William McEwan Leishman - Link to Grangemouth
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- 3 days ago
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463642 Private, 3rd Canadian Pioneer Battalion, 3rd Canadian Division
Age: 27
Date of death: 13.6.16
Buried: Menin Gate Memorial Panel 32
Family history: Son of William & Isabella Leishman, 52 Dundas Street, Grangemouth. His brother Tom was also killed in action, and his younger brother Private Henry Leishman, Royal Scots, age 20, was gassed on 20 May 1918. William was unmarried and listed his trade as Carpenter when he enlisted in Vernon, British Columbia on 31 July 1915, and that he had served three years in the Territorial Army Service Corps. He listed his parents as next of kin. He joined the 62nd Battalion and then was transferred to the 48th Battalion. He sailed from Montreal to the UK on 1 October 1915 and went to the Canadian Camp at Shorncliffe on 11 October. On the 6 December he was sentenced to two days Field Punishment No.2 and deducted two days pay. He went to France on 9 March 1916 and joined the 3rd Canadian Pioneers and he was again sentenced to Field Punishment No.2 this time for five days from 31 March 1916.
Action leading to his death
On the night of the 12/13 June 1916, the Battalion was attached to the 13th Battalion Royal Highlanders of Canada, 1st Canadian Division who were to attack Observatory Ridge and retake the trenches lost to the Germans on 2 June. The Battalion War Diary recording that a special party was required to work under 9th Brigade and it was realised that this was a dangerous duty. The party was made up of three officers who had volunteered and 25 Other Ranks from numbers 1 and 4 companies plus 61 Other Ranks from number 3 Company. The Royal Highlanders attacked at 1.30am and after some hard fighting including hand to hand fighting they took their objectives and the Pioneers were called forward to consolidate the trenches. The casualties from this special party were 4 Other Ranks killed, 6 missing, wounded 30, and one officer wounded. William was posted as missing in action on 13 June 1916 and his death was presumed from that date on 3 February 1917.
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