LEONARD, William


No.6478, Private, William LEONARD
Aged 30


1st Battalion Prince of Wales'(North Staffordshire Regiment)
Killed in Action on Wednesday, 14th June 1916


An Old Contemptible


William Leonard was born in Castle Camps (Linton Q1-1884 3B:523), baptised in Castle Camps on 27th January 1884, son of Charles and Emma LEONARD (née INGNOTT).



1891 census...Aged 7, he was at Haverhill Road, Castle Camps with his father Charles LEONARD [56] shepherd; his mother Emma [40], brothers Charles [14] (no occupation given), Alfred [9] and Henry [1 month]; sisters Martha [12], Nellie [4] and Annie [1]. All were born in Castle Camps.

1901 census...He has not been identified in this census, from his Army number he may well be in the Army. He was certainly at least a reservist when war broke out.
His mother was in Castle Camps (now recorded as born Shudy Camps) with Alfred, Nellie, Annie and Arthur (Henry?). His father was in the workhouse in Linton.

1911 census...Possibly... Aged 25, an ironstone miner, lodging at Patten Lane, Rylet, Guisborough, Yorks with Charles (his brother ?) and Jane LEONARD and their children

He married Annie Ethel CUTTLER (Guisborough Q4-1912) who in 1920 married John G. HAWKES, 21 Jackson Street, Coundon Grange, Bishop Auckland.


He enlisted in Haverhill. He died near Wulverghem in Belgium.
The battalion were in Ireland when war was declared, 17th Brigade, 6th Division and very quickly they moved to Cambridge and then to Newmarket before going to St Nazaire on 14th September 1914 and in 1915 transferred to the 72nd Brigade, 24th Division.
The war diary of the period is very sparse, concerned mostly with the weather. They suffered badly in the gas attack near Wulverghem, but William died three days before that attack (with 5 of his chums).


photo: Rodney Gibson



William Leonard is buried in Dranoutre Military Cemetery, grave 2:C:12

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


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