Alan McLeod VC Avenue

This road is named in honour of 2nd Lieutenant Alan Arnett McLeod, VC.

The youngest Canadian to earn the Victoria Cross, Alan Arnett McLeod, was awarded the VC at the age of 18. Alan was born in Stonewall, Manitoba on April 20, 1899. He showed an early affinity for the military and in 1913, although 4 years under age, he joined the 34th Fort Garry Horse for summer training. When the First World War started, he tried to enlist several times and was rejected each time because he was underage. Finally in 1917, just days after his 18th birthday, he entered the Royal Flying Corps in Toronto. By August, he was sent overseas to England and by the end of the year; he was flying missions over France. On March 27, 1918, Alan & his gunner Lt. A.W. Hammond, M.C. were on a mission when they were attacked by 8 German triplanes. During the ensuing gunfight, both McLeod and Hammond were wounded several times. A bullet struck their gas tank and their plane caught fire. McLeod climbed out on the wing and continued to fly the plane while Hammond continued to fire at the enemy planes. They managed to shoot down three enemy planes before they crashed in “No Man’s Land”. Alan McLeod was wounded again as he dragged Hammond to safety. He received his VC on September 4, 1918, and returned to Manitoba to recover from his wounds, but contracted influenza and died November 6, 1918.

Inscription

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2nd Lieutenant Alan Arnett McLeod, VC, citation from The London Gazette, dated May 1, 1918.

“While flying with his observer, Lieutenant A. W. Hammond, M.C., attacking hostile formations by bombs and machine gun fire, he was assailed at a height of 5,000 feet by eight enemy triplanes which dived at him from all directions, firing from their front guns. By skilful manoeuvring he enabled his observer to fire bursts at each machine in turn, shooting three of them down out of control. By this time Lieutenant McLeod had received five wounds, and while continuing the engagement a bullet penetrated his petrol tank and set the machine on fire.

He then climbed out on to the left bottom plane, controlling his machine from the side of the fusilage, and by sideslipping steeply kept the flames to one side, thus enabling the observer to continue firing until the ground was reached.

The observer had been wounded six times when the machine crashed in “No Man’s Land” and 2nd Lieutenant McLeod, notwithstanding his own wounds, dragged him away from the burning wreckage at great personal risk from heavy machine-gun fire from the enemy’s lines. This very gallant pilot was again wounded by a bomb whilst engaged in this act of rescue, but he persevered until he had placed Lieutenant Hammond in comparative safety, before falling himself from exhaustion and loss of blood.”

Ce chemin est nommé en l’honneur du sous-lieutenant Alan Arnett McLeod, VC.

Plus jeune récipiendaire canadien de la Croix de Victoria, Alan Arnett McLeod a été décoré de la Croix de Victoria à l’âge de 18 ans. Alan est né à Stonewall au Manitoba le 20 avril 1899. Il manifeste très tôt son intérêt pour le milieu militaire et, en 1913, même s’il lui manque encore quatre ans sur l’âge légal, il joint la 34e Fort Garry Horse pour l’entraînement estival. Quand la Première Guerre mondiale éclate, il tente de s’enrôler à plusieurs reprises et chaque fois essuie un refus en raison de son âge. Finalement en 1917, quelques jours après son 18e anniversaire de naissance, il se joint au Royal Flying Corps à Toronto. En août, il est envoyé outremer en Angleterre et avant la fin de l’année, il survole la France en mission. Le 27 mars 1918, Alan et son tireur, le lieutenant A.W. Hammond, M.C., effectuent une mission lorsqu’ils sont attaqués par huit triplans allemands. Au cours de l’échange de coups de feu qui s’ensuit, les deux combattants, McLeod et Hammond, subissent plusieurs blessures. Une balle atteint finalement leur réservoir d’essence et leur avion prend feu. McLeod se hisse sur l’aile et continue à piloter l’avion, tandis que Hammond continue à tirer sur les avions ennemis. À eux deux, ils réussissent à abattre trois avions ennemis avant que leur avion ne s’écrase en zone neutre. Alan McLeod est blessé pendant qu’il ramène Hammond en lieu sûr. Il a reçu la Croix de Victoria le 4 septembre 1918 et est retourné au Manitoba pour se remettre de ses blessures, mais il a attrapé la grippe et en est mort le 6 novembre 1918.

Le texte de l’inscription figure dans la section anglaise.