Leonard Frederick Keith Spratt

A Sergeant with the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Leonard died on 7th of November 1942 aged 23. 

Leonard was born at Wymondham, Norfolk, on 9 November 1919, a son of Leonard and Janet Decima Spratt. In 1921 his family lived at London Road, Wymondham. His family moved to Kent and Leonard became a pupil at Chatham House School, Ramsgate. In 1939 his family lived at Taklestone (possibly mis-transcribed for Tacolneston), Sussex Gardens, Birchington, Margate, and Leonard was a Post Office Telephone Fitter. In 1941 his parents moved to Brackley Road, Buckingham, where his father ran the Post Office, and in 1943 they moved to Hunstanton, Norfolk. Later they lived at 17 Longden Avenue, Oulton Broad.

Leonard enlisted in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve after August 1940. 

Leonard was an Observer. In November 1942 he was serving with 10 Operational Training Unit based at Abingdon, Berkshire. On 7 November he was a member of the crew of a Whitley V aircraft, number AD714, that was undertaking night circuit training. The aircraft overshot on approach to Stanton Harcourt and crashed at Northmoor, Oxfordshire. Two of the crew survived.

Leonard is buried at Tacolneston, which is where his father’s family came from. Leonard is commemorated on the war memorial at All Saints’ Church, Tacolneston, Norfolk. 

WITH THANKS TO: Malcolm Barrass