Page 9 - November (Remembrance)2020

Squadron Leader Henry Wallace "Wally" McLeod Flight Lieutenant Gordon Wilson
Nicknames: “Wally” or “The Eagle of Malta”
Gordon was born on
Born in Regina on Dec. 17, December 5, 1917 in
1915, McLeod served in the Limerick, Sask.. During
militia’s 5th Saskatchewan the late 1920's the
Regiment and Regina Rifle family moved to
Regiment from 1928 through Regina. In 1940
to 1934. After graduating Gordon enlisted in the
from the Regina Normal Royal Canadian Air
School, Teachers College, he Force, but due to
joined the RCAF in Regina on limited training
September 2nd, 1940, facilities the RCAF was unable to take him right away. He
training at No.2 ITS Regina, 6 EFTS at Prince Albert, then joined the Signal Corps and the Regina Rifles
graduating in January of 1941 then moving to No.1 SFTS Regiment where he trained. In December 1940, Gordon
graduating April 1st 1941. He arrived in the UK on 9 May received the call from the RCAF to begin training, and
st
1941 and was assigned to 132 Squadron from July 21 to was sent overseas in 1941.
th
August 28 , 1941 before transferring to 485 Squadron from
nd
th
August 28 through to December 2 , 1941. Wally was then
2 to December 23 , 1941 and with the 411 Squadron from "Air warfare is not like
moved to 602 Squadron and served there from December
nd
rd
th
rd
hand-to-hand Combat,
December 23 , 1941 to May 5 , 1942.
No. 485 Squadron and No. 411 RCAF. By May 1942 he had it’s impersonal and you
McLeod began fighter sweeps over France in July 1941 with
scored five victories. On 13 October 1942 McLeod was know, they’re going to
awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Posted to Malta, flying with No.603 Squadron from June 3rd try and shoot you down,

1942 to an uncertain date Wally was then posted to the
1435 Squadron from late June or early July 1942 until you’re going to try and
th
October 26 1942.
shoot them down."
By now a season ace, he returned to Canada in December

1942. He instructed at 1 OTU, Bagotville from 12 March
1943 to 12 January 1944, returning to the UK in January
1944 in command of the RCAF’s 127 Fighter Squadron, which In December 1941, his squadron was moved to the RAF
was soon renumbered as 443 Squadron. He was killed in where he served as a Spitfire Fighter Pilot in Europe,
action on 27 September 1944.
North Africa, Malta, Sicily and Italy from 1941 through to
1945, attaining the rank of Flight Lieutenant. After the
For his actions over Malta, McLeod received a Distinguished war, he returned to Saskatchewan and resumed his
Flying Cross and bar, and later the Distinguished Service
University education. He also renewed a friendship with
Order. At the time of his death, he had 20 or 21 confirmed Marion Coakwell, a girl he had known since 1937. They
kills, depending on which historical source one consults.
were married on December 27, 1947 and shared a
remarkable 67 years together.
The RCAF’s top-scoring fighter ace of the Second World War, Gordon Wilson passed on Sunday May 31, 2015, at the
Squadron Leader Henry Wallace "Wally" McLeod, was killed age of 97.
in action in a dogfight over Germany.

For more information, see the book “The Tumbling Sky”