Part 119

=LEIGH, EDWARD=, Major, 2nd Battn. Hampshire Regt., yr. _s._ of the late Francis Augustine Leigh, of Rosegarland, co. Wexford, Ireland, J.P., D.L., formerly Lieut., 10th Hussars, by his wife, Augustine, dau. of Charles Perrier, of Metz, Lorraine; _b._ Rosegarland, 25 Aug. 1867; educ. St. Columba’s, co. Dublin; gazetted 2nd Lieut., from the Militia, to the Hampshire Regt., 9 May, 1888; and promoted Lieut. 4 Jan. 1890, Capt. 22 April, 1894, and Major, 22 July, 1905; joined the 2nd Battn. at Chatham in 1888, but transferred in 1897 to the 1st Battn. then serving on the Indian Frontier at Mooltan, Lundi Kotal, Peshawar, etc.; volunteered for active service in the South African War, in which he was employed with the Mounted Infantry, taking part in the operations in the Transvaal, 30 Nov. 1900 to Jan. 1902; in Orange River Colony, Dec. 1900 to Oct. 1901; in Cape Colony, Feb. to March, 1901; commanded the 7th (Hampshire) Mounted Infantry in the operations against De Wet, until he was severely wounded at Onverwacht, near Ermelo, 4 Jan. 1902 (mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 25 April, 1902], Queen’s medal with three clasps and King’s medal with two clasps); was Adjutant to 4th (Volunteer) Battn. Hampshire Regt., from 20 May, 1904, to 21 July, 1905, when, on promotion to the rank of Major, he rejoined 2nd Battn. as second in command and served with it (temporarily commanding at various times during 1909, 1912, 1913, 1914, and at the time of his death) whilst in Bermuda, South Africa, Mauritius, India and Gallipoli; left for the Dardanelles, 19 March, 1915; took part in the landing there on 25 April, and was killed in action during the Turkish attack on the Allied trenches S.W. of Krithia, Gallipoli, on the night of 1–2 May, 1915. Buried close to where he fell. Major Leigh _m._ at Christ Church, Lancaster Gate, London, 11 April, 1912, Mary Meade (Ladies’ Empire Club, 69, Grosvenor Street, W.), only dau. of the Hon. Sir John Buchanan, of Clareinch, Claremont, South Africa, LL.D., Knight of Grace of St. John of Jerusalem, and had a son, Edward Buchanan, _b._ at Vacoas, Mauritius, 19 June, 1913.

=LEIGH, EDWARD HENRY=, Lieut., 2nd Battn. The Rifle Brigade, yr. _s._ of the late Hon. Sir Edward Chandos Leigh, K.C., K.C.B. (who died suddenly, 18 May, 1915, three days after hearing of the death of his last surviving son), by his wife, Katherine Fanny (Knuston Hall, Irchester, Northants; 45, Upper Grosvenor Street, W.), dau. of the late James Rigby, of Moss House, Lancashire, D.L., and grandson of Chandos, 1st Lord Leigh; _b._ 14 July, 1888; educ. Harrow and Cambridge; gazetted Lieut., 2nd Battn. The Rifle Brigade, 17 April, 1913; left with his regt. for France, Nov. 1914, and was killed in the attack upon the Aubers Ridge, 9 May, 1915; _unm._ Lieut. Leigh was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 5 April [London Gazette, 22 June], 1915.

=LEIGH, THOMAS HORATIO ALFRED=, Private, No. 5624, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, yr. _s._ of Samuel Leigh, of Jubilee Terrace, New Road, Armitage, co. Stafford, Potter, by his wife, Annie, dau. of William Dissington, of Cobridge, Staffs.; _b._ Armitage, 25 May, 1886; educ. Elementary School there; enlisted 21 July, 1904; served in Egypt, 16 Jan. 1908, to 23 March, 1911, where he was attached to the Camel Corps, and was one of a company sent up the Nile to suppress a native rising; passed into the Reserve, 20 July, 1912; called up on the outbreak of war, 5 Aug. 1914; went to France with the Expeditionary Force, 21 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action at Soupir, 14 Sept. 1914; _unm._ Buried on the battlefield. He had two good conduct badges, and two first-class badges for shooting, and had passed classes in swimming.

=LEIVERS, JOHN ROBINSON=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 5638), 229452 (Ports.), H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=LE MARCHAND, JOHN WHARTON JONES=, Lieut., 56th Rifles, Frontier Force, Indian Army, attd. 1/6th Gurkha Rifles, _s._ of Walter John Le Marchand, District Supt. of Punjab Police, by his wife, Lucy, dau. of J........ G...... Jones, P.W.D., Punjab, India; _b._ at Gujranwalla, Punjab, 30 Dec. 1887; educ. Bedford Grammar School, and Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. (unattd.), 25 Jan. 1908; posted to Indian Army, 14 March, 1909, and promoted Lieut., 25 April, 1910; served on N.W. Frontier of India, 1908, including the operations in the Mohmand country and engagement at Mutta (medal with clasp), and with the Expeditionary Force at the Dardanelles, 1915; killed in action at Sari Bagh, 9 Aug. 1915; buried on the field. Col. Sir Cecil Allanson, commanding the 1/6th Gurkha Rifles, wrote: “Your son was killed with this regt. on 9 Aug. Every single officer in it was killed or wounded; he only joined it about 20 July and we only came under fire after a three weeks’ rest on 5 Aug. The following brief report is what the regt. did and what I have said (in my diary) about your son. No words of mine can express my admiration for his gallantry, his magnificent compliance with difficult orders and his superb control of men whom he hardly knew and who hardly knew him. His death is an example to all on the Peninsula.... The following are the entries referred to: ‘7 Aug.--Advance towards the Ridge 791, 6th Gurkhas leading, Le Marchand leading them; reach a height about 450. Few casualties through skilful use of ground. 8 Aug.--Advance to Hill 791 to within 100 yards. No digging in took place as ground extremely hard and we dare not move. Through the night we had to retain an immensely difficult position with the Turks right above us, every man in the regt. in the firing line. 9 Aug.--Attacked at dawn on the portion of the Ridge 791 in front of us, which was successfully carried, though subsequently evacuated. The position of the night before was held throughout the day.’ The reference made to Lieut. Le Marchand in report sent in to 90th Indian Brigade was as follows: ‘Lieut. Le Marchand led the leading double company to the attack on 7 and 8 Aug.; he had only been with the regt. 15 days and did not know the Goorkha language. His great personal gallantry gave him an extraordinary influence over his men, and he stopped two further rushes of the enemy on the night of the 8th and 9th in a most gallant manner. He remained on the Ridge 791 till the very last and was killed gallantly tackling single handed a large number of Turks.’ The only officer actually unwounded at this moment was Capt. Phipson, I.M.S., who succeeded in obtaining your son’s body and gave it a proper burial that night as near the spot he died as possible, and we have very carefully marked the position.... His death was absolutely instantaneous and painless, as he was shot through the base of the brain”; and in his report to the Colonel of the 5/6th Rifles he said: “Le Marchand’s conduct on the 6th, 7th, 8th and 9th was superb. We were very short of officers, and during that time he never had a wink of sleep and very little food or water. No commanding officer could have been better served. No regt. could have wished for a better officer to maintain its reputation. We alone succeeded in getting on the key of the local position, and we fought for three days and three nights and were never for one second out of fire throughout that time. We lost 100 per cent. of our officers and 45 per cent. of our fighting strength in men. It would be a long story to give you all the details, but before Le Marchand died (a few minutes) he placed his foot on the long ridge which surrounds this Peninsula, and had we been able to stay there it would have been splendid. It was no fault of ours whatever that we could not. Gen. Godley, in congratulating the regt., said that had Le Marchand lived he would have recommended him for the V.C.” In his official report of the battle, Sir Cecil wrote: “Lieut. J. W. J. Le Marchand, 56th Rifles, Frontier Force, attd. 1/6th Gurkha Rifles, led the leading double company to the attack on the 8th and 9th. He had only been with the regt. 15 days and did not know the language. His great personal gallantry gave him an extraordinary influence over his men, and he stopped a forward rush of the enemy on the night of the 8th and 9th in a most gallant manner. He was shot dead immediately after landing his company up on the ridge after two days and two nights continuous fighting, during the whole of which time a steady advance was made. No officer could have done finer work than he did and the regt. is deeply indebted to him for his great personal gallantry. I can only thank your regt. for sending us so fine an officer and regret extremely that he should have lost his life with us.”

=LE MARCHANT, LOUIS ST. GRATIEN, D.S.O.=, Lieut.-Col., 1st Battn. East Lancashire Regt., 6th and yst. _s._ of the Rev. Robert Le Marchant, Rector of Little Risington, by his wife, Eliza Catherine, dau. of D. Tupper, of Guernsey; _b._ Little Risington, co. Gloucester, 2 Dec. 1866; educ. Somerset College, Bath, and privately; gazetted Lieut. to the East Lancashire Regt., from the Gloucestershire Militia, 10 Nov. 1886, and promoted Capt. 11 Dec. 1895, Major, 11 April, 1906, and Lieut.-Col. 23 Sept. 1913; was Adjutant, 1st Battn., 29 Oct. 1898 to 28 Oct. 1902; Brigade Major, India, 9 July, 1906, to 1 March, 1908, and D.A.A.G., India, 2 March, 1908, to 3 July, 1910; served (1) with the Chitral Relief Force, 1895 (medal with clasp); (2) in the South African War, 1900–2; took part in the operations in the Orange Free State, Feb. to May, 1900, including actions at Karee Siding, Vet River (5–6 May), and Zand River; operations in the Transvaal, May and 30 Nov. 1900 to Oct. 1901, including action near Johannesburg; and operations in Orange River Colony, Oct. 1901 to 31 May, 1902 (Queen’s medal with three clasps, King’s medal with two clasps, D.S.O.); and (3) with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, Aug. to 9 Sept. 1914 (mentioned in Despatches by F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French, 9 Oct. [London Gazette, 18 Oct.] 1914), and was killed in action at La Ferté sous Jouarre, during the Battle of the Marne, 9 Sept. 1914; _unm._

=LE MASURIER, JOHN EDWARD=, Gunner, No. 2708, 3rd Brigade Ammunition Column, 3rd F.A. Brigade, 1st Australian Division, 2nd _s._ of Charles Henry John Le Masurier, of 3, Elizabeth Terrace, Tower Road, Jersey, Seaman, by his wife, Alice, dau. of Philip Edward Beaugié; _b._ St. Heliers, Jersey, 19 Aug. 1889; educ. National Boys’ School there; went to Australia, 19 Aug. 1910, and worked as a Steam Navvy on the North Coast Railway at Telegraph Point, N.S.W.; volunteered for Imperial service on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914, and joined the 3rd Ammunition Column, Australian Imperial Force; left for Egypt, 18 Oct. 1914; went to the Dardanelles in April, 1915, and was killed in action there, 29 May following, while attached to the Indian Mountain Battery; _unm._ A comrade wrote: “He was killed in action on the evening of 29 May by a shrapnel shell. There was only a small party of us together. We were attached to an Indian Mountain Battery looking after field telephones and doing such work as the Indians could not do, and they could not speak English. I cannot say how sorry we were to lose Jack, as he was one of the best--in fact, what we call, a white man. He was recommended for the D.C.M. for keeping up communications under heavy fire the morning of 29 May, but do not know if it ever went through. We buried him at night on the top of a high headland overlooking the sea at Anzac. The head is known as Pluggy’s Plateau, and was the first place taken on the morning of the Australian landing.”

=LE MESURIER, ALFRED CLIVE=, Lieut., 12th Indian Cavalry, attd. 33rd Q.V.L.H., yst. _s._ of the late Col. Andrew Alfred Le Mesurier, C.B., Commandant of the 8th Battn. King’s Liverpool Regt., by his wife, Kate Josephine (Jersey, Channel Islands), dau. of William Henry Vyse, of Cornwall; _b._ Weymouth, co. Dorset, 8 Sept. 1888; educ. Victoria College, Jersey, and Wellington College, co. Bucks; settled in Upper Assam as a tea planter; joined the Assam Valley Light Horse; obtained a commission in the 12th Indian Cavalry after the outbreak of war, 30 Oct. 1914; went to Mesopotamia early in Feb., attd. to the 33rd Q.V.L.H., and was killed in action there, 29 April, 1915; _unm._ He was buried beside Major M. H. Anderson, 33rd Q.V.O.L.C., and Lieut. Bailward, 26th K.G.O.L.C., at Brackey, some 30 miles from Ahwaz, near the Karum River, in Persia. It appears that two squadrons were sent out on a reconnaissance some 15 miles from camp. They were met by Arabs, who pretended to be friendly, and warned them that the Turkish army were only three hours’ march away and to go back. They went back about one mile and watered their horses, and stayed there for some time. When the squadrons had finished watering their commander mounted the men and, wheeling them about, marched them off. The hostile Arabs, who had been collecting round under the cloak of the friendlies, opened fire. More mounted Arabs closed in, and Lieut. Le Mesurier was hit and fell from his horse, killed.

=LEMMON, MONTAGUE HAGUE=, Private, No. 1001, Honourable Artillery Coy. (T.F.), yst. _s._ of the late John Lemmon, of Chichester, by his wife, Martha Elizabeth (afterwards wife of Arthur William Wyatt, of South Gate), dau. of Jonas Hague; _b._ Chichester, 23 June, 1887; educ. Prebendal School there; was a member of the London Staff of the Liverpool and London and Globe Insurance, Co., Ltd.; volunteered and joined the H.A.C. on the outbreak of war in Aug. 1914; trained at Headquarters and Aveley Park; went to France in Sept. 1914, and died at Bailleul, 8 June, 1915, of wounds received in action at Ypres on the 5th; _unm._ Buried at Bailleul.

=LEMON, JOHN EDWARD=, Stoker, R.N.R., 1375S, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=LENCH, JAMES SYDNEY=, A.B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 93), 145290 (Ports.), H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=LEONARD, ALFRED=, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 5112), 207650, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=LEONARD, THOMAS=, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch. 16977, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

=LE PAGE, EDMOND JOHN=, A.B., B. 4180, S.S. 1351, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=LE SUEUR, CLEMENT GEORGE=, Private, No. 3158, 1/5th Battn. Seaforth Highlanders (T.F.), only child of Clement George Le Sueur, of 155, Chevening Road, Brondesbury Park, N.W., Clerk in the War Office, by his wife, Ellen, dau. of Thomas Cull, and grandson of Clement Le Sueur, late of Jersey; _b._ Hampstead, N.W., 23 March, 1893; educ. Kilburn Grammar School and King’s College, London; was a Clerk in the Metropolitan Water Board; volunteered and joined the Seaforth Highlanders, 7 Sept. 1914; went to France, 1 May, 1915, and was killed in action while on sentry duty in the trenches near Laventie, 17 July, 1915; _unm._ His company officer wrote: “I hear from his comrades in the ranks that he was a fine soldier, and that his never failing good spirits helped others over the many depressing times we have here”; and the Church of England Chaplain: “It fell to my lot to lay him to rest in the little soldiers’ cemetery [by the roadside, Rue de Bacquerot], not far from Laventie. I know how greatly he is missed and mourned.” A comrade also wrote: “It should be some consolation to you to know that Clem’s high character and good spirits stood the very searching test that this life out here enforces with complete success. His loss was keenly felt by all who had been brought into contact with him”; and the magazine “Aquarius” referred to him as follows: “Mr. Le Sueur entered the service (Metropolitan Water Board) in 1910. He possessed marked ability and great business aptitude and a successful future seemed in store for him.”

=LESTER, JOHN=, Stoker, Petty Officer, 283924, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=LETFORD, WILLIAM EDWARD=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 3739 (Ports.), H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

=LEVERINGTON, WILLIAM EDWARD=, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 2677, H.M.S. Pathfinder; lost when that ship was sunk by a mine, about 20 miles off the East Coast, 5 Sept. 1914.

=LE VESCONTE, JOHN THOMAS=, Stoker, 1st Class, 302978, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

=LEVI, KEITH MAURICE=, Capt., A.A.M.C., attached as Regimental Medical Officer to the 2nd Battn. Hampshire Regt. 29th Division, yst. _s._ of Joseph Levi, of Liverpool Buildings, 153, William Street, Melbourne, formerly of Lulinghi, Princes Street, St. Kilda, J.P., by his wife, Katherine S. dau. of Maurice C. Davies, and gdson. of the late Hon. Nathaniel Levi, M.L.C.; _b._ St. Kilda, Victoria, 6 Oct. 1890. He was educated at Cumloden and Melbourne Church of England Grammar School, afterwards proceeding to the Melbourne University. He was a student at Ormond College and took his M.B. degree in April, 1914. Whilst at the University he took great interest in the Sports Union and was for some time Capt. of B grade hockey team and played in inter-varsity matches. He was also a member of the University Rifles. After graduating in medicine he was appointed a Resident Medical Officer at the Melbourne Hospital, and later on joined the Staff of Perth Public Hospital. Volunteering for active service on the third day after war was declared, he served as Medical Officer at Blackboy Camp, W.A. and afterwards at the Broadmeadows Camp, Victoria. He left Victoria on Feb. 6 for Egypt, with the Light Horse reinforcements, and was stationed at the First Australian General Hospital, Heliopolis, for two months. Proceeding thence to the Dardanelles he was for a time on hospital ships bringing wounded back from Lemnos to Alexandria. He was sent to organise a rest camp on the island of Imbros, and it was from there on June 29th he was ordered to Cape Hellas, and attd. to the 2nd Hampshire Regt. 29th Division, as Regimental Medical Officer. Major J. G. Bell, R.A.M.C., Acting Director of Medical Services, 29th Division, wrote: “I am writing to you about your son’s death. Being separated as he was from his own Australian Troops, it is possible that no one else may write you any particulars. He joined this division (29th) and was placed in medical charge of the 2nd Hampshire Regt. This suited him; he liked his work and became most popular with the regt. He was one of the best regimental Medical Officers in the Division. On the 6th of this month [Aug.] the brigade to which his regiment belonged became engaged and suffered severe casualties. He worked splendidly just behind the firing line all that afternoon and all night getting back the wounded, dressing and attending to them. At about 6.30 on the morning of the 7th when his work was practically over, and he was standing with another officer, a Turkish shrapnel shell fell close to him killing him dead, together with some five other men. He was buried where he fell, next to a Captain of the Hants, with two officers of the Essex Regt. close by. He is buried in an open nullah. I saw his grave this morning, and a suitable cross is being put up this afternoon by the regt. Your son’s death is a great loss; he took such an interest in his work, was so keen about it, and had done so well”; and in a letter to his mother, Lieut. and Q.M. A. Smith, of the Hampshire Regt. wrote: “I was within two yards of your son when he was killed. I am the Quartermaster of this Battn. and knew your son more intimately than anyone else in the Battn. as we were almost always together. All the officers and men liked and respected him for his calmness and coolness in all the trials and dangers of this campaign; I am asked to convey to you and yours the sincere condolence of the officers of this Battn. in your great bereavement, and I am sure it will be of great comfort to you to know that he was killed instantaneously and did not suffer any pain. On Aug. 6 an attack was made by our Brigade on the Turkish trenches, your son being in the same place as myself. When the attack was launched about 3.45 p.m. the wounded began to come in and they came through the Battn. Dressing Station all night, about 220 officers, non-commissioned officers and men were dressed (their wounds being attended to) and sent down to the base, your son working continuously all through the night. At 6.45 a.m. we were ordered to move back and a fresh battn. was sent to relieve us, your son and myself were having some breakfast before starting (as the dressing station was being taken over and cleaned up), when a high explosive shell came from the enemy and exploded close to us, killing three, and wounding four, all of whom had been attending on the wounded. Your son was amongst the killed, a piece of the shell killing him instantaneously. He was buried in a separate grave close to the spot where he was killed, a stone with his name marking the spot.” Col. A. Thackeray Beckwith, Commanding Officer 2nd Hampshire Regt., also wrote: “Though I was not present on 7 Aug. when he was killed I heard exactly about it from Lt. & Q.M. A. Smith of my Battn. who was with him, and I know the spot intimately. Your son had worked like a Trojan, attending to the very large number of wounded in the attack of 6 Aug., and with the Quartermaster and about five other N.C.Os. and men was curiously enough in a hollow just behind the front trench where no shells had ever pitched before, when two shells came down quite close to each other, a piece of one hitting your son in the chest, killing him instantaneously by shock and not by laceration. His loss was a very great one to us, he had done sterling work for the Battn. and in spite of the danger was never absent from our trenches, used most conscientiously to go round them seeing to all the sanitation, attending the wounded, etc. And on one particular occasion went out of his way to help bring in a wounded Canadian officer from a dangerously exposed place.” Capt. Keith M. Levi was mentioned in General Sir Ian Hamilton’s Despatch of 11 Dec. 1915 [London Gazette, 28 Jan. 1916]. He was _unm._