Robert Herbert Leathes

A Second Lieutenant with B Battery, 62 Brigade, Robert died on 19th of April 1917 at the age of 18. 

Robert was born at Battle, Sussex, on 27 July 1898, a son of Herbet de Mussenden and Agnes Isabel Leathes. In 1901 his family lived at Tiddington Street, Tiddington, Albury, Oxfordshire. Later his family lived at Herringfleet Hall. 

By 1911 Robert was a pupil at St. Ronan’s School, Worthing,  Sussex, where he was noted for his sporting abilities and where he won a mathematics prize. On leaving school he travelled, intending to perfect his foreign language skills and he planned to enter Sandhurst.

On 29 September 1915 Robert was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the Royal Field Artillery. Robert served in France with ‘B’ Battery, 62 Brigade  

In February 1917 62 Brigade moved into positions near Arras. From 4 April they were involved in the preliminary bombardment that preceded the general attack at Arras on 9 April. On 11 April the Brigade was able to move forward to positions at Monchy. From 14 April the German counter-attacks came close to Monchy an the Brigade’s units were particularly targeted by German artillery. 

Robert, one other officer, and seven men, were all killed in action on 19 April. Based on the account in the Brigade war diary it is likely that their deaths were caused by ‘counter-battery’ artillery fire.  

There is a brass memorial in Herringfleet Church in memory of Robert and his sister Dulcibel. 

See: Saint Ronan's Robert Herbert De Mussenden Leathes (saintronans.co.uk)