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World War 1 One ww1 wwII greatwar great 1914 1918 first battalion regiment
2nd Lt. Alan Arnett McLeod VC.
Royal Flying Corps 2 Squadron
from:Stonewall, Manitoba, Canada
(d.6th Nov 1918)
Alan McLeod was born on 20th of April 1899 in Stonewall, Manitoba, the son of a doctor. He enrolled in The 34th Fort Garry Horse in 1913 at age 14, but when the war started in 1914 Alan was sent home, as under age. When he became 18 he enrolled in the Royal Flying Corps in Toronto. After obtaining his pilot’s licence at Long Branch near Toronto, he was sent to France on 20th of August 1917
He was originally posted to No. 82 Squadron flying scouts, but then transferred to 51 Squadron on Home Defence duties, flying the B.E. 12 at night. However he was transferred back to France in December 1917 with the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, where he was posted to No. 2 Squadron flying from Hesdigneul in northern France.
With Lt. Comber as his gunner, he was mentioned in dispatches for bringing down a Fokker and an observation balloon near Beauvin in January 1918. On 27th of March 1918 with his observer Lt. Arthur Hammond, in an Armstrong Whitworth F.K.8 he destroyed an enemy triplane and but they were immediately attacked by eight more, three of which they brought down. However their plane was hit and burst into flames and both pilot and observer were wounded. McLeod, by side slipping steeply, tried to keep the flames away from his observer, and when the machine finally crashed in No Man's Land, the young pilot, despite his own injuries, dragged his comrade from the burning wreckage and under heavy fire carried him to safety. McLeod was wounded three times in the side and Hammond was wounded six times. Hammond lost a leg but was awarded a bar for his Military Cross. McLeod received the Victoria Cross. He returned to Canada to recuperate but sadly died from Spanish flu on the 6th November 1918.
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