Name
Arthur Martin-Leake
4 Apr 1874
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
22/06/1953
79
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant Colonel
RAMC
RAMC
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Victoria Cross and Bar, South Africa Medal (Queens), South Africa Medal (Kings) 1914 Star, British Victory and British War. MID (WW1)
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
VC Memorial
Pre War
Born 4 Apr 1874 at 'Marshalls' , High Cross the fifth son of Stephen Martin-Leake and Isabel Plunkett.
Baptised on 3 May 1874 in High Cross.
Studied and became a Doctor of Medicine, qualifying in 1893 he then worked at the Hemel Hempstead District Hospital before enlisting in the Imperial Yeomanry in 1899 to serve in the Boar War.
On completion of his year of service he remained in South Africa as a surgeon, he then joined the South African Constabulary as a Surgeon Captain with the 5th Field Ambulance. It was in this period of service on the 8 Feb 1902 he was awarded his first Victoria Cross for attending whilst under fire in no mans land a wounded man after which he went to the aid of a wounded officer at which time he received 3 GSW. He was shipped back to the UK. where he added to his medical qualifications, before taking up a post in India.
In 1912 he volunteered to serve with the British Red Cross in the Balkan Wars.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of the First World War returned to service as a Lieutenant with 5 Field Ambulance and was awarded a Bar to his Victoria Cross for rescuing whilst under fire a large number of wounded who were lying close to the enemy trenches.
Promoted Captain March 1915, then Major in November 1915 and in April 1917 he was promoted Lt Col and took command of 46 Field Ambulance.
He retired following the war
Additional Information
After the war he returned to India until he retired in 1937 when he returned to the UK. During WW2 he commanded an ARP detachment. He died on 22 Jun 1953 in High Cross and after a cremation at Enfield his ashes were interned at St John's Church , High Cross. He married in 1930 but his wife died in 1932 the union was childless..
Acknowledgments
Taff Williams
