LIVES OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE
The E.J. Boys Archive

IN PROGRESS — NOT FOR PUBLICATION

1467, Corporal William LEITCH — 4th Light Dragoons

He is named as William "Leech" in the Army Lists, and in some other records as "Leetch".

Birth & early life

Born c.1833. According to his death certificate, he was the son of George Leetch, a Master Baker.

[PB: Note a concern with bread in his letter from Balaclava, 8th January 1855, below.]

Enlistment

Enlisted at Dublin on the 23rd of January 1851.

Age: 18.

Height: 5' 9"

Trade: None shown.

Service

He was at the Riding Establishment at the Maidstone Cavalry Depot from the 25th of May 1852 to the 23rd of April 1853.

From Private to Corporal: 7th of October 1854.

Letter from Corporal William Leitch to his sister, 8th of January 1855

Letter from Corporal William Leitch to his sister, 8th of January 1855, published in the Newry Telegraph, 6th of February 1855. [RM]

(Click on image to enlarge)

A letter addressed to William Leitch's sister, which was published in the Newry Telegraph on the 6th February 1855.

4th Light Dragoons, William Leitch's Letter

Crimea, January 8th, 1855

`My Dear Sister,

I again write to you, hoping to find you still well, as I am at present, thank God for it; and another object I have in view is to let you know the way we are situated in camp, and a little about the climate. The weather is cold here — frost and snow every day — but still health prevails. Our tents, which are getting old, are of course very thin, but thanks to our kind friends we are well provided for in other respects. Our extra clothing issued here is a fur coat and a blue pilot coat, each so warm that you would think you were in a stove, together with large boots to go on over our overalls, and a fur-cap to come down over the ears, so that hardly any of the face is seen. The under-clothing consists of woollen guernsey, drawers, socks, gloves, and scarfs, and other nick-nacks, too numerous to mention; so that on the whole we are comfortable under the circumstances.

Our principal landing-place is Balaklava, a small village inhabited by Maltese followers, who sell us articles at the following prices:- Potatoes 5d per lb., onions 6d per lb., cheese, 3s 6d, and butter 3s 6d per lb; porter 1s 6d per pint, pickles 3s a bottle, and almost everything you could mention, at the same rate: so that if a person was made of money he could live as well as at home. Our rations are good, and as much as any man can make use of; but those other dear articles we have only when we can come at them. I forgot to mention the greatest treat of all, namely white bread 1s 6d per lb. We do get so tired of biscuit, that I would have given half my head to have been with my father baking the Christmas cakes. I would have made a good hole in one of them.

About the way the bombarding is going on, you can see truer accounts than I could give you, let me be ever so well inclined. Those people have nothing else to do but look for information. I must conclude with kind love to Father and Mother, Fanny,

and the remainder of the rising generation.

- Your affectionate brother,

`W____ L____, Corporal 4th Light Drgs.'

Corporal to Sergeant: 17th of April 1855.

Appointed to Troop Sergeant Major on the 1st of September 1860.

Embarked for India from Portsmouth aboard the "Serapia" on the 15th of October 1867.

Promoted to Quarter-Master Sergeant on the 5th of February 1868. (He was then serving in "E" Troop.)

Promoted to Lieutenant and Quartermaster when at Rawal Pindi, India, on the 28th of March 1874.

To Honorary Captain: 28th of March 1884.

Retired from the service on the 25th of October 1884, with the honorary rank of Major.

Next of kin: Wife, Georgina Leitch.

Medals

Entitled to the Crimean medal with clasps for Alma, Inkerman, and Sebastopol.

He was awarded the Long Service & Good Conduct medal on the 7th of July 1869 with a gratuity of £5.

Commemorations

Life after service

Death & burial

Died at Dollar, Scotland, on the 9th of January 1887.

Extracts from the Alloa Journal and Clackmananshire Advertiser, 15th of January 1887:

Death — At Chapel Place, Dollar, on the 9th inst. Major William Leech, late of the 4th (Queen's Own) Hussars.

Sudden death at Dollar. — William Leitch, a retired Army officer died suddenly at his residence there on the afternoon of Sunday last. He had been living there for some considerable tine. He was a Major in the Army and had served in India and the Crimea. The body has been taken to Aberdeen and buried there."

He is shown on his death certificate (see copy in the "Certificates" file) as having died from "Heart Disease (uncertain duration), Pleurisy and haemorrhage into lung."

He is also shown as married to Margaret Urquhart, and as the son of George Leetch, a Master Baker, and his wife, Mary, nee Alcock. (This would explain how he came to be buried in the Baker's Corporation Cemetery.) His brother-in-law, John Urquhart, was present at, and the informant of his death.

No report of his funeral can be found in the Aberdeen Daily Journal of the time.

According to the records of the Nellfield Cemetery, Aberdeen, he was buried there on the 13th of January, aged 54 years, the Lain [lair?] holder being Mrs. W. Leitch.

Formerly belonging to the Baker's Corporation and opened in 1846, the cemetery was taken over by the Aberdeen District Council in 1978. Apparently derelict at the time of the take-over, the local authority had promised that it would be tidied-up. (See copy of a picture (and article) taken from the "Evening Press" for the 26th of August 1978, in the 4th Hussar file.)

His grave is in Lair No. 735 Section 1 and the erected gravestone bears the inscriptions:

"In loving memory of Major William Leetch late 4th Hussars. Died 9th January 1887, aged 54 years. Also his wife Mary Urquhart. Died 13th August 1904, aged 65 years. Also their two sons, Frederick William Leetch. Died 21st February 1903, aged 27 years, and Alfred George Leetch. Died 20th August 1917, aged 43 years. Both sons interred at Samaria, Papua. "Till he Come."

From his wife's name given here (Mary Urquhart), he would appear to have married twice.