William Knox Leet
Major, 1st Battalion. 13th Regiment
- Register No.
- 732 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Major all Majors →
- Unit
- 1st Battalion. 13th Regiment (register: 13th Regiment of Foot) all 13th Regiment of Foot VCs →
- Date of action
- 28 March 1879 on this day → all of 1879 →
- Conflict / campaign
- Indian Mutiny
- London Gazette
- 17th June, 1879 on this day → all of 1879 →
- Born
- 3rd November 1833 at Dalkey, County Dublin, Ireland
- Died
- 27th June, 1898 at Great Chart, Kent
- Memorial / grave
- at Great Chart Churchyard, Kent
Digest of citation
For his gallant conduct on 28th March 1879, in rescuing Lieutenant A M Smith of the Frontier Light Horse of from the Zulus during a retreat from Inhlobana, Zululand. Lieutenant Smith's horse had been shot from under him and was being pursued by the Zulus. He would have been killed but for Major Leet taking him up on his horse and riding to a place of safety under heavy enemy fire
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
LEET, William Knox. (reg No. 732).
Major. 1st Battalion. 13th Regiment *.
London Gazetted on 17th June, 1879.
Born on 3rd November 1833 at Dalkey, County Dublin, Ireland.
Died on 27th June, 1898 at Great Chart, Kent.
Memorial on grave at Great Chart Churchyard, Kent.
Digest of Citation reads: For his gallant conduct on 28th March 1879, in rescuing Lieutenant A M Smith of the Frontier Light Horse of from the Zulus during a retreat from Inhlobana, Zululand. Lieutenant Smith's horse had been shot from under him and was being pursued by the Zulus. He would have been killed but for Major Leet taking him up on his horse and riding to a place of safety under heavy enemy fire.
* Prince Albert's Somerset Light Infantry..
Additional information: . Major General Leet was twice mentioned in despatches during the Indian Mutiny as a lieutenant. He served with distinction, under Lord Mark KERR, with the Battalion and as a Staff Officer to several columns. He served in South Africa in 1878 and, in 1879, in the Zulu War.
Additional information
Major General Leet was twice mentioned in despatches during the Indian Mutiny as a lieutenant. He served with distinction, under Lord Mark KERR, with the Battalion and as a Staff Officer to several columns. He served in South Africa in 1878 and, in 1879, in the Zulu War.
* Prince Albert's Somerset Light Infantry..
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Great Chart Churchyard, Kent
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