Name
Leslie Arthur Tolchard
1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
23/08/1918
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
270707
Bedfordshire Regiment
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ACHIET-LE-GRAND COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION
IV. S. 7.
France
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Hitchin memorials
Pre War
Leslie was born in 1894 in Hitchin and christened/baptised on 2 June 1894 in Holy Savior Church, Hitchin. His parents were Frederick William and Emma Tolchard (née Newberry in Holy Savior Church, Hitchin, in 1882.
In 1901 the family were living at Newbury Terrace, Ampthill, Beds. Present were both parents: Frederick (41) and Emma (43), with Frederick and working as a manufacturing chemist factory manager. Their children were: Ivy Evelyn (14), Frederick George (12), Lily Maud (9), Helena (8), Leslie Arthur (6), Eve Beatrice (5), and Bernard Newbury (2).
By 1911 the family were living at The Green, The Farms, Long Melford, Suffolk. Present were both parents, x now working as a pharmaceutical preparation worker distilling essentials oil. The census recorded they had been married for 29 years with 10 children, of whom 3 had died. Of the children listed above Ivy and Frederick were absent. A sister, presumably Frederick’s, Emily Ashby Chapman (63) was visiting.
Leslie enlisted as Private 17692, Somerset Light Infantry on 12 April 1915. At that time he was a schoolteacher, living at The Ferns, Long Melford, Suffolk. He was 20 years and 11 months, 5’ 2” tall with a 33 ½ “ chest when fully expanded, 120 lbs good physical development
The Soldiers Died In The Great War (SDITGW) database records that he was born in Hitchin, Herts. and was living in Long Melford, Suffolk when he enlisted in Sudbury, Suffolk.
Wartime Service
His movements between regiments and battalions are not entirely clear and neither are his service numbers. Also, his service does not seem to have been entirely happy with several absences without leave etc. As a schoolteacher he was presumably well educated and perhaps that meant he struggle with taking orders from less educated N.C.O.s.
Home service from 12 April 1915 to 16 August 1915:
He was assigned to 45th Training Reserve Battalion. He had postings on 24 April 1915, 17 August 1915 and 21 March 1916, then (possibly) to Con Depot Sutton Coldfield on 13 May 1916 and posted again from where he embarked for France.
Served in France from 17 August 1915 to 20 March 1916:
Embarked for France for the first time on 16 August 1915, landed on the 17th and joined the 6th Battalion on 23rd.
He was wounded 16 October 1915 suffering shell abrasions to his back and shoulder. He was treated and rejoined his Battalion on 7th November.
Admitted to 44 Field Ambulance hospital with neck boils 11 January 1916 and transferred to 42 Field Ambulance on the 12th arriving on the 13th then rejoined his Battalion after treatment on 20th
Admitted to 42 Field Ambulance again on 10 March 1916 with mys(?) pyrexia went to 19 Casualty Clearing Station on the 11th then transferred to hospital in Le Treport, then was transported to England with rheumatic fever and was there from 21 March 1916
Home 21 March 1916 to 9 February 1918:
Between 21 March 1916 and 27 April 1916 in in hospital in Canterbury with rheumatic fever.
Posted to, or from, Con Depot Sutton Coldfield 13 May 1916.
On 3 June 1916 he was admonished for returning to Camp drunk at about 10pm.
He was still with the Somerset Light Infantry and certainly in Swanage in October 1916 and afterwards, because his regimental conduct sheet record that and the following.
Also, during this period he cannot have been entirely fit because he appeared before the Travelling Medical Board on 7 October classified him as C1 for six months - categories B and C designated men as only suitable for less demanding roles or home service, and C1 ‘Able to march five miles, see to shoot with glasses, and hear well for home service.’
On 11 October he was reported “When on active service making an improper reply to a N.C.O.” and received 14-days confined to barracks - on the 14th “Where in active service, when(sic) a defaulter. Not answering his name at 6:30 am” and again confined to barracks, although this time only for 2 days – then on 2 November “When on active service overstaying his pass from 11:55 pm 2nd to 10:30 am 3rd”. He was confined to barracks for 4 days and also lost a day’s pay.
He was transferred to the “C” Company, 2/1st Hertfordshire Regiment on 10 November 1916 – perhaps in an effort to give him a fresh start, if so it does not seem to have worked. His service medal and award roll suggest that he was Private 10875 at this stage – unless he had been that before he joined the Somerset Light Infantry.
The Travelling Medical Board reclassified him as fit ‘A1’ in January 1917.
He was absent without leave from 11pm 12 February 1917 to 7am 14th and forfeited 2 days’ pay.
He received some leave in August 1917 but returned late and was reported as overstaying his leave from midnight until 11:10pm 16th and received 3 days confined to barracks and forfeited 10 days’ pay.
Posted to 5th Bedfordshire Reserve 18 August 1917. However, there is another entry immediately below suggesting he was immediately attached to 237th Infantry Battalion, 52nd (Grad) Battalion 18 August 1917. It is probably that this is when Leslie’s service number was changed to 270707. It is also possible that before this he had the number TR/9/24335. The attachment ended on 9 December 1917 when he was posted to 5th Bedfordshire Reserve Battalion 9 December 1917.
He was in Crowborough Camp when he was reported absent without leave from the Tattoo between 3 January 1918 until 4:15pm on the 4th. He was punished with 7-days confined to barracks and also forfeited 2 days’ pay. Then on the 28th “Whilst under orders for overseas absent without leave from 11:30pm 28-1-18 until 6:35 pm on the 30-1-18.” For this he forfeited 14-days but another note suggests that either it was reduced to 3 or that an additional 3 days pay was lost.
Served in France again from 10 February 1918:
Left for France from Southampton 10 February 1918 “For forces in Italy”, and arrived the following day. However, he does seem to have been sent to Italy, and after landing in France he was posted to 1st Bedfordshire Regiment 16 February. Posted to 1st Bedfordshire Regiment 10 February 1918 and Joined them 28 March 1918 and posted to “B” Company,
Leslie was absent from Company Parade at 8:30am and received 7-days confined to barracks.
Killed in action 23 August 1918.
On the 22nd the Battalion were in support and being shelled with gas shells, and two officers were killed. On the 23rd the Battalion moved up in front of Achiet le Pettit and then moved forward to attack at 11am The attack appears to have been successful but casualties were 6 Officers killed and 3 wounded – one died later, and 120 ORs were killed or wounded.
Additional Information
After his death £13 6s 0d pay owing was authorised to go to his father, Frederick, on 18 June 1919.
His pension cards record Mrs Emma Tolchard as his mother and his next of kin, living at The Ferns, Long Melford, Suffolk.
1914 – 15 Star 1 January 1921, then his British War and Victory medals 12 April 1922, confusing the latter refers to service in the 1/1st Hertfordshire Regiment and the service number 270707. It would be interesting to see what appears on his medals.
Acknowledgments
Jonty Wild
