No.14223, Lance Corporal, Harry LEONARD
Aged 21
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Harry King Leonard was born in Soham on 20th August 1894 (Newmarket Q3-1894 3B:502), baptised in Soham on 19th September 1894, son of Arthur and Adelaide
LEONARD (née KING),of Hall Street, Soham.
1901 census... Aged 6, he was at The Bushel & Strike, Hall Street, Soham with his father Arthur LEONARD [34] grocer/publican; his mother Adelaide [33] and brother Ralph [5]. All were born in Soham. 1911 census...Aged 16, Harry King Leonard, farmer's son/small holding, he was at The Bushel & Strike, Soham with his widowed mother, brother Ralph King a farm labourer, sister Gertrude King LEONARD [8] and brother Percy King LEONARD [6] both born Soham. All of the children were now recorded with "King" as a second given name. |
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Enlisted in Soham.
The third day of the Somme, the 7th Suffolks took part in a frontal attack at Ovillers (a few miles east of Albert). Zero hour was 03:15 am but the battalion attacked in 8 successive waves starting ten minutes earlier. They got as far as the enemies third line, some even getting into the village. Then communications were lost and the Germans managed to cut them off. Stiff resistance led the attack being brought to a standstill. All of the Company commanders had been killed. Casualties of all ranks numbered 470 ( close to half of the battalion), of these 157 were killed, 44 buried in Ovillers and 112, with no known grave, named on the Thiepval memorial. Amongst other local men who fell, Frank Aley, Will Barrett and Walter Leonard from Newmarket, and Edward Dicker, Ernest Hobbs and William Pitches from Exning. Local press report:- Lance-Corpl. Harry Leonard of the 7th Suffolk Regt. son of the late Mr and Mrs Arthur Leonard of the "Bushel" is also officially reported missing. News concerning this soldier has come from other sources to the effect that he was wounded in the advance of July 3rd, although no definite news came to hand until last Friday.
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