LEITCH, Cecil Desmond

Credit: Gary Newman

Pilot Officer

175 Squadron

Royal Canadian Air Force

Cecil was born in 1922, the son of Gordon & Mabel LEITCH of Pembroke, Ontario in Canada & the brother of Lola.

Cecil served with 175 Squadron Royal Air Force, based at RAF Holmesley South, New Forrest, equipped with Hawker Typhoon aircraft. His aircraft, Typhoon Mk.1b MN481, developed engine problems over the Normandy coast on the 15th of June 1944. Cecil was forced to bail out into the English Channel off the IW, but he did not survive.

Cecil was recovered from the sea & brought to Parkhurst Military Cemetery for burial. He rests beneath a Commission Headstone alongside 88 First & Second World War comrades.

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CWGC Casualty Record

Cemetary

Parkhurst Military Cemetery

Location

Construction of the barracks, which were originally named Parkhurst Barracks after the forest where they were located, was completed in September 1798. Shortly after completion they were renamed "Albany Barracks" after Prince Frederick, Duke of York & Albany, who had been Commander-in-Chief of the Forces. By 1807 they were occupied by the 29th (Worcestershire) Regiment of Foot preparing for action in the Peninsular War. In 1859 the Isle of Wight Rifles was raised as a defence force for the Island & stationed at the barracks.

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The Parkhurst Military Cemetery, on Forest Road, was established in the 1840's, replacing an older cemetery which has since been developed.

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The cemetery serviced the families & servicemen of the Parkhurst Barracks (later Albany Barracks) & Military Hospital.
The cemetery includes a 'Cross of Sacrifice', designed by Sir Reginald BLOMFIELD, as it has over 40 War Graves.

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During WW2 a number of Germany servicemen (50) (mainly crashed aircrew) were buried in the cemetery; their bodies were exhumed & re-interred at the Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery in the early 1960s. This included the body of Major General Dr Hans Volkmar FISSER of the German Air Force who was shot down over the Island on 12 August 1940 in a Junkers 88. He was a doctor of Political Science. He is buried with Sgt Jakob BIRNDORFER an ME109 pilot also relocated from Parkhurst.

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After the closure of the barracks in the early 1960's, the cemetery remains part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD) Estate managed by the Joint Casualty & Compassionate Centre (JCC) at Ijim Barracks, Gloucester although the CWGC monitors the War Graves, the MOD is responsible for its general upkeep

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