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Cenotaph record

Darkie Leach

-
Lay a poppy
Portrait from The Weekly News; 2 July 1941 - This image may be subject to copyright

Portrait from The Weekly News; 2 July 1941 - This image may be subject to copyright

Identity

About

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  • Title
  • Forenames
    Darkie AWMM
  • Surname
    Leach AWMM
  • Ingoa
  • Also known as
  • Service number
    39160 AWMM
  • Gender
    Male AWMM
  • Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
    Iwi Māori, Māori AWMM
  • Religion

Civilian life

About birth

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  • Birth
    1919 Public Source
  • Date of birth
    1919 Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 30 December 2015 - Research
  • Place of birth
  • Birth notes
    Son of Hoki and Matengahere Leach, of Whangara Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 30 December 2015 - Research
  • Address before enlistment
    Unknown AWMM Whangara, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM
  • Post war occupation
  • Next of kin on embarkation
    Mr H. Leach (father), Whangara, Gisborne, New Zealand AWMM
  • Relationship status
    Unknown AWMM Single AWMM

Service

Wars and conflicts

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  • War
    World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
  • Campaign
  • Armed force / branch
    Army AWMM
  • Service number
    39160 AWMM
  • Military service
  • Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers

Military decorations

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Training and Enlistment

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Prisoner of war

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  • Capture details
  • Days interned
  • Liberation date
  • Liberation Repatriation
  • POW liberation details
  • POW serial number

Medical history

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  • Medical notes
    Killed in Action, Cause of Death AWMM

Last known rank

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Biographical information

Biographical information

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  • Darkie Leach was the son of Hoki and Matengahere Leach, of Whangara, Auckland, New Zealand. AWMM

Death

About death

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  • Death
    23 May 1941 AWMM
    Age 22 AWMM
    Crete, Greece AWMM
  • Date of death
  • Age at death
  • Place of death
  • Cause of death
    Killed in Action AWMM
  • Death notes
  • Cemetery
    Suda Bay War Cemetery, Crete, Greece AWMM 12. E. 11. AWMM
  • Cemetery name
  • Grave reference
  • Obituary
    Leach—Private D, killed in action in the Crete Campaign.
    We think of him in silence,
    We often speak his name.
    What would we give to see him Smile those smiles again.
    —Inserted by his sisters, sisters-in-law, brothers and brothers-in-law.
    Leach.—Private D„ killed in the Crete Campaign.
    It’s just a year ago to-day
    You heard the battle-cry
    Through swarming planes and bursting flames,
    You heard the call of God on high.
    —lnserted by his lonely father, H. Leach. Public - Lorraine Mona - Researcher - 19 July 2023 - ROLL OF HONOUR
    GISBORNE HERALD, VOLUME LXIX, ISSUE 20772, 23 MAY 1942, PAGE 1
  • Memorial name
  • Memorial reference

Memorials

Memorial

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  • Memorial name
    • Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 2 Hall of Memories AWMM
    • Gisborne First World War Memorial, The Esplanade, Kaiti, Gisborne AWMM

Roll of Honour

Remember Darkie Leach by laying a poppy.

Leave a note

Leave a tribute or memory of Darkie Leach

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Sources

Sources

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  • External links
  • References
    • Auckland Museum. Roll of Honour, Auckland Province, 1939 - 1945. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 93/139. AWMM
    • Cody, J. (1956). 28 (Maori) Battalion. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch. AWMM
    • Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1941). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 2 (Embarkations to 30th June, 1940). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer. AWMM
      WW2 2: WW2 108 AWMM
    • Soutar, M. (2008). Nga tama toa = The price of citizenship : C Company 28 (Maori) Battalion 1939-1945. Albany, N.Z.: David Bateman. AWMM
      Portrait published in Soutar (2008) AWMM

Contributors

Command item
Command item
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DateFirst namesLocationRelationshipContact
19 July 2023Lorraine Mona Gisborne Researcher
24 April 2022Ian BanksTaumarunui New ZealandResearcher
30 December 2015Lorraine MGisborne, NZResearcher

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