Alfred Leeson

The life of Alfred Leeson.

Alfred was born on April 29^th 1883 in Woolwich and Christened on 15^th July at St Mary Magdalene’s Woolwich, the Leesons were then living at 3 Trafalgar Street.  We find him on the 1891 census aged 7 living at 40 Earl Street and attending Plumstead Road School.  He transferred to St Patrick’s R.C. School on 3^rd Oct 1892 when the family moved to 38 North Street.  He stayed there until he was 14, leaving as he was ‘over age’ on 24^th Aug 1907.  He attained a level IV standard which was higher than most.

On 22^nd Feb 1901 he signed up for 6 years in the County of Kent Milita, to serve in the 3^rd (Militia) Battalion of the Royal West Kent Regiment.  His forms say he was a ‘Carman’, a driver of a horse and cart, most likely a delivery man of some sort and that he was 18, living at home, which was 2 Back Lane, Frances Street, Woolwich.  His army number was 3530.  For the 1901 census in March he was, on this night at least, at the Regiment’s Barracks in Maidstone, possibly learning his drill as his papers say he was drilled on enlistment and not during his annual training.  He only served in the Militia for just under 3 months.  With the Boer War raging and Mafeking about to be besieged, on 13^th May 1901 he visited the Army recruitment office on Frances St, Woolwich, to sign up as a Regular.  He was 18 years and 3 months old.  He became a regular with the Royal West Kent’s, signing up for 12 years, 7 with the Colours and 5 on the Reserve.  His army number changed to L/6170.

He seems to have spent his first year at the Regimental Depot at the Barracks, Sandling Road, Maidstone.  

Maidstone Barracks 1908.

Then on 14^th May 1902 he was posted to the 1^st Battalion in Malta and did not return until 13^th December.  After almost a year in England he was posted to 2^nd Battalion on 7^th December 1903 and went to Ceylon.  A rule change in April 1904 meant he was destined to do 8 years with the Colours and 4 on the Reserve.  On 4^th November 1904 his Battalion was posted from Ceylon to China, where they stayed until moving on to Singapore on 12^th November 1906.  He remained there until 15^th December 1908 when he was posted back to the Depot at Maidstone.

During all this time his records show he was well behaved and kept busy.  He was awarded a 3^rd class certificate of education 1902, good conduct badges in 1903 and 1906 and a swimming certificate in 1907.

On 12^th May 1909, having completed his 8 years with the Colours, he returned to civilian life but still had his 4 years to serve on the Reserve.  So he was transferred to the ‘Army Reserve – Section A’.  Section A was for men who had completed their service in the regular army and who undertook to rejoin, if required, in an emergency that did not require general mobilisation.  It was mainly for unmarried men and the pay was good, 7 shillings a week, in addition to the reservists earnings as a civilian and all he had to do was attend twelve training days per year.

We find him next on the 1911 Census aged 28, living at home (18 Lower Pellipar Road), with his father, 2 brothers and 2 sisters, his mother had died the year before.  He is described as a Labourer working at the Royal Dockyard in the Army Ordnance Dept and he is still a Reservist of the R.W.K.’s.

His 4 years as a Section A Reservist finished on 13^th May 1913 and he chose to re-engaged for a further four years on Section D.  Section D reservists could only be called upon in the event of general mobilisation.  Pay was 3 shillings and 6 pence a week and again he had to attend twelve training days per year.

Along with all the other Army Reservists he was mobilised on 5^th August 1914, the day after war was declared and posted to 1^st Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment (1/RWK), to fill up its ranks to its war establishment.   His medal card has his number still as L/6170.

At that time 1/RWK was stationed at Richmond Barracks, Dublin, [with about 450 effectives], as part of 13th Brigade, 5th Division.

Richmond Barracks Dublin.

He reported to Maidstone Barracks, was kitted out and went to Dublin, along with 320 other reservists on the 7^th and a further 270 the next day, bringing the battalion up to its war strength of 1040.

The Battalion departed on 13^th for France on the SS ‘Gloucestershire’, landing at Le Havre at 11:00am on 15^th.  From there it marched up to Mons and was in action 8 days later.

SS Gloucestershire.

The battalion saw action at the Battle of Mons, 23^rd August and also in rear guard actions on 24^th at the start of the retreat.  They were again in action at the Battle of Le Cateau, 26^th August, but here the battalion was not so heavily engaged.

He was wounded [a gunshot wound to the left ankle] at the end of the retreat, probably during the ‘Rearguard Action of Crepy en Valois’ on 1^st September 1914.  This action involved most of the 13^th Brigade.

It is most likely here as the Battalion crossed the Marne late on the 2^nd and then rested for 3 days.  The retreat from Mons was over.

The total casualties during the retreat from Mons were 30 killed, 43 wounded and missing, 110 missing and 82 wounded [total of 265, approx. 25% of the battalion].

He returned to England on 8^th of September, he had done only 25 days in France. 

He is listed in the ‘Times’ [Friday, October 2nd, 1914] as being admitted to Clacton Hospital, [Reckitts Convalescent Home], on the 13th September 1914.

The Times casualty list.

Clacton hospital.

He was also reported in the ‘Kent and Sussex Courier’ on the 9^th of October along with three members of the Regiment killed and five others wounded.

Kent & Sussex Courier 9/10/1914.

He must have made a good recovery as he was posted to the 3^rd (Special Reserve) Bn on 28^th October.

This was his old 3^rd (Militia) Bn which was now a Depot/Training unit, it moved on mobilisation to Chatham.  All those surplus to the immediate needs of the regular army battalions were posted to the Special Reserve Bns.

On 12^th November he was appointed unpaid Lance Corporal.  He must have had some leave at Christmas because he was best man at his brother John’s wedding on Boxing Day.  They were all living at 9 Albatross Street then.

The Second Battle of Ypres 1915.

He was posted back to France to rejoin the 1^st Bn on 24^th March 1915 as a Lance Corporal.  He was probably one of a draft of 65 men who joined the Battalion at Ypres on 1st April.  13^th Bde was at Ypres, temporarily in the 28^th Division [84th Bde], covering for the ex-Indian Army units which were struggling to acclimatise.  1/RWK’s helped stabilize that part of the line which the 5^th Division then took over properly on 7^th April, at that time they were doing 2 days in and 2 days out of the front line trenches.

The RWKs were in the Battle of Hill 60 on April 17^{th [}they were the assault Battalion], and they were relieved the next day after suffering over 300 casualties.

On April 22^nd they were marching to relieve 15^th Bde, but were diverted as the Germans had launched their first major gas attack and [having created a 8,000 yard gap in the French lines], were in danger of breaking through [Battle of St Julien].

The next day, with one hour’s notice, no reconnaissance and next to no artillery support, the Brigade attacked with the 1/RWK’s and KOSB’s in the lead.  Their attack helped plug the gap and they dug in until relieved the following day [they suffered over 100 casualties, about 25% of the remains of the battalion].

From 26^th to 30^th April they held the line and were subjected to several more gas attacks to which they had no defence other than covering the mouth and nose with damp rags.  They suffered another 70 casualties.

On May 5^th they returned to Hill 60, which by then had been retaken by German gas attacks.  1/RWK’s were to counter attack. A Company lead with B in support with C and D in reserve.  They could only get as far as trench 40 and the Battalion had to pull back, just before dawn, to Larch Wood, C Company was left to cover the position.

By now 1/RWK was a veteran unit, it had embarked in August 1914 with 28 Officers and 1,015 ORs.

By the end of 1914 there were 2 Officers and 200 ORs left of the “Originals”.

By 11^th November 1918, there were no Officers and less than 40 ORs.

Alfred reported sick on May 24^th 1915 and was sent home on June 6^th, this time he had done 54 days at the front.

He was admitted to the 2^nd London General Hospital TF [St Marks College, 552 Kings Road, Chelsea], on June 8^th and a medical report dated July 1^st recommended him for a discharge as he was suffering so badly from TB aggravated by the gas attacks.

His records say he was discharged on 15^th August 1915 as no longer fit for war service, his rank by then was Corporal.

2nd London General Hospital.

He died 30^th March 1916 aged 32 at Firs Home, a sanatorium in Bournemouth.  He was listed as an army pensioner and died from TB and Toxaemia.

He was buried 7^th April in Plumstead Cemetery, grave B.1533.

His medals

His medal roll.

His Mons Star medal roll.

His discharge scroll.

His discharge certificate.

His musketry training record.

His will.

The badge of the 5th Division.

Cap badge of the Royal West Kent Regiment.

His link to Cpt W.S.Colman RAMC

This was the RAMC Officer who was the 'Officer in medical charge of the case' for my Great Uncle, A/Cpl Alfred Leeson [L/6170], when he was discharged with TB in August 1915. At that time they were both at the 2nd London General Hospital in Chelsea.

Capt W.S.Colman RAMC

Alice Leeson [ne Reeves].

My Nanny Leeson.

My Grandmother, Alice Reeves from Swindon, left her job in service [as a parlour-maid] with a Jewish family in London to work in the Royal Arsenal at Woolwich. 

At its peak during the war, it employed over 80,000 people.

She was a munitions worker in the Arsenal, making artillery shells, She said they were told always to be on the lookout for fifth columnists or pacifists who filled the shells with sand.  She also repeatedly clashed with the foreman [a woman] over wanting the windows open as it was so hot in the workshops.  She was always a very practical, hands on girl, who must have done well as she was promoted to ‘tool setter’. 

When she had gone into service she had obviously had to leave her pet dog [a spaniel called Trixie] behind as she lived in where she worked.  But now, being an independent girl living in rented accommodation, this was no longer a problem, so she sent home for her dog!  Her family were all railway men and one obviously had a word with a GWR guard and put the dog on a train from Swindon, in with the parcels, and she collected it at Paddington Station!!

She met and became lifelong friends with Elizabeth [Lily] Bigg.  Many years after the war when Alice married my Grandfather, it was [not only on Christmas day] but also a joint wedding with Lily and her husband Bill Streeter.

She left the Arsenal after the war, as the demand for shells had obviously reduced and men returning from the war, needed jobs.  She did not go back into service – very few girls did, they would not give up their new found independence.

Submitted to the BBC.  Feb 2014.  Not used to my knowledge.

Also story of working on bullet production line, the work was so tedious they could and did do it with their eyes closed.  The shifts were so long that occasionally she would feed a bullet into the machine sideways so it would jam the machine and give all the girls a break whilst it was sorted out.  She was a spirited girl and the only one brave enough to do it. 

In service caused a small fire when reading in bed at night and knocked the candle over, was slightly burned on her arm.

Also would lay in bed and tap her shoes on the floor in the morning to pretend she had got up.

As family was Jewish the house had to be cleaned from the rafters down to the cellars before passover.

She went there after her father died, her older sister May was the cook.  The house was in Putney.

The RDC

The Royal Defence Corps.

John leeson had returned to England by May 1^st 1917 and was at Plymouth hospital.  He was then moved to the following places during his convalescence and the rest of his service.

Camborne in Cornwall. 

Ripon (Yorkshire), on November 1^st 1917. 

Tynemouth on 26^th March 1918.

Ripon on 17^th June 1918. 

Brocton (Canock Chase), on 29^th June 1918 and finally,

Revesby outside Lincoln on 19^th October 1918. 

On 4^th February 1919 he was at No:2 Dispersal Unit, Crystal Palace.  He was given a £2 advance and 28 days furlough ‘after which uniform must not be worn’.  His pay and discharge documents were sent to 9, Albatross St, Plumstead.  He cashed his Postal drafts/Army money orders for his weekly pay whilst on furlough at Frances St Post Office, Woolwich, on 11^th, 19^th  and 28^th February.

He was transferred to the Reserve on Demobilisation on 4^th March 1919 (age 31).
His discharge certificate states he was by then a Private (78043) in 166^th Protection Company, Royal Defence Corps and had also served in the Labour Corps as well as the R.G.A.  His medical classification on discharge was B2 and his place of rejoining in case of emergency was the R.D.C. Depot at 24 Sun St. E.C.2.

Much of his service during this time was with Northern Command as a PoW camp guard.

I recall Nanny telling a story of him having to guard prisoners and being ordered to shoot any who tried to escape.  He did not agree with that and said he would of deliberately missed.

Arthur Grant was wounded in France in 1915 and then became the commandant of the Brocton German prisoner of war camp from when it opened in 1916 to its closure in 1918/1919.

In 1917 Arthur Grant was stationed at Brocton, on Cannock Chase, as Commander of The Prisoner of War Camp. He also commanded the 166th and 167th companies of the Royal Defence Corps.

He lived at Brocton Leys with his family until 1919, when the camp on Cannock Chase was disbanded. Many of the prisoners of war died from an outbreak of influenza in 1918. 

RGC Cap Badge.

The R.D.C.

The Royal Defence Corps was a corps of the British Army formed in August 1917 and disbanded in 1936.

It was initially formed by converting the (Home Service) Garrison battalions of line infantry regiments. Garrison battalions were composed of soldiers either too old or medically unfit for active front-line service; the Home Service status indicated they were unable to be transferred overseas. Eighteen battalions were converted in this way.

The role of the regiment was to provide troops for security and guard duties inside the UK; guarding important locations such as ports or bridges. It also provided independent companies for guarding PoW camps. The regiment was never intended to be employed on overseas service.

From GWF.

PoW Camp Guards

Started by pdl, Dec 28 2011 10:32 AM

Paul: it's more likely that your list is of PoW camps, rather than of hospitals. Brocton and Ripon were both major PoW camps. Graham Mark in Prisoners of War in British Hands during WWI (Postal History Society 2007) mentions Revesby as a work camp but places a question mark in the column showing "parent camp".

I can't see a reference to Tynemouth, nor to Camborne, but these places may have had some other reason for needing a military guard. Camborne was a long way from a major PoW camp, the nearest being near Taunton (Sandhill Park, which accommodated officers who would not have formed working-parties) and Dorchester (Dorset).

And also

Northern Command

Nos. 151,153,154,155,156,157,160,161,162,163,164,165,166,168,169 and 170 Protection Companies [16]

Nos. 199 and 200 Reserve Companies [2]

Pte A.E.Groves.

The Life of Albert Edwin Groves.

(14/9/1899 – 3/2/1952)

 

He was born 14/9/1899.

1901  census, son age 1.

1911  census, son age 11 and at school.

27/1/16 conscription introduced for all over 18.

With the introduction of conscription and the ever increasing death toll, the method of recruitment and training changed.  Instead of joining a local unit, men joined the army, were trained and then allocated to the units which needed them most.

25/8/1917 His attestation Date [ie 17 yrs and 11 months – see section below].

Surrey Recruitment Registers 1908-1933 Transcription

First Name      Albert Edwin

Last Name       Groves

Age     18 Years 4 Months

Birth Place      Lewisham

Year    1917

Occupation      Cartridge Maker

Unit Or Regiment       Bedfordshire Regiment (3rd Batn)

Regiment         Bedfordshire Regiment (3rd Batn)

Soldier Number           51511

Attestation Place         Lewisham

Attestation Date         25 August 1917

Service            -

Height 5ft 9.75in.

Complexion     -

Hair Colour    

Chest Expansion Inches          4

Distinctive Marks       

Chest Size Inches        36

Eye Colour     

Weight in Pounds       126

Remarks          25 Lethbridge Road Lewisham

Notes   Conscripted men. Recruitment register: No.1 Book. Recruitment numbers 50001-52025.

Reference        2496 / 27

Series   Conscripted men, 2nd November 1917 to 20th February 1918

Page Number  153

Category         Armed forces & conflict

Record collection        Regimental & service records

Collections from         United Kingdom

14/1/1918 he was age 18 and 4 months and was called up [conscripted].

The only photograph we have shows him in the uniform of the Bedfordshire Regiment, his medal card states he was a Private in the Machine Gun Corps [his number was 156003] when he went to the front.

Albert was sent home on compassionate leave as his mother and both brothers had all died quite close to each other.  On his return his uniform was so lousy that his father James, look him out into the yard, sent all the girls in doors, stripped him off, threw buckets of water over him and then burned his uniform.

My mother remembers him talking about Ypres, calling it ‘wipers’. 

After he was called up he went to a Training Battalion [of the Bedfordshire Regiment] and from there volunteered for and was transferred into the M.G.C. around late April / early May 1918.

Bedfordshire Regiment:

3rd (Reserve) Battalion

August 1914 : in Bedford. A training unit, it remained in UK throughout the war. Moved within a few days of declaration of war to Felixstowe for duty with the Harwich Garrison.

He was discharged to Army Reserve, Class Z, on 25th February 1919.

Class Z Reserve was authorised by an Army Order of 3 December 1918. There were fears that Germany would not accept the terms of any peace treaty, and therefore the British Government decided it would be wise to be able to quickly recall trained men in the eventuality of the resumption of hostilities. Soldiers who were being demobilised, particularly those who had agreed to serve "for the duration", were at first posted to Class Z. They returned to civilian life but with an obligation to return if called upon. The Z Reserve was abolished on 31 March 1920.

Later in life he was a painter and worked on the railway. 

He introduces his friend from work, George Earl Willson, to his sister Winifred Hannah Groves, they marry in late 1927.  Their children are Marj, Peter and Shirley.

1928 [age 29] he appears on the voters list at 44 Mount Street.

In 1935 [age 36] he fell from a signal he was painting and was in St Bartholomew’s Hospital for 12 days recovering from head injuries.  He suffered occasional ‘attacks’ as a result of this, for the rest of his life.

1939 WWII age 40.  Fire watcher - civil defence/ARP.  He took my Mum one night to see the London docks burning during the blitz.

Fire Guards (initially called the Fire Watchers Order in September 1940, then the Fire Watcher Service in January 1941 and then reformed as the Fire Guard in August 1941) were responsible for a designated area/building and required to monitor the fall of incendiary bombs and pass on news of any fires that had broken out to the NFS. They could deal with an individual magnesium electron incendiary bomb by dousing them in buckets of sand, water or by smothering.

When used by Fire Guards and Street Fire Party personnel the Zuckerman helmets were marked accordingly with FG or SFP. Bands around the helmet (often in black) would denote seniority within the Fire Guard service.

His medal roll page.

His medal index card.

Groves family tree.