Pte 46700 Charles Rupert Leighton

• Age: 19
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Tuesday 31st July 1917
• Commemorated at: Ypres Reservoir Cem
  Panel Ref: X.F.27

Charles Rupert Leichton was born on the 16th February 1898 in Liverpool, the son of Charles Leichton and his wife Mary (nee King) who were married on the 25th May 1897 at St Mary RC, Highfield Street, Liverpool. Charles gave his address as 94 Lord Street, Southport, Mary of 7 Court, Queen Street. He was baptised Leighton on the 02nd March also at St Mary.

The 1901 Census shows the Leichton family living at 5 Freeman Street, West Derby, Liverpool. His father, Charles, is aged 26 born 1875 in Germany (and a naturalized British subject) his occupation is recorded as a head waiter. His wife Mary aged 26 born 1875 in Liverpool. They had two sons both born in Liverpool, Charles born 1898 and Thomas born 1900. 

The 1911 Census shows the family now living at 11 Nuttall Street, Liverpool and the name on the Census records reads Leichton.  His father, Charles is shown as a 37 year old hotel waiter, whilst his mother, Mary, is 36. They advise that they have been married for 15 years and have had six children. Those listed on the Census are; Charles Rupert aged 14 at school, Thomas aged 12 at school,  Francis aged 7 at school, Gerrard aged 4 at school, Rudolf aged 2 and newborn Herbert. All children being born in Liverpool.   

His father, Charles, remains as Leichton on the Electoral Roll in 1915. 

Charles enlisted in Seaforth, Liverpool.

An undated letter was sent to hsi mother from Pte C Leighton 46700, A Company, Hut 10, 3rd Kings L Regt, Pembroke Dock as follows:

Dear Mother,

Just a few lines to say that I arrived quite safe after a good journey. We arrived at Pembroke Dock at half past nine and I felt rather tired after the ride.

I have heard we are going on draft next Tuesday week and i might tell you I am very glad to it is absolutely hell down here.   

 

He was serving in the 18th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 46700 when he was killed in action on the 31st July 1917, aged 19, during the Third Battle of Ypres.

18^th Battalion

On this day, before Zero Hour, the 18^th Battalion was part of 21^st Brigade and was to form up for the attack from trenches from the area of Sanctuary Wood to Observatory Ridge but it was dark and continually falling rain gave very poor visibility. The departure of the 21^st Brigade was delayed by heavy shelling.

The 18^th King’s began to move forward in the rear of the 2^nd Battalion of the Wiltshire Regiment who had been detailed as the left attacking battalion of the 21^st Brigade.

No’s 1 and 3 Companies of the King’s led the way followed by No’s 2 and 4. In Sanctuary Wood there was considerable confusion, as a result No.2 and No.4 Companies became separated from the others, and were moved over to the left flank towards positions known as Surbiton Villas and Clapham Junction in the direction of the 90^th Brigade.

No.1 and 3 Companies were soon in action with the enemy, and were for a time, held up against an enemy strong point. They pushed forward with their right on a trench known as Jar Row and their left on the tramway south of Stirling Castle. Advance along Jar Row was held up by the Germans who put up a fierce resistance and the party was forced to withdraw.

Another group of men from No.1 and No.3 Companies led by 2^nd Lieutenant Graham were being held up by another strongpoint which was south of Stirling Castle, which was eventually stormed and taken.  Not far away from this action,  an attempt, by other men of No.1 and No.3 companies, was made to penetrate a broad belt of uncut wire, but this was covered by Machine-guns which killed almost every man attempting to pass through the two gaps that were discovered.

The situation was similar with No.2 and 4 Companies, who had attacked along the wrong axis. Their advance was met with fierce opposition, and once all the experienced officer’s had been killed or wounded, all cohesion was lost, although some men did reach and cross the Menin Road at Clapham Junction.

By that time, the situation had become extremely confused, and the whereabouts of all four companies being unknown to Battalion Headquarters, urgent attempts were made to discover their locations. Eventually by mid- afternoon, it was established that the bulk of the companies, although all mixed together, were dug in the vicinity of Stirling Castle and by mid evening, the Battalion Headquarters moved forward to meet them.

During its time in the line the 18^th Battalion lost 7 officers and 76 men killed or died of wounds and 7 officers and 177 men wounded. They were relieved on the 2^nd August. 

The Liverpool Echo of 28th March 1918 reported:

MISSING SINCE JULY.

Private C. R. Leighton, K.L.R., whose home at 11, Nuttall-street, Wavertree-road, Liverpool, is reported missing since July 31 last. A letter received by his relatives says a comrade saw him badly wounded, and an attempt was made to bring him in, but in the end, it says, had to leave him what would then be " No Man's Land."

Charles now rests at Ypres Resevoir Cemetery, Belgium, where his headstone bears the epitaph:

“MAY HE REST IN PEACE”

The cemetery was at first called the "Cemetery North of the Prison," later "Ypres Reservoir North Cemetery”, and now Ypres Reservoir Cemetery.  It was begun in October 1915 and used by fighting units and field ambulances until after the Armistice, when it contained 1,099 graves. The cemetery was later enlarged when graves were brought in from the battlefields of the salient and smaller burial grounds.  There are now 2,613 Commonwealth servicemen of the First World War buried or commemorated in the cemetery. 1,034 of whom are unidentified. Six of the identified burials are Liverpool Pals.

Soldiers Effects and Pension to mother Mary.

His parents appear on the 1939 register still at 11 Nutall Street, Edge Hill. Charles a hotel waiter, dob 27th July 1874, Mary, dob 29th Oct 1873. Also present are sons Frank J. and Rudolf.

The Liverpool Echo of 06th April 1939 advised of Charles Senior's application for Naturalisation:

NOTICE is hereby given that CHARLES LEICHTON of 11 Nuttall Street, Liverpool 7, is applying to the home secretary for NATURALISATION and that any person who knows any reason why naturalisation should not be granted should send a written and sign statement of the facts to Under-Secretary of State, Home Office, S.W.1.

During WW2 father Charles was issued with an exemption from internment on the 27th October 1939 but as the war progressed he spent 21st June to 16th Sept 1940 in said internment. His real name was Vincenz Leichtle, dob 27th June 1874 in Wurtemburg, Germany.

His mother, Mary, died aged 69 in 1943. Her death was reported in the Liverpool Echo on 22nd June 1943:

LEIGHTON— At 11 Nuttall Street, after a short illness, MARY, dearly-loved wife of Charles Leighton and beloved mother Tom, Frank, Gerald, Austin, and Pauline, loving mother-in-law of Mary, Lily, and Eddie, and dear grandmother of dear Gerry, Peter, and young Pauline. Interment at Yew Tree Cemetery, tomorrow (Wednesday) at 3pm. 

Charles Rupert is remembered on her headstone:-

CHARLES RUPERT

Son Of The Above Who Was Killed In Action On The 31st July 1917, Aged 19 Years.

His father died aged 73 on the 10th December 1947 and was buried at Yew Tree Cemetery on the 13th December 1947.

Probate for his father was granted in 1948: 

LEIGHTON - Charles Rupert otherwise Charles of 11 Nuttall Street, Edge Hill Liverpool 7 died 10 December 1947 at 42 Belmont Road, Liverpool 6 Administration Liverpool 14th October to Frank Joseph Leighton motor driver. Effects £364 11s 6d.

Grateful thanks are extended  to Janet Cooke, the grand-daughter of Charles Rupert Leighton for permission to use his photograph on this site.

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