‘Leitch, the biggest and strongest man we had, the end man of the tug-of-war team, one of our best Lewis gunners, who, when shot in the hand, so that he could not fire his gun, carried on bringing up ammunition boxes all that day’

A regimental source referring to Leitch’s M.M.-winning exploits during the battle of Sheria in Palestine in November 1917.

A scarce Great War Palestine operations M.M. group of six awarded to Sergeant J. J. Leitch, 14th (Fife & Forfar Yeomanry) Battalion, Royal Highlanders

Military Medal, G.V.R. (345074 L. Cpl. J. J. Leich, 14/R. Hdrs. - T.F.), note surname spelling; 1914-15 Star (1712 Pte. J. J. Leitch, Fife & Forfar Y.); British War and Victory Medals (1712 Sjt. J. J. Leitch, Fife & Forfar Y.); Defence and War Medals 1939-45, together with Black Watch Tug of War Prize Medal, inscribed to ‘Pte. Leitch, 14th F. & F.Y. Battalion, R.H.’, generally very fine and better (7) £600-800

M.M. London Gazette 19 March 1918.

Leitch, a native of Fintry, Stirlingshire, first witnessed active service in Gallipoli, which theatre of war he entered in early September 1915 as a Private in the 1/1st Fife & Forfar Yeomanry.

His M.M., however, was won in respect of gallantry in the battle of Sheria, Palestine, in early November 1917, when serving as a Lance-Corporal in the 14th (Fife & Forfar) Battalion, Royal Highlanders. Over several days of fighting the Battalion suffered losses of three officers and 47 other ranks killed, in addition to five officers and 182 other ranks wounded. On 15 November, at a special parade, Major-General E. S. Girdwood, commanding 74th (Yeomanry) Division, presented nine men with M.M. ribands, Leitch among them.

The Battalion had earlier been present at the second and third battles of Gaza and, following the capture of Jerusalem, was embarked for France. Leitch was discharged in February 1919.