1 9 4 2 ) ▁was ▁a ▁British ▁bom ber ▁pilot ▁and ▁a ▁recip ient ▁of ▁the ▁Victoria ▁Cross , ▁which ▁was ▁awarded ▁post hum ously ▁following ▁an ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁German ▁city ▁of ▁C ologne . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Les lie ▁Thomas ▁Mans er ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁New ▁Del hi , ▁India , ▁during ▁his ▁father ' s ▁employ ment ▁as ▁an ▁engineer ▁with ▁the ▁Post ▁and ▁Te legraph ▁Department ▁and , ▁when ▁the ▁family ▁returned ▁to ▁Britain , ▁they ▁settled ▁in ▁Rad lett , ▁H ert ford shire . ▁He ▁was ▁a ▁pup il ▁of ▁Victoria ▁Boys ' ▁School , ▁Kur se ong , ▁Dar je eling ▁and ▁Ald en ham ▁School , ▁El st ree , ▁H ert ford shire . ▁ ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁Mans er ▁was ▁ ▁accepted ▁by ▁the ▁Royal ▁Air ▁Force ▁( RA F ) ▁in ▁August ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁and ▁was ▁commission ed ▁as ▁a ▁pilot ▁officer ▁in ▁May ▁ 1 9 4 1 . ▁After ▁a ▁navig ational ▁course ▁and ▁final ▁oper ational ▁training ▁at ▁No . ▁ 1 4 ▁Oper ational ▁Training ▁Unit , ▁R AF ▁C ott es more , ▁he ▁was ▁posted ▁to ▁No . ▁ 5 0 ▁Squadron ▁operating ▁the ▁Hand ley ▁Page ▁H amp den ▁at ▁R AF ▁Sw inder by , ▁Lincoln shire ▁on ▁ 2 7 ▁August . ▁ ▁Two ▁days ▁after ▁joining ▁his ▁squad ron , ▁Mans er ▁experienced ▁his ▁first ▁operation : ▁as ▁a ▁second ▁pilot , ▁he ▁took ▁part ▁in ▁a