425524 Flight Lieutenant William LEACH DFC MiD
502 Squadron RAAF
by Robert Simpson
William Leach was born on 15th May 1914 at 14 Cambridge Street Newtown, Sydney NSW. His parents were William George Leach (born Creswick Victoria and aged 36) and Ruby Florence George (aged 24 born in Australia). His was the only birth recorded for them in New South Wales. In the 1916 and 1917 electoral rolls, they were living at 84 Berry Street Spring Hill. His father was a painter of Cobb & Co. horse carriage vehicles in Brisbane and he died on 14th September 1929. His parents were recorded as William Leach and Bidelia Honan. A letter from a doctor at Brisbane Hospital to Mr Stebbins on the same date said “I am sorry we could do so little for the patient under our care, but we did all we could.” He also said that he was pleased “that you were able to take and care for the young boy, and succeed in getting him a position where he will be able to make good.” He added other comments in the letter. William had no knowledge of his mother and his step-mother also disappeared, according to a letter from him. He was then made ward of the State, with the South Brisbane Congregational Church assuming responsibility for his care. Mr & Mrs Mavor of Wooloowin proved a home and family for him. A William Leach was recorded in the Kelvin Grove Girls and Infants State School Admission Register in 1920, the South Brisbane Boys State School Admission Register in 1921 and the Chermside State School Admission Register in 1927, but it is not known if they are the same and are this William. The Education Office Gazette of 3rd September 1929 has under admissions, William George Leach to Wooloowin School with Standing of P.T. 0. William passed his Junior exams at Wooloowin State School in November 1929. He was listed as William George Leach (this appears to be the only time a middle name was included for him, no other documents have it) and he passed handwriting and spelling, achieved D for English, C for English History, did not pass Geography, A for Arithmetic, B for Algebra, C for Geometry, A for Chemistry, C for Physics and did not pass freehand drawing. In 1930, Mr Stebbins wrote to him, congratulating him on his results and hoping he would apply for Training College, wishing him well from the Mavors and themselves. In the Gazette of 3rd April 1930, William Leach was listed as P.T. (prob.) at Wooloowin School to J.T.S. at Teachers’ Training College. In 1932, he wrote to Miss Mary Leach at Tully, trying to find out some information about his step-mother, to which she replied she probably could not help as her family came out from England in 1910. He must have got her name from a roll, as she mentioned it in the letter and she asked him to keep in contact. She replied to another letter from him, also in 1932, talking about continuing to correspond, the weather in Tully and the upcoming vote. He passed his Senior exams at the University of Queensland in 1932. In 1933, he started his teacher training there. He commenced his teaching career as a Pupil Teacher at Coorparoo State School and continued his studies, obtaining his Matriculation from the University of Queensland. He attended a concert and coronation ceremony the school had at the Roxy Theatre Coorparoo on Thursday 2nd November 1933. Also, he was part of the South Brisbane Congregational Church, in which he was a Sunday School teacher and in the choir. In 1933, he received a letter from the Church Secretary, asking if he would join the choir in the new church. The foundation stone of the new South Brisbane Congregational Church in Vulture Street was laid on Saturday 1st April 1933. The church minister was Reverend Ivan Stebbins. The old church had been destroyed by fire in 1931. He also was part of the Coorparoo Cricket Club. His enjoyment of cricket is shown by the cuttings he has in his file, including the scoreboard of the 1st Ashes test in Brisbane for 1936, where Australia disastrously collapsed in their second innings to be all out for 58, with Don Bradman getting a duck. A minor grade match for B1 grade showed “W. Leach (Pinelands) taking five wickets for 53 runs”. Another cutting showed that W Leach for South Brisbane scored 56 runs and took 5 for 21.
It appears he never found out about his step-mother or more on his family. Research shows William George Leach married Lily May George in 1907 in Victoria and they had 3 children between 1908 and 1910. She was born in 1881 in St Kilda, Melbourne and was a sister to Ruby Florence George born in 1889 in Prahan. Their parents were Ebenezer Benjamin George and Louisa Catherine Jones who had been married in 1873 in Victoria. Lily lived to 1966 in Victoria and Ruby married William Carney in Queensland in 1923 and lived to 1971 in Brisbane. So, did William commit adultery with his wife’s sister? There is no marriage record in any eastern state for William and Ruby. Obviously both relationships broke down. More information needs to be found or purchased to confirm everything.
Three of their brothers served in WW1, Arthur Ebenezer George, Private 5604 21st Battalion; Frank Wilfred George, Private 5603 21st Battalion and Walter Harold George, Private 1936 6th Co AMGC, who was killed in action at the Somme on 18th November 1916.
The Queensland Education Office Gazette of 3rd March 1934 has a list under Junior Scholarship-holders which includes under the heading “For Admission as a Teacher of Class III, Division 8, as from 1st, January 1933”, William Leach. The publication on 3rd June 1934 had William Leach “For Promotion from Class III, Division 8, to Class III, Division 7.” An entry on 3rd April 1935 showed he was promoted to Class III, Division 6.
In 1934 he transferred to Mackay. His church wrote him a letter, thanking him for his work as secretary and for his connection with the fellowship and regretting he had to leave. He was wished well and they hoped to hear from him too. The South Brisbane Congregational Sunday School also thanked him for his help with them and wished him every blessing. A certificate was sent to him in 1934, acknowledging that he had secured 2nd place in the A Grade bowling averages for the season 1933-34 for the South Brisbane Congregational Club in the Queensland Church Cricket Union with figures of 1127 balls, 27 maidens, 359 runs, 45 wickets for an average of 7.98. By 1938 he was the head Teacher at Proserpine State School. William kept some letters that parents had sent him, about their children. One while he was in Proserpine School is interesting and one from H R Hiscox is quite stern and abrupt about him cutting the children’s hair and not to do it in future or it will be reported to the police. She also says that he was “paid to teach the children, (although they don’t get taught anything by what I can see)” and not to interfere with them. The full letters can be viewed in his folders. The Gazette of 3rd May 1938 showed William was promoted from Class III, Division 4 to Class III, Division 3. In 1939 he went to Class III, Division 2. The 1939 electoral roll shows William to be living at Ann Street Proserpine as a school teacher.
William married Ada Ballantyne Banks in Queensland on 8th March 1939. She had been born on 11th November 1916. Unfortunately, nothing else is known on her, where she was born or her parents. She had been a pupil at Proserpine State School and her parents had a sugar plantation at Proserpine. His old church replied to letters from him, congratulating him on his marriage and promotion and they also sent him a bowl. A cutting about Albert John Lightfoot passing on 27th May 1942 recorded he was survived by family and “a stepdaughter, Mrs. W. Leach, and two grandchildren. So, Ada must have been raised by that family. Albert served in WW1 as Private 57620 with 9th Battalion, joining in January 1918. He seemed to spend the last few months of the war and after in and out of hospital with bronchitis before returning home. He married a widow, Margaret Banks, in Warminster Wiltshire in 1919. He was entitled to the British War Medal for his service. Ada signed the official visitors’ book for the Sydney Harbour Bridge on 7th August 1939 and was issued a certificate number 185891 on page 6186.
In 1940 William transferred to Rannes State School, Dawson Valley Line as Head Teacher, until he was approved to be teacher at York Island and transferred there as Principal. The approval for that transfer was sent by telegram to him on 3rd October 1940. He had to catch a steamer from Cairns for Thursday Island on the 15th. While there, he was given a list of the furniture supplied in the house they lived in and an instruction sheet on what to radio through if someone was ill. He was promoted to Class III, Division 1 as listed in the Gazette of 3rd May 1940. A letter from him to Torres Straight Hospital about his wife and impending birth was replied back on 14th March 1941, stating they had “decided that it is impossible to make such accommodation available” while she was “waiting for her confinement.” While there, he received a letter from a person interested in zoology, who wished William to collect insects from the island and send to him. He also cancelled his account with the Bank of New South Wales, as he could not use it there. He was promoted to Class III, Division 1A as recorded in the Gazette on 3rd April 1941. William asked for an application form and information booklet to join the RAAF, which were sent to him on 18th November 1941. The person who replied was obviously a friend and told him the cricket season was not good. In 1942, they were evacuated from Thursday Island. His application for leave to enlist was also approved in February 1942. He booked a second-class passage for himself from Thursday Island to Cairns on 10th February 1942, as he had to go to Townsville for examination to enlist in the RAAF.
T J Chambers and Son wrote a reference for William, saying “We have much pleasure in stating that we have known Mr. William Leach, school teacher, for about twenty years and can testify to his honesty, straightforwardness, and have every confidence in recommending him in practically any capacity.” Other letters were from his church and R J Gilles and Co. He passed all the tests for entry into the RAAF as Air Crew and would be called up for enlistment into the Active Force in the future.
He enlisted in the RAAF Citizen Air Force on 28th March 1942 in Brisbane at No 3 Recruiting Centre with the rank of AC2. His educational qualifications were Junior, Public Certificate and Senior, University of Queensland. He was married, a British Subject and his religion was Congregational. Most of his answers to the questions were no, with only yes to being married and agreeing to be enlisted under the conditions stated in the Regulations. His previous trade was Head Teacher at York Island School. (Apparently he had to pay his own fare to get to Townsville). He enlisted for the duration of the war and 12 months thereafter. The description of him included age 27 years 10 months, height 5 foot 8 inches, weight 134 pounds, chest measurement 32 to 35 inches; he had a dark complexion with brown eyes and black hair and he had a scar on the left shin. For Religious Denomination he listed Congregationalist. He was certified medically fit the day before and was appointed to 3 ITS at Sandgate. His mustering on enlistment was Air Crew V, he was re-mustered to Air Crew V (O) on 17th May 1942 and Air Crew II (O) on 20th June 1942, with the rank of LAC. His branch was Observer – Air Crew and he was last vaccinated on 12th April 1942. He was posted to 3 ITS on 28th March 1942, 1 AOS at Cootamundra on 26th June 1942, No 1 BAGS at Evans Heads on 21st September 1942 and 1 ANS at Parkes on 14th November 1942. He passed No 26 Observers Course on 19th June 1942, No 26 1 ADS Course from 26th June 1942 to 18th September 1942, No 26 Observers Course at 1 Bags from 20th September 1942 to 6th November 1942 (for the course there, his character was very good and he was Not Recommended for promotion or reclassification) and No 26 Op/Observers Course at 1UNS from 16th November 1942 to 10th December 1942. His general conduct sheet had no entries in it from 25th June to 10th December 1942. Another name was entered on his form to notify in case of casualty and was “Miss M Browning 8 Handsworth Wood Rd Birmingham”. Another form has under Special Qualifications “Branch Manager Island Industries Store Yorke Is. Via Thursday Is.” It also noted Ada’s address as Mansion House Sydney.
Qualifications on his service record state he successfully completed 26 (O) Air Observers Course from 6th November to 12th December 1942, recommended for Astro Navigation, categorised “N.B.R.” on 6th March 1942 and was awarded flying badge 7th November 1942.
His service records have a paper on his will, which says a certificate of will was already in existence for AC II (crossed out and Flight Lieutenant added) William Leach of Unit 3 ITS. A document from his stated that William Leach No 425524, Unit 3 ITS Sandgate, of Clayna, via Murgon had a valid will that was held by The Public Curator in Brisbane which was signed and dated 16th April 1942. A certificate of his birth in the Register is in his service records, confirming his date of birth and place as 15th May 1914 at Newtown Sydney NSW. It was originally issued on 22nd August 1929. Ada was listed as his next of kin and person to be informed. Her original address on his service record was Lower Conway, Proserpine, Qld which was changed to Terminus Hotel (12 Justin Street) at Cootamundra. An additional person was listed in case of casualty, Reverend I S Stebbing of 73 Frederick Street Rockdale Sydney. William was awarded an Air Observer badge on 6th and his flying badge on 7th November 1942. He was discharged from the RAAF from 9th December 1942 under AFR 115(M) “On being granted a Commission.”
He embarked at Melbourne on 15th January 1943 on attachment to RAF UK. With 1 GRS, he did a General Reconnaissance Course from 8th February to 6th March 1943 with a pass of 70%. William had a T.A.B. inoculation on 4th March 1943. He went from 1 ERS Summerside to Y Depot Halifax for embarkation on 5th March 1943. Embarking from Canada on 26th-28th March 1943 at Halifax for UK, he disembarked in the UK on the 10th April and arrived at his unit (11 PDRC RAF) on the 11th.
In the 1943 electoral rolls, Ada was listed at both Lietelinna, Fairlight Street Manly and York Island in Queensland; both doing home duties. She had obviously moved to NSW after William enlisted, but had not been taken off the Queensland roll. Her address in his service records was recorded as 3 Leitelinna Flats Fairlight Street Manly.
His postings are listed as 2 E.D., 1 E.D. 9.1 43, Canada, UK, 1 GRS Summerside 31.1.43, 1Y Depot Halifax 14.3.43, RAF Trainee Pool 26.3.43, 11 PDRC 5 (C) OTU 11.5.43, 1 TTU 7.7.43, 1 (C) OTU 12.10.43, 1674 HCU 16.10.43, 502 Squadron 2.12.43, RAF Station Holmsley, RAF Station St David’s 502 Squadron 10.12.43, 502 Squadron 4.3.45 and RAAF Beccles 22.6.45. Another form has 11 PDRC for repatriation on 2nd October 1945 as well.
Training Details for William were listed as AOS No 1 Cootamundra Australia in an Anson for 54 hours, No 1 BAGS Evans Head Australia in a Battle for 15 hours, No 1 ANS Parkes Australia in an Anson for 22 hours, No 1 GRS Summerside Canada in an Anson for22 hours, 5(C) Operational Training Unit Northern Island in Beaufort I & II for 48 hours, 1674 Heavy Conversion Unit Lanetown Cumberland in Halifax I & IA for 18 hours and No 1 TTU Turnbury Scotland in Beaufort I & II for 11 hours. He also did special courses of Mark IV B/S Course and 79 Bombing Leaders Course at No 1 AAS Manby in Blenheim for 1 and 8 hours respectively and Anti U-Boat School at RNAS Maydown in Halifax II for 21 hours.
While in Canada he must have visited the USA as the folders have different items from places he visited in the USA.
Taking the toss for a game of cricket and the crew of a Halifax.
William arrived at No 1 Air Arm. School on 20th December 1943 and returned to 502 Squadron on 28th December 1943. He arrived at RAF Beaulieu on 11th January 1944. William was promoted to Pilot Officer on 10th December 1942, Flying Officer on 10th June 1943 and Flight Lieutenant on 10th December 1944 with 502 Squadron. He attended No 79 Bombing Leaders Course from 8.3.44 to 1.4.44 with a pass Category “B”. For his 1st Tour, which began on 3rd December 1943 and finished on 3rd May 1945, he was with 502 Squadron RAF and was involved with non-operational flying details at Homesley South in a Halifax 1A, St David’s and Stornoway in a Halifax II for a total of over 77 hours, and operational flying details of a coastal roll at Homesley South in a Halifax 1A and anti-shipping at St David’s and Stornoway in Halifax II for a total of over 367 hours. He was then posted to 5 ACHU Beccles with a grand total of 664 hours.
His record of leave form showed he had leave from 21st April to 4th May 1943, 13th to 25th August 1943 with 7 days extension, 24th November to 1st December 1943, 1st to 15th April 1944, 8th to 22nd August 1944 and 2nd to 11th November 1944. In 1945, he had 18th January to 3rd February, 3rd to 17th April, 9th to 28th June, 1st to 4th September and 19th to 24th September as leave.
William was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as recorded in the Supplement to the London Gazette of 24th April 1945 on page 2174 at position 1, “Flight Lieutenant William LEACH (Aus.425524), R.A.A.F., 502 Sqn. This officer has taken part in a good number of sorties, many of them being attacks on enemy shipping. He is a most competent and courageous crew member, whose navigational ability has been an important factor in the success of many of the operations in which he has taken part. He has displayed the highest standard of keenness and devotion to duty and has proved a most valuable asset to the squadron.” The citation in his service records reads: “Flight Lieutenant LEACH has taken part in a good number of sorties, many of these being attacks on enemy shipping. He is a most competent and courageous crew member whose navigational ability has been an important factor in the success of many of the operations in which he has taken part. Flight Lieutenant LEACH has displayed the highest Standard of keenness and devotion to duty, and has proved a most valuable asset to the squadron.” It gave his private address as 3 Leitelinna Flats, Fairlight Street Many NSW.
The original citation for an immediate Distinguished Flying Cross for Flight Lieutenant William Leach reads: “An attack on 25th February was a satisfactory finale to a long series of Halifax attacks in which Flight Lieut. Leach as Navigator Bomb-aimer has played a spirited, scientific and gallant part. On this occasion a Merchant vessel of some 4000 ton was sighted at 23.33 hours near the Swedish coast south of Oslo Fiord, with eight smaller vessels. The altitude of the moon made it difficult to effect orthodox bombing run. So Flight Lieut. Leach directed the aircraft to one side of the target and released his bombs on the turn towards him- a technique which his study of the bombs sight’s potentialities had led him to practice before the target became obscured he saw one of the bombs hit the bows of the ship. This was one of the six anti-shipping attacks in the Norway area and three on the French coast, to say nothing of the numerous night patrols against shipping and U- Boats in which Flight Lieut. Leach has taken part. On the 17th July 1944 bombs hit what must have been an ammunition ship near the French coast by the Ile De Groix and caused explosions and considerable fire. Against two minesweepers and other escorts on the 4th August, and against two sperrbrechers and three minesweepers in Quimper harbour three days later, he bombed coolly in the face of intense flak. In the Skagerrak, on the second of the Squadron’s sorties there in October last, he obtained an estimated straddle on a merchant vessel near the Skaw of Denmark, sequentially he has bombed other ships in the same area as well as off Norway between Bergen and Trondheim. But perhaps the greatest contribution which Flight Lieut. Leach has made to the work of the Squadron has been the lead he has given in the whole science of bombing and analysis of results. His enthusiasm and talent in this sphere has been very largely responsible for the marked trend of improvement in results generally and this, together with his operational record, makes him worthy of special distinction. 6th March 1945 Stornoway”.
He was Mentioned in Despatches in the London Gazette of 14th June 1945 on page 3025 at position 38.
With No. 502 Squadron RAF their motto was in Latin: Nihil timeo, which translates to: I fear nothing. The squadron officially moved to both Norfolk (RAF Docking) and Cornwall (maintenance station at RAF St Eval) in January 1942. In January 1943 conversion to Halifax GR Mark IIs began (the Coastal Command variant of the bomber) and they moved to RAF Holmesley South in Hampshire. Until 1944 the squadron’s main role was to carry anti-submarine patrols. In 1943 they also began attacks on enemy shipping off the French coast. In late 1943 they moved to RAF St David’s Pembrokeshire in Wales. In September 1944 the squadron moved to Scotland at RAF Stornoway to carry out attacks on German shipping off the Norwegian coast. They remained there until the end of the war. 502 Squadron was disbanded on 25th May 1945.
Coastal Command Halifax GR. II.
A confidential report for Officers on William listed all of his details and that of his next of kin as his wife in Manly. His type of Commission was RAAF, Branch of Service was G.D. (Nav.) and he was employed on flying duties with 502 Squadron from 1st December 1943. In the period of the report from 3rd December 1943 to 22nd June 1945, he had flown 625 hours as a member of an air crew other than a pilot of which 87 had been flow in the last 6 months. His general conduct was satisfactory and he was of temperate habit. In assessments, for 1. Zeal and energy in performance of duty he scored 8, 2. Personality, force of character and leadership he scored 6, 3. Reliability and judgement he scored 8, 4. Initiative he scored 7, 5. Ability on present duties he scored 8 and 6. General standing of professional ability he scored 7. For special remarks his reporting officer HCC Holderness W/C wrote “His intelligence makes him suitable for staff work.” And he “Has a trained brain and uses it.” His next senior officer T P Gibson W/C added “I.K.”
The Sun (of Sydney) on Sunday 29th April 1945 on page 3 had an article which reported “Other New South Wales members of the RAAF to receive the DFC” included “F/L William Leach, Manly”. It also added “F/L Leach is a competent and courageous crew member whose navigational ability has been a factor in the success of many operations.” At a Victory Celebration Dinner for the Midland Anzac Association at Birmingham on 14th June 1945, and “in one of the best speeches of the evening F/Lt. Leach, D.F.C., expressed his great pleasure, on behalf of the visitors, not only on being privileged to attend but for the very pleasant evening which they had all spent.” In August 1945, he was given a permit to undertake civilian employment during leave. While there he did a course in London titled “Modern Developments in Education” from 16th July to 3rd August 1945. He also visited various sites and theatres over the few years he was in England. Cricket was still an interest to him, watching and playing. He had a ticket to Lords Cricket Ground and was invited to a dance on HMS King George V. In the folders are membership tickets, hotel ticket and invitations.
He was posted to 21 P.D. on 4th November 1945 ex Overseas on disembarking at Sydney. Another record says he embarked from overseas on 4th October 1945 and he was given recreation leave from 5th to 11th November and disembarkation leave from 12th November to 11th December. He was also entitled to 38 days war service leave but if that was taken is not recorded. The Education Office Gazette of 8th November 1945 lists that William Leach was promoted from Class II, Division 2 to Class II, Division 1.
William was discharged from RAF Beccles on 16th January 1946 and his appointment was terminated with effect from that date. RAF Beccles was the last base to be built in Suffolk during the war and the most easterly aerodrome in wartime England. It was always locally known as Ellough airfield and had been opened in 1943 with three concrete runways built to the specifications of a Class A bomber airfield. Amongst other units, it was used by No. 15 (RAAF) Air Crew Holding Unit after the war had finished in Europe.
William was a bit of a hoarder and the two folders at the museum are filled with different letters, cards, brochures, newspaper articles and other documents he kept from the 1930’s to the late 1960’s. The museum also holds books and various navigational tools that he used and a variety of badges and buttons. One of the shows he went to was at the Theatre Royal and starred Gladys Moncrieff in “Katinka”. He also visited museums and churches. William sent a book to Ada and wrote inside it “This book may give you and idea of some of the work we are doing” and he noted pages for her to read that would involve him. He also had books on plane identification.
On 14th August 1946, William signed for a receipt acknowledging he had received from the RAAF an Airman’s Certificate of Service and Discharge Form P/P.83A (covering the period he was an airman) and Officer’s Certificate of Service No 1763 (covering the period he was an officer). The form was sent back to Melbourne. The receipt and certificates had been sent to him with his address as C/0 Cherbourg Settlement via Murgon Queensland. After the war, William continued tertiary studies to Master Education level. In July 1946 he was appointed as Principal Teacher at Cherbourg Settlement and was later posted to Plainby State School that year. At some time, while they were in Cherbourg Settlement, they registered two dogs, Lassie and Laddie, both Irish Setters. The Education Office Gazette of 3rd May 1947 gives a list of dates and promotions for William Leach from January 1943 to 1st January 1947, when he was promoted from Class I, Division 7 to Class I, Division 6. In 1948, he wrote to the Minister for Air, desiring to serve as a member of the newly formed Citizen Air Force Squadrons, but as squadrons were to be “single-engine pilots with Fighter experience” there was no place for navigators. His application was listed for future reference. The Gazette of 3rd April 1948 records a salary increase for a list of males including William Leach from £415 to £420 per year from 1st January 1948.
In the 1949 electoral roll they were living at Plainby, via Crows Nest in Queensland with William a teacher and Ada doing home duties. He received a letter from the Governor-General in Canberra advising him he was invited to Parliament House in Brisbane on 15th June 1949, where the Governor-General would present him with his DFC. Other information advised him of what else to do and he had to reply. William was presented his DFC by the Governor General at Parliament House in Brisbane on 15th June 1949 with the citation on his award card reading “Courage on number of attacks on enemy shipping.” It gave his address as State School Plainby, Murra, via Crows Nest Queensland and mentioned he also was awarded a MiD. They were also still using ration cards while there in 1948. By the 1954 roll, they had moved to Marmor in the Capricornia region, with the same occupations (transferred in 1951). They were still there in the 1958 roll. In 1959 they bought a house at Mitchelton, Brisbane, with the electoral roll for that year showing their address as 70 Glenholm Street Mitchelton. By the 1963 roll, they had moved to the School House at Upper Brookfield in the Moggill electorate. He was at Jindalee State School when it opened in 1966. In the 1968 roll, they were living at 9 Corkill Street Freshwater in Cairns. By the 1972 roll, they had moved to Coulson Street Wacol (they bought the house in 1969). From 1970 to 1973 he was the Principal at Inglewood pre-10 State School. He was the Principal at Camp Hill State School from 1974 to 1976. In the 1977 roll, they were at 153 Coulson Street, Wacol. The same occupations were listed. He retired from teaching in 1976 after having a stroke while Principal at Camp Hill State School (1974 to 1976). He recovered from the stroke but never returned to education. By the 1980 roll, they had moved to 103 Pacific Avenue Sunshine Beach and William had retired.
On 1st September 1960, the Department of Air in Canberra wrote to Flight Lieutenant W Leach DFC 542245 at State School Mormor NCL Queensland advising him that the “current RAAF policy which provides that the retiring age for General Reservists shall be the same as that prescribed for members of the Permanent Air Force. As you, together with a number of other officers, have now reached the age for retirement it will be necessary for your Reserve appointment to be terminated.” “You may wish to have your name transferred to the RAAF Retired List where the Air Board may, with your concurrence, again utilise your services in time of National emergency.” “Your election in this matter is requested, so that Order-in-Council action may be taken to transfer you from the General Reserve to the Retired List, or to terminate your RAAF service.” “The Air Board takes this opportunity of conveying to you its appreciation of your continued interest in the Royal Australian Air Force.”
In 1969, they took out a loan with the Commonwealth Bank to buy a house for $10500. The loan was for $8000.
There is a file for William at the Australian War Memorial which is open but not online under AWM65, 3129. His service file at National Archives Australia under NAA: A9300, LEACH W has a folder in it with files that are still closed. They were closed in 1978.
William passed away while planting trees on his property at Weyba Street, Sunshine Beach on 18th February 1986 of cardiac arrest caused by coronary occlusion and ischaemic heart disease and cerebrovascular disease. He was buried in Buderim Lawn Crematorium and Memorial Gardens on the Sunshine Coast. The memorial plaque shows the RAAF symbol and says beloved husband, father and grandfather, sadly missed.
Ada passed away on 19th April 2002 and is buried in Buderim Lawn Crematorium and Memorial Gardens. Her memorial plaque says Ada Ballantyne Leach (Banks) Loving wife of Bill mother of William, Alan, Valerie, Andrew, Adrian, Leon and her dates of birth and death.
With their children-
William Beresford Leach was born on 2nd June 1940 at Hillcrest Hospital in Rockhampton. He was at Rockhampton State High School in 1954. In the 1968 electoral roll, he was living at RAAF Base Townsville, as an airman. He died in Sydney on 22nd July 1985.
Alan Llewellyn Leach was born on 11th June 1941 at Thursday Island. He attended Rockhampton State High School in 1954. In the 1972 electoral roll he was living at 43 Harrowby Street Carinda with Carolyn Ann Leach. He was a teacher and she was doing home duties. In the 1977 roll they had moved to 9 Cormack Street Sherwood. By the 1980 roll they had moved to 6 Horace Street Dalby and he was still a teacher.
Valerie Margaret Leach was born on 20th June 1942 at Brisbane Women’s Hospital. She was listed in the Brisbane State High School Admission Register on 27th January 1959. Valerie worked as an Education Consultant and a School Principal. She married Robert George Terrance Thompson, a fitter’s labourer. In 1963, they were living at 1248 Logan Road Mt Gravatt. By 1968 they had moved to 33 Lamorna Street Rochedale. No other details are known on her.
Andrew John Leach was born 23rd July 1948 at Crows Nest, was known as “Mick” and was a teacher and Principal at Buderim and other Queensland schools.
Adrian Maurice Leach was born on 20th May 1950 at Crows nest, was known as “Spud” and was a leading aircraft engineer with Qantas.
Leon Malcolm Leach was born on 2nd August 1952 at Rockhampton Hospital and was in the Queensland School Pupils list in 1965. He was living with his parents at 153 Coulson Street Wacol and he was listed as a hydrologist (with the Department of Public Works), as recorded in the 1977 electoral roll. Joyce Edith Leach, a nurse, was also living there, possibly his wife. Another entry in 1977 shows them living at 68 Liverpool Street 8 Mile Plains, Calamvale. By the 1980 roll, they had moved to 13 Peters Street Mareeba, with the same occupations. He is involved in the delivery of groundwater related science for Queensland.
His medals are Distinguished Flying Cross, 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star with France and Germany clasp, Defence Medal, British War Medal with oak leaf and Australian Service Medal.
His dog tag, RAAF buttons, flight badges and other.
Other items with his collection.
William’s grandson wrote an English assignment about him while in Grade 10, titled “A Special D.F.C.”, for which he received an A for and great comments from his teacher. It is copied here: –
In May this year we went to visit my Grandparents for Grandad’s seventieth birthday. He is rather a quiet, reserved man who isn’t given to ‘small talk’. In fact he doesn’t talk much at all especially to us ‘little kids’. Sometimes, though, on past visits, he has mentioned some of his boyhood escapades and the hardships of the Depression years. I can’t say we always understood the morals of the stories he told us, but we found them interesting. To have to get out of bed early on bitterly cold winter mornings to collect bottles, then sell them to buy enough flour and milk to make breakfast for himself and his almost blind father is not my idea of an easy childhood. I don’t know where I got the idea that he didn’t go to school after the collecting the bottles, but I was shocked when I found out that he did, and wondered how I’d cope. By fourteen he was a pupil teacher by day and studied at night to gain his Matriculation and did not have the benefit of having his parents financial or emotional support since they had both died. One year, I remember, my eldest brother, John, disagreeing with Grandad about the fairness of the way he had been punished by his father. It was quite a shock to us kids to learn that such contradictions were considered impolite.
As busy and poor as Grandad was as a teenager he still found time to bowl ‘yorkers’ with stones and break windows with strong strokes to ‘mid-on’ in the vacant lot behind the boarding house where he lived with his father. Although he was young, it did not take Grandad long to establish a good reputation as a teacher and then to become principal of his own school. It was then he met a beautiful young lady (the eldest of a large family who owned a sugar-cane farm in north Queensland) who, of course, would be his future wife. By 1938 he was married. All these little bits of information we had picked up over the years as we ‘listened in’ to the adults chatting whilst us kids read or played cards. Any way this year, probably because we were older, we were all included in the conversation, and when someone coaxed Grandad into showing us his World War Two medals, I really sat up and took notice. This was life.
As we crowded around him eager to get a glimpse of the blue rail tickets, torn menus (keepsake of the troop’s first meal on board ship to Canada) letters of appointment, letters of farewell, telegrams with words cut out, pay slips, a small seventy-eight record on which he sent greetings to Grandma, my mother and her two elder brothers, I began to see a new Grandad. A Grandad who had been as strong and as active as my eldest brother, John. A Grandad whose mind had been put to good use, but whose modesty and shyness prevented him from sharing all the ‘exciting’ things that boys like to hear about. Page after yellowed page took us into his past. I couldn’t imagine Grandad hiking across English moors and deer-stalking but it not surprising that he has kept everything neatly, because his garage is the most amazing collection of things all arranged perfectly in order and ready for instant use.
From the depths of crumpled tissue paper stuffed into and old cigar box came his decorations, ribbons and medals each one with a special story and its own protective cloth. It seemed cloth hid not only the silver and gold but the secrets of the man who earned them. The last medal to be unwrapped was beautiful. It caught my eye and I thought I saw a special look in Grandad’s eye. “What’s that one for, Grandad?” I asked eager to learn the story behind the gleaming silver cross. Instead of answering, Grandad struggled to his feet and shuffled off downstairs to the library. I thought I must have annoyed him or perhaps he had had enough. I was most disappointed. Surely it must have been more interesting than the Mentioned in Despatches gold oak leaf, and the Atlantic Star and clasp given by France and Germany.
In a few minutes he returned grasping an old picture frame. “Here, read this” he stated, thrusting it in my hands. It wasn’t a picture but an old faded letter. I had seen it often hanging on the library wall, but it was always too high up to read and the light was not so marvellous either, besides I usually had my nose stuck in a book. I passed it quickly to my younger brother who reads out loud better than I do, and we lapsed into silence as he read the Citation which accompanies the awarding of the Distinguished Flying Cross. “…….but perhaps the greatest contribution which Flight Lieut. Leach mas made to the work of the Squadron, has been the lead he has given in the whole science of bombing and the analysis of results. His enthusiasm and talent in this sphere has been very largely responsible for the marked improvement in results…….” I think we all had lumps in our throats when he finished, at any rate, I did.
“How did you get to be a Bombardier, Grandad?” I asked eager to learn as much as I could. I’ve just finished my first Work Experience at T.A.A. and had just a taste of handling a plane. For years I’ve wanted to be an aero-dynamics engineer and the jump from teacher in Torres Strait to Navigator-Bomber in Scotland seemed most interesting. Besides you need money to become a pilot and I knew Grandad didn’t have much when he was young. “When the Japanese invaded New Guinea”, Grandad began, we were evacuated to Brisbane, so I joined the I.T.S. (Initial Training School) at Sandgate, Queensland. Those who did very well in Maths were sent to Cootamundra and trained as Air Observer Navigator. From there I went to Evans Head and trained to be a Bomb Aimer and an Air Gunner. One month later I qualified as an Astro-navigator from Parkes, N.S.W.” “With above average marks”, chipped in Grandma with pride. Grandad’s very modest and would never say such things.
All of the above training took just six months and Grandad chalked up a total of sixty hours flying time by day and twenty night-hours in two-engined Ansons and one-engine Rolls Royce Fairy Battle. In January, 1943 he was posted to the Canadian General Reconnaissance School at Sumerside as a Pilot Officer. After a few weeks he arrived in Long Keah, Ireland. This was an operational Training Unit and for the next six weeks he flew Beauforts both day and night. Just over one year from when he had first enlisted he landed in Turnberry, Scotland, this time to study torpedoes but still flying Beauforts. From there he went to Longtown on the Scottish England border to a Halifax Conversion Unit where he flew Halifax for eleven day-hours and six night-hours. For his first ‘White Christmas’ he joined the “502” City of Belfast Squadron at St. David’s and on New Year’s Day made his first operational trip, to the Royal Naval Air Station in County Derry. His total flying time for January was 20.18 days and 9.50 nights and these were all operational flights. So Grandad was still busy. He never wastes a minute even now. St. David’s was his home for nine months and here he qualified as Bombing Leader. From there he went to Stornaway in the New Hebrides and was involved mostly in anti-shipping manoeuvres which included submarines. In the eight months he spent in this remote wind-swept hide-away his total flying time was 403.30 days and 250 night hours.
Grandad kept us fascinated with recollections of ‘close shaves’ such as when he was chased by night fighters and had the rudder shot through. They limped home but had to dive steeply to control the fire. Of course the fog was a constant problem on this little outpost not far from the Arctic Circle. “The casualties were high,” sighed Grandad. “You see, with the Mark 9 you had to fly straight and level for two minutes, which gave the enemy time to get you in its sights, so I decided to find out more about it. When Squadron Leader Black, who was involved with the development of the Mark 14A described the movement of the bombplate as gyroscopically controlled I figures it could be used in a turn. While I was in Namby doing further bomb-sight studies I worked on the theory of bombing in a turn. When I arrived back at the Squadron in Stornoway I was at first decried by my fellow bomb-aimers and told it wouldn’t work. The best I got was permission to drop practice bombs of only eight pounds. I had talked at length with the Squadron Leader about my theories and he finally gave permission to drop a stack of 8×500 pound filled with sand ….’if I could find a pilot silly enough to take me up’. That was no problem as my favourite skipper, Flight Lieutenant Urlwin-Smith, was only too willing. (Our friends were rapidly diminishing, as enemy attack continued.) The drop was a success, but the other pilots were still worried that real bombs would skid and cause a mid-air explosion. Permission was finally given for the procedure to be used during operations and ‘Smithy’ was the pilot on the first run. We both received the D.F.C. at the same time.” concluded Grandad. Grandad never elaborated on his feelings before and during that first drop, but I can imagine how nervous and scared I would have been. I scanned the Citation again. “An attack on 25th February was a satisfactory finale to a long series of Halifax attacks in which Flight Lieut. Leach, as Navigator Bomb-aimer has played a spirited, scientific and gallant part. On this occasion a merchant vessel of some 4000 tons was sighted at 23.23 hours near the Swedish coast……… The altitude of the moon made it difficult to effect an orthodox bombing run, so Flight Lieut. Leach directed the aircraft to one side of the target and released his bombs on the turn towards it – a technique which his study of the bombsight’s potentialities had led him to practice………he bombed cooly in the face of intense flak against minesweepers and sperrbrechers and other escorts…..”
And that’s Grandad all over. He does his best all the time and never settles for second best in things that concern the welfare of other people. When things need to be changed he keeps at it till he finds a way to change it. Even though he had a comparatively harsh childhood, endured the trauma of the Depression and the terrors of the war he has not let those experiences disable him. He returned to teaching after the war and when he retired after forty-eight years should have received another D.F.C. He is the proud father of six children and fourteen grandsons and has never stopped trying to help us all. Indeed, been a great Grandfather. Perhaps I’ll award him another medal the next time we go to Sunshine Beach, a new and happier kind of medal, the Distinguished Family Cross.
ANZAC Biographies
On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women
whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection on display at the
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum,
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.
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Thank you so much. I am amazed at the thorough research and compilation of Dads life.
My son, John, who lives in California, found this article on Google, and sent it to me.