The Wartime Memories Project - The Second World War

Those who Served - Surnames beginning with L.

Surnames Index


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World War 2 Two II WW2 WWII 1939 1945

A Leach .     British Army

A Leach served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




P/O Alan Leach .     Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 51 Squadron   from Coppull, Lancashire

(d.5th Jan 1945)

Alan Leach was born in Coppull in 1921, the son of Sylvester and Emma. He was brother to Fred, well known in the village. He was a Pilot Officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve at the age of 19 and a member of 51 squadron.

The aircraft he was flying on 5th January 1945 was a Halifax LV 952, MH – F. It took off from RAF Snaith at 16.47 hours, detailed to bomb Hannover, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. It was shot down at 19.22 by Luftwaffe pilot Georg-Hermann Greiner, and crashed 19.27 at Leinhausen- Soeckern. He and five of the crew were killed and are buried in Hannover War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany.

The Crew were:

  • P/O A. Leach (Pilot)
  • Sgt P Neale (Flight Engineer)
  • F/Sgt J S Staples (Navigator)
  • Flt Sgt W G Bowen (Air Bomber)
  • P/O L A Wilson RAAF (Wireless Operator)
  • F/Sgt W M Burton (Air Gunner)
  • Sgt D Ef F Tomsett (Air Gunner)
The only surviving crew member was Sgt Thomsett (Air Gunner)




P/O Alan Leach .     Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 51 Squadron   from Coppull, Chorley, Lancashire

(d.5th Jan 1945)

Alan Leach was born in Coppull 25th March 1921 the son of Sylvester and Emma. He was brother to Fred, well known in the village. He was a Pilot Officer in the RAF Volunteer Reserve at the age of 19 and a member of 51 Squadron.

The aircraft he was flying on 5th January 1945 was a Halifax. It took off from RAF Snaith at 16.47 hours, detailed to bomb Hannover, Germany. Nothing was heard from the aircraft after take-off and it failed to return to base. It was shot down at 19.22 by Luftwaffe pilot Georg-Hermann Greiner, it crashed 19.27 at Leinhausen- Soeckern. He and five of the crew were killed and are buried in Hannover War Cemetery, Niedersachsen, Germany.

Aircraft Type: Halifax. Serial number: LV 952. Radio call sign: MH – F. Unit: Att 51 Sqd RAF

The crew were:

  • RAF PO 185864 Captain A. Leach (Pilot)
  • RAF Sgt P Neale (Flight Engineer)
  • RAF Flt Sgt J S Staples (Navigator)
  • RAF Flt Sgt W G Bowen (Air Bomber)
  • RAAF 403167 PO Wilson L A (Wireless Operator Air)
  • RAF Flt Sgt W M Burton (Air Gunner)
  • RAF Sgt D E F Thomsett (Air Gunner)- Survived the crash.



Ldg.Sig Alfred Leach .     Royal Navy HMS Penelope   from Chester

(d.18th Feb 1944)

In my youth I can remember my father talking about his younger brother Alf Leach. He died on the Pepperpot. Does anyone have any further information about my uncle Alf?




D Leach .     British Army

D Leach served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




CPO F. C. Leach .     Royal Navy HMS Sirius




George Henry Leach .     Home Guard

George Henry Leach and George Frederick Keen, were members of the Auxiliary Fire Service and the Home Guard. They attended a bombed munitions train in Tongham, Surrey around 22nd August 1940. Read more.




HC Leach .     British Army Royal Armoured Corps

HC Leach served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




F/O. John Edward Leach .     Royal Canadian Air Force 410 Squadron   from Toronto, Ontario, Canada

(d.10th April 1943)

Flying Officer (Pilot) John Leach was the son of Thomas A. and Beatrice M. Leach of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Aged 26, he is buried in the Ijlst General Cemetety, Friesland, Netherlands..




JW Leach .     British Army 2nd Sqd Gloucestershire Hussars

JW Leach served with the 2nd Sqd Gloucestershire Hussars British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




Pte. Kenneth Victor James Leach MM..     British Army Dorsetshire Regiment




R Leach .     British Army

R Leach served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




Pte. Ronald Jonas "Digger" Leach .     British Army 2nd Btn. South Wales Borderers   from Dinas Powis, Cardiff

My father Ronald Leach told us that he was a POW and I have now found a scanty record. We also believe he was in India at the Khyber Pass. He was a trumpet player in the band. We were also told that he was in Yugoslavia at sometime during the war.

Does anyone have any information about the South Wales Borderer's actions? We think he may have been in the second battalion as we have read another memory which states they were at the Khyber Pass. He was later in Stalag 4b in 1942. Was he captured at Tobruk?




T Leach .     British Army Royal Armoured Corps

T Leach served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




TA Leach .     British Army East Kent Regiment

TA Leach served with the East Kent Regiment British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




H Leadbeater .     British Army 3rd Hussars

H Leadbeater served with the 3rd Hussars British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




FO Jack Leadbeater .     Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve 90 Squadron (d.30th August 1944)

Flying Officer (Navigator) Leadbeater was buried in the Collective grave 967-968 in the Aalestrup Churchyard in Denmark.




Cpl. R. Leadbeater MM..     Army 5th Btn. The Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders




L/Bmbdr. Alfred James Leadbeatter .     British Army 5th Field Regiment Royal Artillery (d.18th November 1944)

Alfred Leadbeatter is my uncle who I never got to meet but I am so proud to be his nephew. He will never be forgotten.




Alfred Walter John Leadbetter .     British Army

Alfred Leadbetter served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




Flt.Sgt. Geoffrey Leadbetter .     Royal Air Force

My grandfather, Geoffrey Leadbetter, was stationed at a number of sites including Kinloss, Cardington, Hixon, Ossington, Blackbushe and with HMS Hornet in air-sea rescue. He was a flight sergeant and his serving wing was engineer/instructor. He died in 2003. I would be grateful if anyone who remembers him would get in touch.




J Leadbetter .     British Army

J Leadbetter served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




Sgt. Leonard Arthur "Arthur" Leadbitter .     Royal Air Force 106 Sqdn   from Southampton

(d.5th Mar 1943)

Leonard Arthur Leadbitter, enlisted in the R.A.F in October 1938 he trained as a ground staff radio operator. When war came, one after another of his comrades did not return from operational flights he decided to avenge their deaths and applied to transfer to air crews and trained as an air gunner.

Until march 1943 when he was reported missing his mother, my great grandmother Mary Leadbitter, thought he was still working on the ground staff. Leonard thought his mother would worry if he told her he was flying. So after long raids he would return home and tell her he was in a safe spot on radio staff. His only worry was his mother would find out he was flying.

His mother received a consolation letter from Wing Commander Guy Gibson who awarded his brillant leadship and said he was a very fine rear gunner. Leonard was killed on the 5th of March 1913, his Lancaster took off from Syerston at 18.57 on a mission to Target Essen. They were shot down at 21.15 in target area. Leonard is buried in the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery.

I'm so proud of my great Uncle and am so pleased that there is going to be a memorial for these brave brave men. God Bless. x




Pte. Ernest Edward Leader .     British Army Royal Army Medical Corps   from Sutton in Ashfield, Notts

All I know is that my father Ernest Leader served with the Royal Army Medical Corps and was stationed in India during World War Two.




J Leader .     British Army

J Leader served with the British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




Trooper John Robert Leadle .     British Army 1st King's Dragoon Guards   from Middlesbrough, Yorkshire England

(d.22nd Feb 1941)




C Leahy .     British Army Royal Armoured Corps

C Leahy served with the Royal Armoured Corps British Army. I have his unissued dogtags, made in preparation for deployment to the Far East and would love to get them home to his family. I am happy to cover all costs. If you are a family member or can put me in touch with them please get in touch.

Update: Unfortunately The Wartime Memories Project has lost touch with Dan, his website, facebook page and email have all ceased to function. But if you can add any details about the person listed, please use the add to record link below.




Sgt. Patrick J Leahy .     Royal Air Force 58 Sqdn. (d.20th April 1942)




Fusilier Thomas Henry Leahy .     British Army C Coy., 4th Btn. Royal Welch Fusiliers




Capt. George Matthew Leak .     British Army Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers

George Leak went to France on around D+12 and was later wounded and hospitalised near Bayeux. Caught up with his unit in Belgium or Holland later and was stationed in Hanover and Brunswick after the war.





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