Harold Stewart Leach

Harry Leach was born in 1896. In 1911, he was living at 12 Beech Cottages, Harden with his patents William and Eliza and his brother Arthur.

When he joined the West Riding Regiment in 1915 he gave his occupation as a Costing Clerk. It was noted that he was qualified as a signaler.

He was wounded in September 1915 but is recorded as being in France in 1916 and 1917 with spells at home in between and in Germany in April 1918. In April 1918 he was reported missing but his father wrote to the regiment pointing out that he had information via a post card that his son was a prisoner of war.

Eventually, a memo was circulated in April 1918 saying that this was indeed the case. He arrived home finally at the end of 1918. His previous employer wrote to the regiment urging them to release him so that he could take up his old job. Whether they did, is not known.