L/Cpl 27597 Albert Samuel Leath

• Age: 32
• From: Tettenhall, Staffordshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 1st July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

27597 L/Corporal Albert Samuel LEATH, 18^th Battalion KLR.

Albert Samuel Leath was born in early 1884 in Tettenhall, Staffordshire and baptised 06th March 1884 at Christ Church, Tettenhall Wood. He was the eighth of ten children born to Richard Leath, a farm bailiff, and his wife Jane (née Wall) who were married in 1867 in Bridgnorth, Shropshire. He was baptised on the 06th March 1884 at Christ Church, Tettenhall Wood. 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at Trescott Cottage, Wightwick, Tettenhall, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. His father Richard is aged 53, born in Shropshire in 1838 and is employed as a farm bailiff, whilst his mother Jane is aged 45, born 1846 in Wollaston, Shropshire. At the time of the Census, they have nine children. Their children are William aged 23, born 1868 and John aged 20, born 1870 and employed as farm labourers and born in Chetton, Shropshire,  George aged 18, born 1873 is an agricultural waggoner born in Stockton, Alfred aged 13, born 1878 is also an agricultural waggoner and born in Tettenhall, Mary aged 16, born 1875 in Pattingham has no occupation, Annie aged 11, born 1880, Thomas aged 9, born 1882 and Albert aged 7, born 1884 are scholars and Edith is aged 5, born 1886. These children were all born in Tettenhall.  

The 1901 Census shows Albert living at Great Moor, Pattingham, Wolverhampton, Staffordshire. He is living with Thomas Faulkner aged 44, born 1857 who is a farmer and was born in Pattingham and his wife Ann aged 54, born 1847 in Wheaton Aston, Staffordshire. Albert is aged 17 and employed as a groom and farm labourer. There is also a servant Lucy Taylor aged 21, born 1880 in Tettenhall. 

The 1911 Census shows Albert Samuel living with his brother at 13 Hotspur Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool. His brother George Edward is aged 38, born 1873 and employed as a stillman in a tar works. His wife Elizabeth Annie is aged 38, born 1873 in Liverpool. They have been married for nine years and have had five children of which one had died. Their children are Esther aged 8, born 1903, Ronald aged 5, born 1906, Walter aged 3, born 1908 and Phyllis aged 2, born 1909. Albert Samuel is aged 27 and employed as a labourer in a tar works.    

His mother died, aged 66, in the March quarter of 1912.

Before enlisting he was employed by the Bankhall Chemical Co. (from Bootle’s Fallen)  

Albert enlisted in May 1915 when he was living at 392 Stanley Road, Kirkdale, joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 27597. 

He was stationed at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. 

He crossed to France on 07th November 1915 on the SS Invicta and listed his father as his next of kin who was living at Burcot Bridge, North Shropshire.

He had achieved the rank of Lance Corporal when he was killed in action on 01^st July 1916, aged 32 during the attack at Montauban.

18^th Battalion Diary

At 6.30am the artillery commenced an intensive bombardment of the enemy’s trenches. Zero Hour – 7.30 am – the battalion commenced to leave their trenches and the attack commenced. The attack was pressed with great spirit and determination in spite of heavy shelling and machine gun enfilade fire which caused casualties amounting to 2/3rds of the strength of the Battalion in action. The whole system of German trenches including the Glatz Redoubt was captured without any deviation from the scheduled programme. Consolidated positions and made strong points for defence against possible counter attacks.

Graham Maddocks provides more detail concerning the events of the day:

As the first three waves began to move forward towards the German reserve line, known as Alt Trench and then on to the Glatz Redoubt itself, they suddenly came under enfilading fire from the left. This was from a machine gun which the Germans had sited at a strong point in Alt Trench. The gun itself was protected by a party of snipers and bombers, who, hidden in a rough hedge, were dug into a position in Alt Trench, at its junction with a communication trench known as Alt Alley. These bombers and snipers were themselves protected by rifle fire from another communication trench, Train Alley which snaked back up the high ground and into Montauban itself. The machine gun fire was devastating and it is certain that nearly of the Battalion’s casualties that day were caused by that one gun. 

Lieutenant Colonel Edward Henry Trotter wrote in the conclusion of his account of the day’s action:

I cannot speak to highly of the gallantry of the Officers and men. The men amply repaid the care and kindness of their Company Officers, who have always tried to lead and not to drive. As laid down in my first lecture to the Battalion when formed, in the words of Prince Kraft:

“Men follow their Officers not from fear, but from love of the Regiment where everything had always and at all times gone well with them”.

Joe Devereux in his book A Singular Day on the Somme gives the Casualty Breakdown for the 18^th Battalion as Killed in Action 7 Officers and 165 men and of those who died in consequence of the wounds 3 Officers and 19 men a total of 194 out of a total loss for the four Liverpool Pals Battalions of 257.  

His death was reported in the Liverpool Weekly Courier on Saturday 05th August 1916; 

Albert's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme in France.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He earned his three medals. 

His father died, aged 80, shortly after his son in 1916. 

Soldiers Effects, Army Pay of £9 3s 5d was shared by his siblings William, John, Richard, George, Alfred, Thomas, Mary Price, Annie Law, and Edith Jones, £4 War Gratuity to brother William, no Pension record found.     

Albert is also commemorated on the Bootle Civic Memorial located on Stanley Road, Bootle.

We currently have no further information on Albert Samuel Leath, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.