Peter Leitch

Colour Sergeant, Royal Engineers

VC
Register No.
733 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
Rank
Colour Sergeant all Colour-Sergeants →
Unit
Royal Engineers (register: Corps of Royal Engineers) all Corps of Royal Engineers VCs →
Date of action
18 June 1855 on this day → all of 1855 →
Conflict / campaign
Crimean War
London Gazette
2nd June 1858 on this day → all of 1858 →
Born
in 1820 at Orwell, Kinross, Scotland
Memorial / grave
not known

From Alf Askin's research notes

Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.

LEITCH, Peter. (reg No. 733).

Colour Sergeant Royal Engineers.

London Gazetted on 2nd June 1858.

Born in 1820 at Orwell, Kinross, Scotland.

Died or 6th December, 1892 at Fulham, London.

Memorial not known. At Sebastopol, Crimea, on 18th June 1855, Colour Sergeant Leitch, after approaching the Redan with the leading Ladders, formed a caponniére* across the ditch, as well as a ramp, by fearlessly tearing down gabions* from the Parapet and placing and filling them until he was disabled from wounds.

*A covered passage across a ditch.

*A cylindrical wicker or metal basket. Used in early fortifications and Engineering.

Additional information:. Colour Sergeant Leitch also held the French Légion d'Honneur.

Alf's notes on his life

At Sebastopol, Crimea, on 18th June 1855, Colour Sergeant Leitch, after approaching the Redan with the leading Ladders, formed a caponniére* across the ditch, as well as a ramp, by fearlessly tearing down gabions* from the Parapet and placing and filling them until he was disabled from wounds. and Engineering.

Additional information

Colour Sergeant Leitch also held the French Légion d'Honneur.

*A covered passage across a ditch.
*A cylindrical wicker or metal basket. Used in early fortifications

Died or 6th December, 1892 at Fulham, London.

Visit the grave or memorial

Alf recorded the memorial as: not known

Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.

Research this recipient further

Would you like to honour Peter Leitch by sponsoring this page from £1 a month — in memory of someone, in your own name or for your company? Sponsor this page.