Hi all,

I'm doing research on behalf of Lord Ashcroft for his new book Flying Heroes which covers the stories behind some of the gallantry medals awarded over the last century.

One of the people I'm researching is Leonard Joseph Sumpter DFC DFM who was. Bomb Aimee on the Dambusters raid. I'm trying to find out his exact date of birth (Kettering 1911) more on his life after the war (I believe he retired somewhere in Canada, Alberta?) and any details of his death. I have found a gaeneology thread that mentions him passing away in Alberta but nothing concrete.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Chris Bullock

flyingheroes2012@hotmail.co.uk

hi chris leonard joseph sumpter died some years back in luton bedfordshire he had a lung disease i spoke to him at luton dunstable hospital when i was visting my mum when i noticed his name on a board at a nurses station has i have been still are a dam busters anorak attending all the meets so i asked him if he was the leonard sumpter of the dams raid he showed me a notebook of which left me in no doubt it had his service number and notes from guy gibson also his daughtershowed me his citations . i beleve he was in terned at stopsley cematary not sure if he was cremated as far as iam aware his daughter is still alive and lives in luton hope tghis use ful also contact the luton news paper some years ago there was a article about leonard my memories of leonard was although he was suffering a great deal he was a gracious and very pleasentand a gent.please keep me in formed how you are getting on ,also if you need any help and kind regards to lord ashcroft kenny