Leake, Harry

Hull Pals Memorial Post. PRIVATE HARRY LEAKE 12/684. Born in 1886, Harry was the only child of Charles and Alice Leake of 18, York Terrace, Barnsley Street, Hull (War Pension address). He enlisted at Hull City Hall on 28th September 1914 originally joining the 12th Battalion East Yorkshire Regiment, ‘The Sportsmen’, 3rd Hull Pals. From the start it became clear that the strictures of military discipline did not suit Harry. He absconded three times during training and was arrested by Military Police and returned to base. The fourth time he skipped camp they threw the book at him; Harry was charged with Desertion and sentenced to six months imprisonment with hard labour. He was serving his time when the rest of the battalion shipped for Egypt and Harry never saw the desert. He was released in January 1916 and finally joined the Pals in France that April. His desertions however, continued. They repeatedly caught him, charged him, and sent him straight back to the front. The last time was 2nd September 1917. Harry Leake was killed in action during trench raids on German positions at Fresnoy on 8th November 1917 and his body never recovered, his name is commemorated on the Arras Memorial; he was 31 years old. Harry was a reluctant soldier, and his mother’s only son.