According to family stories, Fred was a really nice chap. My grandma's brother, Fred Howarth remembered him trying to win prizes for the children at a fair when he was on leave.  He also remembered being impressed because Fred was a gunner (machine gunner).  Private Fred Leech arrived in France in April, 1915 and was part of the Cheshire Regiment (9th Battalion). He was wounded on the first day of the Battle of the Somme (July 1st, 1916) only to be killed in action four months later. Rest in peace Fred...

Craig Sykes