Rank
Pte
Service No.
724246
Unit
252nd Btn, 21st Btn
Died
7 May, 1918
Age 19
Age 19
Buried
Bellacourt Military Cemetery, Riviere, France - II G 9
Remembrance:
First World War Book of Remembrance - Page 447
Additional Info
Albert Kenneth Leach was born 6 April 1899 in Newton Abbot, Devonshire England to Arthur Thomas and Ellen Jane Leach, and was the oldest son of 3 boys and 3 girls. The family emigrated to Canada in 1905, departing Liverpool in October. By the 1911 Census, the family was living at 53 Logie Street in Lindsay where his youngest brother and sister were born.
On the 20 April 1916, at the age of 17, Kenneth enlisted with the 109th (Victoria and Haliburton) Battalion, where he was transferred to the 252nd and then the 21st Battalion in France. A small man even in those days standing at just 5′ 2″, Kenneth was listed as a brass worker on his enlistment papers.
In the days before he was killed in action, Kenneth was billeted near Wailly Wood, and was able to take advantage of a short quiet period in Bretencourt where there were natural hot water baths. On May 4th, the battalion was moved into the front line in the Mercatel region, just south of Arras, France, holding down the left subsection of the right brigade. There is no specific mention of action in which Kenneth may have received his fatal injuries, but there was significant shelling and gas attacks, as well as mention of numerous enemy aircraft flying over their front line positions.
Kenneth is listed as having died from wounds received in action on 7 May 1918, and is buried in Bellacourt Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. He was 19 years old.
Attestation and other Documents (pdf, 50 pages - 21MB)
