Page 6 - Nov_2018

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 Limerick, Sask..
the militia’s 5th During the late
Saskatchewan Regiment 1920's the family
and Regina Rifle Regiment moved to Regina. In
from 1928 through to 1940 Gordon
1934. After graduating enlisted in the Royal
from the Regina Normal Canadian Air Force,
School, Teachers College, but due to limited training facilities the RCAF was

he joined the RCAF in Regina on September 2nd, 1940 unable to take him right away. He then joined the
training at No.2 ITS Regina, 6 EFTS at Prince Albert, Signal Corps and the Regina Rifles Regiment where
graduating in January of 1941 then moving to No.1 SFTS he trained. In December 1940, Gordon received the
graduating April 1st 1941. He arrived in the UK on 9 call from the RCAF to begin training, and was sent
May 1941 and was assigned to 132 Squadron from July overseas in 1941.
st
th
21 to August 28 , 1941 before transferring to 485
th
nd
Squadron from August 28 through to December 2 ,
1941. Wally was then moved to 602 Squadron and "Air warfare is not like hand-to-hand Combat, it’s
nd
rd
served there from December 2 to December 23 , impersonal and you know, they’re going to try and
rd
1941 and with the 411 Squadron from December 23 , shoot you down, you’re going to try and shoot them
th
1941 to May 5 , 1942. down."
McLeod began fighter sweeps over France in July 1941
with No. 485 Squadron and No. 411 RCAF. By May 1942
he had scored five victories. On 13 October 1942
In December 1941, his squadron was moved to the
McLeod was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.
RAF where he served as a Spitfire Fighter Pilot in
Posted to Malta, flying with No.603 Squadron from Europe, North Africa, Malta, Sicily and Italy from
June 3rd 1942 to an uncertain date Wally was then 1941 through to 1945, attaining the rank of Flight
posted to the 1435 Squadron from late June or early Lieutenant. After the war, he returned to
th
July 1942 until October 26 1942. Saskatchewan and resumed his University
By now a season ace, he returned to Canada in education. He also renewed a friendship with
December 1942. He instructed at 1 OTU, Bagotville Marion Coakwell, a girl he had known since 1937.
from 12 March 1943 to 12 January 1944, returning to They were married on December 27, 1947 and
the UK in January 1944 in command of the RCAF’s 127 shared a remarkable 67 years together.
Fighter Squadron, which was soon renumbered as 443 Gordon Wilson passed on Sunday May 31, 2015, at
Squadron. He was killed in action on 27 September the age of 97.
1944.

For his actions over Malta, McLeod received a
Distinguished Flying Cross and bar, and later the
Distinguished Service Order. At the time of his death,
he had 20 or 21 confirmed kills, depending on which
historical source one consults.

The RCAF’s top-scoring fighter ace of the Second World
War, Squadron Leader Henry Wallace "Wally" McLeod,
was killed in action in a dogfight over Germany.