Roll of Honour 2023

W ORLD W AR O NE (1914 - 1918) INCLUDING THOSE WHO DIED LATER AS A RESULT OF THIS WAR

P AGE 77

S T . E DWARD ’ S S CHOOL , O XFORD R OLL OF H ONOUR

Name JOHN WILLIAM LEY (Private)

Lef SES 1916

Roll Number 1428 Died 30:12:1917

Set / House D

Arrive SES 1912

Where BAPAUME, FLANDERS Serving with 1ST, ARTISTS’ RIFLES, LONDON REG

Age 19

Buried Picardie Remembered Thiepval Memorial, The Christ Church, Oxford Memorial, The St. Edward’s School Chapel (Wooden Plaque) and the Cloisters Stone Memorial Born 1898 in Chagford, Devon, the youngest son of a deceased clergymen. Ley suffered from ill-health for most of his School career. ‘He seemed condemned by constant ill-health reduced to the part of a spectator with a humorous smile , the activities he could not share’ (Chronicle). He therefore missed a good deal of School time due to his illnesses. When he left he was in the Shell Form. He went up to Christ Church, Oxford in 1916 and at the same time enlisting in the Inns of Court OTC. Such was the shortage of manpower that despite failing several medicals he was finally passed ‘fit’ and entered the 20th Battalion Officer Cadet Battalion at Crookham in July 1917. A month later he was a Private in the 1st/28th London Regiment (The Artists’ Rifles) and immediately sent to the trenches. Ley wrote to the School that he felt deeply about leaving his Cadet Battalion and returning to the ranks, but he was sure that he would make a better officer after six months in France as a Private. Sadly he never had the chance, as he was killed in action at the end of the year at Baupame in Flanders. His body was not found until January 23rd 1918 in no-man’s land. He was felt one of the least likely OSE ‘to find a soldier’s grave, due to his fragile state and nervous demeanour’ (Chronicle)