William Howell Norman Leyshon was born in 1890 to parents William and Annie. His father was an assistant school teacher, and he had an older sister, Lillian, and a younger brother, Frank.
The family had moved to 67 Tylney Road, Forest Gate by 1911. William was no longer living with his parents but his whereabouts at this time are unknown. He became a private with the Royal Fusiliers and was sent to France to fight. He was killed in action on 15th September 1916.
William left all his effects to his brother Frank, who was a Rifleman in the Army. Frank survived the war and immigrated to Manila in the Philippines. William’s name appears on the Thiepval Memorial in France.
Although no census data has been found to place William or his family in the Redbridge area, it is possible he had friends or family in the area who requested for his name to appear on a local memorial
Research by Redbridge Museum
Sources:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Ancestry.com