[1] After serving in the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry in the early 1900s,[2] Leakey's father became a farmer at Nyeri Station, west of Mount Kenya in Central Province, Kenya, about 4 miles (6.4 km) north of Kiganjo and about 100 miles (160 km) north of Nairobi.

[5] Leakey was a 28 years old sergeant in the 1/6th Battalion, King's African Rifles during the Second World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.

The confusion and loss of armour Leakey caused was critical to the Italian defeat in the battle.

[7][8] Leakey has no known grave but he is commemorated on the East Africa Memorial, near Nairobi, Kenya.

[9] His second cousin twice removed, Joshua Leakey, was also awarded the Victoria Cross for his service in Afghanistan in 2013.