Pte 49572 John Henry Leadbeater (MM)

• Age: 27
• From: Southport, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• D.O.W Tuesday 30th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Esquelbecq Mil Cem
  Panel Ref: II.B.8

John Henry Leadbeater was born in 1891 in Southport, Lancashire and was the only child of Thomas Leadbeater and his wife Margaret (nee Rotherham). His parents married in 1889. 

The 1901 Census shows 10 year old John living with his parents at 140 Shakespeare Street, Southport. His father is a 33 year old blacksmith born in Liverpool, whilst his mother is 31 years of age and was born in Scarisbrick, Lancashire. Also present at the property are; Thomas Rotherham described as cousin and a boarder.

The 1911 Census finds the family are still living at 140 Shakespeare Street. John is now 20 and a joiner's apprentice. His parents are both present and advise that they have been married for 22 years and John is their only child. Also present is Thomas Rotherham again described as cousin.

Marriage records show that John married Maude Teal in Ormskirk in the fourth quarter of 1916. His last known address was given as Knottingley, York the home town of his wife. 

Service records exist for for father Thomas Leadbetter, he was already a reservist with V.B. King's Liverpool, and attested at the age of 43 with the Army Service Corps(No.5269) on 05th October 1914. A reference from Southport Corporation stated he was a shoeing smith and a good worker, however he was soon discharged 14th Oct after failing farriers test.

John Henry enlisted in Liverpool joining in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 49572. He was a serving Policeman and as such would have been exempt on the grounds that his occupation was a reserved one. 

His enlistment was reported in the Manchester Evening News on 15th May 1915

Inspector Leadbeater, of Southport, has joined Lord Derby's Artillery as a Private.

John died of wounds on the 30^th April 1918, aged 28, during the German Spring Offensive. He was posthumously awarded the Military medal for his gallantry, the award being noted in the London Gazette on 29th August 1918.  

He now rests at Esquelbecq Military Cemetery, France, where his headstone bears the epitaph:

 “WE HAVE LOVED HIM IN LIFE LET US NOT FORGET HIM IN DEATH, FATHER & MOTHER R.I.P.” 

The cemetery was opened in April 1918 during the early stages of the German offensive in Flanders, when the 2nd Canadian and 3rd Australian Casualty Clearing Stations came to Esquelbecq. It was closed in September 1918, although one French grave was added in 1919 and one British soldier from 1916 was added later from an isolated site.

The cemetery was used again during the Second World War, mainly for the burial of those killed during the German advance of May 1940 and the withdrawal of the British Expeditionary Force to Dunkirk.

Esquelbecq Military Cemetery contains 578 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and 47 from the Second World War. There are also 11 French and German burials.

The cemetery was designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

From the Southport Visiter dated 25th May 1918:

Private Leadbeater was the son of Mr Thomas Leadbeater, 140 Shakespeare St, Southport, and was formerly a member of Southport Borough Police Force. He was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry and other services to his country from April 27th to May 1st 1918, the medal being awarded posthumously. He died on 1st May at the casualty clearing station in France, from wounds received the previous day. He had been wounded in the face, hand and leg. Private Leadbeater joined the Police Force on the 14th February 1913, was at first attached to the Churchtown Division, and afterwards to Birkdale. He was a member of the Southport Volunteer Band. The deceased soldier joined up in May 1915. He was 27 years of age and had been married 18 months at the time of his death.

Again the Southport Visitor reported:
 
Private J.Leadbeater, K.L.R., has died of wounds received in action. Prior to joining the Army shortly after the outbreak of war Pte.Leadbeater was a member of the Southport Borough Police Force, and was stationed at Churchtown. He is the fifth Southport policeman to make the supreme sacrifice.

Soldiers Effects mother Margaret and widow Maude, and Pension to widow Maude.

His mother, Margaret, died on 21st April 1941, at 140 Shakespeare Street, probate to Elizabeth Ann Aughton.

His father Thomas died within a year on 27th February 1942, at 140 Shakespeare St, probate also to Elizabeth Ann Aughton.

John is commemorated on the Southport County Borough Police Memorial situated at Holy Trinity Church, Southport. It had previously been housed at Merseyside Police Station at Albert Road in Southport and the Central Police Office in Lord Street, Southport.

He is also commemorated on the Southport Civic memorial.

Grateful thanks are extended to Clive Young a member of the family of John's widow contacted the site to advise:

Pte 49572 John Henry Leadbeater (MM) The only other information I have on John Henry Leadbeater is that he was married to my grandmother Maude Teal of Knottingley. As far as I am aware he had no children. My grandmother re-married.

Maude remarried in the December quarter of 1928 to John Banks. They had a son George Rhodes Banks born in the September quarter of 1929. 

Maude died in 1973.  

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