.07 on 28 April 1942 on an operation to bomb Kiel. While on its way to the target the aircraft was attacked by a German night fighter and exploded in the air north of Kruså. The wreckage was scattered over a wide area. The tail fell in a field belonging to farmer Peter Nissen in Kidskelund while most of the fuselage fell approx. 100 metres north of Kelstrup plantation. One body was found in the wreckage while three others were found scattered around it. The aircrew were Observer Sgt. Ronald K. Ayres, W/Op-Air Gnr. Sgt Harold R. Harrison, W/Op-Air Gnr. Sgt Alfred W. Mount and W/Op-Air Gnr. Kennett W. Stevens. They were laid to rest in Aabenraa cemetery on the morning of 2nd May.

On 7 May a body was found in Holdbi plantation and another at Nr. Smedeby gravel pit. These were the pilots Sgt George K. Sampson and Sgt Leslie R. Silver who were laid to rest in Aabenraa cemetery early in the morning on 9 May 1942.

It is believed that the night fighter was piloted by Hauptmann Günther Radusch of Stab. II./ NJG 3 who claimed a Wellington north of Flensburg at 01:56 hours.

Information courtesy Søren C. Flensted at (flensted.eu.com)