Lieutenant Colonel Robert Leith-Macgregor MC DFC (23 August 1917 – 14 November 2008) was a British Army officer and Royal Air Force pilot.
Post-war, he returned to the army, serving again with the Royal Northumberland Fusiliers in the Korean War, and later commanding a battalion of that regiment.
The stepson of an admiral, Leith-Macgregor initially trained at the Nautical College, Pangbourne, but could not deal with the five hours of mathematics a day, and after three years transferred to the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst.
[1] On the second occasion, his engine failed and he was forced to crash-land; it later transpired he had taxied 75 yards (69 m) in an active minefield without detonating anything.
[1] He had retained his army commission and was promoted lieutenant on 1 January 1941,[5] and in the RAF, war substantive flying officer on 11 April 1941.
Despite again being strafed by the remaining planes, he once again survived unscathed, and returned to his base just in time to find his flight sergeant (who had witnessed events) organising a burial detail.
In June, 1942, whilst on reconnaissance duties near Bir Hacheim, Flight Lieutenant McGregor encountered 4 Messerschmitt 109's which attacked separately.
[1] Promoted lieutenant colonel on 5 February 1960,[13] he commanded the 1st battalion before, aware he had no staff training, he retired on 5 December 1962.