Group Captain Leonard Snaith

Group Captain Leonard Snaith in his younger days was a notable athlete, having represented the R.A.F. in athletics, created a new R.A.F. half-mile record (in 1927) and played for the Service rugby football team in 1922-23-24. He joined the High Speed Flight team in 1931 and was reserve pilot for the race, which was won with no competition, see Schneider Trophy Races.

1939 RAF Scampton

Whilst at RAF Scampton, Guy Gibson flying in 83 Squadron in 1939 using Handley Page Hampdens for the hazardous task of low level minelaying and bombing of ships, Guy encountered Leonard.

Extract from Enemy Coast Ahead by Guy Gibson

“Next day Rossy and I went down to A Flight Office alone. I do not where the other boys were — I think they were playing cricket out on the tarmac. Suddenly Leonard Snaith, walked in. He was the Squadron- Commander; well known in the Air Force. One of the high-speed Schneider trophy pilots and a great fellow, he was a small man with a sad, mousy face. He, too, used to play rugger for the RAF and also held the quarter-mile record. In fact, he was an excellent type all round. But he had a slow temper and it was best not to get on the wrong side of Leonard. But he was not there to talk of rugger today.

He said in a strange voice, “We are off on a raid.”

Rossy and I said nothing.

” We have got to provide six aircraft — three from A Flight and three from B Flight. I don’t know where the target is. I think it is against shipping— probably German battleships. We are carrying four 500 pounders each; they have all got a delay of 11 seconds, so we can go in pretty low. F/Lt Collier is leading the three from B Flight. You two had better come with me. Take-off will be at 1530.”

As I saw him write my name on a small scrap of paper my feelings were completely indescribable. A few days ago I was sunbathing, having the time of my life, carefree, looking forward to simple things, and now I was going to war, probably never to come back. Rossy felt the same. Although he didn’t say anything, his face was as good as a loudspeaker.

Test flying had occupied part of his Service career in that, from 1931 till 1934, he was a test pilot at the Marine Aircraft Experimental Establishment, Felixstowe, and from 1941 until 1942 he was test-flying American aircraft for the British air Commission in the U.S.A.

I had the privilege to meet Leonard in 1981 whilst writing a commemorative book on the Schneider Trophy races, and he very kindly signed some of a limited edition print run “Moment of Triumph” by Gerald Coulson.

Like so many of our war heroes, he was amazingly modest about his achievements, but had great delight in recalling some of his more embarrassing moments. One which he told was in 1930, he had been invited by Nick Comper to fly his Comper Swift in the Kings Cup Air Race, and on route to  Hanworth his engine started losing oil, so  Leonard decided to put down in a farmer’s field.  Nick was contacted and so important was this event to promote his aircraft that armed with tools and a mechanic they set off to locate the stricken Swift. Unfortunately the problem was too difficult to solve and The Comper Swift was scratched from the race.

Flight -Lieut. Nick Comper stanging beside the Swift

That year’s race was won by Miss Winifred Brown, the only woman to ever win the Kings Cup, her son some people will remember who ever watched Crossroads on television, was Tony Adams who played Adam Chance.

Leonard Snaith’s Logbook for the Schneider Trophy Race trials 1931

Click on to enlarge