Bob Montgomery on the tragic life and times of an Irish motoring pioneer and wartime aviator
Of all the characters involved in the early development of motoring and motor sport here, none is more interesting than Leslie Porter. Today he is best remembered for his part in the tragic Paris-Madrid Race of 1903 but there was much, much more to this quiet man from Co Derry.
Leslie Vernon Porter was born in 1881 at Curryfree, Cullion. Around the turn of the century, Porter moved to Belfast and, with George Coombe, was a co-founder of the Northern Motor Company at Chichester Street in 1899 - almost certainly the first specialist motor company in Ireland. In the same year together with Harry Ferguson he was taught to drive on a Leon Bollée tricycle.
By now Porter was competing successfully in motorcycle competitions and made the acquaintance of another competitor, Willie Nixon, with whom he formed a close friendship.
In 1903, the two announced that they would compete in the Paris-Madrid Race in a 50hp Wolseley racer. It was the first time an Irish driver had driven in a major motor race.
Porter travelled to the Wolseley factory at Adderley Park, Birmingham, where he supervised the completion of the car. The race began at 3.30am on Sunday, May 24th - with 250 cars taking part.
From the start, things did not go well. Only 24 miles from the start, the American driver Terry, burst a tyre while trying to pass them and caused a fiery accident through which Porter and Nixon were lucky to pass unscathed.
Worse was to follow. At an unmanned level crossing just north of Bonneval a wheel collapsed, pitching the Wolseley into the gate-keeper's cottage. Nixon was thrown against the wall and died instantly.
A lesser man might have withdrawn from motor sport, but Porter returned in the 1908 Irish Automobile Club Reliability Trial when he drove a Calthorpe to win a Gold Medal and fifth place in the prestigious Dunlop 200 Guinea Cup.
As a result of this success, he was invited to drive a "factory" Calthorpe in the Tourist Trophy Race in the Isle of Man in September 1908.
This was the famous "Four-Inch" race. Porter exceeded all expectations. The eventual winner was the Hutton of W Watson followed by the Darracqs of Irishman "Algy" Lee Guinness - of the brewing family - and A E George.
Porter was next up in fourth place but, unlike the three ahead of him, he was not driving a purpose-built racing car. His drive was magnificent, marking him out as a driver of rare ability.
Further drives for Calthorpe followed and several fine successes were achieved, perhaps most notably in winning the Cup for Coupes des Voiturettes in the Boulogne Races in 1909 and 1910.
The years that followed saw Porter build up his motor business at Belfast. His partnership with Coombe had been dissolved in September 1907 and he had established the firm of Leslie Porter Limited. Agencies were acquired for calthorpe, Arrol-Johnson, Singer and Daimler.
It was through the Daimler agency that Porter met his future wife. While demonstrating a Daimler to Herbert Brown, a brother of John Brown who had imported the first car into Ireland in 1896, he met his daughter Kathleen or 'K' as she was invariably known. Love blossomed and they wed in 1911.
While on a US trip with 'K' in 1915 to secure another agency, Porter made his first flight, a birthday present from his wife. Back home, he applied to join the Royal Flying Corps.
At 34 he would normally have been considered too old for flying duties, however he turned out to be an outstanding pilot and within six months was trained as a flying instructor at Northolt, near London.
The Somme offensive in 1916 created a great need for pilots. Porter, eager for action, managed to get posted to No 45 Squadron to be based at Trenchard's headquarters at Feinvilliers.
A newly arrived squadron usually had a period of acclimatisation before "crossing the line". However, on October 22nd, at the insistence of Major Dowding - famous during the Second World War as "Stuffy" Dowding - No 45 Squadron was ordered up on an offensive patrol over enemy territory.
Despite protests from their commanding officer that they were not yet ready, Dowding insisted and four two-seater Sopwith 1 1/2 Strutters led by Porter took off.
It appeared that Dowding had ordered No 70 Squadron to carry out the same task. Porter, realising this, returned to refuel with the intention of following after the others.
Upon landing he was confronted by Dowding who accused them of cowardice. Despite protests that they needed to refuel, they were ordered to take off again.
One aircraft returned with a mechanical problem. None of the other planes, nor their six occupants returned.
Porter's family held onto the faint hope that he might have survived in a POW camp, but early in 1917 came confirmation that he had died two days after he went missing. Neither Porter's body, or that of his companions, were ever found.
Writing of Leslie Porter, Motor News recorded: "Thus has passed . . . one of the most brilliant and intrepid of motor drivers and flying men, a good sportsman and a sterling friend."