LEATHERS, William Robert


No.240650, Corporal, William Robert LEATHERS
Aged 34


2nd Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
Killed in Action on/since Thursday, 27th September 1917


Born on 14th July 1883 (3rd qtr Bury St.Edmunds 4a:614) son of Frederick and Harriett LEATHERS (née CAMPION)

1891 census...Aged 7, he was at 28 Cemetery Road, Bury St.Edmunds with his father Frederick LEATHERS [42] iron moulder; his mother Harriett [43] born Downham, Norfolk; brothers John [15] and James [5]; sisters Elizabeth [10] and Gertrude [1]. All except his mother were born in Bury St.Edmunds.

1901 census...Aged 17, an iron moulder, he was at 1 Foundry Cottages with his parents; brother Harry [17] iron foundry fitter, John journeyman wood sawyer and James; sisters Elizabeth and Gertrude.

On 24th April 1905 he married Alice Maude NORMAN [16-6-1882] at St John's Bury St.Edmunds

1911 census...Aged 15 Alexander Cottages, Northgate, Bury St.Edmunds with his wife Alice [29]; daughters Gertrude Clarice [19-9-1905] , Evelyn Phyllis [28-1-1907], Eliza []23-8-1908] and Dorothy Mabel [4-7-1910]. All born Bury St.Edmunds.

THey went on to have four more children; Frederick William James [4-7-1912], Sydney Herbert Edward [2-3-1914], Gladys Violet [5-12-1915] and Harry Alfred {}20-54-1918] His father died in 1912.

His brother James Charles died of wounds in Egypt in 1917 see here


He enlisted in Bury St.Edmunds.
On the 26th the battalion had taken part in a successful attack and captured Zonnebeke. On the 27th it was relatively quiet apart from some sniper fire. In the evening the Germans mounted a counter-attack but this was beaten off. It may have been relatively quiet but 22 of the 2nd Suffolk s were killed that day, none with a known grave




William Leathers is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial, Belgium panels 40 to 41

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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