Roland Leighton

[Michelle Young]

In memory of Roland Aubrey Leighton, 1/7 Worcestershire Regiment, died of wounds received near Hebuterne, 23/12/1915.  His parents received the telegram informing them of his death on Christmas Day. He is buried at Louvencourt. 

[IanA]

I've been thinking about this chap. I'd known of his connection with Vera Brittain for many years but (stupidly) only linked him to Clare Leighton recently. Then, I was trying to find more about Robert Leighton who wrote a book which (in passing) lampooned an ancestor of mine in Pilots of Pomona - Robert was Roland's father! He was a journalist who also turned his hand to writing 'books for boys'. Roland's mother, Marie, also wrote and seems to have been a 'character'! (Clare wrote a biography.) The death of a talented young man is tragic but the news coming at the moment he was expected home on leave must have been awful beyond words.