Leslie Horton Partridge watercolour - St. Pierre, November 1917

St. Pierre refers to a location near the town of Lens in the Nord-Pas de Calais region of France. Its proximity to Lens and its position as part of a spur bounding the Loos valley made it a strategically important location for controlling surrounding terrain and defensive positions during World War One. A fierce battle took place there in August 1917, with not much remaining after that time.
The 11th Division fought in Passchendaele on 12 October 1917 after which their movements are not documented. It may be that Leslie Horton Partirdge was on leave from mid-October to early November 1917, which is when several of these artworks from France are dated. Most British WWI records were destroyed during the bombings during WWII, so there is no way of knowing.

Leslie Horton Partridge was born on 10 March 1891 in Elmdon, Warwickshire, to Henry Horton Partridge and his wife, Florence Elizabeth Bond Evans. His father died when he was aged one and his mother when he was 22. By 1911, he was living in Lewisham, London and his occupation was listed as an assistant surveyor.
He married Mildred Evelyn Elizabeth Stacey in July 1913 at King's Norton, Warwickshire and their daughter, Muriel Horton Partridge, was born on 16 January 1915.

In World War One, he enlisted with the 67th Field Company of the Royal Engineers.The Field Companies of the Royal Engineers provided technical skill and know-how in support of the fighting units of the formation known as a Division.
When the expansion of the army was sanctioned in August 1914, it required four Armies each of six Divisions to have two Field Companies each.
The company that Leslie Horton Partridge joined was raised for the formation of Kitchener’s Armies, and was known as the First New Army, K1 67th Field Company, 11th (Northern) Division. They served firstly in the Gallipoli campaign, but when Leslie joined later in the war, they were operating in the France and Flanders regions.

Between 15 September 1916 and the Armistice on 11 November 1918, the 11th Division were positioned in Flers-Courcelette, Thiepval, Ancre Heights, Ancre, Messines, Langemarck, Menin Road, Polygon Wood, Broodseinde, Poelcappelle, Passchendaele, Scarpe, Drocourt-Queant, Canal Du Nord, Cambrai, Selle, Valenciennes and Sambre.

The artworks in this collection were all created between September and November 1917, which corresponds to the battles associated with Menin Road through to Passchendaele. By this stage, Leslie was a commissioned officer - a Temporary Second Lieutenant - bestowed on 11 June 1917. This may explain the better level of accommodation he appears to be depicting. Alternatively, he may have had leave and stayed in or frequented local boarding houses, restaurants and cafes, such as the Estaminet du Chemin de Fer in Watten. Several of the works have a domestic theme - kitchens and the inside of buildings, while others are of houses and other buildings, some of which have sustained damage during the war.

Leslie was awarded the Military Cross for an action on 6 November 1918. This was reported in the London Gazette, No. 31680, page 15360, dated 9 December 1919.
The citation reads "Near Roisin on 6th November, 1918, he was in command of a party carrying out forward reconnaissance of roads, bridges and enemy mines. The party was continually harassed by heavy machine-gun and shell fire, and he and one sapper were wounded. With fine devotion to duty he persisted in his work, and obtained valuable information which enabled early repairs to be carried out."

At some time after the war, he divorced Mildred, marrying Ida Alice Bradford in July 1938 in Westnminster, Middlesex. He died, aged 56, on 17 December 1947 in Walton-on Thames, Surrey.

The artworks, commission document and copies of photos relating to Leslie Horton Partridge were purchased from the son of Muriel Horton Partridge, and grandson of Leslie Horton Partridge.