Flight Lieutenant Thomas Leithead, D.F.M.

Flight Lieutenant Thomas Leithead, D.F.M., Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve. He was lost on Air Operations on 26th February 1944 aged 29. He had been born in Hawick to David and the late Flora Leithead of Harleyburn Lodge, Melrose and the husband of Lottie Douglas and is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. Before enlisting he had been employed by the Royal Bank of Scotland in St Boswells and had played rugby for Melrose R.F.C. He had won his Distinguished Flying Medal with 51 Squadron R.A.F. for guiding his damaged Whitley Bomber back to base from a mission to Frankfurt in October 1941. He was killed with 102 Squadron R.A.F. on a mine laying Operation in the North Sea. Despite an extensive Air Sea Rescue operation no trace of the aircraft or crew were found. He flew in the Handley Page Halifax 111 ( LW331-DY-D) from R.A.F. Pocklington, Yorkshire.

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