Lance Corporal. Leo Joseph Ackland was a member of 1 Troop, 4th Parachute Squadron, R.E.
Leo Joseph Ackland was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland, and later moved to Birmingham. He enlisted into the Royal Engineers in June or July 1940. He was serving in the Middle East when he volunteered for Airborne Forces and was posted to the 4th Parachute Squadron, R.E.

Leo successfully completed Parachute Course K39 at Ramat David in Palestine, 9–14 May 1943. It is likely he took part in Operation ‘Slapstick’, which was the naval landing by the 1st Airborne Division, at the Southern Italian port of Taranto in September 1943.

When the Squadron returned to England they were sent to the village of Glaston, in Leicestershire, with 1 Troop being allocated the Three Horseshoes Public House as a billet.

By 1944 he was a Lance Corporal, and on Monday, 18 September 1944, he boarded a Dakota (C/N:719) aircraft of the 315th Troop Carrier Group, U.S.A.A.F. at Spanhoe aerodrome. He was taking part in Operation ‘Market-Garden’ and would fly to D.Z. ‘Y’ at Ginkel Heath in Holland, as part of the 2nd Lift.

Leo was killed in action on Wednesday, 20 th September 1944, and was first buried in the grounds of the Ommershof Estate, Graaf van Rechterenweg, Oosterbeek.

The son of William and Elsie Ackland of Erdington, Birmingham, he was 25 years old when he was killed. He now lies at rest in the Arnhem/Oosterbeek War Cemetery, 20. C. 9.