Photo: Operation Picture Me

Jean Longstaff has submitted the following:-

Albert was the fourth of the ten children born to West Hartlepool electrician Robert Henry Leach and his Norfolk born wife Rachel (nee Hart), his oldest brother Robert had been born in 1880 the year after their parents’ marriage, and Doris, the youngest in 1899, and in between came Elizabeth, Martha, David, Arthur, Ernest, Laura and Cordelia. All the children attended school in Hartlepool, and on leaving Albert found work as a marine engine fitter. In May 1911 Albert left home to travel to Glasgow and then go onwards to Canada on board the SS Scotian, arriving in Quebec later that month. He settled in Owen Sound, Ontario where he found work as a machinist and less than two years later, on 5th February 1913, married Sunderland born Ethel Graham. They had a daughter Ethel born in 1913 and a son, Albert in April 1916.

On 2nd August 1915 Albert, who was just over five feet tall, travelled to Camp Niagara and enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, becoming Private 141944 in “D” Company, 15th Platoon, 76th Battalion. After nearly nine months training the Battalion sailed for England on the SS Empress of Britain, leaving Halifax on 24th April 1916, arriving in Liverpool ten days later and then travelling onwards to a posting at West Sandling Camp near Folkestone, Kent. Four months after Albert had left Canada Ethel and the two children returned to Hartlepool, not returning to Canada until 1918.

Posted in June as a reinforcement to the 24th Battalion he joined them in Vierstraat, Belgium on 1st August 1916. Six weeks later the Battalion as part of the 5th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Division, took part in the battle at Courcelette. Even though they achieved some of their objectives that night between them the four battalions lost over 1200 men, and one of those missing in action that night, 17th September 1916, was Private 141944 Albert Leach.

In May 1917 he was presumed to have been killed in the action at Courcelette and his widow was granted a pension of $44. A grave was registered in February 1918, but later either could not be located or the remains could not be positively identified, so Albert Leach therefore has no known grave.

Albert Leach is remembered at Hartlepool on H115.30 page 27, at West Hartlepool on W111.54 and W111.86page 23

He is also remembered in Canada on their Virtual War Memorial and in their Book of Remembrance.

Canadian Book of Remembrance
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
The CWGC entry for Private Leach