Name
Leonard De Lona Christopher
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/04/1915
31
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Captain
40th Pathans
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL
Panel 2
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
East Barnet Memorial, St Mary the Virgin Church Memorial, East Barnet, Barnet memorials not yet fully researched(*1)
Pre War
Son of Maj. Gen. L. W. Christopher, C.B., and Mrs. Florence Christopher, of Brook House, Camberley; husband of Edith Christopher, of Trevor Hall, East Barnet.
Married in East Barnet
Wartime Service
Leonard's name and picture appear in De Ruvigny’s Roll of Honour, the entry reads:
"CHRISTOPHER, LEONARD DE LONA, Capt., 40th Pathans, Indian Army, elder son of Major-General Leonard William Christopher, C.B., Indian Army (retired), of Harcourt House, Camberley, by his wife, Florence, 4th daughter of the late Major-Gen. Charles Stuart Lane, C.B., and grandson of the late Major-Gen. Leonard Raisbeck Christopher; born Mansfield, Iver Heath, co. Bucks, 21 Oct. 1883; educated Wellington College and Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the North Staffordshire Regt. then in India, 9 Jan. 1904; was promoted Lieut. 2 March, 1905, being the same month transferred to the Indian Army and posted to the 40th Pathans. He obtained his company 9 Jan. 1913; was Adjutant 12 April, 1911, to April, 1915, and took part in the operations in the Mohmand country (medal with clasp), 1908. On the outbreak of the European War he came home with his regt., served in France and Flanders, and was killed in action in the Second Battle of Ypres, 26 April, 1915; buried in a farm three-quarters of a mile north-east of the village if St. Jean. His colonel wrote: "The regt. was in the first line of attack, and had to cross over open ground for over 1,000 yards under a fearful fire of machine guns and shells, both front and flank... A native officer of ours near him loosened his belt for him, and Chris said 'Mehrbani' and died... He performed his duty nobly to the end." And a brother officer: "He was dearly loved in the regt., and died a very gallant death at the head of his men, and helped to make the regt. he loved so well famous in that reckless charge." Capt. Christopher married at East Barnet, co. Herts, 4 June, 1913, Edith Marian, 4th daughter of Albert Robinson Bulman, of Trevor Hall, East Barnet, co. Herts, late of Indian Civil Service."
Additional Information
Married in East Barnet but any other connection has yet to be established. *1 If known, the ‘Barnet’ memorial is given, however ‘Barnet’ now appears to be the generic name for many historically separate Hertfordshire locations with Barnet in their name. While we try to unravel these – any help gratefully received! – we have to record ‘Barnet’. It may be that a person appears on several historical ‘barnets’. As this work is done, we will add further detail.
Acknowledgments
Derry Warners
