Selected Biographies

Leech, Ernest Harry – Born: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on 18.6.1901.[1] Parents: Ernest Edward Leech (Whitesmith) and Florence Ann [née Willingham]. Family Connections: Brother-in-law of Francis Robert Froud [b1896]. Home: 37 Cannon Street, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk (1911), 28 Springfield Road, Bury St Edmunds (1921), St Marys Street, Long Melford (1939), Liston Lane, Long Melford [1983]. Occupation: Clerk [1919], Bricklayer for Fasey & Sons, Building Contractors of Bury St Edmunds (1921), Bricklayer (1939). Married: Kate Sparke in 1927. Service Record: Ernest enlisted on 18.6.1919 as N^o. J93688 in the Royal Navy, being discharged in 1920.[2] Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on 3.3.1983.[3]

Leech, Norman Haywood – Born: Plaistow, East Ham, Essex on 17.9.1894.[4]  Parents: Albert Edward Leech (Fancy Goods Salesman) and Edith Mary [née Gutteridge]. Home: 22 Gwendoline Avenue, West Ham, Essex (1901), Melford Hall, Long Melford (1911), 28 Fairfield Road, Chelmsford, Essex (1921), Maldon Road, Margaretting, Essex [1927] to [1985]. Occupation: Stable-Boy (1911), Motor Mechanic for Pollards Motor Repair Works of Chelmsford (1921), Motor Engineer [1929] to (1939).[5] Married: Sarah Ellen Saunders [d1946] in 1919 and Adelaide Turner [née Parsons] in 1950. Service Record: Norman enlisted in 1914 as Pte.2705 with 1/1^st Battalion, Hertfordshire Regiment, being posted to France from 6.11.1914 as part of 4^th [Guards] Brigade, 2^nd Division.  The Battalion saw action during the latter stages of the First Battle of Ypres in 1914. Leech was later transferred as Pte.265619 to the Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire Regiment.[6]  Died: Margaretting, Essex on 21.2.1985.[7]

Related Biography

Froud, Francis ‘Frank’ Robert – Born: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk on 17.4.1896.[8] Parents: Frederick Charles Froud [Garden Labourer] and Eleanor [née East]. Family Connections: Brother-in-law of Ernest Harry Leech [b1901]. Home: Rainsgate Square, Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk [1896] to (1901), 55 Rainsgate Street, Bury St Edmunds (1911), 92 Queens Road, Bury St Edmunds (1939), 53 Park Road, Bury St Edmunds [1975]. Occupation: Grocer’s Porter (1911), Shop Assistant [1916]. Married: Florence Ada Leech in 1932. Service Record: Frank was conscripted on 26.2.1916 as Pte.3162, later re-numbered as 741402 with 1/25^th [County of London] Cyclist Battalion, London Regiment. Although no definitive record has been found it is assumed that he was posted with his unit to India and seeing action on the North-West Frontier, then in October 1918 to Vladivostok in Siberia for operations against the Bolsheviks during the Russian Civil War. Leech received his discharge in May 1919.[9] Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1986.

Notes – [1] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Long Melford and Death Index. [2] Royal Navy Registers of Seaman’s Services [ADM 188/834]; this record shows that he actually began his naval career as a Boy Sailor on 14.11.1918. [3] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar. [4] Date of birth from Death Index [nb: birth year is recorded as 1884, which appears to be an error]. [5] See Kelly’s Directory for Essex. [6] See his proposed Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [7] Date of death from the National Probate Calendar. [8] Date of birth from the Baptism Register for St Marys Church, Bury St Edmunds on 8.5.1896. [9] See https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/ for details of the battalion’s movements and his Soldiers’ Documents, First World War ‘Burnt Documents’ [WO 363], Medal Roll [WO 329], and Medal Index Card [WO 372].