Brig.-Gen. Robert Gilmour Edwards Leckie, 72nd Seaforth Highlanders

The narrative of the Second Battle of Ypres was written on the spot and immediately after the action. It was not until long afterwards that it was possible to collect and collate the whole of the battalion diaries. The story, therefore, could only be compiled from the personal reports of the officers commanding units, and in some cases these were not available, and certain regiments did not therefore receive the prominence which was their due. These regiments will, I am sure, readily understand that the omission was not intentional, but due to the impossibility of making sure of all the details of a great and confused action until months after the event. Although the material has become available, I have decided not to attempt to rewrite the story. It is, in its main features, absolutely accurate, and has the advantage which must belong to any narrative written within sound of the guns, and while the impressions of the battlefield are still vivid to the mind. I am, in fact, afraid that any attempt on my part to reconstruct the narrative would spoil whatever merit it may possess.

In the first place, it is necessary, however, to make good some mistakes in the first volume which have been pointed out by persons who were engaged in various actions.

The majority of errors occur in the matter of names, which, in about a dozen cases, have been given inexactly. In some cases it has been possible to make the requisite corrections of initials, rank, or spelling in succeeding editions. I particularly regret the confusion between the two brothers, Sergt. L. G. Newell and Sergt. F. C. C. Newell, both of whom took part in the charge at Langemarke. The first-named, the older brother, died of his wounds after that attack, while the second and younger recovered, returned to the trenches, and won the D.C.M. at Givenchy. With reference to the names of regiments concerned in the Second Battle of Ypres, the King's Own Royal Leinsters have been named by a misprint instead of the King's Own Royal Lancashires, as part of Colonel Geddes' command, on page 56. King Edward's Horse should have the prefix 2nd throughout. I offer my very sincere apologies to both regiments.

As to the position of various units, it is stated on page 74 of Vol. I. that Lieut.-Col. Watson, of the 2nd, was employed with his regiment on a dangerous digging operation to connect a weak point in the line on the night of April 28th, 1915. It should have been added that the entire 1st Brigade took part in this, the 2nd Battalion being on the left, the 3rd in the centre, and the 1st on the right, the 4th Battalion digging in the meanwhile a support trench close in rear. The omission of the description of the part played by the 5th Battalion (Colonel Tuxford) in the Second Battle of Ypres was a serious one, but this is dealt with in the course of the next few pages.

The only serious accusation of inaccuracy in the tactical survey of any situation is preferred by those who maintain that the sketch of the action at Festubert is wrong or misleading. I have communicated with Colonel J. E. Leckie, of the 16th Battalion, who, as a major, took a prominent part in the assault and succeeded to the command of the regiment, when his brother, Brigadier-General R. G. E. Leckie,,C.M.G.,V.D.,[1] was promoted to a brigade. He assures me that the sketch of the two positions occupied by the Canadians in their successive attacks is quite accurate, and, in fact, it is so. None the less, it is easy to see how the idea that there was an error originated. In an attempt to secure largeness of scale in the map, the area is unduly limited in its scope. The position from which the Canadians attacked is not given, and the extent to which the Germans were forced back is only just indicated. In consequence, the words "First Canadian Position" might be held to imply that this was the line from which they sallied forth instead of the first position they occupied before they advanced to the final attack on the orchard. It is a misfortune if the plan underestimates the ground won by the 14th and 15th. No further serious errors have been suggested so far as Vol. I. is concerned.

[1] CANADA IN FLANDERS BY LORD BEAVERBROOK THE OFFICIAL STORY OF THE CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE VOLUME II

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From "Soldier's of the Queen" Leckie’s military decorations included the Queen’s South Africa Medal with the claps “ Transvaal” and “South Africa 1902”. Although I have been unable to find him listed on the appropriate medal roll he should have been entitled to the Africa General Service Medal with the “Somaliland 1902-04” clasp. While no World War One Medal Index Card has been found at this time it can be assume that Leckie was entitled to the 1914-15 Star and the British War and Victory Medals. During World War One Leckie would, receive at least two Mention in Despatches with the first being on 22 June, 1915 a second on 15 June, 1916 when he was also created a Companion of the Order of St. Michael and St. George for his military services. Leckie was also wounded during the war, apparently in 1916.

Leckie seems to have left South Africa soon after the end of the Anglo-Boer War for service in Somaliland during the 1902-04 campaign against Sayyīd Muhammad Abd Allāh al-Hasan who was also known as the “Mad Mullah”. Invalided to Britain in 1904 Leckie was quoted in the 13 January, 1904 edition of the New York Times with his opinion of the ultimate outcome of the war. He stated that the recent defeat of the Mad Mullah was the beginning of the end of his power and that al-Hasan’s forces were now scattered. He also stated that it was his view that Somaliland would have to be occupied. In the end al-Hasan would defy the British until 1920 when he died from influenza. It should be noted that in Leckie’s World War One attestation papers he lists his service with the Canadian Forces at home and in South Africa but does not list his service in Somaliland.