Name
Leonard James East
1892
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
12/12/1917
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Serjeant
15619
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DOZINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY
XV. F. 8.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
None
UK & Other Memorials
Kimpton Village Memorial,
St Peter & St Paul Church, Kimpton
Pre War
Leonard James East was born in 1892 in Kimpton, Herts, the son of Henry and Agnes East, and was one of three children.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at The Crescent, Kimpton, where his father was working as a farm labourer. They remained at the same address in 1911, although at that time his older siblings George and Florence had left home and Leonard was the only child at home with his parents. he was then working as an apprentice carpenter.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Hertford and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, serving in France with the 7th Battalion from 26 July 1915, when the Battalion left from Folkestone on the SS Onward and arrived at Boulogne sur Mer.
They spent September and October training and digging trenches but later in the year they were under almost constant enemy fire from grenades and mortars. In 1916 the Battalion fought in the Battle of Albert (Battle of the Somme) and at some point he was promoted to Sergeant.
Leonard died of wounds on 12 December 1917 and is buried in Dozinghem Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £18 and pay owing of £15 15s 10d. His mother received a pension of 3s 6d a week which was later increased to five shillings a week.
Leonard is also commemorated on the family headstone in Hoddesdon Cemetery. His part of the inscription reads:
LOVING MEMORY OF SERGT. LEONARD JAMES E 7TH BEDS REGT
THE DEARLY BELOVED SON OF HENRY & AGNES EAST
WHO DIED OF WOUNDS RECEIVED IN ACTION DECR 12TH 1917 BURIED AT THE CEMETERY SAINT SIXTE BELGIUM AGED 24 YEARS.
NO LOVED ONE STOOD BESIDE HIM.
HE GAVE NO LAST FREE FAREWELL.
NOT A WORD OF COMFORT COULD HE HAVE.
FROM THOSE WHO LOVED HIM WELL.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Adrian Pitts, www.bedfordregiment.org.uk,
