Lieutenant Michael R O Leach {Mike} – March 12th 1946

Michael Leach was the son of Robert Onebye Leach MC, and Marjorie Alice Leach, and the husband of Sheila Winifred Leach, of Graffham, Petworth, Sussex.

It is not known when he volunteered for Airborne Forces or when he did his parachute course, but in early 1945 he was posted to the 2^nd Parachute Battalion. This battalion was being reformed after the severe loses at Arnhem and Lieutenant Michael Leach was one of the re-enforcement officers.

In June 1945 he volunteered for service with the 6^th Airborne Division, which was earmarked for service in the Far East and the war against Japan. He was officially posted to the 12^th (Yorkshire) Parachute Battalion on 20 June 1945.

The battalion went to India, along with the rest of the 5^th Parachute Brigade in July 1945 and was still training there when the announcement was made about the dropping of the bombs in August 1945. From India he went to Malaya (September – November 1945), Java and Batavia (December 1945) and then Semarang in January 1946, where they were fighting Indonesian rebels.

He was killed on 12 March 1946, aged 27 and is buried in Djakarta War Cemetery, 3.D.8.

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