Personal Details
Born: 24 January 1880 in Whitchurch, Shropshire and baptised on 14 March the same year in St. Alkmund’s Parish Church.
Family: He was the fourth of six children born to John Shone, a chemist and grocer, and his wife Mary. His father died in 1889 and his mother married George Galloway in 1894. Leighton married Lily Bennett on 29 May 1923 in the Parish Church of St. Giles in the Field in London. No children can be traced for the marriage.
Residence: At the time of his baptism his family were living in Dodington, Whitchurch; by 1881 they had moved to High Street Yard, Whitchurch. In 1891 they were living at 27 High Street, Whitchurch; in 1901 he was living with his uncle at 17 Eaton Road, Chester, Cheshire. Leighton went to Canada and enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Montreal in December 1915. His mother’s address was shown on his service record as The Woodhouses, Whitchurch; when he married in 1923, this was the address on his marriage certificate.
Employment: In 1900 his military attestation showed him as an estate agent; in 1901 he was serving in the Imperial Yeomanry; his 1915 military attestation states he was a civil engineer; his marriage certificate showed him as a gentleman.
Died: In 1923 in Hinckley, Leicestershire, aged 43.
Military Details
Regiment: Canadian Expeditionary Force
Rank: Second Lieutenant (commissioned from being a corporal)
Service Number: 177972 whilst non commissioned
Date of Enlistment: 2 December 1915
Date of Discharge: Not known
Reason for Discharge: Not known
Other Information: Leighton had previously served in the Imperial Yeomanry (number 1897) between 12 January 1900 and 11 April 1901, including in the Second Boer War. His brother George Gordon also served in WW1.
Leighton was awarded the Campaign Medals (British War Medal and Victory Medal)
The British War Medal (also known as 'Squeak') was a silver or bronze medal awarded to officers and men of the British and Imperial Forces who either entered a theatre of war or entered service overseas between 5th August 1914 and 11th November 1918 inclusive. This was later extended to services in Russia, Siberia and some other areas in 1919 and 1920. Approximately 6.5 million British War Medals were issued. Approximately 6.4 million of these were the silver versions of this medal. Around 110,000 of a bronze version were issued mainly to Chinese, Maltese and Indian Labour Corps. The front (obv or obverse) of the medal depicts the head of George V. The recipient's service number, rank, name and unit was impressed on the rim.
The Allied Victory Medal (also known as 'Wilfred') was issued by each of the allies. It was decided that each of the allies should each issue their own bronze victory medal with a similar design, similar equivalent wording and identical ribbon. The British medal was designed by W. McMillan. The front depicts a winged classical figure representing victory. Approximately 5.7 million victory medals were issued. Interestingly, eligibility for this medal was more restrictive and not everyone who received the British War Medal ('Squeak') also received the Victory Medal ('Wilfred'). However, in general, all recipients of 'Wilfred' also received 'Squeak' and all recipients of The 1914 Star or The 1914/1915 Star (also known as 'Pip') also received both 'Squeak' and 'Wilfred'. The recipient's service number, rank, name and unit was impressed on the rim.