Pte
Charles Leask
Information about birth
Army information
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Country: England, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 204289 |
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Enlistment place: Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland, England, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment), 10th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 05/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Joist Farm, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
Cemetery
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Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood Plot: 27 Row: B Grave: 20 |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Private Charles leask served in the Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment), 10th Battalion, part of the 62nd Brigade, of the 21st Division.
The 21st Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde on the 4th of October. It had to attack the high grounds near Reutel from positions at the eastern outskirts of Polygon Wood. While moving up to the frontline the 10th Yorkshires came under heavy shell fire in Glencorse Wood. As a result the Battalion lost touch with the 12th/13th Northumberland Fusiliers, which accompanied them to the frontline. While moving on they were shelled again, now at Black Watch Corner.
The frequent shelling had held up the Battalion and had been replaced by the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment in the line. Consequently the 10th Yorkshires had become the reserve Battalion in front of Polygon Wood.
At zero hour, 6 a.m. the German artillery put down another barrage in front of the Polygon Wood. The 10th Yorkshires had now been under heavy shell fire almost uninterruptedly from 9 p.m. on the 3rd till 6 a.m. on the 4th. During the day the shelling continued unceasingly and casualties kept stacking up.
When darkness finally fell the battered Battalion used the cover of darkness to move forward. They consolidated positions close to the old frontline at Juniper Trench near Jetty Wood. At 4 a.m. on the following morning the German artillery put down another barrage on the new front line and on Polygon Wood. Conditions in the trenches was bad and the shelling remained consistent, until the Battalion was finally relieved just before midnight on the 7th of October.
Losses had been very heavy. One officer and 74 other ranks were killed while ten officers and 249 men were wounded or went missing. Private Edward Fitzhenry was killed on the 5th of October 1917. He was initially buried near Juniper trench, between joist Farm and Juniper Cottage. He fell either during the night while moving up or by harassing shell fire while holding Juniper Trench during daylight. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
The 21st Division participated in the Battle of Broodseinde on the 4th of October. It had to attack the high grounds near Reutel from positions at the eastern outskirts of Polygon Wood. While moving up to the frontline the 10th Yorkshires came under heavy shell fire in Glencorse Wood. As a result the Battalion lost touch with the 12th/13th Northumberland Fusiliers, which accompanied them to the frontline. While moving on they were shelled again, now at Black Watch Corner.
The frequent shelling had held up the Battalion and had been replaced by the 1st Lincolnshire Regiment in the line. Consequently the 10th Yorkshires had become the reserve Battalion in front of Polygon Wood.
At zero hour, 6 a.m. the German artillery put down another barrage in front of the Polygon Wood. The 10th Yorkshires had now been under heavy shell fire almost uninterruptedly from 9 p.m. on the 3rd till 6 a.m. on the 4th. During the day the shelling continued unceasingly and casualties kept stacking up.
When darkness finally fell the battered Battalion used the cover of darkness to move forward. They consolidated positions close to the old frontline at Juniper Trench near Jetty Wood. At 4 a.m. on the following morning the German artillery put down another barrage on the new front line and on Polygon Wood. Conditions in the trenches was bad and the shelling remained consistent, until the Battalion was finally relieved just before midnight on the 7th of October.
Losses had been very heavy. One officer and 74 other ranks were killed while ten officers and 249 men were wounded or went missing. Private Edward Fitzhenry was killed on the 5th of October 1917. He was initially buried near Juniper trench, between joist Farm and Juniper Cottage. He fell either during the night while moving up or by harassing shell fire while holding Juniper Trench during daylight. His remains were exhumed after the war and interred in Buttes New British Cemetery, Polygon Wood.
Sources 2
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10 Battalion Yorkshire Regiment, (The National Archives, KEW (TNA), WO 95/2156/2 ). https://discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk/details/r/C14303 Further reference |
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Wylly H.C., The Green Howards in the Great War 1914-1919, (Yorkshire, Richmond, 1926), pg. 346. Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/480331 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=315f9419-9e4c-4130-83da-c474f33f04a9 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/2338623 |