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| Page revised: 15 January, 2008 |
Captain Edward Pemberton LEACH VC |
| Born: | Londonderry, Ireland - 2 April, 1847 | 
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| Died: | Cadenabbia, Lake Como, Italy - 27 January 1913 | ||
| Burial details: | Lake Como, Italy | ||
| Corps service: | He was the son of was a Sapper officer, Lieutenant Colonel Sir George Leach, he was commissioned into the Corps in April 1866. He was posted to India in 1868. By 1871 he was serving with the Indian Survey in the same year he accompanied the Lushai expedition. In 1878 he was a member of the Khyber Survey Party. He remained in Afghanistan until 1881. He commanded 24 Field Company in the Suakin Expedition (1885). In 1899 he was GOC Belfast, and founded the Ballykinler training camp (still used today), he was GOC Scotland in 1904 and retired as General Sir Edward Leach, VC, KCB, KCVO in 1912. | ||
| VC awarded: | Won VC at Maidanak, Afghanistan, on 17 March 1879. (Afghanistan War 1878-9) | ||
| VC unit: | Royal Engineers attached. | ||
| VC presented: | VC presented by Queen Victoria at Windsor Castle on 9 December 1879. | ||
| VC citation: | For having an action with the Shinwarris near Maidanak,
Afghanistan, on 17 March 1879, when covering the retirement if the
Survey Escort who were carrying Lieutenant Barclay, 45th Sikhs, mortally
wounded, he behaved with utmost gallantry in charging, with some men
of the 45th Sikhs, a very much larger number of the enemy. In this
encounter Captain Leach killed two or three of the enemy himself,
and he recieved a severe wound from an Afghan knife in the left arm.
Captain Leach's determination and gallantry in this affair, in attacking
and driving back the enemy from the last position, saved the whole
party from annihilation. (London Gazette: 6 December 1879) |
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| VC location: | Royal Engineers Museum | ||
| Source:
Additional material: SC Fenwick, FoREM Links to further reading:
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Royal Engineers Museum main site
