Pte 32943 Edward Leach

• Age: 25
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Friday 11th August 1916
• Commemorated at: Abbeville Cc
  Panel Ref: VI.D.1

Edward was born on 06th October 1890 in Liverpool and was baptised on 02nd November 1890 in All Saints Church, Stoneycroft, Liverpool. He was the son of John Leach and his wife Ann (nee Tyrer) who had married 16th June 1880 at the same church. 

1891 Census - 4 Tapley Place, Stoneycroft, Liverpool - Parents John and Ann with children Sarah, Alice, Mary, Edith and Edward age 6 months.

1901 Census – 8 Tapley Place, Stoneycroft - John and Ann with children Sarah, Alice, Mary, Edith, Edward and Esther.

Edward Leach and Harriet Webster were married in 1910 in West Derby Registration district.

1911 Census - 25 Sapphire Street, Old Swan - Edward Leach and Harriet with their son William Edward Leach age 2 months are residing with Albert and Edith Wilson (Edward’s sister) and their children Lily and Alice. Also there are John Leach – widower – his father, and niece Mary Leach.

Edward and Harriet also had sons John Henry and Robert.

Edward enlisted at Seaforth and was serving as Private 32943 in the 17th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment when he died of wounds at at No.1 South African Gen. Hospital, Abbeville on the 11th August 1916 aged 25.

His death was reported on 31st August 1916 in the Liverpool Echo with his photo.

AN OLD SWAN SOLDIER

Private Edward Leach who has been killed joined the Kings Liverpool Regiment in November and went to France in February last. He transferred to a Welsh Regiment then in the fighting line and in June was transferred to the “Pals”. Early in August he was sniped and died in Abbeville Hospital a week later. He resided in Garnett Street, Old Swan and leaves a Widow and three children. Private Leach worked at Messrs. Evans, Lescher and Webb, Hanover Street.

He now rests at Abbeville Communal Cemetery, France.

For much of the First World War, Abbeville was headquarters of the Commonwealth lines of communication and No.3 BRCS, No.5 and No.2 Stationary Hospitals were stationed there variously from October 1914 to January 1920. The communal cemetery was used for burials from November 1914 to September 1916, the earliest being made among the French military graves. The extension was begun in September 1916. During the early part of the Second World War, Abbeville was a major operational aerodrome, but the town fell to the Germans at the end of May 1940. On 4 June, an attempt was made by the 51st Division, in conjunction with the French, to break the German bridgehead, but without success. Towards the end of 1943, eight large ski shaped buildings appeared near Abbeville. These proved to be storage units for flying bomb components an they were heavily bombed by Commonwealth air forces. Abbeville was retaken on 4 September 1944 by Canadian and Polish units. Abbeville Communal Cemetery contains 774 Commonwealth burials of First World War and 30 from the Second.  

Soldiers Effects to widow Harriet.

Pension to widow Harriet and children William Edward, john Henry and Robert.

Edward is also commemorated at All Saints Church, Stoneycroft.

We currently have no further information on Edward Leach. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.