207876 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
|