Pte 34553 James Arthur Leach

• Age: 37
• From: Manchester
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Danzig Alley Cem, Mametz
  Panel Ref: Vernon St Mem.17

James Arthur Leach born March 1879 in Chorlton, Manchester, the eldest of nine children born to John Leach, a Cheshire born confectioner, and his wife Sarah Elizabeth nee Jones, whom he married in 1878.

The 1901 Census shows the family living at 32 Mersey Lane South, Rock Ferry. His father, John, is aged 50, born 1851 in Oscroft, Cheshire, his occupation declared as a confectioner, whilst his mother, Sarah Elizabeth, born 1856 in Manchester, is aged 46 with no occupation listed. At the time of the Census, they have seven children living with them, James Arthur aged 22 is a bread maker, John R aged 20 is an apprentice bread maker, George Manley 16 is a shipping clerk, Susannah aged 14, Maud Mary aged 12, Thomas Herbert and twin sister Elsie aged 9 and Murray Thompson aged 7.

The 1911 Census shows the family still living at 32 Mersey Lane South, Rock Ferry. His father John  is now aged 60 and his occupation is again listed as a confectioner. His mother, Sarah Elizabeth, is aged 55. They have been married for thirty two years and have had nine children of which one had died.  Of those listed as living at home; James Arthur is aged 31, and is a baker of bread, George Manley 25, born 1885 is a coal clerk, Susannah aged 24, born 1887 no occupation Maud Mary aged 21, born 1890 is a dressmaker, Thomas Herbert aged 19, born 1892 is a clerk for a importer of tinned goods, twin sister Elsie no occupation and Murray Thompson aged 17, born 1894 a wholesale grocery clerk.

James enlisted on or about 05th December 1915 at Knowsley Park and was serving in the 18th Battalion, King's Liverpool Regiment as Private No 34553.

He was killed in action on 01^st July 1916, aged 37, during the attack at Montauban on the opening day of the Battle of the Somme.

8^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun.  

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the day’s action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.   

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257. 

James' death was reported in the Birkenhead News on 26th July 1916

LEACH - July 1, killed in action, Private J. A. Leach ("Pals",)  eldest son of Mr and Mrs John Leach, 32 Mersey Lane South, Rock Ferry.

(No letters by request.)

He is commemorated on the Vernon Street Cemetery Memorial in Dantzig Alley Cemetery near Mametz where his headstone bears the epitaph:

"THY WILL BE DONE O LORD GOD"

The village of Mametz was carried by the 7th Division on 1 July 1916, the first day of the Battle of the Somme, after very hard fighting at Dantzig Alley (a German trench) and other points. The cemetery was begun later in the same month and was used by field ambulances and fighting units until the following November. The ground was lost during the great German advance in March 1918 but regained in August, and a few graves were added to the cemetery in August and September 1918. At the Armistice, the cemetery consisted of 183 graves, now in Plot I, but it was then very greatly increased by graves (almost all of 1916) brought in from the battlefields north and east of Mametz and from certain smaller burial grounds, including:-

VERNON STREET CEMETERY, CARNOY, in the valley between Carnoy and Maricourt, at a place called "Squeak Forward Position". 110 soldiers who died in July-October 1916 were buried here by the 21st Infantry Brigade and other units.

Dantzig Alley British Cemetery now contains 2,053 burials and commemorations of the First World War. 518 of the burials are unidentified but there are special memorials to 17 casualties known or believed to be buried among them. Other special memorials record the names of 71 casualties buried in other cemeteries, whose graves were destroyed by shell fire.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Herbert Baker.

James Arthur is also commemorated on the war memorial at St Peter's Church, Rock Ferry, and on the Birkenhead War Memorial, Hamilton Square, Birkemhead. Both Thomas and James are commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 65 Right for James and Panel 65 Left for Thomas.   

Probate: Leach James Arthur of 32 Mersey Lane, Rock Ferry, Birkenhead a private in the King's Liverpool Regiment died 1 July 1916 in France. Administration Chester 13 September to John Leach baker and confectioner. Effects £139, 6s and 7d.

James' loss was the second to befall the family in just over four months as his brother Thomas Herbert Leach, who served as Private 16726 in the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment, was severely wounded in the head by shrapnel and died of his wounds on 18th February 1916.

Soldiers Effects and the Pensions of both James and Thomas to mother Sarah Elizabeth. 

Their youngest brother, Murray Thompson Leach, born in 1894, also enlisted as Private 2785 in the 10^th (Liverpool Scottish) Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment arriving in France in November 1914. He was subsequently commissioned in the King’s Liverpool as a 2^nd Lieutenant and was Gazetted on 26^th September 1917 when he was awarded a Military Cross -

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in gallantly leading his platoon in an attack and being the first to enter the enemy’s trenches. He pushed forward a strong-point in advance of our position under machine gun fire and held it until compelled to retire owing to his machine guns being put out of action. He succeeded however in consolidating another strong-point which was permanently held, assisted in the capture of an enemy field gun and throughout the operation showed a magnificent example to all ranks”.

He was awarded a Bar to his Military Cross as an Acting Captain, gazetted on 13^th September 1918, for gallantry:

“This officer was in charge of the right front company during an enemy attack which he resisted in the front trenches until surrounded. He then organised an orderly withdrawal and assisted in a counter-attack. His cheerfulness and determination were of great service to the Battalion”. 

Murray was later promoted to Captain - there is a note on his Medal Card to say that his 1914 Star was returned for his rank to be amended to Captain.     

His father died, aged 69, in the March quarter of 1920. 

His father died, aged 75, in the March quarter of 1931. 

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