Ed. Leicester Technical College His mother's maiden name was Minnie Gertrude Willis; she was, apparently, the 7th daughter of the co-founder of the firm Freeman Hardy and Willis. On his marriage certificate, he is named 'Laurent Willis Brandt'
"'ATROCIOUS ASSAULT' ON BOY OF 13 LEICESTER MANAGER FINED BENCH SAYS THERE WAS NO EXCUSE What was termed by the Chairman as 'an atrocious assault' by a 23-year old Leicester man on a 13-year old boy was described at Leicester City Police Court to-day. Laurent Frederick Brandt, a manager, of Friar-lane, Leicester, was fined £5, with the alternative of 26 days' imprisonment, for an assault on Eric Weston, a schoolboy, of All Saints Road, Leicester. John Haylock, of Southgate, said he saw the boy pass a stationary car in Friar-Lane. "Just as the boy passed Brandt Jumped out from behind the car and kicked him," said Haylock." For ten minutes the boy did not seem to be able to stand up, and he had to be taken to the Royal Infirmary." There seemed to the witness to be no reason whatever for the assault. "As I passed the car I said 'Are you letting a drop of wind out?' and then - the man jumped straight out and kicked me" declared the boy. Brandt pleaded guilty, and said that the boy tampered with a sidelight on the car. Brandt 'raised his foot' to the boy because he was holding tools in both hands. Miss Denise Branson, of Friar-Lane Leicester, said that she saw the boy tampering with a sidelight on Brandt's car. "This was a most vicious and unprovoked assault" said the Chairman. "You may not take the law into your own hands even if the boy had meddled with your car. The only doubt the magistrates have is whether they should send you to prison without the option of a fine." - Leicester Evening Mail - Tuesday 1 March 1932
"RECEIVING CHARGE DISMISSED Laurent Fredk. Ronald Brandt, 24, electrician, pleaded not guilty to receiving a silver cigarette-case and a sovereign-case, knowing them to be stolen, from James Arthur Blackburn at Great Clacton. Mr. Bowman, prosecuting, said Blackburn had pleaded guilty to the theft. The property was taken from the house of Mr. David Jacobs while he was on holiday. Brandt said Blackburn gave him the articles a few days after he met him. He sold the case to buy something for a friend in hospital. Brandt was found not guilty and discharged, and Blackburn was sent to Borstal institution for three years." -Chelmsford Chronicle - Friday 26 May 1933
"'PLANE CRASH IN FIELD Civil Air Guard Injured Mr. Laurent Frederick Ronald Brandt. aged 30, a member of the Civil Air Guard. crashed at Harmondsworth on Sunday afternoon when flying an Avro Club Cadet two-seater. Mr. Brandt. who lives at Eastcote. was detained in Hounslow Hospital suffering from broken ribs and jaw, with several teeth knocked out. The plane was almost completely wrecked. A passenger in the plane, Mr. Mervyn Basden of Slough, was taken to Windsor Hospital with facial injuries. The crash was in Mr. Philp's field opposite the Technicolor building." - Uxbridge & W. Drayton Gazette - Friday 28 April 1939
m. 1935 Elsie Esme Florence [Fox], (separated) prev. a radio engineer; Assistant Tester, (Control Room) Generating Station, LPTB prev. exp. 150 hrs Applied to join the RAF in Sep 1938 but was unable to join due to "unforeseen domestic circumstances", and again in May 1940 but was unable to obtain his release from his employers.
Postings: 8FPP, 3FPP, 6FPP, 1FPP Two accidents, neither his fault: - 8 May 1943, his Magister P2436 lost power after take-off, and he force-landed in a field without damage. He was a 2nd Officer, under training at Barton-le-Clay, at the time - 3 Sept 1943, another engine failure, another forced landing, this time in a Hart (still under Training) (? - listed as J Brandt) Appointed as an 'Approved Instructor' on 17 Apr 1943, but taken off instructional duties on 7 Sep 1943.
d. 25 Nov 1943 (Died in ATA Service) Beaufighter X LZ536 dived into ground out of cloud at Cronton Mapley Lancs, nr Burtonwood 8m E of Liverpool The accident report says, "When accepting this aircraft at a handling Pool, the pilot failed to reveal that he had not flown the type before, did not obtain and read the Handling Notes on the type, failed to obtain a meteorological forecast, and continued too far in bad weather. The aircraft spun out of cumulo-nimbus cloud, crashed, caught fire and was destroyed."
Laurent had changed his next-of-kin from Esme, his wife, to his mother Minnie, but Minnie declined the offer of the £2,500 compensation from the ATA and it went instead to Esme. His final estate, however, was only £288 (and funerals cost about 30 guineas in 1943, so it wasn't that)
Download ATA Pilot Personal Record (.zip file):
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1938
