CWGC thanks the Thiepval Database Project for this story. It summarises information held at the Thiepval Visitor Centre.

Donald was born at Catford, London on 4th February 1896, one of the four children of George Fenning Leatherdale (a journalist) and Mabel Gertrude Leatherdale.

After an education at Christ’s Hospital he was employed by the Royal Exchange Insurance Company.

He enlisted as Private 1298, 28th Battalion, London Regiment in January 1914 and volunteered for foreign service on the outbreak of war. He was commissioned in June 1915.

Donald died on 22nd July 1916, aged 20, during an attack on High Wood, (known to the French as Bois des Fourcaux), a vital, heavily fortified high ground sitting on a ridge that overlooked the surrounding plateau.

His colonel wrote:

" …He led his platoon in the assault on an enemy's trench on the night of the 22nd/23rd. The advance to be made was about 400 yards before getting to the enemy trench. Just before reaching this the enemy opened very heavy machine gun fire from a wood on our left causing us very heavy casualties…There is no doubt that your son must have been hit at this point but no one of those who are left can speak as to seeing what happened to him. The best we can therefore hope for is that he was wounded and is now a prisoner of war…"

Second Lieutenant Donald Ryan Leatherdale,1st Battalion, Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) has no known grave and is commemorated on Pier and Face 11C of the Thiepval Memorial to The Missing on The Somme in France.

His brother, Corporal Alan Richard Leatherdale, 19588, 26th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, died on 18th September 1916, aged 19. He is commemorated on Pier & Face 16A of the Thiepval Memorial.