No.13668, Private, George LEONARD
Aged 27
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George Leonard was born in 1892 (Mildenhall Q1-1892 4A:780), son of Isaac and Sarah LEONARD (née BONNETT).
1901 census...Aged 9, he was at Hurdle Drove, West Row with his father Isaac LEONARD [48] farm labourer; his mother Sarah [40], born Isleham; brothers John [18] and Charles [14] both farm labourers; sister Sarah [11]. All except his mother were born in Mildenhall. 1911 census...Aged 19, he was a farm labourer at Mr T Jaggard's Farm, Hurdle Drove, West Row Fen with his widower father, brother John and Charles and sister Sarah. His mother had died in 1908. and his father in 1915. His sister was named sole legatee His brother Charles was killed serving in France in the Essex Regiment in 1917, commemorated on the Mildenhall war memorial. see here |
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Enlisted in Newmarket. The war memorial has 11th Suffolks but he had moved on. 2nd Battalion war diary :- 30th August- 5:0 am the 76th BDE attacked ECOUST. The objective was reached with slight casualties but owing to the battalion being unable to secure its flanks it had to fall back to the line of EXCOUST TRENCH at about 11am. Reinforcements Lt NE Cooper 2 Lts A Lockwood, AL Baldwin AW Hardy. On the night of 30/31st the battalion was relieved by the 13th KINGS LIVERPOOL and came back to the line MORY SWITCH-HALLEY AVENUE between MORY and ST LEGER. No mention there of the 200 plus casualties, including 50 men killed. (Lt Col Murphy's "History of the Suffolk Regiment").
photo: Rodney Gibson and commemorated on the West Row war memorial where he is also attributed to the 11th Suffolks and originally named on the Mildenhall memorial. click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details |
