John Leacroft

Group Captain John Leacroft MC & Bar (4 November 1888 – 26 August 1971) was a World War I fighter ace credited with 22 victories.

[1] He remained in the Royal Air Force until 1937, and returned to service during World War II in administrative roles.

[4] Leacroft joined the Army Service Corps with the outbreak of war in 1914, and served with them in France and Egypt.

[1][5] He saw action during the Senussi Uprising and the second Turkish attack on the Suez Canal as part of the Sinai and Palestine campaign.

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.

For these missions, he was awarded the Military Cross[2] on 27 October 1918,[9] the citation, published the following March, read: T./Capt.

On one occasion he flew at a very low altitude in extremely bad weather and successfully engaged enemy troops with machine-gun fire, and on another occasion carried out a most valuable reconnaissance and engaged enemy troops from a height of 100 feet.

[1] 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,[2] awarded on 22 June 1918.

On one occasion, when leading an offensive patrol, his formation destroyed six enemy planes and drove another down out of control without suffering any damage itself.

[2] He was presented with both his MC and Bar by King George V in an investiture at Buckingham Palace on 26 September 1918.

[14] Leacroft had been granted a permanent commission in the Royal Air Force on its formation in 1918, and he continued his career after the war, taking the new RAF rank of flight lieutenant.

[2] 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.

[2][16][17][18] On 15 June 1937 it was announced that he would be the next station commander at RAF Thornaby,[16] and on 2 July 1937, he was promoted to group captain.

[20] He was still in the Reserve of Air Force Officers on 12 June 1939, when he was recalled to duty as a squadron leader.

[22] In 1942 he was appointed president of the Air Crew Selection Board, then based at Cardington, Bedfordshire.