SIDNEY
DENBOLE LEA
Lance
Corporal 10164
Sidney Lea was born in Plympton, the son of James and
Emma Lea of 3, Dixon Terrace in Yealmpton.
James Lea ran an agricultural merchants business called “Leas of
Yealmpton”.
Sidney enlisted at Plymouth in the 8th
(Service) Battalion of the Devonshire Regiment.
The Battalion was part of the first wave of Kitchener’s Army. It landed at Le Havre on 28 July 1915 and proceeded to The Front where it joined 20th
Brigade as part of 7th Division.
The Battle of Loos was the largest British offensive
of 1915, and the first time that the British used gas. During the battle, on 25 September 1915, the battalion was formed up in four lines ready to
attack German positions at Cite St Ellie.
Overnight there had been some shelling, but at 5.30am a British intensive
bombardment began, and a deluge of shells swept down on the German
trenches. They opened up with a heavy
reply which caused many casualties in the packed British trenches.
At 6.30am the British attack began, and
8 Devon’s pushed forward with great
dash. The first objective “Breslau
Trench” was taken despite Germans manning the trench parapet and inflicting
heavy casualties, including the Commanding Officer and seven officers. The battalion on 8 Devon’s left was redirected to
another task, which left their left flank exposed. Nevertheless, with only three officers left
to direct them, the soldiers pushed on.
By the time they reached the crossroads south of Cite St Ellie only two
officers and about 70 men remained. They
had advanced some 2,000 yards, and captured four field guns. The Germans
mounted a massive counter attack and succeeded in pushing the 8 Devon’s back to “Gun Trench”.
8 Devon’s defended their position for the next four
days, after which they were pulled out of the line. The casualty list was very high – 19 officers
and 620 other ranks were lost. Among
those who fell on 25 September 1915 was Lance Corporal Lea, aged
24. He is remembered with honour at the
Loos Memorial (Panel 35-37).
