British Army Veterinary Corps
Robert Edward LEACH
Captain
Died 29 November 1917 · Aged 30
His story
Captain Robert Edward Leach FRCVS was born in Newmarket, Suffolk, in 1887, the son of Edward Leach, a veterinary surgeon. The 1911 Census shows Robert was a student veterinary surgeon with his father’s practice.
He enlisted in the army at Newmarket and was attached to the 64th Brigade of the Royal Field Artillery. He was involved in the 3rd battle of Ypres, where he was wounded. He was taken to the No.24 Field ambulance but died there from his wounds on 29 November 1917.
He is buried at Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Captain Leach’s obituary notice appeared in The Veterinary Record dated 15 December 1917.
Photographs and documents
Before the war
- Nationality
- British
- Date of Birth
- 1887
- Place of Birth
- Newmarket, Suffolk, England
- Veterinary College and Date of Graduation
- London - July 1912
Military service
- Last Rank
- Captain
- Regiment/Service
- British Army Veterinary Corps
- Secondary Regiment
- Royal Field Artillery
- Secondary Unit
- 64th Brigade
- First Theatre of War
- France August 1915
Medals and commemoration
- Name on RCVS Honour Board
- Yes
- Name In Officers who died in Great War
- Yes
- Medals and Awards
- British War Medal 1914-1918; Victory Medal
Death and burial
- Date of Death
- 29 November 1917
- Age at Death
- 30
- Place of Death
- Ypres, France
- Cause of Death
- Died of wounds received in action
- Cemetery
- Vlamertinghe New Military Cemetery
- Location
- Ypres, France
- Grave Reference
- IX.A.19
- Commonwealth War Grave
- Yes - CWGC Headstone
- Emblem or Badge on Headstone
- Army Veterinary Corps logo
Sources and further reading
- CWGC casualty and commemoration record
- Find a Grave memorial
- The Veterinary Record, 15 December 1917 — cited in the earlier biography
Cite this biography
Graham Hodgkins and Pete Matthews, “Robert Edward Leach”, Veterinary Virtual War Memorial, https://vetsremembered.org/people/robert_edward_leach/.
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