Thomas Henry Leman
He was educated at Chigwell School, in Essex, where he had some experience in the Officers’ Training Corps, and upon leaving there was articled to his father’s firm Leman & Sons,
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Thomas Henry Leman was born in 1895 at Nottingham and was the son of Thomas Charles a chartered accountant and Helena Maud Leman, née Mellers of 12, Arthur Street, Nottingham.His father Thomas Charles was born in 1868 at Nottingham, he died on 24th October 1918 and was buried in Nottingham Church Cemetery, his mother Helena Maud Mellers was born in 1870 at Nottingham, they were married on 17th August 1893 at St Andrews Church, Nottingham, they went on to have the following children, Thomas Henry b1895, Helen Doris b1898 and Phyllis Mary b1906 all were born in Nottingham. The family also lived at 50 Tavistock Drive, Mapperley Park, Nottingham In the 1911 census Thomas Henry is at boarding school at Chigwell, he is shown as being 16 yrs of age a boarder of School House, The Grammar School, Chigwell School, Chigwell.In the same 1911 census his parents staying at Clarence House Skegness a boarding house, they are boarding with Mary Lynas 60 yrs a widow boarding house keeper, they are shown as Thomas Charles 43 yrs a chartered accountant, he is with his wife Helena Maud 40 yrs and their daughter Phyllis Mary 5 yrs of age. Thomas Henry's probate was proven on 6th July 1917 at Nottingham, it shows him as Thomas Henry Leman of 23 Herbert Road, Sherwood, Nottingham a Captain in H.M.Army died on 1st July 1916 in France, his effects of £286 1 shilling and 11 pence were left to Thomas Charles Leman a chartered accountant.
Captain Thomas Henry Leman was commisioned on 6th October 1914 and served with the 1/7th battalion Sherwood Foresters Regiment. He landed in France on 12th July 1915. and was killed in action, 1st July 1916, aged 21, during the attack on Gommecourt, France, on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. He is buried at Foncquevillers Military Cemetery, France. Plot 3. Row D. Grave 10.Extract from 1/7th Battalion War Diary, 10th/11th March 1917 – “The body of Captain Leman, who was killed in action on July 1st. was brought in from the wire in front of Gommecourt and buried at Fonquevillers Cemetery by the Reverend A.E. Mellish, V.C.”
It took just a fortnight for the first obituaries of ICAEW Chartered Accountants and Articled Clerks to appear in The Accountant. The edition of 15 July 1916 carried obituaries of Captain T. H. Leman (Sherwood Foresters), an articled clerk with Leman & Sons, and Second Lieutenant Geoffrey E. Layton Bennett, an A.C.A. with E. Layton Bennett & Co., who died on the first day. Many more obituaries would follow in the weeks that followed.Thomas Henry Leman (1895-1916)Thomas Henry Leman enlisted with the Sherwood Foresters and was serving with the 1/7th battalion at Foncquevillers at the northernmost point of the Somme battlefield. On 1st July 1917 the battalion was ordered to make an assault on Gommecourt, a diversionary effort to keep German forces from being drawn into the main battle.Published accounts record that Captain Leman led his company over the top from a front line trench in no man’s land. The company made it through the wire and into the German front line trench. As the assault faltered an already wounded Captain Leman mounted a spirited defence of the trench with the small band of men that remained but was killed as the German infantry moved forward to retake their position.A fortnight later 'The Accountant' reported his loss to their readers:Our readers will learn with sincere regret that Captain T.H. Leman (Sherwood Foresters) has been officially reported "missing, believed to be killed," as on the 1st inst. Captain Leman, who was only 21 years of age, was the only son of Mr. T.C. Leman, F.C.A., of Nottingham. He was educated at Chigwell School, in Essex, where he had some experience in the Officers’ Training Corps, and upon leaving there was articled to his father’s firm. He took part in the attack on the Hohenzollern Redoubt last November, and on that occasion his Colonel wrote to his father: "I feel I should like to write and say how very pleased I am with your son. He is making a most excellent officer. I was astonished at his coolness and courage, and the way he led his men on the Hohenzollern Redoubt, and also for the way he took over the command of his company after his captain had been wounded. It is to boys like yours that England owes so much at the present time. It has given me the greatest pleasure to send his name forward to be promoted to Captain.” In a more recent letter, Lieut.-Col. Breeweill describes Captain Leman as “one of the most capable and most promising officers in ‘The Robin Hoods,’ who by his kindly and courteous manner endeared himself to all." Our readers will, we are sure, join with us in expressing the hope that the official news may yet prove to be incorrect.Above extract is courtesy of the The ICAEW Library & Information Service website
Thomas Henry Leman
Commonwealth war grave headstone marking his grave at Foncquevillers Military Cemetery, Pas De Calais, France Courtesy of Murray Biddle