Name
Colin McLaren Leys
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/09/1916
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Second Lieutenant
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn., formerly London Regiment (Queen's Westminster Rifles)
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 2 C.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted, High Wycombe Royal Grammar School Memorial, Bucks
Pre War
Colin McLaren Leys was born on 21 August 1894 in Hampton Hill, Surrey, the son of John Kirkwood Leys and Ellen Leys.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at Richmond Villa, Uxbridge Road, Hampton, Middlesex. His father's occupation was given as novelist author, although he was also barrister at law. His father died in 1910 and on the 1911 Census he was living with his widowed mother and five siblings, one of whom was his half brother, Kenneth from his father's first marriage (a Fellow of University College, Oxford). They were then residing at 'Sands', High Wycombe, Bucks. He was educated at High Wycombe Royal Grammar School from 1905 to 1911, after which he was employed as a clerk with the Royal Mail Steam Packet Company.
He was listed as a passenger returning from Madeira to Southampton on 20 December 1913 on the Royal Mail Steam Packet Ship Arlanza.
Wartime Service
He initially enlisted in August 1914 and joined the 1/16th London Regiment, serving in France from 1 November 1914 as Private 2313. He was later gazetted 2nd Lieutenant with 8th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment in May 1915.
He was missing presumed killed in action on 15 September 1916, aged 22, during the Battle of the Somme.
Additional Information
His mother received a war gratuity of £5 and pay owing of £64 2s 6d.
She later lived at Five Trees Bungalow, Pensham Hill, Pershore, Worcestershire
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild, www.iwm.org.uk., buckinghamshireremembers.org.uk
