Stuttgart GermanyLeitch made multiple escape attempts from trains an camps: L3/L6/20B/L4/357. He was re-captured multiple times but kept trying to escape during his entire time as a POW
Footprints on the Sands of Time, RAF Bomber Commands Prisoners of War in Germany 1939-45 by Oliver Clutton-Brock pages 98,343,494The Citation reads: Warrant Officer Leitch was the navigator of a Halifax aircraft which was badly damaged by enemy fire and had to be abandoned on the night of 11th March, 1943. The crew baled out and Warrant Officer Leitch landed near Vassy, France. He destroyed his charts and disposed of his parachute and harness. Disguised in old clothes taken from a scarecrow, Warrant Officer Leitch obtained food and clothing from residents of Ville-en-Blaisois and with further help, reached Ambonville on 14th March, 1943, where he was captured. He was taken to a military prison in Paris and thence to Dulag Luft, Oberusel. Warrant Officer Leitch made his first attempt to escape on 20th June, 1943, from a train while being taken from Stalag Luft III to Stalag Luft VI. He left the train through a lavatory window but was recaptured after travelling nearly 150 km in another train towards the Baltic coast. His next attempt was made in February, 1944, again from a train in which he was being transferred from one camp to another. After two hours of liberty he was discovered and was returned to the P.O.W. train. On 22nd March, 1944, Warrant Officer Leitch once more escaped from a train. He made contact with some French workers who took him to their camp. They assisted him to take the identity of a French worker, providing him with a forged identity card and a written authority to travel to Danzig, where he hoped to board a Swedish ship. With coolness and resource he reached Danzig, but was recaptured when trying to board a vessel there. Notwithstanding his previous failures, Warrant Officer Leitch made preparations for another attempt to escape early in April, 1944, with the aid of Army and Navy personnel at Stalag XXB, but before the plan could be put into effect, the Germans re-organized their defenses. On discovering that the Germans were wiring the windows of the barracks about the end of April, 1944, Warrant Officer Leitch decided to make yet another attempt without delay, and he broke out of the camp wearing civilian clothes. He remained at large until 8th June, 1944, when he was recaptured. He was eventually liberated by the allied forces at Velson on the 16th April, 1945 -London Gazette No. 37568, Dated 1946-05-14
Search for France-Crashes 39-45
