Thomas Leah joined the Royal Artillery in 1899.
During the First World War he was a Major in the Royal Field Artillery, in charge of a Battery of men who were responsible for deploying horse-drawn guns close to the front line.
Thomas’ granddaughter Jenny Rathbone recalls:
“He was in some of the worst places; in northern France and Salonika. He was invalided home three times, twice for ‘nervous exhaustion’. He finally left the Army in 1928, and took his own life shortly afterwards.”

Thomas’ wife Frances writes about his death in her journal:
‘In some ways I think the 1914-1918 war was partially responsible for his death, for neither his health or nerves had been the same as before the time when his battery position was blown up on the Salonika front. – (where he won his 1st D.S.O) [Distinguished Service Order]’