Main CPGW Record
Surname: LEATT
Forename(s): James
Place of Birth: Skipton, Yorkshire
Service No: 12/2011
Rank: Private
Regiment / Corps / Service: Auckland Regiment
Battalion / Unit: 1st Battalion
Division: New Zealand Division
Age: 33
Date of Death: 1917-10-04
Awards: ---
CWGC Grave / Memorial Reference: N.Z. Apse, Panel 1.
CWGC Cemetery: ---
CWGC Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Non-CWGC Burial: ---
Local War Memorial: SKIPTON, YORKSHIRE
Additional Information:
James Leatt was the son of George Gore and Sarah Ellen Leatt, née Fagan and the brother of L/Corporal Tom Leatt (17932) (q.v.) and Private George Leatt (7573) (q.v.). Their father was born at Clyst St George, Devon and mother at Skipton, Yorkshire. James, Tom and George were cousins of Private Charles Stell (8179) (q.v.).
1891 Skipton, Yorkshire Census: 23, Dawson Street - James Leatt, aged 6 years, born Skipton, son of George and Sarah Leatt.
1901 Altham, Lancashire Census: Altham Mill Farm - James Leatt, aged 16 years, born Skipton, Yorkshire. [James was employed by George Pickup, Farmer.]
James was killed in action during the Battles of Ypres, 1917, 31 July-10 November, at the Battle of Broodseinde, 4 October.
New Zealand service records: https://www.govt.nz/browse/history-culture-and-heritage/nz-history/get-a-copy-of-a-ww1-service-record/
Data Source: Craven’s Part in the Great War - original CPGW book entry
View Entry in CPGW BookEntry in West Yorkshire Pioneer Illustrated War Record:
LEATT, James, aged 33, New Zealand Forces, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leatt, of Pendle Street, Skipton, killed in action Oct. 4, 1917.
---
Click the thumbnail below to view a larger image.
Private James LEATT
Regiment / Corps / Service Badge: Auckland Regiment
Divisional Sign / Service Insignia: New Zealand Division
---
View Craven Herald Articles
View Craven Herald Articles
19 October 1917
A THIRD WAR BEREAVEMENT – PTE. JAMES LEATT, NEW ZEALAND FORCES
Mrs. Leatt of Pendle Street, Skipton, has suffered a third bereavement through the war by the death in action of her son, Pte. James Leatt, Auckland Company, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. The distressing news was received on Monday in the following letter from Captain Gordon Coates:– “With great regret I write to condole with you in the loss of your brave son. He was killed during our advance on the 4th inst., and it was a great pity that he was not spared to enjoy the fruits of the success to which he probably contributed. It is a time of self-sacrifice, and right nobly did your son respond to the call. He died as you could wish him to die – like a soldier and a man; and you have reason to be proud of him. I just wish to extend to you the sympathy of myself and of your son’s comrades in the Company in your time of sorrow.”
A touching letter has also been received from Pte. E. W. Johnstone and Pte. H. Waldron, two comrades of deceased, as follows:– “Jim was a pal of ours. We went into the trenches on the night of the 2nd, and we went over the top on the morning of the 4th. At six o’clock we went forward. Well, this was where your son died for his country, and we must say that he suffered no pain. Shortly after we reached our objective we came back to find him, but evidently another enemy shell must have struck him. Jim was well known throughout his Battalion as a good soldier, and his ‘gap’ will be felt by all. It is very hard for us to sit down and write of our mates who have gone before.”
Originally Mrs. Leatt had three sons serving in the Army and one in the Navy, while another was engaged on munitions. All the three soldier sons have now given their lives for their country, while Mrs. Leatt also suffered irreparable loss in May by the death of her husband, who was in the employ of the Midland Railway for a great number of years.
Pte. George Leatt, the eldest son, who was married, joined the Sportsmen’s Battalion and died in German East Africa in April of last year, and Pte. Tom Leatt, Royal Berkshires, also died about the same time from wounds received in action. Pte. Harry Leatt is still serving in the Royal Navy, and Mrs. Leatt has also ten nephews with the Colours.
Pte. James Leatt had been out in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. He went to Canada to engage in farming about six years ago, and subsequently joined a brother who was then in New Zealand. He enlisted just before Christmas, 1914, served in the Dardanelles, went to Egypt after the evacuation, and was afterwards transferred to France. He was wounded on the Somme last year.
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
View West Yorkshire Pioneer Articles
01 June 1917
LEATT – May 29th, at 43, Pendle Street, Skipton, George Leatt, aged 68.
[Father of Pte. George Leatt, Pte. James Leatt and L/Cpl. Tom Leatt.]
19 October 1917
LEATT – Killed in action, Oct. 4th, Pte. Jas. Leatt, of the New Zealand Forces, son of Mrs. Leatt, of Pendle Street, Skipton, aged 33.
19 October 1917
SKIPTON CASUALTIES
THREE BROTHERS NOW KILLED
Information has been received that Pte. James Leatt of the New Zealand Forces, son of Mrs. Leatt, of Pendle Street, Skipton, was killed in action on October 4th. In a letter to the deceased soldier’s mother, Captain Gordon Coates, of the Auckland Company, New Zealand Expeditionary Force, states:– “It is with great regret that I write to console with you in the loss of your brave son. He was killed during our advance on the 4th inst., and it was a great pity that he was not spared to enjoy the fruits of the success to which he so ably contributed. It is a time of self-sacrifice, and right nobly your son respond to the call. He died as you could wish him to die, like a soldier and a man, and you have reason to be proud of him. I just wish to extend to you the sympathy of your son’s comrades in the company in your time of sorrow. Mrs. Leatt has also received a letter which is signed by Pte. E.W. Johnstone and Pte. H. Waldron, and which states:– “Jim was a pal of mine. We went into the trenches on the night of October the 2nd, and went over the top at 6 o’clock on the Monday morning of the 4th. This was where your son died for his county, and I must say that he suffered no pain. Shortly after we reached our objective, and I came back to find him but evidently another enemy shell must have struck him. Jim was well-known throughout the battalion as a good soldier, and his gap will be felt by all. It is very hard for us to have to sit down to write of our men who have gone before.” Originally Mrs. Leatt had three sons in the army, one in the navy, and one on munitions. The three who were in the army are now dead. Pte. George Leatt, the eldest son and a married man, died in German East Africa, and Pte. Tom Leatt died from wounds received in action. The son serving in the navy is Pte. Harry Leatt. Pte. James Leatt, who was 33 years of age, went out to Canada and afterwards to New Zealand to join another brother. He joined up just before Christmas, 1914, and went to the Dardanelles the June following, then to Egypt, and afterwards to France. He was wounded on the Somme. As a boy he was apprenticed to Mr. Swire, newsagent, Swadford Street, Skipton.
Comment on this Soldier Record
You can leave comments on this soldier record. Please note all comments will be manually approved before they appear on the website.
No comments yet.