Leonard was born in Bristol in 1919 and at the outbreak of war in 1939 was employed in a reserved occupation as a ship repairer at Bristol Dockyard. He enlisted in 1942 as a private with the ' Glosters ' and in Aug 1943 sailed to India where he transferred to 1st King's Liverpool regiment.
He was then involved in the 2nd Chindit operation (Operation Thursday) attached to Mike Calvert's 77 brigade. The brigade were flown into Burma by glider in March 1944 and he spent 4 months there. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in March 1944.
He spent time in and out of hospitals on returning from Burma then volunteered to join 15th King's Parachute Battalion and remained in India and present day Pakistan until unit disbanded in January 1947.
On return to the UK he was stationed at Aldershot and then permanently attached to the RAPC until his end of service in 1949.
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