Cpl. Leslie Lewis Webb
British Army 14th Field Squadron Royal Engineers
from:Norton, Nr Shifnal Shropshire.
(d.21st Aug 1944)
Before the war, Leslie Webb learnt his trade as a bricklayer, a trade he continued when he joined the Royal Engineers in April 1941, becoming a Sapper. After training he joined 14 Field Squadron RE and served at various locations in the UK between 1941 and 1944.
On 19th June 1944 Leslie and his comrades embarked on the SS Standridge heading for France, landing at Le Hamel on the 25th June. 14th Field Squadron were attached to the Guards Armoured Division and supported them during operations in northern France. The Squadron's tasks were to clear minefields and repair roads and bridges. The personnel had only rudimentary mine clearance training. It was during a mine clearing task on the 21st August 1944 near Chenedelle, Lower Normandy, that a Reigel anti-tank mine exploded. Two Sappers were killed instantly, Leslie was seriously wounded and taken to a nearby dressing station where he succumbed to his wounds. Leslie is buried in the St Charles-de-Percy War Cemetery, just north of Vire, France. He is commemorated on the War Memorial in Stockton Churchyard in Shropshire and also a memorial bench outside ˜The Old School in Village Road, Norton.
Here follows an eyewitness account of the his death: 'The Germans had placed R Mines (Riegel anti-tank mines) in ditches alongside roads near Viessoix, and the French public reported this to the British Army. Cpl. Webb was driven by truck with his section (18 men) to the scene and a mine was picked up and placed across his knees. He asked his driver "Have you got a pair of pliers?" These were given to him. Most of the men continued to play cards in the truck. There was a loud explosion that left two men dead at the scene and two wounded, Cpl. Webb was found in a nearby field and conveyed to a forward dressing station. No further attempts were made to defuse these mines after this, instead, they were scooped up and transported by truck to a place of detonation. The eyewitness had been with Cpl. Webb since 1941.
