John Leacroft
Encyclopedia
Group Captain John Leacroft MC
& Bar
(4 November 1888 – 26 August 1971) was a World War I
fighter ace
credited with 22 victories. He remained in the Royal Air Force
until 1937, and returned to service during World War II
in administrative roles.
before going up to Pembroke College, Cambridge
. He first joined the British Armed Forces
when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant
for service with the senior division of the University of Cambridge
Officers' Training Corps on 3 February 1909, but he resigned this commission on 1 November the same year.
by the time he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
in 1915.
Leacroft was originally posted as an observer with No. 14 Squadron RAF
in Egypt in 1916. He saw action during the Senussi Uprising and the second Turkish attack on the Suez Canal
as part of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
. After receiving pilot training he was appointed a Flying Officer on 20 March 1917, and posted to No. 19 Squadron RAF to fly Spad VIIs in May 1917, just as low-level ground attack sorties were being introduced in the lead up to the Battle of Messines
. He scored his first victory on 17 June 1917. He tallied one each in July and August, and a double on 1 September to become an ace. By the end of the month he was a double ace. He had been appointed a Flight Commander on 22 July 1917. After four more triumphs in October, he was withdrawn from the front. Two of his October victories came in support of Allied troops during the Third Battle of Ypres, when on other occasions he carried a box of 25 lb bombs in his cockpit, as the Spad had no bomb racks. For these missions he was awarded the Military Cross
on 27 October 1918, the citation, published the following March, read:
When he returned for another tour of duty in early 1918, 19 Squadron had become the first unit to be equipped with the new Sopwith Dolphin. The squadron returned to operations on 13 February 1918. There followed a period of teething problems with the new aircraft. To add to these difficulties, the Dolphins were attacked by fellow British pilots because the unfamiliar Dolphin was assumed to be German.
Leacroft drove down two Albatros D.V
s on 15 March 1918 with his new aircraft. Then the Allied forces were faced with the German Spring Offensive
. He followed his earlier March victories by burning a Pfalz D.III
out of the air on 23 March; the following day saw another double victory by Leacroft. On 27 March he carried out a desperate ground attack mission against German troops using a road near Albert, Somme
, this was quoted in the official British history, The War in the Air as an example of the tactics used to stop the offensive, and earned him a Bar
to his MC, awarded on 22 June 1918. The citation read:
Victories on 12 April and 2 May rounded out his list of wins. He had survived being shot down twice. In turn, he had destroyed ten enemy aircraft; two of those wins had been shared with other pilots. Leacroft had also driven down out of control a dozen opponents. He ranked second out of the 20 aces in his squadron. Many of his initial combats had come against members of Richtofen's Flying Circus. His Squadron Commander in 1918, E. R. "Toby" Pretyman, described him as "an outstanding pilot and the best flight commander on the Western Front in his time". He was presented with both his MC and Bar by King George V
in an investiture at Buckingham Palace
on 26 September 1918.
on its formation in 1918, and he continued his career after the war, taking the new RAF rank of flight lieutenant
. His first post-war duty was as a flying instructor at the new RAF College Cranwell from 1920 to 1922, he was then posted to RAF Iraq Command
where he would stay until 1924. On 1 January 1924, he was promoted to squadron leader
. Later in 1924 he took command of No. 17 Squadron at RAF Hawkinge
. He commanded the squadron until 1928 when he was posted as chief flying instructor with No. 3 Flying Training School at RAF Grantham. After two years there he was posted to RAF Halton
in 1930, and after promotion to wing commander
on 1 January 1932, took charge of administration at No. 1 School of Technical Training
there in February 1933, commanding No. 1 Apprentice Wing.
On 15 June 1937 it was announced that he would be the next station commander at RAF Thornaby
, and on 2 July 1937, he was promoted to group captain
. Thornaby had previously housed No. 9 Flying Training School, but now took in reconnaissance squadrons of No. 16 Group, RAF Coastal Command
. Leacroft served until his retirement on 1 December 1937.
He was still in the Reserve of Air Force Officers on 12 June 1939, when he was recalled to duty as a squadron leader. He returned to the active list as a wing commander on 1 September 1939. In 1942 he was appointed president of the Air Crew Selection Board
, then based at Cardington, Bedfordshire
. He retired again on 19 April 1945. In retirement he settled in Bexhill-on-Sea
where he died on 26 August 1971.
, a requiem mass was held at Clifton Cathedral
on 29 March. They were survived by their only daughter, Diana.
Leacroft was a noted sportsman in his younger days. Before World War I he hunted
regularly with the Belvoir Hunt (among others). Between the wars he represented the RAF at cricket
, polo
and shooting—competing at Bisley
.
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
& Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
(4 November 1888 – 26 August 1971) was a World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
fighter ace
Fighter Ace
Fighter Ace was a massively multiplayer online computer game in which one flies World War II fighter and bomber planes in combat against other players and virtual pilots...
credited with 22 victories. He remained in the Royal Air Force
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
until 1937, and returned to service during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in administrative roles.
Early life
John Leacroft born on 4 November 1888, the son of Dr John William Leacroft. He was educated at Aldenham SchoolAldenham School
Aldenham School is a co-educational independent school for pupils aged thirteen to eighteen, located between Elstree and the village of Aldenham in Hertfordshire, England...
before going up to Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College, Cambridge
Pembroke College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The college has over seven hundred students and fellows, and is the third oldest college of the university. Physically, it is one of the university's larger colleges, with buildings from almost every century since its...
. He first joined the British Armed Forces
British Armed Forces
The British Armed Forces are the armed forces of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.Also known as Her Majesty's Armed Forces and sometimes legally the Armed Forces of the Crown, the British Armed Forces encompasses three professional uniformed services, the Royal Navy, the...
when he was commissioned as a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
for service with the senior division of the University of Cambridge
University of Cambridge
The University of Cambridge is a public research university located in Cambridge, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest university in both the United Kingdom and the English-speaking world , and the seventh-oldest globally...
Officers' Training Corps on 3 February 1909, but he resigned this commission on 1 November the same year.
World War I service
Leacroft joined the Army Service Corps with the outbreak of war in 1914, and served with them in France and Egypt. He had been promoted to captainCaptain (British Army and Royal Marines)
Captain is a junior officer rank of the British Army and Royal Marines. It ranks above Lieutenant and below Major and has a NATO ranking code of OF-2. The rank is equivalent to a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy and to a Flight Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force...
by the time he transferred to the Royal Flying Corps
Royal Flying Corps
The Royal Flying Corps was the over-land air arm of the British military during most of the First World War. During the early part of the war, the RFC's responsibilities were centred on support of the British Army, via artillery co-operation and photographic reconnaissance...
in 1915.
Leacroft was originally posted as an observer with No. 14 Squadron RAF
No. 14 Squadron RAF
No. 14 Squadron of the Royal Air Force currently operates the Beechcraft Shadow R1 in the ISTAR role from RAF Waddington.-World War I:...
in Egypt in 1916. He saw action during the Senussi Uprising and the second Turkish attack on the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
as part of the Sinai and Palestine Campaign
Sinai and Palestine Campaign
The Sinai and Palestine Campaigns took place in the Middle Eastern Theatre of World War I. A series of battles were fought between British Empire, German Empire and Ottoman Empire forces from 26 January 1915 to 31 October 1918, when the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and...
. After receiving pilot training he was appointed a Flying Officer on 20 March 1917, and posted to No. 19 Squadron RAF to fly Spad VIIs in May 1917, just as low-level ground attack sorties were being introduced in the lead up to the Battle of Messines
Battle of Messines
The Battle of Messines was a battle of the Western front of the First World War. It began on 7 June 1917 when the British Second Army under the command of General Herbert Plumer launched an offensive near the village of Mesen in West Flanders, Belgium...
. He scored his first victory on 17 June 1917. He tallied one each in July and August, and a double on 1 September to become an ace. By the end of the month he was a double ace. He had been appointed a Flight Commander on 22 July 1917. After four more triumphs in October, he was withdrawn from the front. Two of his October victories came in support of Allied troops during the Third Battle of Ypres, when on other occasions he carried a box of 25 lb bombs in his cockpit, as the Spad had no bomb racks. For these missions he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
on 27 October 1918, the citation, published the following March, read:
When he returned for another tour of duty in early 1918, 19 Squadron had become the first unit to be equipped with the new Sopwith Dolphin. The squadron returned to operations on 13 February 1918. There followed a period of teething problems with the new aircraft. To add to these difficulties, the Dolphins were attacked by fellow British pilots because the unfamiliar Dolphin was assumed to be German.
Albatros D.V
|-See also:-Bibliography:*Bennett, Leon. Gunning for the Red Baron. College Station, TX: Texas A&M University Press, 2006. ISBN 1-58544-507-X....
s on 15 March 1918 with his new aircraft. Then the Allied forces were faced with the German Spring Offensive
Spring Offensive
The 1918 Spring Offensive or Kaiserschlacht , also known as the Ludendorff Offensive, was a series of German attacks along the Western Front during World War I, beginning on 21 March 1918, which marked the deepest advances by either side since 1914...
. He followed his earlier March victories by burning a Pfalz D.III
Pfalz D.III
|-See also:-Bibliography:* Gray, Peter and Owen Thetford. German Aircraft of the First World War. London: Putnam, 1962. ISBN 0-93385-271-1.* Grosz, Peter M. Pfalz D.IIIa . Berkhamsted, Herts, UK: Albatros Publications, 1995. ISBN 0-94841-425-1.* Guttman, Jon. Balloon-Busting Aces of World War 1 ...
out of the air on 23 March; the following day saw another double victory by Leacroft. On 27 March he carried out a desperate ground attack mission against German troops using a road near Albert, Somme
Albert, Somme
Albert is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.It is located about halfway between Amiens and Bapaume.-History:Albert was founded as a Roman outpost called Encre, in about 54 BC...
, this was quoted in the official British history, The War in the Air as an example of the tactics used to stop the offensive, and earned him a Bar
Medal bar
A medal bar or medal clasp is a thin metal bar attached to the ribbon of a military decoration, civil decoration, or other medal. It is most commonly used to indicate the campaign or operation the recipient received the award for, and multiple bars on the same medal are used to indicate that the...
to his MC, awarded on 22 June 1918. The citation read:
Victories on 12 April and 2 May rounded out his list of wins. He had survived being shot down twice. In turn, he had destroyed ten enemy aircraft; two of those wins had been shared with other pilots. Leacroft had also driven down out of control a dozen opponents. He ranked second out of the 20 aces in his squadron. Many of his initial combats had come against members of Richtofen's Flying Circus. His Squadron Commander in 1918, E. R. "Toby" Pretyman, described him as "an outstanding pilot and the best flight commander on the Western Front in his time". He was presented with both his MC and Bar by King George V
George V of the United Kingdom
George V was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 through the First World War until his death in 1936....
in an investiture at Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace, in London, is the principal residence and office of the British monarch. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is a setting for state occasions and royal hospitality...
on 26 September 1918.
Post World War I
Leacroft had been granted a permanent commission in the Royal Air ForceRoyal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
on its formation in 1918, and he continued his career after the war, taking the new RAF rank of flight lieutenant
Flight Lieutenant
Flight lieutenant is a junior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many Commonwealth countries. It ranks above flying officer and immediately below squadron leader. The name of the rank is the complete phrase; it is never shortened to "lieutenant"...
. His first post-war duty was as a flying instructor at the new RAF College Cranwell from 1920 to 1922, he was then posted to RAF Iraq Command
RAF Iraq Command
Iraq Command was the RAF commanded inter-service command in charge of British forces in Iraq in the 1920s and early 1930s, during the period of the British Mandate of Mesopotamia. It continued as British Forces in Iraq until 1941 when it was replaced by AHQ Iraq...
where he would stay until 1924. On 1 January 1924, he was promoted to squadron leader
Squadron Leader
Squadron Leader is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many countries which have historical British influence. It is also sometimes used as the English translation of an equivalent rank in countries which have a non-English air force-specific rank structure. In these...
. Later in 1924 he took command of No. 17 Squadron at RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge
RAF Hawkinge was an airfield in Kent, near to the south coast and the closest airfield to the French coast.It took part in the Battle of Britain and it was home to No. 79 Squadron RAF. After the war, the station hosted the Home Command Gliding Centre, and is fondly remembered by many Air Cadets as...
. He commanded the squadron until 1928 when he was posted as chief flying instructor with No. 3 Flying Training School at RAF Grantham. After two years there he was posted to RAF Halton
RAF Halton
RAF Halton is one of the largest Royal Air Force stations in the United Kingdom, located near the village of Halton near Wendover, Buckinghamshire.HRH The Duchess of Cornwall is the Honorary Air Commodore of RAF Halton.-History:...
in 1930, and after promotion to wing commander
Wing Commander (rank)
Wing commander is a commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries...
on 1 January 1932, took charge of administration at No. 1 School of Technical Training
No. 1 School of Technical Training
No.1 School of Technical Training is the Royal Air Force's aircraft engineering school, based at RAF Halton from 1919 to 1993, as the Home of the Aircraft Apprentice scheme...
there in February 1933, commanding No. 1 Apprentice Wing.
On 15 June 1937 it was announced that he would be the next station commander at RAF Thornaby
RAF Thornaby
RAF Thornaby was a former RAF Station located at the Teesside town of Thornaby-on-Tees, North Yorkshire. The station was created in the mid 1920s and came under the control of No. 18 Group, RAF Coastal Command in 1939. Being used mostly for reconnaissance work, anti shipping strikes, and attacks on...
, and on 2 July 1937, he was promoted to group captain
Group Captain
Group captain is a senior commissioned rank in the Royal Air Force and the air forces of many other Commonwealth countries. It ranks above wing commander and immediately below air commodore...
. Thornaby had previously housed No. 9 Flying Training School, but now took in reconnaissance squadrons of No. 16 Group, RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command
RAF Coastal Command was a formation within the Royal Air Force . Founded in 1936, it was the RAF's premier maritime arm, after the Royal Navy's secondment of the Fleet Air Arm in 1937. Naval aviation was neglected in the inter-war period, 1919–1939, and as a consequence the service did not receive...
. Leacroft served until his retirement on 1 December 1937.
He was still in the Reserve of Air Force Officers on 12 June 1939, when he was recalled to duty as a squadron leader. He returned to the active list as a wing commander on 1 September 1939. In 1942 he was appointed president of the Air Crew Selection Board
Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre
The Royal Air Force Officer and Aircrew Selection Centre, located at Adastral Hall, RAF Cranwell, is the centre through which every potential RAF officer must go to be selected for Initial Officer Training . The Selection Centre is attached to 2 large hangars, plus the Candidates Mess. The centre...
, then based at Cardington, Bedfordshire
Cardington, Bedfordshire
Cardington is a village and civil parish in the Borough of Bedford in Bedfordshire, EnglandPart of the ancient hundred of Wixamtree, the settlement is best known in connection with the Cardington airship works founded by Short Brothers during World War I, which later became an RAF training station...
. He retired again on 19 April 1945. In retirement he settled in Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea
Bexhill-on-Sea is a town and seaside resort in the county of East Sussex, in the south of England, within the District of Rother. It has a population of approximately 40,000...
where he died on 26 August 1971.
Private life
Leacroft married Gladys, daughter of George Underhill Cuddon in 1926. Gladys lived until 22 March 1977, when she died in Clifton, BristolClifton, Bristol
Clifton is a suburb of the City of Bristol in England, and the name of both one of the city's thirty-five council wards. The Clifton ward also includes the areas of Cliftonwood and Hotwells...
, a requiem mass was held at Clifton Cathedral
Clifton Cathedral
The Cathedral Church of SS. Peter and Paul is the Roman Catholic cathedral in the English city of Bristol. Located in the Clifton area of the city, it is the seat of the Diocese of Clifton and is known as Clifton Cathedral....
on 29 March. They were survived by their only daughter, Diana.
Leacroft was a noted sportsman in his younger days. Before World War I he hunted
Fox hunting
Fox hunting is an activity involving the tracking, chase, and sometimes killing of a fox, traditionally a red fox, by trained foxhounds or other scent hounds, and a group of followers led by a master of foxhounds, who follow the hounds on foot or on horseback.Fox hunting originated in its current...
regularly with the Belvoir Hunt (among others). Between the wars he represented the RAF at cricket
Royal Air Force cricket team
The Royal Air Force cricket team is a cricket side representing the British Royal Air Force. The team played 11 first-class matches: nine between 1922 and 1932, mostly against other branches of the Services, and another two in 1945 and 1946. Their home ground is the Royal Air Force Sports Ground,...
, polo
Polo
Polo is a team sport played on horseback in which the objective is to score goals against an opposing team. Sometimes called, "The Sport of Kings", it was highly popularized by the British. Players score by driving a small white plastic or wooden ball into the opposing team's goal using a...
and shooting—competing at Bisley
Bisley, Surrey
Bisley is a large village in Surrey, England, which is notable for rifle shooting. Bisley's immediate neighbours are West End, Chobham and Knaphill.- History :...
.