Graham Leckie was born in Dumbarton in 1889 and attended Bootham School from 1902-5. He won the entrance exhibition award. He was good at drawing (especially boats) and in the workshop (making model yachts). The report of the school Christmas Exhibition, 1904, in the school magazine “Bootham” of 1905 shows:
“WORKSHOP. Two playboxes have been made by A. J. Sims and G. B. Haughton, also model yachts by A. A. Pollard, G. Leckie and K. Priestman.
ART. F. L. Thompson has good designs in black and white, and Leckie some excellent pen and ink drawings.”
He had success in school aquatics competitions, both swimming and diving, breaking the four-length record. For instance, the September 1904 issue of “Bootham” magazine reports:
“AQUATICS. THESE events came off during July, as usual. The bedroom competition was won by number 13, with an average of 10.5 points ; this victory was mainly due to the excellent swimming of G. Leckie, who although still a Junior, is one of the best swimmers in the School, and obtained 19 points. “
By March 1916, Graham had joined the Royal Garrison Artillery, 22nd New Heavy Battalion.
In July 1917 he was serving with the Royal Flying Corps and on the 7th July he was killed while flying near Ypres.
Graham is remembered in the May 1918 issue of Bootham:
“GRAHAM LECKIE was at Bootham from 1902 to 1905, when he matriculated. His tastes turned towards boats, which he drew and made, and swimming , in which he broke the four-lengths record. He had also good and sound abilities in School work, and showed himself a cheerful, friendly, open and vigorous member of society, remembered with pleasure by all who had to do with him.”
Lieutenant Graham Leckie is buried at the Perth Cemetery (China Wall) at Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium.