A relatively unknown pilot – Sgt TL Mincher

Until a couple of weeks ago, I was unaware of Sgt Thomas Mincher. I acme across his name in the ORB of 609 squadron. Thanks to Google and the help of people on two other forums I have found out the following about him, and just received this photograph of him in an email from his brother. He is flying Spitfire Mark I N3199 (?), MV-O. ‘Spitfire the history’ records:

‘N3199 440 FF 28-11-39 8MU 2-12 19S 19-4-40 7 OTU 7-8 19S 57 OTU 31-7-41 to 3167M July ’42’ (MU being Maintenance unit, S being Squadron, OTU being Operational Training Unit, no idea about FF or M).

1392462 Sgt Thomas Leon Micher, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve,
(1922 – 5th December 1942)

The Son of Samuel and Edith May Mincher, of Hitchin, Hertfordshire, Thomas was killed on 5th December 1942 whilst serving with 93 Squadron and is Remembered with Honour on the Malta Memorial

Leon was born in Wednesbury, Staffordshire in 1922. He attended the ‘Sunshine School’. Following his Father’s transfer to London he went to live in Welwyn Garden City where he went to Apple Tree School. Leon took, and passed the Scholarship Examination and started at Hitchin Grammar School, travelling the 13 miles daily to school by train. There was no Grammar School at that time in Welwyn. The fares, fees and uniform were a serious drain on family resources. After about three years his Father was transferred again, this time to the Income Tax Office in Hitchin and the family went to live in Langbridge Close, Hitchin and also in the parish of St. Ippollitts. Leon was quite intelligent but liked ‘playing around’, getting into minor trouble. He was a founder member of St. Ippollitts Scout Troop, staying with them until he left school at 16 years to join the Civil Service, in the Ministry of Pensions in the Centre of London. The outbreak of war in 1939 made the daily journey by train to London (30 miles) difficult and sometimes he slept in his office, particularly when doing Fire Warden Service or Home Guard duties, both based on his office. There was little time during those months for social activities , but he was a member of the Tilehouse Street Baptist Chapel Youth Club, where he met Mary Boxall, the sister of his friend Don. Leon and Mary became engaged in 1941/1942. He was artistic and had lessons in Calligraphy from his neighbour Leo Vernon who was a professional artist. He was musical and played the mouth organ. When his Mother’s new piano arrived he had a few lessons. He was the proud possessor of a small collection of ‘78’ records, at a time when they were rare. His favourite singer was Deanna Durbin. His uniform was later donated to Lawrence House Museum, Castle Street, Launceston, where it is now on view. Early in the war Leon volunteered for the RAF and became a Sergeant-Pilot, training on a De Haviland Moth and Airspeed Oxford aircraft. On several occasions he ‘buzzed’ over his home until neighbours complained of the ‘danger’. Sergeant Mincher arrived at RAF Duxford, where he joined 609 (West Riding) Squadron, Motto: Tally Ho!, from No.56 Operational Training Unit, flying Hawker Hurricanes on 16th June 1942. 609 was at this time operating the new Hawker Typhoon. The Form 540 Operational Records Book records the following:

29th June 1942: “Sgt Mincher on his second Typhoon flight makes a heavy landing and sheers the tail unit.”

7th July 1942: “Sgt Mincher grieves F/O Atkinson by pranging his aircraft.” (Speaking with F/Lt Sir Alec ‘Joe’ Atkinson, KCB, DFC, in March 2005, he could not recall this occasion, as he himself states that ‘I pranged a few myself’. Although he can vaguely recall the name from 63 years ago, he cannot remember Sgt Mincher.

19th July 1942. “Sgt Mincher posted to 610 Squadron with effect todays date”

Posted to No. 610 (County of Chester) Squadron, Motto: Alifero tollitur axe ceres – ‘Ceres rising in a winged car’, at that time based at RAF Ludham in Norfolk (during which time the Squadron moved for a week to West Malling in Kent), where they predominantly flew shipping reconnaissance missions. He also flew sweeps over Northern France, either with 610 or 93 Sqdn. His squadron was withdrawn for extra training ready for the North African invasion in 1942 – as 610 remained in the UK, it must be presumed that he had by this time been posted to No.93 Sqdn, Motto: Ad arma parati – ‘Ready for battle’, before they moved from RAF Kingscliffe in Northamptonshire to Maison Blanche on 20th October 1942. On 1st June 1942 No. 93 had been reformed at Andreas with Spitfires for convoy patrols over the Irish Sea. In September it became non-operational and moved to Gibraltar, moving on to Algeria in November, its Spitfires providing fighter cover for the British 1st Army in Algeria and Tunisia. 93 Squadron was based at Soul-el-Arba and Soul-el-Khemis in December 1942 flying Spitfire MkVb’s under the command of S/Ldr C.H. Nelson-Edwards DFC. After only a few weeks in action near Bone in Algeria, Sergeant Thomas Leon Mincher was shot down by a German fighter plane and the fateful telegram arrived at home – ‘Missing believed killed in action’. On the 22nd July 1943 this was confirmed by the Air Council and Leon’s date of death was given as 5th December, 1942. On the day of his loss there were two Spitfire MkVb’s of 93 Sqdn shot down after take-off from Medjez-el-Bab (ER330 and ER594).

“Fighters over Tunisia” by Chris Shores, Hans Ring and William Hess has the following for 5th December 1942:

“In an effort to counteract the Stuka attacks which were seriously worrying the troops at the front it was decided to try and make use of the landing ground at Medjez el Bab and during the day 6 Spitfires from 93 Squadron arrived there from Souk el Arba. On arrival it was discovered that there was standing patrol of German fighters, identified as Fw.190’s over the airfield and these attacked the Spitfires. PO Haley and Sgt Mincher were shot down. Haley became a POW and the other 4 Spitfires were badly damaged and managed with difficulty to get back to Souk el Arba.

German Luftwaffe Combat Claims for the day, for Spitfires in this theatre, were:

Oblt. Julius Meimberg: Stab II./JG53. Spitfire 1km East of Mateur: 100m. 09:08
Oblt. Julius Meimberg: Stab II./JG53. Spitfire 2km Southeast of Mateur 300m. 09:12
Hptm. Hartmann Grasser: Stab II./JG51. Spitfire 8km West of Tebourba. 3000m. 10:45
Fw. Erich Paczia: 6./JG53. Spitfire 10 km West of Mateur: 100m. 11:02
Oblt. Julius Meimberg: Stab II./JG53. Spitfire 10km South of Mateur 5m. 11:03
Fw. Anton Hafner. 4./JG51. Spitfire 5 km North of Tebourba: 2.200m. 12:18.

The name of Sergeant Thomas Leon Mincher is recorded on the RAF Memorial in Floriana, along with another Hitchin ‘Old Boy’ – John Kingsley Russell, who had been a member of the same scout troop as Thomas.