Leslie Bonnet
Encyclopedia
Group Captain
Leslie Bonnet, MA, LLB, Order of the Cloud and Banner
with Special Rosette (22 August 1902 – 10 December 1985) was an RAF
officer, short-story writer and duck-breeder, creating the Welsh Harlequin Duck, the only true Welsh duck breed.
, Hertfordshire
, England. His father was a bank manager in London’s Chancery Lane; his mother was one of the Dudleys, a Staffordshire farming family He succeeded in winning a scholarship to Watford Boys Grammar School, from where he proceeded to St Catharine's College, Cambridge University, in 1920. He studied English and Law, obtaining a double first in 1923.
In the depressed 1920s, graduates were a glut on the market and he took a job selling "Watford" chocolates in Norfolk. He also stood as a Liberal
parliamentary candidate in Watford
but lost by a small number of votes.
for 15 years. In 1928, he married his first wife, Getrude Olive May, and had his first child, Bill, in 1930. In 1935, he was appointed the first full-time editor
of the staff magazine – The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street Under his editorship, it became “a lively, absorbing journal of 200 sleek pages...packed with banking lore, poetry, literary articles, short stories and urbane correspondence, eagerly awaited and read by bankers all over the world.” The December issues of the magazine became referred to as: “Uncle Leslie’s Bumper Christmas Annuals” During this period, he also published the Honorary Secretary's Guide (1938).
In 1938 he joined the Balloon Barrage, the only military service opened to someone at his advanced age. On 1 May 1939 he left the Bank and was appointed an acting pilot officer
, second in command of E flight of 908 Squadron, Bethnal Green, one of the ten squadrons of barrage balloons in 30 Group of Balloon Command
. He was quickly promoted to Flying Officer
and then Flight Lieutenant
.
as one of three Squadron Leader
Operations Officers who operated the Balloons and next to 902 Squadron, Blackheath. Late in 1940, he was posted as second in command to 905, the West End Squadron. His next posting was to Bomber Command
, Cottesmore, as adjutant. He returned to 30 Group, which was at this time based in Chessington, in 1941. By this time he was Squadron Leader
Air, with responsibility for balloon operations, under Wing Commander
Barnes. He was given responsibility for the 450 London Balloons, for the movement of the numerous extra squadrons of them that they were assembling and seconding overseas; and for the planning and siting of any new barrages that were established at home. Another responsibility was the Channel Convoy; each ship in the convoy flew a balloon from its stern.
In 1942, he was abruptly sent to the RAF Staff College
in Gerrards Cross as a student, where he finished top of his class. At the beginning of 1943, he was posted to Stradishall Bomber Base in Suffolk as a Wing Commander
where he spent 5 months as the administrative second in command. At this time, he divorced his first wife, Getrude Olive May, and married Joan Hutt
, whom he had originally met when she exhibited at the Bank of England.
"Daddy" Dawes (Head of Officers Postings at Bomber Command) and Air Marshal
Saundby to be part of an RAF Training Mission to Chengtu in China under Air Vice Marshal Pattinson. The aim of the mission was to train the Chinese Air Force
to operate as an independent service, rather than a branch of the Army as previously. Unofficially, the Chinese invited the British to counteract the influence of the Americans, who were establishing themselves in China
in strength. Bonnet worked hard to improve the administration of the service – when he arrived, he found that their filing system consisted of only one file entitled "General Matters". He learnt Chinese and became a great fan of traditional Chinese drama. “At first the Chinese gave him the name 'Pa-nai' (the industrious professor) but soon this was changed to 'Pa-na-ta' (he who is susceptible to every moral influence)” The Mission eventually succeeded in making the Chinese Air Force an effective fighting Force; however, it later deserted to Communist Forces. Bonnet was also briefly captain of the Chinese Air Force Football Team.
with Special Rosette “for distinguished services to China” With the rank of Group Captain, Bonnet took up duties as director of studies at the RAF Staff College
at Gerrards Cross until demobilisation in October 1947. He was offered the permanent post of adjutant to the Staff College with the peacetime rank of Wing Commander
, which he declined.
in North Wales
, where they had bought a ramshackle manor house with about 25 acres. They had 5 children including Lesley (b. 1944), Villette (b. 1945), Alice (b. 1947), Caroline (b. 1948) and Tom (b. 1950) and later numerous grandchildren.
In his adopted home of Wales
, Bonnet had the opportunity to write; he published numerous short stories, principally for Argosy
as follows:
He also published plays e.g. The Nine Fathers (1970), which won the Maynard Cup at the Wales Final Festival of One Act Plays in 1969, as well as books e.g. Chinese Fairy Tales (1958). The children's book The Terrible Nung Guama (1978) was a retelling of one of his stories. He also acted for a time as Area Representative of a large Unit Trust Company and in 1963 was acting Hon Secretary, Council for the Preservation of Rural Wales, Caernarvonshire Branch.
, Bonnet had the time to further develop his interest in duck
breeding. He created a new duck breed, the Welsh Harlequin
, from a colour mutation from a flock of Khaki Campbell
s. It is the only true Welsh
breed of duck. Bonnet later created the Whalesbury Duck, a cross between an Aylesbury Duck
and a Welsh Harlequin
.
As a result of his work with ducks, Bonnet wrote the book Practical Duck Keeping (1960), which was regarded as the "bible" of duck-keeping and is still in use even today. The British Waterfowl Association present a prize in his honour every year to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to British waterfowl.
Cemetery and there is woodland named in his honour close to Ymwlch, as well as a memorial bench on Bangor
Pier He was described in his obituary as a “countryman...rubicund, well-fleshed but never flabby, and abounding with energy”.
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
Leslie Bonnet, MA, LLB, Order of the Cloud and Banner
Order of the Cloud and Banner
The Order of the Cloud and Banner is a military award of the Republic of China. It was instituted on June 15, 1935 and is awarded in nine grades for contributions to national security. It is also sometimes referred to as the Order of the Resplendent Banner....
with Special Rosette (22 August 1902 – 10 December 1985) was an RAF
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
officer, short-story writer and duck-breeder, creating the Welsh Harlequin Duck, the only true Welsh duck breed.
Early life
Bonnet was born 1902 in WatfordWatford
Watford is a town and borough in Hertfordshire, England, situated northwest of central London and within the bounds of the M25 motorway. The borough is separated from Greater London to the south by the urbanised parish of Watford Rural in the Three Rivers District.Watford was created as an urban...
, Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England. The county town is Hertford.The county is one of the Home Counties and lies inland, bordered by Greater London , Buckinghamshire , Bedfordshire , Cambridgeshire and...
, England. His father was a bank manager in London’s Chancery Lane; his mother was one of the Dudleys, a Staffordshire farming family He succeeded in winning a scholarship to Watford Boys Grammar School, from where he proceeded to St Catharine's College, Cambridge University, in 1920. He studied English and Law, obtaining a double first in 1923.
In the depressed 1920s, graduates were a glut on the market and he took a job selling "Watford" chocolates in Norfolk. He also stood as a Liberal
Liberal Party (UK)
The Liberal Party was one of the two major political parties of the United Kingdom during the 19th and early 20th centuries. It was a third party of negligible importance throughout the latter half of the 20th Century, before merging with the Social Democratic Party in 1988 to form the present day...
parliamentary candidate in Watford
Watford (UK Parliament constituency)
Watford is a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election...
but lost by a small number of votes.
Pre-War Years
Bonnet worked for the Bank of EnglandBank of England
The Bank of England is the central bank of the United Kingdom and the model on which most modern central banks have been based. Established in 1694, it is the second oldest central bank in the world...
for 15 years. In 1928, he married his first wife, Getrude Olive May, and had his first child, Bill, in 1930. In 1935, he was appointed the first full-time editor
Editor
The term editor may refer to:As a person who does editing:* Editor in chief, having final responsibility for a publication's operations and policies* Copy editing, making formatting changes and other improvements to text...
of the staff magazine – The Old Lady of Threadneedle Street Under his editorship, it became “a lively, absorbing journal of 200 sleek pages...packed with banking lore, poetry, literary articles, short stories and urbane correspondence, eagerly awaited and read by bankers all over the world.” The December issues of the magazine became referred to as: “Uncle Leslie’s Bumper Christmas Annuals” During this period, he also published the Honorary Secretary's Guide (1938).
In 1938 he joined the Balloon Barrage, the only military service opened to someone at his advanced age. On 1 May 1939 he left the Bank and was appointed an acting pilot officer
Pilot Officer
Pilot officer is the lowest commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks immediately below flying officer...
, second in command of E flight of 908 Squadron, Bethnal Green, one of the ten squadrons of barrage balloons in 30 Group of Balloon Command
RAF Balloon Command
Balloon Command was the Royal Air Force command which was responsible for controlling all the United Kingdom-based barrage balloon units during World War II.- History :...
. He was quickly promoted to Flying Officer
Flying Officer
Flying officer is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence...
and then Flight Lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
.
War Years
In late autumn of 1939, Bonnet was posted to 30 Group Headquarters in Charlotte near the Middlesex HospitalMiddlesex Hospital
The Middlesex Hospital was a teaching hospital located in the Fitzrovia area of London, United Kingdom. First opened in 1745 on Windmill Street, it was moved in 1757 to Mortimer Street where it remained until it was finally closed in 2005. Its staff and services were transferred to various sites...
as one of three Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
Operations Officers who operated the Balloons and next to 902 Squadron, Blackheath. Late in 1940, he was posted as second in command to 905, the West End Squadron. His next posting was to Bomber Command
Bomber Command
Bomber Command is an organizational military unit, generally subordinate to the air force of a country. Many countries have a "Bomber Command", although the most famous ones were in Britain and the United States. A Bomber Command is generally used for Strategic bombing , and is composed of bombers...
, Cottesmore, as adjutant. He returned to 30 Group, which was at this time based in Chessington, in 1941. By this time he was Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
Air, with responsibility for balloon operations, under Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
Barnes. He was given responsibility for the 450 London Balloons, for the movement of the numerous extra squadrons of them that they were assembling and seconding overseas; and for the planning and siting of any new barrages that were established at home. Another responsibility was the Channel Convoy; each ship in the convoy flew a balloon from its stern.
In 1942, he was abruptly sent to the RAF Staff College
RAF Staff College
The RAF Staff College may refer to:*RAF Staff College, Andover *RAF Staff College, Bulstrode Park *RAF Staff College, Bracknell...
in Gerrards Cross as a student, where he finished top of his class. At the beginning of 1943, he was posted to Stradishall Bomber Base in Suffolk as a Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
where he spent 5 months as the administrative second in command. At this time, he divorced his first wife, Getrude Olive May, and married Joan Hutt
Joan Hutt
Joan Hutt was a British artist who spent most of her career in North Wales.-Early life:Joan Hutt was born on 16 September 1913 in Aspenden, Hertfordshire, England Her father, John Hutt MBE, was posted with the Ministry of Food in Malta at that time, but had sent his wife back to England to give...
, whom he had originally met when she exhibited at the Bank of England.
Chinese Mission
Later in 1943, he was asked by Group CaptainGroup Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
"Daddy" Dawes (Head of Officers Postings at Bomber Command) and Air Marshal
Air Marshal
Air marshal is a three-star air-officer rank which originated in and continues to be used by the Royal Air Force...
Saundby to be part of an RAF Training Mission to Chengtu in China under Air Vice Marshal Pattinson. The aim of the mission was to train the Chinese Air Force
Chinese Air Force
The phrase Chinese Air Force may refer to one of two modern bodies; a third historical unit can also be referred to as a part:*Republic of China Air Force: The air force of China from 1920 to 1949, operating from Taiwan only post-1949....
to operate as an independent service, rather than a branch of the Army as previously. Unofficially, the Chinese invited the British to counteract the influence of the Americans, who were establishing themselves in China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
in strength. Bonnet worked hard to improve the administration of the service – when he arrived, he found that their filing system consisted of only one file entitled "General Matters". He learnt Chinese and became a great fan of traditional Chinese drama. “At first the Chinese gave him the name 'Pa-nai' (the industrious professor) but soon this was changed to 'Pa-na-ta' (he who is susceptible to every moral influence)” The Mission eventually succeeded in making the Chinese Air Force an effective fighting Force; however, it later deserted to Communist Forces. Bonnet was also briefly captain of the Chinese Air Force Football Team.
Staff College
Its work completed, the RAF mission returned to the UK in 1944. On a British aerodrome, the Chinese Ambassador to London awarded Bonnet the rare Order of the Cloud and BannerOrder of the Cloud and Banner
The Order of the Cloud and Banner is a military award of the Republic of China. It was instituted on June 15, 1935 and is awarded in nine grades for contributions to national security. It is also sometimes referred to as the Order of the Resplendent Banner....
with Special Rosette “for distinguished services to China” With the rank of Group Captain, Bonnet took up duties as director of studies at the RAF Staff College
RAF Staff College
The RAF Staff College may refer to:*RAF Staff College, Andover *RAF Staff College, Bulstrode Park *RAF Staff College, Bracknell...
at Gerrards Cross until demobilisation in October 1947. He was offered the permanent post of adjutant to the Staff College with the peacetime rank of Wing Commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
, which he declined.
Short Story Writer
In 1949, Bonnet and his wife and family, along with 1,500 ducks and two dogs, moved to CricciethCriccieth
Criccieth is a town and community on Cardigan Bay, in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd in Wales. The town lies west of Porthmadog, east of Pwllheli and south of Caernarfon. It has a population of 1,826....
in North Wales
North Wales
North Wales is the northernmost unofficial region of Wales. It is bordered to the south by the counties of Ceredigion and Powys in Mid Wales and to the east by the counties of Shropshire in the West Midlands and Cheshire in North West England...
, where they had bought a ramshackle manor house with about 25 acres. They had 5 children including Lesley (b. 1944), Villette (b. 1945), Alice (b. 1947), Caroline (b. 1948) and Tom (b. 1950) and later numerous grandchildren.
In his adopted home of Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Bonnet had the opportunity to write; he published numerous short stories, principally for Argosy
Argosy (magazine)
Argosy was an American pulp magazine, published by Frank Munsey. It is generally considered to be the first American pulp magazine. The magazine began as a general information periodical entitled The Golden Argosy, targeted at the boys adventure market.-Launch of Argosy:In late September 1882,...
as follows:
- The Awkwardness of Chin-T’ang, (ss) Magpie Mar 1953;
- Aye, and Back Again, (ss) Salmon & Trout Magazine (UK) Jan 1952
- The Bounciful Bed Company, (ss) Argosy (UK) Mar 1964;
- Brace of Pheasants, (ss) Argosy (UK) Jan 1959;
- The Bride, (ss) Argosy (UK) Oct 1958;
- Ch’iao-Chiao and the Bandit, (ss) Argosy (UK) Apr 1952;
- Ch'ih Chih Yu Ku Yen Chih Ch'eng Li, (ss) English Rev Mag (UK) Mar 1950
- Chinese Turtle, (ss) Argosy (UK) Jul 1958;
- Delectable Whiskers, (ss) Argosy (UK) Nov 1953;
- Devoted Concubine, (ss) Argosy (UK) Oct 1951;
- The Disappointed Concubine, (ss) Magpie Sep 1952;
- The Faithful Sing-Song Girl, (ss) Magpie Apr 1951;
- The Friendly Generals, (ss) Magpie Sep 1951;
- Game with a Goddess, (ss) Argosy (UK) May 1958;
- The General Rejoins His Army, (ss) Magpie May 1953;
- The Girl in the Green Tree, (ss) Argosy (UK) Jun 1964;
- Heavenly Condescension, (ss) Argosy (UK) Aug 1964;
- Lotus Flower, (ss) Argosy (UK) Dec 1956;
- Mr. Hedderwick’s Holiday, (ss) Argosy (UK) Jul 1954;
- Mr Redcoat, (ss) in J. Pudney. Pick of Today's Short Stories 1960
- Proud Lady Yun, (ss) Argosy (UK) Mar 1954;
- Royal Monument Pavilion, (ss) Argosy (UK) Jul 1951;
- Settled Out of Court, (ss) John Bull Feb 1 1958;
- Scamp, (ss) Veterinary Review (UK) Dec 1958
- Settled Out of Court, (ss) John Bull Feb 1 1958
- Silken Lady, (ss) Argosy (UK) Apr 1953;
- Silken Portrait, (ss) Argosy (UK) Jul 1960;
- The Silken Screen, (ss) Argosy (UK) Sep 1957;
- Ta-Ra-Ra Boom!, (ss) Argosy (UK) Aug 1956;
- The Ticklehampton Stone, (ss) John Bull (UK) 1955
- Tiger General, (ss) Argosy (UK) May 1951;
- There are Two Sides to Every Question, (ss) Printers Prophet (UK) 1938
- The Two Weddings of Ying Er, (ss) Magpie Aug 1951;
- The Trigamist (ss) John Bull (UK) Sept 1955
- White Snake Lady, (ss) Argosy (UK) Apr 1953
- From a Welsh Valley, (ss) Salmon & Trout Magazine Sept 1952
- It Won't Go Any Further (ss) Veterinary Review (UK) Dec 1961
- A Wreath for Aunt Hannah, (ss) Argosy (UK) Oct 1956.
He also published plays e.g. The Nine Fathers (1970), which won the Maynard Cup at the Wales Final Festival of One Act Plays in 1969, as well as books e.g. Chinese Fairy Tales (1958). The children's book The Terrible Nung Guama (1978) was a retelling of one of his stories. He also acted for a time as Area Representative of a large Unit Trust Company and in 1963 was acting Hon Secretary, Council for the Preservation of Rural Wales, Caernarvonshire Branch.
Originator of the Welsh Harlequin Duck
While in CricciethCriccieth
Criccieth is a town and community on Cardigan Bay, in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd in Wales. The town lies west of Porthmadog, east of Pwllheli and south of Caernarfon. It has a population of 1,826....
, Bonnet had the time to further develop his interest in duck
Duck
Duck is the common name for a large number of species in the Anatidae family of birds, which also includes swans and geese. The ducks are divided among several subfamilies in the Anatidae family; they do not represent a monophyletic group but a form taxon, since swans and geese are not considered...
breeding. He created a new duck breed, the Welsh Harlequin
Welsh Harlequin
The Welsh Harlequin is a breed of domestic duck originating in Wales. In 1949, in Criccieth, Group Captain Leslie Bonnet discovered a color mutation among his flock Khaki Campbells, and began breeding selectively for it...
, from a colour mutation from a flock of Khaki Campbell
Khaki Campbell
A Khaki Campbell is a breed of domesticated duck that originated in England and is kept for its high level of egg production. The breed was developed by Adele Campbell of England at the end of the 19th century. The "Khaki" portion of the name refers to the duck's typical color.-Description:Adult...
s. It is the only true Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
breed of duck. Bonnet later created the Whalesbury Duck, a cross between an Aylesbury Duck
Aylesbury duck
The Aylesbury duck is a breed of domesticated duck, bred mainly for its meat and appearance. It is a large duck with pure white plumage, a pink bill, orange legs and feet, an unusually large keel, and a horizontal stance with its body parallel to the ground...
and a Welsh Harlequin
Welsh Harlequin
The Welsh Harlequin is a breed of domestic duck originating in Wales. In 1949, in Criccieth, Group Captain Leslie Bonnet discovered a color mutation among his flock Khaki Campbells, and began breeding selectively for it...
.
As a result of his work with ducks, Bonnet wrote the book Practical Duck Keeping (1960), which was regarded as the "bible" of duck-keeping and is still in use even today. The British Waterfowl Association present a prize in his honour every year to someone who has made an outstanding contribution to British waterfowl.
Memorials
Leslie Bonnet died in December 1985, aged 83. He is buried in CricciethCriccieth
Criccieth is a town and community on Cardigan Bay, in the Eifionydd area of Gwynedd in Wales. The town lies west of Porthmadog, east of Pwllheli and south of Caernarfon. It has a population of 1,826....
Cemetery and there is woodland named in his honour close to Ymwlch, as well as a memorial bench on Bangor
Bangor
- United Kingdom :* Bangor, County Down, Northern Ireland** Bangor ** Bangor , until 1800* Bangor, Gwynedd, Wales, after which most of the ex-colonial Bangors are named....
Pier He was described in his obituary as a “countryman...rubicund, well-fleshed but never flabby, and abounding with energy”.