Name: Ivan Gordon McLeod Rank: Flight Sergeant Service Number: R/105778 Service: 426 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force Date of Birth: January 4, 1914 Place of Birth: Edmonton, Alberta Date of Enlistment: June 2, 1941 Place of Enlistment: Edmonton, Alberta Address at Enlistment: Edson, Alberta Age at Enlistment: 27 Occupation: Bookkeeper Marital Status: Single (at enlistment) Religion: Protestant, United Church Next of Kin: Ivan Ross McLeod (Father), at enlistment Date of Death: January 30, 1943 Age: 29 Cemetery: Fourfelt [Fovrfeld] Cemetery, Esbjerg, Denmark Grave: Section A, Row 11, Grave 10 Commemorated on Page 192 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance Displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on April 19 Ivan Gordon McLeod was the son of Ivan Ross McLeod (1880-1965) and Elizabeth Audrey (Smith) McLeod (1885-1974). His father was born in Isaac’s Harbour, Guysborough County, Nova Scotia (later known as Goldboro in 1898 with the opening of the mines), and his mother was born in London, England. His siblings were Calvin Hector McLeod (1908-2000) and Audrey Elizabeth McLeod (1919-2003). He was the husband of Evelyn Vaughan (Willis) McLeod (1916-1981). The two were married February 27, 1942. His father was a grocery salesman (commercial traveller) which is what might have taken him from Nova Scotia to Alberta. Ivan attended Westmount Public and Westmount High School from 1920-1927, and 1927-1928. High school included geometry, French, literature, and history. After high school, he attended MacDougall Commercial from 1928-1930, studying typing, bookkeeping, composition, spelling, etc. He held various positions throughout the 1930’s. He was a shipper for Standard Brands Inc. from 1932-35, in charge of the fruit dept. at Hudson’s Bay Co. in 1937-38, and chairman of the Provincial Government Highways Branch in 1938-39, all in Edmonton. He worked as a bookkeeper for HH Cooper in Edson, Alberta prior to enlisting in June of 1941. Sports he played included badminton, curling, golf, tennis, and bowling, and enjoyed hunting, fishing, and swimming. Ivan trained in Canada, transferred to England at the end of March of 1942, and joined 426 (Thunderbird) Squadron in November of 1942. Serving with 426 Squadron, he was based at RAF Dishforth in North Yorkshire. He was serving as second pilot in Vickers Wellington Mk III Serial Number Z1680 in January 1943. Ivan was killed was killed in action on January 30, 1943, when his bomber was shot down over the North Sea off of Norway during a mission against Hamburg, Germany. The other airmen who perished in this crash were: RCAF Flying Officer George Desmond Fitz-Gibbon RCAF Flight Sergeant John Julius Lemke RCAF Flight Lieutenant Robert Henry Lowe (Pilot) RAFVR Sergeant Henry Riles RAFVR Flight Lieutenant Arthur Thomas Sprosen (Navigator) Flight Sergeant McLeod’s body was recovered from the sea on April 26, 1943, nearly three months after the crash. He was buried on April 30, 1943, at the Fourfelt Cemetery in Esbjerg, Denmark.

Sources Service File – Ivan Gordon McLeod findagrave