Pte 36708 Charles Robert Leigh

• Age: 26
• From: Kearsley, Lancs
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Friday 10th May 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Charles Robert Leigh was born in 1891 and resided in Kearsley, Lancashire and was the son of Alfred and Eliza Leigh (nee Cranshaw), of 12 Bridge St, Kearsley, Bolton. They had married in 1878 at Chorlton-on-Medlock Register Office.

On the 1901 Census the family are living at 44 Trafford St, Farnworth.

The father Alfred is aged 50 and is a mill mechanic, his wife Eliza is aged 40. They have five children, Lilly aged 21 and Mabel 16 are both employed as cotton baller's, Frederick is aged 11, Charles is aged 9and William Henry is aged 1. Their children were all born Manchester.

The mother Eliza died March 1909 aged 49.

The 1911 Census shows the family living at 12 Bridge St, Kearsley, Lancashire.

The father Alfred is a widower aged 61, born 1850 who is a sewing machine mechanic who was born in Heaton, Lancashire. He is living with his five children. Lilly aged 31, born 1880 and Mabel aged 26, born 1885 are both cotton tenters, Frederick Alfred aged 21, born 1890 is a flyer maker, Charles Robert aged 19, born 1892 is a piercer in a mill and William Henry aged 11, born 1900 is at school. They have a boarder living at the address William Henry Bennett aged 28 born 1883 who works in a coal mine.

He enlisted in Preston and was serving in the 19^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 36708 when he was killed in action on the 10^th May 1918 aged 26 during the German Spring Offensive.

He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

He is also commemorated on the following memorials, St John the Evangelist Church of England, Farnworth, Farnworth WW1 War memorial, Kearsley War Memorial Cross and Farnworth "Fallen in the Fight" Book.

Soldiers Effects to father Alfred and Pension to father Robert and guardian Lilly Bennett.

The father Alfred died June 1920 aged 70.

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