Leslie Wallace Ablett buried in Belgium

Nine British soldiers who died in World War One have been buried more than a century after their deaths.

One of the soldiers laid to rest was Leslie Wallace Ablett, 2nd Lieutenant, Northumberland Fusiliers.

Leslie Wallace Ablett was born 9 June 1897 and attended Alleyn’s from 1908 to 1913. He was the son of John Joseph and Caroline Ablett (nee Church) of Streatham.

After the outbreak of the First World War, Leslie enlisted in the British Expeditionary Force as a rifleman and joined the 28 Company of London (Artists Regiment) of the Northumberland Fusiliers, the second largest Regiment in the British Army.

Leslie was killed in action, at the age of 20, during the fierce fighting that took place during the Battle of Passchendaele in October 1917.

His name is the first listed on the School’s War Memorial outside the Great Hall.

Leslie was laid to rest with full military honours in a ceremony at Belgium's Tyne Cot Cemetery.

The service was attended by family members including Leslie’s first cousins, three times removed. Alleyn’s School was represented by Major Scott Benest, Captain Lily Senior and Sergeant Mark Stevens from the schools’ Combined Cadet Force (CCF).

Leslie Wallace Ablett was one of 1,905 current and former pupils who fought in World War I and was one of the 273 that lost their lives.