An interesting Western Front Officer casualty British War Medal awarded to Second Lieutenant L.T. Crowther, 1st/5th Battalion, West Riding Regiment who was killed in action on 16th June 1915 when as part of a reconnaissance party in no-man’s land he was attacked by a German patrol and was killed by a bomb explosion, Sergeant Convoy, in charge of the stretcher-bearers who carried him back to the lines was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his gallantry, however, Crowther was already dead by the time they reached the British lines. He is now buried in Rue-David Military Cemetery
British War Medal 1914-1919; (2.LIEUT. L.T. CROWTHER.)
Condition: Good Very Fine
Leslie Taylor Crowther was born at Viso House, Huddersfield on 27th September 1892 and educated at Wild’s, Huddersfield and after leaving school taught there for a time and after his death his master wrote ‘Leslie was such a splendid boy, so vigorous and cheerful, so conscientious and reliable, and it must have been so constant a joy to you both to see how by his own steady efforts he was making his way to a good position in life, and winning the respect of all with whom he had to deal.
He had joined the 1/5th (Territorial) Battalion of the West Riding Regiment in 1909 and volunteering for Imperial service after the outbreak of the war, was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the same on 21st October 1914. He would go to France with is regiment and was killed in action at Fleurbaix on 15th June 1915 during a reconnaissance. His Company officer, Lieutenant Colonel Wilson wrote: ‘When I recommended your son for a commission I felt certain I was doing the right thing, and I am pleased to sayhe has turned out a thoroughly efficient officer and keen soldier. The N.C.O.’s and men in his platoon had become very much attached to him, and would follow anywhere. Our loss is also very great. Every officer in the battalion, admired and loved him. He was always keen to go patrolling, and did his work well, and the following particulars were given by Lieut. A.B. Stott, who writing 16th June said ‘Yesterday afternoon a reconnaissance was decided on. The party was to consist of Captain Wheatley, Lieut Leslie Liddell and two men. During the evening Capt. Wheatley’s foot went very sore, so I took his place. Just before we left Leslie asked to be included in the party.
‘We got about 120 yards out from our trench quite easily. As the grass was very dry, I then decided to go on alone with a man for about 40 yards more. I left Leslie and Liddell to guard our left flank. We were just about to return to them when we heard revolver shots and a German patrol in full flight. Unfortunately, this was not the only patrol out, and another German patrol threw a bomb which gave Leslie his death wound. There was naturally some trouble to get him back to the lines, but he was carried in by a stretcher party, covered by a strong party of men but he was dead before the lines were reached. The Doctor said that nothing could have saved him, and that he must have been unconscious almost from the first. He was buried the same day in the corner of a field, a quarter of a mile behind the firing line, where the officers and men of the 5th and 7th Duke’s have been buried and lies near to his old school friend 2nd Lieut. L.M. Tetlow. Ten officers and 20 men of his own company attended to the simply ceremony which marks these occasions, together with a number of men of his old A Company, and Colonel Wilson officiated at the service. As my sub, in old C Company, and as a platoon commander in D Company, he has always been a splendid and devoted officer’. The Distinguished Conduct Medal was afterwards conferred on Sergt. Convoy for this act, he being in charge of the stretcher bearers.
Leslie Taylor Crowther is now buried in Rue-David Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix and is noted as the son of Norman and Gertrude Crowther of Viso House, Huddersfield.
