Forde Leathley
Flight Lieutenant Forde Leathley was an Irish First World War flying ace credited with eight aerial victories.
Early life and background
Leathley was born in Trillick, County Tyrone, where his father The Reverend James Forde Leathley was serving as rector. His father was from Kingstown, County Dublin, and his mother Elizabeth was from Suffolk. They also had a daughter, Muriel.World War I
Leathley was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the 5th Battalion, Prince of Wales's Leinster Regiment (Royal Canadians) in early 1914, being confirmed in his rank on 24 July, and promoted to lieutenant on 24 October. Leathley resigned his Special Reserve commission on 17 February 1915, entering the Royal Military College as a "Gentleman Cadet", and after passing out was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers on 16 June 1915. He was promoted to lieutenant on 11 April 1916.Leathley was seconded to the Royal Flying Corps on 6 March 1917, and posted to No. 57 Squadron RFC, where he gained his first aerial victory, flying with Lieutenant C. S. Morice in a F.E.2d, by driving down out of control an Albatros D.III fighter at Buissy on 30 April, before he was officially appointed a flying officer on 8 June. All his subsequent victories were over Albatros D.V fighters and were made with Major Ernest Joy as his pilot flying an Airco DH.4. Joy and Leathley accounted for two enemy aircraft on 28 July, and then five in August; one each on the 16th and 20th, and three on the 17th.
On 26 September 1917 Leathley was awarded the Military Cross. His citation, gazetted on 8 January 1918, read:
By that time Leathley was training to become a pilot himself, having been granted Royal Aero Club Aviator's Certificate No. 5455 after soloing a Maurice Farman biplane at the Military School, Ruislip, on 26 November 1917, and was appointed a flying officer on 11 May 1918.