Selected Biographies

Leggott, Cecil Stanley – Born: West Ham, Essex on 5.4.1891.[1]  Parents: Timothy Leggott (Brewer’s Clerk) and Ada [née Swan]. Family Connections: Brother to Leonard Swan Leggott of Long Melford [b1895], Claude Henry Leggott [b1897] and Robert Stephen Redvers Leggott [b1900]. Home: 111 Vicarage Lane, Stratford, West Ham, Essex (1891), Foxearth Street, Foxearth, Essex (1901), Upper East Street, Sudbury, Suffolk (1911), visiting parents at 1 Glebeside, Foxearth (1921). Occupation: Engineer’s Fitter (1911), Engineer with the Royal Navy [1911 to 1937]. Married: Edith May Brockway in 1923. Service Record: Giving a giving a false date of birth as 5.4.1890, a year older than his registered age, Cecil enlisted in 1911 as Acting Engine Room Artificer No.M3558 with the Royal Navy.  He served throughout the First World War and by 1921 was an engineer on the H-Class Submarine HMS H28.  Leggott was awarded the King George VI Coronation Medal in 1937.[2]

Leggott, Claude Henry [DCM] – Born: Foxearth, Essex in 1897. Parents: Timothy Leggott (Brewer’s Clerk) and Ada [née Swan]. Family Connections: Brother to Cecil Stanley Leggott [b1890], Leonard Swan Leggott of Long Melford [b1895] and Robert Stephen Redvers Leggott [b1900]. Home: Foxearth Street, Foxearth, Essex (1901), Brewery View, Foxearth (1911), 57 Warren Road, Folkstone, Kent [1936], RAF Station Church Fenton, Tadcaster, Yorkshire [1940]. Occupation: Soldier in the First World War and Airman in the Second World War. Married: Elsie Lilian Fielder in 1929. Service Record: Claude was conscripted after 1915 as Gnr.1223 with the Royal Field Artillery, transferring as Gnr.885407 to CCLXXII [1/3 East Anglian] Brigade, RFA, being posted to Egypt in 1916 as part of 54^th [East Anglian] Division.  He served in Palestine and was awarded the Distinguish Conduct Medal ‘for conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty’ during the Battle of Sharon.  His citation continues: As signaller to the forward observation officer, on the night of 19/20 September 1918, he carried and reeled out, under fire, cable over 2½ miles of exceedingly rough country.  He left his battery before rations and water arrived and did not re-join his unit until midday of 20^th, when he returned in a very exhausted condition.[3]  In 1937 he, who held the rank of Warrant Officer was commissioned as a Flying Officer with the Royal Air Force.[4] Died: Claude died on war service as Flight Lieutenant N^o. 35148 in the Royal Air Force at the Military Hospital in York on 31.1.1940 and is buried at Hawkinge Cemetery [grave ref: N.A.660] in Kent.[5]

Leggott, Leonard Swan [DCM] – Born: Long Melford, Suffolk on 29.4.1895.[6] Parents: Timothy Leggott (Brewer’s Clerk) and Ada [née Swan]. Family Connections: Brother to Cecil Stanley Leggott [b1890], Claude Henry Leggott [b1897] and Robert Stephen Redvers Leggott [b1900]. Home: Foxearth Street, Foxearth, Essex (1901), HMS Ganges, RN Training Establishment, Shotley, Suffolk (1911). Married: Ellen MacKean in 1924. Service Record: Leonard enlisted in 1911 as N^o. J11084 with the Royal Navy, serving on HMS Lizard from 18.6.1914 to 23.12.1915.  He saw action at the Battle of Heligoland Bight on 27.8.1914 and was responsible for bringing ten enemy sailors and German officers to Harwich as prisoners. Two other Melford men were present at Heligoland Bight that day: George Ambrose [b1881] and Oliver Joseph Barnes [b1895].  Their stories are to be found elsewhere in this Roll.  From 28.2.1916 to 15.11.1918 Leggott served as Leading Signalman, later Yeoman Signalman on various depot ships, HMS Dido, HMS Titania, HMS Crescent, HMS Walker, and HMS Blake.  He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal on 11.12.1918.[7]  His naval career continued up to and including the Second World War serving at shore-based establishments in England.  He was awarded the King George VI Coronation Medal in 1937, promoted to Signal Lieutenant on 5.3.1941, finally retiring from the Royal Navy in February 1948 after 37 years of service.[8]  Died: Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk in 1967.

Leggott, Robert Stephen Redvers – Born: Foxearth, Essex on 5.6.1900.[9] Parents: Timothy Leggott (Brewer’s Clerk) and Ada [née Swan]. Family Connections: Brother to Cecil Stanley Leggott [b1890], Leonard Swan Leggott of Long Melford [b1895] and Claude Henry Leggott [b1897]. Home: Foxearth Street, Foxearth, Essex (1901), Brewery View, Foxearth (1911), 1 Glebeside, Foxearth (1921), Hillcrest, The Green, Earls Colne, Essex (1939). Occupation: Metal Turner [1918], Mechanical Engineering Draughtsman and Air Raid Warden (1939). Married: Hilda M. Sutton in 1928. Service Record: Robert was conscripted on 5.6.1918 as Pte.2394 with the Royal Marine Light Infantry.  He served on the corvette HMS Colleen in November and December 1918, receiving his discharge in the following April.[10]  Died: Braintree, Essex in 1997.

Notes – [1] Date of birth from his Royal Navy Registers of Seaman’s Services [ADM 188/1025]. [2] Royal Navy Registers of Seaman’s Services [ADM 188/1025]. [3] For notification of Claude’s DCM see the Supplement to the London Gazette 3.6.1919, p.6931.  For details of 272^nd Brigade, RFA’s movements see War Diary [WO 95/4643].  See also his Service Medal and Award Rolls 1914-1918 [WO 329] and Service Medal and Award Rolls Index Cards 1914-1922 [WO 372]. [4] For notification of his commission see London Gazette 28.12.1937, p.8139 and Flight 3.2.1938, p.116. [5] For burial information see his Commonwealth War Graves Commission record. [6] Date of birth and place of birth from his Royal Navy Registers of Seaman’s Services [ADM 188/669/11084]. [7] For notification of Leonard’s DSM see the Second Supplement to the London Gazette 11.12.1918, p.14643, and Suffolk and Essex Free Press 18.12.1918. [8] Also see Royal Navy Officers Service Records [ADM 196/161] and Medal and Award Rolls [ADM 171/61, ADM 171/69, and ADM 171/108]. [9] Date of birth from the 1939 Register for Halstead Rural District in Essex and Death Index. [10] Royal Marines: Registers of Service [ADM 159/180/2934].