LST 420

Have just checked the Armed Forces Death Register and can confirm that John Leech was on board LST 420.

Armed Forces BMD details
Registration event: Death

Name: LEECH, John
Unit: Lst.420
Rank: Aircraftman 2nd Class
Number: 1671149
Year: 1944
Volume: 9
Page: 176
Record source: GRO War Death R.A.F. All Ranks (1939 to 1948)

 

Have been through the file, but i am afraid that it only covers Army personell, and there is no mention of Leech.

P

OK. Thanks for looking.

Relatives of LAC John Leech were told he was "... lost at sea in stormy weather off France". This strongly suggests he was aboard LST 420.

A contemporaneous primary source of information would have been the ideal. But if the record is not there, then there is nothing much we can do. Something else may turn up in the future that is a primary source. Otherwise, what we have up to now will have to suffice.
Best wishes

 

Being a sailor, I cfm that LST420 is marked by a buoy !
Unfortunately, no picture available in my database...

 

OK. Thanks for looking.

Relatives of LAC John Leech were told he was "... lost at sea in stormy weather off France". This strongly suggests he was aboard LST 420.

A contemporaneous primary source of information would have been the ideal. But if the record is not there, then there is nothing much we can do. Something else may turn up in the future that is a primary source. Otherwise, what we have up to now will have to suffice.
Best wishes

Check 2nd post which confirms JohnLeech was onboard LST 420. In the missing persons file, there is a comment that relatives where not to be told which ship the men where on, Only RN casualties where listed against the vessel at the time.

As well as the RAF Radar Unit, there was a contingent of RASC men and RAMC Men from 111 General Field Hospital.

P

 

Check 2nd post which confirms John Leech was onboard LST 420. In the missing persons file, there is a comment that relatives where not to be told which ship the men where on, Only RN casualties where listed against the vessel at the time.

As well as the RAF Radar Unit, there was a contingent of RASC men and RAMC Men from 111 General Field Hospital.

P

Thanks again, Phil. It looks like you were adding the post with the information at the time I was also typing out my previous post.

Additional information about LAC John Leech

LAC John Leech was born at Whitehaven, Cumberland, the son of Alexander Leech and Bridget Leech (nee Mackin). He was baptised at St Begh's R.C. Church, Whitehaven. Although the family had moved to Saltaire, Yorkshire at the time of his death John Leech's name is listed on the St Begh's Parish WW2 Memorial (see attachments).

Link to CWGC citation for LAC John Leech:
CWGC :: Casualty Details

 

John Leech was my my Mothers brother. Do you know whether he is buried in Belgium?

 

Hi Jinman,

John Leech is commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial in the UK. This indicates that his remains were not found or if found, not positively identified.

Here is a photo of his name on Panel 243 of the Runnymede Memorial taken by CL1, a Forum Member.

Rob.

 

A name on Runnymede or one of the other memorials to the missing does not mean that remains that were not found or if found, not positively identified.

Inclusion on the memorial means that they have no known marked grave to the CWGC when the panel was carved.

Airmen are listed on Runnymede panels even when their bodies were recovered from the sea and identified. This is because the body was consigned to the deep from the recovery ship.

Also listed are men who are known to have been buried in a particular grave/churchyard but over time the grave marker has been obliterated and now the exact position of the grave is unknown.

A number of panels also contain names that have subsequently been located with private markers rather than CWGC and these will be removed when the panel is recarved.

Regards
Ross

 

My late father was one of the RN survivors of LST420.
He never talked about it.
My mother who was WRNS was able to tell me a little.
I have spent bits of time over a number of years researching its loss, and I think I have a full list of those lost taken from the CWGC and other sites.
The Landing Craft Assoc. had one member a survivor in NZ as far as I recall.
Happy to answer questions where I can.

 

I have posted a note on losses today.
Please feel free to contact me if I can help with information.

Up until now I have not found a photo of LST420 or found her in the background of any others.

I am a sporadic visitor to this thread. My father was on the ship and survived, but died in 1956 when I was nine. We never got to discuss an event I knew nothing about. I have done a fair bit of work since and will check for Leech in my list of those lost.

I believe the Landing Craft Assoc. has folded.

My late father was an ERA and would have known the guy from Widnes.

I have a photo of my father and his friend Tommy who I think may be Greenwood who was lost.

I have also found details of the RAF unit.​

 

Hi, I'm from Belgium and do dive on WWI and WWII shipwrecks, I do know the LST 420, it's just in front of Newport(Nieuwpoort) and Ostend(Oostende) and it's marked with a cardinal bouy.
There are two parts of the wreck because the wreck broke in two parts after it hit the mine. The positions are 51°15,019' N 002°41,800' E (bow) and at 51°15,460'N 002°40,756' E(stern).
There's a good book about wrecks in front of the Belgian coast, it shows the current situation of the wreck and tells the history of it but it's written in Dutch Davidsfonds - Schatten en scheepswrakken. Boeiende onderwaterarcheologie in de Noordzee
Another site you find a lot of information is WRECK WRAK EPAVE WRACK PECIO
On the site today you still find the truck tires and a big winch, for the rest the wreck is collapsed due to corrosion.
The bow-part has been recovered some years ago but there are still some small parts on the seabed.

 

I found a picture in google images which purports to be the LST 420. There is also a picture on there showing three LSTs with doors open. The last one could be the 420 - you can see the last two numbers on the picture. If you can't find them, I will post them once I have found out how to do it! Ally

 

I am currently researching the LST 420 which was my uncles craft, Percy Raymond Lindsey! He died on the 7th of November 1944 after LST 420 hit a mine. I am new to threads and forums and was wondering if anyone could help. I am looking for any information on him, his crew, or craft. I believe he was also on H.M.S Dommett and did basic training at Butlins in Skegness. I was wondering if anyone could help. I have looked through streams of pages on the internet but have only come across limited information.
Thanks.

Chris

My late father was one of the RN survivors of the loss.
I have also emailed some information to another enquirer.
Her relative was one of the RAF losses.
I have lists of the losses and have been able to identify a fair bit of material. My father died when I was 9, so I have no first hand, but my mother who was WRNS was able to pass on a bit and the Landing Craft Assoc. were helpful. Please feel free to get in touch.

 

I have attached a photograph of my grandfathers training unit. I anticpate that many on the picture will have been on the LST420. The second picture are the signatures on the back. My grandfather William Percy Gill was killed and his body was never identified.

I will upload a photograph of the Radar Unit that sailed as soon as my father has located it.

Ally

 

Hi,

I am researching the sinking of the LST 420. My grandfather was a member of the BRSU being transported on 7th November. He was lost and his body never recovered. We are going to visit the site this year. My father was unaware that his father was lost near Ostend until 2 years ago.

Could you kindly advise me what is in the War diary that you refer to in the post. Would it be worth me going to Kew to obtain a copy?

I wondered if you would kindly look up any info about my grandfather second aircraftman William Percy Gill.

I have today posted a pic of my grandfather taken Oct 1944 with his Unit on this thread. I expect many of those people pictured would have been aboard. Sadly there are no names with the photo. It would be good to pout names to them but I expect that may be impossible.

Thanks for your help.

Ally

 

Here is a photograph of my grandfather's Unit taken in October 1944. My grandfather is the last man on right of the bottom row. He was Second Aircraftman William Percy Gill. He was part of Unit 1 BSRU (Mobile Radar)

If anyone recognises any of the other persons pictured it would be good to know their names.

Ally

 

Hello everybody,
I'm searching for alle the names who lost their lives when the LST420 was sunk by a mine near Ostend on the 7th of November 1944. I think that almost 300 men were killed or missed. Can anyone help me or give me a way to search (I found already the site naval casualty lists ).
Thank you.
I need this information for a project (searching the casualties in the Battle of the Scheldt) during 4 sept. untill 28 nov. 1944.
René Hoebeke, Holland

René Hoebeke (Holland)

 

Hello everybody,
I'm searching for alle the names who lost their lives when the LST420 was sunk by a mine near Ostend on the 7th of November 1944. I think that almost 300 men were killed or missed. Can anyone help me or give me a way to search (I found already the site naval casualty lists ).
Thank you.
I need this information for a project (searching the casualties in the Battle of the Scheldt) during 4 sept. untill 28 nov. 1944.
René Hoebeke, Holland

René Hoebeke (Holland)

Rene, drop me an pm with an email address and ill email you the army missing persons file,

P

 

Remembered Biddenham War Memorial ,Bedfordshire.


EVERETT, DOUGLAS HAROLD

Rank:
Lieut-Commander
Date of Death:
07/11/1944
Age:
30
Regiment/Service:
Royal Naval Reserve

H.M. L.S.T. 420
Awards:
Mentioned in Despatches
Panel Reference
Panel 92, Column 2.
Memorial
PLYMOUTH NAVAL MEMORIAL
Additional Information:
Son of Bennett Henry and Lily Ethel Everett; husband of Lilian Frances Everett, of Biddenham, Bedfordshire.

 

I am currently researching the LST 420 which was my uncles craft, Percy Raymond Lindsey! He died on the 7th of November 1944 after LST 420 hit a mine. I am new to threads and forums and was wondering if anyone could help. I am looking for any information on him, his crew, or craft. I believe he was also on H.M.S Dommett and did basic training at Butlins in Skegness. I was wondering if anyone could help. I have looked through streams of pages on the internet but have only come across limited information.
Thanks.

Chris

I have some more information having studied the loss, as my late father was one of the RN survivors. Please feel free to contact me.