RUTTER,Leonard Alfred


No.44791, Rifleman, Leonard Alfred RUTTER
Aged 19


18th Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps
formerly TR/9/72788, 25th T.R. Battalion
Killed in Action on Sunday, 3rd October 1918


Leonard Alfred Rutter was born in Denston (Risbridge Q3-1899 4A:801), baptised in Wickhambrook All Saints on 21st October 1901 , son of Alfred and Laura Elizabeth RUTTER (née SHAVE).



1901 census... Aged 1, he was at The Street, Denston with his grandfather Thomas SHAVE [63] domestic gardener; grandmother Elizabeth SHAVE [84]; father Alfred RUTTER [38] coachman at livery stables); mother Laura [40]. All the adults were born in Wickhambrook, all the children were born in Denston and were brothers Jack L [11], Charles [8] and Ernest [6]; sisters Flora [13], Lily [9] and Nellie [3].

1911 census... Aged 12, he was at The Street, Denston with his parents; brothers Jack (farm labourer), Charles (telegraph messenger) and Ernest (gardener); sisters Nellie and Lillie FOX, married with daughter Gladys FOX [6 months] born Wickhambrook.


He enlisted in Bury St Edmunds .
The 18th (Arts & Crafts) Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps was raised at Gidea Park in London on the 4th of June 1915 by Major Sir Herbert Raphael.
The war diary for 1918 has not been found on line, but they get a mention in the war diary of the 12th East Surreys:-
On the 1st October 1918 the 122nd Brigade were advancing in the direction of Menin via Gheluwe. The 12th East Surrey's were the advanced guard and were held up 1000 yards S.W of Gheluwe by a strong line of Machine Gun Posts. Attempts to advanced only partially succeeded. On the 2nd at 7.am the 15th Hants and the 18th K.R.R.C advanced through the 12th East Surrey lines and attacked the position at 10 am.

CWGC records give the killed on 3rd October of the 18th KRRC as 31.

The Bury Free Press of 9th November 1918 reported:-
WICKHAMBROOK SOLIDER DIES IN FRANCE

Te accompanying photograph is of Private L.Rutter, youngest son of Mr,.and Mrs. Alfred Rutter, of the Street, Wickhambook who fell in action on Sept. 29th. The young soldier had been serving on the Western Front for a considerable period with the King's RoyalRifles. Of a cheerful and genial disposition he had many friends, and sincere sympathy is felt for the bereaved parents in their great loss.



Leonard was found here, identified by his disc and re-interred in Hooge in August 1919


photo: Rodney Gibson



Leonard Rutter is buried in Hooge Crater Cemetery grave 14:L:4

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


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