Soldiers of the RegimentMajor Thomas
Leach
From a Dukinfield area newspaper, circa 1948.
Weaver to Army Major
An outstanding career in the Army is recalled this week by the promotion
to the rank of Major of Captain and Quartermaster Thomas Leach, 50 years
old son of Mr and Mrs Arthur Leach of 2 Danty Street, Dukinfield.
A former pupil at the Crescent Road Board School under Mr J Hadfield and
Mr G R Marshall, Major Leach commenced his working career as a little
piecer at the Queen Mill. In 1915 he enlisted in the King’s Own Royal
Lancaster Regiment and his promotion follows 33 years’ service in all
parts of the world. Two long rows of ribbons indicate the many campaigns
in which he has served, and also the honour of being mentioned in
despatches.
As a private and non-commissioned officer, Major Leach served with his
regiment in the First World War in France, Belgium and Germany, and he
decided to make the army his career. Soon after the outbreak of the last
war, when he had reached commissioned rank, he was sent as Quartermaster
to North Africa, and he followed the armies from Alamein to the Middle
East and finally into Burma. Recently he has taken part in
demobilisation duties at Huyton Camp and in Dorset.
Three of Major and Mrs. Leach’s sons are also in the Army – two in the
Middle East and one in Germany.
Two Man Tank in Trans-Jordan (Possibly Syria or Iraq) where it was being
tried out.
Accession Number: KO1842/01
Sergeant ‘Buck’ Taylor, 1st Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment, Haifa,
Palestine, Feb 1931
Accession Number: KO1842/02
On the Safra Road, Mar 1931 Palestine, Regimental Sergeant Major Thomas
Leach, stood at the door of a motor car.
Accession Number: KO1842/03
The King's Own flag and a Nazi Flag captured at Tobruk on 26th November
1941 being flown on 'Tobruk Day' in 1944. The flag is now on display
in the King's Own Regimental Museum.
Accession Number: KO1842/04
Group of five soldiers with Regimental Sergeant Major Thomas Leach in
the centre of the group.
Accession Number: KO1842/05
Ellwood, Thomas Leach, Darkes on road outside 1st Battalion, King’s Own
Royal Regiment, Sergeants Mess, Haifa, Palestine, Christmas 1931.
Accession Number: KO1842/06
Spectators at the Tennis Match, Bowerham, 1938?
Accession Number: KO1842/07
Thomas Leach, King’s Own Royal Regiment, Lancaster.
From a Dukinfield area newspaper, circa 1948.
Weaver to Army Major
Accession Number: KO1842/08
Coloured photograph of Lieutenant Thomas Leach, King’s Own Royal
Regiment, circa 1940.
Accession Number: KO1842/09
King’s Own Royal Regiment Warrant Officers and Sergeants outing, circa
1937, with family.
Accession Number: KO1842/10
Regimental certificate presented to soldiers leaving the King’s Own
Royal Regiment, Lancaster, presented to Regimental Sergeant Major Thomas
Leach, number 3701890. On leaving the regiment after 25 years.
Accession Number: KO1842/11
Commission Certificate, Lieutenant (Quartermaster) Thomas Leach, King’s
Own Royal Regiment, Feb 1940.
Accession Number: KO1842/12
Warrant Certificate, Warrant Officer Class II Thomas Leach, King’s Own
Royal Lancaster Regiment, Apr 1917.
Accession Number: KO1842/13
Army Certificate of Education, First Class, Oct 1923
Accession Number: KO1842/14
Memo to Lieutenant and Quartermaster Thomas Leach, dated 3 Jun 1941,
concerning the award of the Meritorious Service Medal.
Accession Number: KO1842/15
Army School of Physical Training, Aldershot, Warrant Officers and Non
Commissioned Officers Diploma. 43rd Course in Refereeing and Judging and
Organization of Boxing, Wrestling, Bayonet Fencing and Sports. Awarded
to Company Sergeant Major Thomas Leach, number 3700890, Depot, King’s
Own Royal Regiment. 8 Dec 1927.
Accession Number: KO1842/16
Army Form C 309 Second Class Certificate of Education awarded to Company
Sergeant Major Thomas Leach, number 19008, 1st Battalion, King’s Own
Royal Regiment. Dated 7 May 1920.
Accession Number: KO1842/17
Warrant Certificate, Warrant Officer Class I Thomas Leach, King’s Own
Royal Regiment, May 1931
Accession Number: KO1842/18
Tobruk Truth Newsletter, 9th December 1941 Notes from the BBC Broadcast at 1800
Hrs (Local Time). Volume 1, Number 50.
Including: Fierce Fighting in North Malaya; Threat to Western Seaboard
of Canada and America.
Accession Number: KO1842/19
Letter from war office, dated 17 Jan 1949, granting Major (Quarter
Master) T Leach, the retired honorary rank of Major (Quartermaster).
Accession Number: KO1842/20
Army Book X 803 Officer's Release Book Class A, to Thomas Leach, number
120425, King’s Own Royal Regiment.
Accession Number: KO1842/21
Certificate which accompanied the 1935 Silver Jubilee Medal to
Regimental Sergeant Major Thomas Leach, 3701890, King’s Own Royal
Regiment. 6 May 1935.
Accession Number: KO1842/22
Certificate of Proficiency, Small Arms, 1921, to Company Sergeant Major
Leach, 4th Battalion, King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment.
Accession Number: KO1842/23
Invitation from The Lord Provost, Magistrates and Council of the City of
Edinburgh to Tea in the Grand Restaurant, Edinburgh after the
international football match between Scotland and England, Apr 1938.
Accession Number: KO1842/24
Letter changing to location of the Civic Reception for the Tea to be
held in the City Chambers, dated 19 Apr 1938
Accession Number: KO1842/24b
Army Form c379. Nominal roll of Candidates and Results of Examination
for the Army First Class Certificate of Education, 4 Oct 1923.
Acting Regimental Sergeant Major Thomas Leach, number 3701890 (pass) and
Acting Company Sergeant Major Frederick William Wilkinson, number
3702964 (fail). Both with the 4th Battalion, King’s Own Royal Regiment.
Accession Number: KO1842/25
Programme of the North Lancashire and District Football League, for the
Secondary Juvenile International Match between Scotland and England 23
Apr 1938. Members names shown as RSM T Leach, on Coach No. 1. Chairman
of the North Lancashire and District Football League is shown as RSM T
Leach.
Accession Number: KO1842/26
Certificate from the Royal Life Saving Society Nov 1927 awarded to
Thomas Leach, Aldershot, “For knowledge of rescue releasing ones-self
from the Clutch of Drowning also ability to render and in Resuscitating
the Apparently Drowned”.
Accession Number: KO1842/27
Discharge certificate for Company Sergeant Major Thomas Leach, from the
Royal Fusiliers, dated 10 Jan 1919. Showing he enlisted at Ashton under
Lyne on 29 Jun 1915. Also served in the Labour Corps.
His discharge was followed by his re-enlistment into the King’s Own
Royal Regiment on 11 Jan 1919.
Accession Number: KO1842/28
Mention in Despatches Certificate to Captain (Quartermaster) Thomas
Leach, King’s Own Royal Regiment. London Gazette 26 Apr 1945
Accession Number: KO1842/29
Envelope for the MID Certificate addressed to Captain T Leach, Adjutant,
Headquarters, Number 8 Transit Camp Group, Liverpool Transit Centre, 5
Castle Street, Liverpool. Post marked 13 Dec 1945.
Accession Number: KO1842/29b
Letter from The Medal Office, Droitwich Spa, regarding the Bronze Oak
Leaf Emblem for the award of Mentioned in Despatches.
Accession Number: KO1842/30
Appreciation Certificate from the Commanding Officer to Company Sergeant
Major Thomas Leach, number 19008, 11th Battalion, King’s Own Royal
Lancaster Regiment, 25 Nov 1917.
Signed by Captain (Adjutant) G. Ribchester
Accession Number: KO1842/31
Certificate of Appreciation of Good Service to Captain (Quartermaster)
Thomas Leach, King’s Own Royal Regiment, from Western Command, 1 Jan
1947
Accession Number: KO1842/32
Ministry of Pension The King's Badge
Accession Number: KO1842/33
Royal Life Saving Society Medal to Thomas Leach, Nov 1927, with box of
issue. Awarded with certificate (ko1842/27)
Accession Number: KO1842/34
Cloth badge HM King
Accession Number: KO1842/35
Medals:
