Death of Lt Leslie John Maynard RN

Les Maynard (second left) flanked by fellow ex-CDs Ron Neville, Jeffery Collins, Mike Horlock and Cliff Coulson Bonner at a lunchtime gathering in Perth, WA on 20 July 2019 (Photo courtesy of Cliff CB)

The late FCPO(D) Derek 'Nobby' Clark (HMS RECLAIM's Chief Diver) and Les Maynard (HMS RECLAIM's Diving Officer) inspecting a wartime Welman semi-submersible recovered by HMS RECLAIM from Rothesay Bay in January 1973 (see second entry for 7 Mar 09 in News Archive 25).

21 May 2022 - I have learned that Les Maynard crossed the bar yesterday in Australia.  We last met face to face when sharing a table at an MCD officers' monthly lunch in the cafeteria of HMS NELSON (Gunwharf), formerly HMS VERNON, circa 1990. 

Les was an old style CDO who served as a rating in the Med Fleet CD Team among other units and was commissioned from the lower deck in January 1969 before serving briefly in the frigate HMS ROTHESAY.  He underwent the officers' Mine Warfare conversion course at HMS VERNON in 1970 along with Tim Trounson MBE and Bob 'Piggy Page, both since deceased.  He then served as Diving Officer of the deep diving vessel HMS RECLAIM and as OIC of the clearance diving team at Portland.  He was promoted to Lt in 1972 and left the RN in 1974. 

After working in maritime safety & security on board cruise ships for a few years and, I believe, running a water taxi service on the Thames, he moved to Ashby near Wanneroo in Western Australia where he met regularly with fellow ex-CDs Mike Horlock and Ron Neville and renewed his friendship with the late ex-FCPO(D) Dave ‘Mona’ Lott BEM in Eden, NSW.

Les developed pancreatic cancer in 2011. He joined the internet in 2015 and we kept in contact intermittently thereafter.  In August 2019, he informed me that he was suffering the side effects of chemotherapy after a relapse. 

I am sure all members of our community will join me in extending our sincere condolences to Les's widow Aileen, other family and close friends.