LEST WE FORGET

Flying Officer Thomas George LEITCH

Service No: 405014
Born: Brisbane QLD, 10 February 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 January 1941
Unit: No. 203 Squadron (RAF)
Died: Air Operations: (No. 203 Squadron Blenheim aircraft V6014), off the North African Coast, 24 April 1942, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Alexander Thomas Leitch, and of Mary Leitch, of Norman Park, Queensland, Australia
Roll of Honour: Brisbane QLD
Remembered: Column 264, Alamein Memorial, Egypt
Remembered: Panel 125, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT

On 24 April 1942 Blenheim V6014 set out on a routine patrol over the sea. The crew of another aircraft engaged in a similar operation in the same area state that enemy fighters were encountered. It is possible that V6014 was shot down by the same fighters, as the aircraft did not return to base. In 1948 after investigations it was recorded that that the crew members were lost at sea.

The crew members of V6014 were:

Flight Lieutenant William Richmond Hole (70859) (RAF) (Pilot)
Flying Officer Thomas George Leitch (405014) (Observer)
Flight Sergeant Douglas Owen Rickard (751098) (RAFVR) (Wireless Operator/Air Gunner)

References:

Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 163/42/105

Book Now Book Now