F/Lt Thomas Leithead DFM

[Dave LEITHEAD]

The following is the sum total of my knowledge to date on F/Lt Thomas Leithead DFM.
I would be most grateful to receive any further information on Thomas.
Neilw has very kindly offered to check the ORB's for any mention of Thomas. However, I recently discovered that Thomas may have volunteered for the mission on which he died, to take the place of a crew member who was ill. The possibility exists therefore that the crew and/or aircraft listed below were not his regular crew/aircraft. The ORB's results will hopefully clarify this.

F/Lt Thomas Leithead DFM
born 6 December 1914 at Hawick, Roxburghshire.

From: Commonwealth War Graves Commission:
Name: LEITHEAD, THOMAS
Initials: T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Flight Lieutenant
Regiment/Service: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 102 Sqdn.
Age: 29
Date of Death: Saturday 26/02/1944
Service No: 128409
Awards: D F M
Additional information: Son of Mr. and Mrs. David Leithead; husband of Lottie Leithead, of Darlington, Co. Durham.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 202.
Memorial: RUNNYMEDE MEMORIAL

SUPPLEMENT TO THE LONDON GAZETTE, 26 JUNE, 1942 2819
Distinguished Flying Medal.

Awarded DFM as Sgt with 51 Sq
977643 Sergeant Thomas LEITHEAD, No. 51 Squadron.

From Ian Tavender’s book “The Distinguished Flying Medal Register for the Second World War” :
Leithead Thomas 977643 Sergeant No. 51 Sqn.
LG 26/6/1942. Sorties 28, Flying hours 179.09 W.Op/Air Gunner

Sergeant Leithead joined the Squadron on 12th. May 1941, and since that date has been continuously employed on operations, completing in all 28 sorties including four of over eight hours duration. He has always shown outstanding ability, particularly on his visit to Frankfurt on 24th. October 1941, when Sergeant Leithead was responsible for bringing back the aircraft by obtaining 5 fixes and 20 Q.D.M’s during the return journey of a flight which lasted 9 ½ hours. It is felt that Sergeant Leithead has earned the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.
17th. April 1942

Remarks by Station Commander:
A keen, calm and courageous Wireless Operator / Air Gunner whose operational record cannot be too highly commended. His devotion to duty has inspired confidence in the rest of his crew. Recommended for the award of the Distinguished Flying Medal.
Flt Lt: Leithead is listed on the War Memorial at Melrose, the home town of his parents.

From “RAF Bomber Command Losses of the Second World War” by W.R.Chorley. Vol.5 page 106:
102 Sqn Halifax II LW331 DY-D Op: Gardening
F/S S J Rogers RCAF +
Sgt D G Lloyd +
WO2 J A R W Lalonde RCAF +
F/S J Metka RCAF +
F/L T Leithead DFM +
Sgt E R Burns RCAF +
Sgt J W Brown +

T/o 2012 Pocklington similarly tasked(*). Came down in the North Sea off Bridlington. An extensive ASR operation was mounted, but no trace of this aircraft or its crew were found. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. F/L Leithead, the Squadron’s Signals Leader, had flown with 51 Squadron, details of his DFM being Gazetted on 26 June 1942. Note by DL: (*) = operations over the Baltic (Kiel Bay). 2 other aircraft were also lost on this operation.


Additional information:
I am informed by Thomas’s nephew that Thomas worked for the Royal Bank of Scotland before the War.
Thomas was married to Lottie (either 1938 at Hawick, or more probably 1942 at Northallerton) but they did not have any children. They had a house in Darlington.
The saddest piece of information also came from Thomas’s nephew whose Mother had told him that her brother had volunteered on the night he died to take the place of a crew member who was ill.
The Bridlington ASR unit mentioned was probably No.1104 Marine Craft Unit, RAF Bridlington.

[Bill Leyland]

You seem to have plenty of info on your man already, well done. I haven't anything to add except that it seems to me that 'his' crew were mainly Canadian, and maybe the RCAF have details on this crew that we don't over here. Just a thought. Not sure who you should contact though! Good luck Dave. Bill

[Dave LEITHEAD]

Good thinking, Bill!
Thanks for that suggestion. I have browsed some Canadian/RCAF websites in the past without success, but I perhaps wrongly assumed that the Canadian crew members in 102 Squadron came under the RAF rather than the RCAF, my knowledge in this field being very limited. I will now pursue this line of enquiry again with renewed vigour.
Cheers, Dave.

Have any other members had experience of researching 102 Sqn RCAF crew members and, if so, can you suggest any websites that you have found particularly useful?

[Neilw]

Dave - firstly huge apologies that I have not been back to you yet - I hope to do soon.....

Have you tried -

http://airforce.ca/honours-awards/milit ... -services/

Also Archives in Ottawa are apparently a good source

Cheers

Neil

[Dave LEITHEAD]

Hi Neil,
No worries, I appreciate that there's an awful lot of work involved for you so I'm quite happy to wait until you can find the time.
Thanks for the sources info ..... I drew a blank with "airforce.ca" since none of my 4 RCAF crew members had won any honours or awards.
I had more luck at Library and Archives Canada in Ottawa .... located all 4 and now have their forenames, date of birth, rank, service number, parentage and hometown, but no info on their 102 Sqn connection. I'm now considering ordering (and paying for) the full file of info on just one of them to see what it yeilds, but will probably concentrate on the RAF records first.
Many thanks for all your help so far.
Cheers,
Dave.

[Bill Leyland]

I applied to RAF Innsworth for my uncles RAF records but it has since closed. I believe the service records are now held at RAF Cranwell, Sleaford, Lincs. There is a £30 search fee and you will have to claim to be a relative (or get Thomas' nephew to apply). I found these photo copies amazing. All Bobs training bases are listed - albeit in initials - which took some researching. His height, colour of eyes, scars etc were all there. A bollocking for being AWOL whilst training is recorded. Give it a go Dave, you will get closer to your man.
Regards,
Bill.

[Dave LEITHEAD]

Hi Bill,
Thanks for this suggestion. I had been debating whether or not to apply for Thomas's Service Records. Herewith the link which may be useful to others thinking of applying for service records:

http://www.mod.uk/DefenceInternet/About ... ceRecords/

Most of the information you get, which they list in bold type, is stuff that I already have from other sources, but it would be well worth a £30 punt to possibly obtain the sort of additional information and level of detail that you got on your Uncle Bob, so here goes !!
It may answer the question of why Thomas appears to have two Service Numbers (977643 as a Sgt with 51 Sqn when he got his DFM, and 128409 with 102 Sqn).
Thanks again, Bill, for your help and advice. I'm very much a novice in this field so it is much appreciated.
Cheers,
Dave.

[Bill Leyland]

Useful link Dave. Novice! I think not!

[ChrisInBlackpool]

I have finally got around to adding some of the info Dave has given us to a page on Thomas.
http://www.102ceylonsquadron.co.uk/memThomasLeithead.html

Update for the crew:

F/S Sidney John Rogers RCAF - Pilot - Aged 24 - (C.W.G.C.)
WO2 Joseph Albert Rodrigue Wilfred Lalonde RCAF - Nav - Aged 26 - (C.W.G.C.)
F/S J Metka RCAF - BA - Aged 22 - (C.W.G.C.)
F/L Thomas Leithead - DFM - WOp - Aged 29 - (C.W.G.C.)
Sgt Edward Robert Burns RCAF - MidAG - Aged 23 - (C.W.G.C.)
Sgt James William Brown - RAG - (C.W.G.C.)
Sgt David Glanville Lloyd - FE - Aged 20 - (C.W.G.C.)

Hopefully now it's up on here and has it's own page we might get a hit from some one else doing research on the crew.

Dave.. talk to you soon.. great work by the way.. please let me know what you think..

[Dave LEITHEAD]

Hello Chris,
Thanks a million for the new page on Thomas ..... it's great!
As his researcher it is tremendously gratifying to know that, because of your wonderful website, Thomas's name is now up there for all to see worldwide. The new page enables everyone to read about his bravery and service to his country, and so his memory is kept alive. It is also of course a tribute to the rest of the crew who died with him.
I've sent off to RAF Disclosures for Thomas's Service Record so hopefully in time we can add more detail to his story.
Thanks again,
Cheers, Dave.