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41601 Sergeant Leonard Allen MITCHELL
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. T.J.P. Mitchell of WHAKAPARA.

Leonard Mitchell was born at Whanageri on the 20th August 1921. He was educated to proficiency standard at the Puki Puki School and employed in farming at Puki Puki after leaving school.

Sergeant Mitchell was enlisted at the Initial Training Wing, Levin, on the 19th January 1941, and embarked by the Awatea for Canada on the 27th February, to train under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrival in Canada, he was posted to No. 3 Wireless School, Winnipeg, Manitoba, and then on the 4th August to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario. Here, on the 1st September, he was awarded the Wireless Operator Air Gunner badge and promoted to the rank of Sergeant, before proceeding the same day to No. 1 "Y' Depot, Halifax, Nova Scotia for embarkation to the United Kingdom.

Sergeant Mitchell arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth, on the 29th of the same month and remained there until posted to No. 11 Operational Training Unit, Bassingbourn, Hertfordshire, on the 20th January, 1942, for crewing up and completion of his training on Wellington bomber aircraft.

Sergeant Mitchell was a member of the crew of a Wellington bomber engaged during the night of the 25/26th June 1942 in an attack on a target in Germany. The aircraft failed to return to its base and all the crew, including Sergeant Mitchell, were classified as missing. Later information was received from an official German source through the International Red Cross that he had lost his life and in consequence was reclassified as missing believed killed in action.

A post-war casualty search revealed that the aircraft at Aschhausen, 12 miles south-west of Bad-Mergentheim, and that Sergeant Mitchell was buried in the Oldenburg British Military Cemetery.

Find a Grave link with a photo of Sergeant Mitchell: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/18427392/leonard-allen-mitchell

5/1/564 A.S.2.
No Logbook.

Mr. T.J.P. Mitchell (F) (right aligned)
Puhi Puhi R.D., (right aligned)
Whakapars (right aligned)
NORTH AUCKLAND. (right aligned & underlined)