b. 21/04/1890 Dudley, Worcestershire. d. 11/1967 Winchester, Hampshire.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 05/10/1930 Beauvais, France.
Henry J Leech AM
Henry, or Harry as he was known, was the youngest of three children of Stephen Henry and Millicent Leech. After beginning his childhood in Dudley, the family moved to Leicestershire when Harry was 9. Harry trained as a mechanic and moved north to Manchester. He enlisted in the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) in March 1916 and was awarded the Air Force Medal in 1919. He married the widow of a fellow airship engineer and had two children. His son, Stephen, was a Sgt in the R.A.F and was killed in an air crash in 1938 at Hamble, Hampshire. The aircraft type in question – a Miles Magister – was subject to an enquiry as to its safety. His stepson Arthur had been killed two years earlier in a motor cycle crash.’
Henry James Leech was one of the survivors of the R101 crash and was awarded The Albert Medal for his bravery in rescuing Arthur Disley (wireless operator) from the burning wreckage of the airship despite suffering serious burns himself. He was presented with this medal by King George in 1931. He was also an engineer together with Leo Villa for Sir Malcolm Campbell and his son Donald during their World Speed Records. Harry himself was partially blinded when returning from Coniston in a car driven by Lady Campbell which crashed.
He worked at the University of Southampton, and later at the South Hants Hospital where he also helped develop and build a ‘Caesium Unit for the treatment of malignant disease in the late 1950’s.’ Harry Leech died aged 77 in November 1967.
AM CITATION:
Despite terrifying experiences in extricating himself from the blazing wreckage, Mr. Leech immediately at grave risk re-entered the burning mass and succeeded in disentangling a companion from the network of red-hot girders and hauled him into safety, himself sustaining burns in the process.
BURIAL LOCATION: UNKNOWN.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
